It has a generous set of ports, including four USBs, LAN and HDMI Out and is powered by Intel’s very latest i7 processor, matched with 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB of fast SSD storage to keep things flying. The 14-inch screen is perfectly sharp and colourful.

It looks every inch the business class machine it is, and the lasting impression is of rugged reliability, with no corners cut on components, materials or build quality, which has become the hallmark of Dell’s excellent Latitude range. It’s not cheap, but it is a hard-wearing, well-rounded package with serious on-the-go productivity top of mind. And in this role, it will likely outlast competitors by some years, making it the smart investment.

14” FHD touchscreen, i7 CPU, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, 2x USB + 2x USB-C, HDMI out, 321x212x19 mm, 1.36 kg, R30 000

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It is difficult to fault the A78. It’s powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 700 chip, which has a slight edge on the Samsung’s Exynos, especially for gaming, and includes blazingly fast 5G. There is a generous 8 GB of RAM on board, and it offers the same RAM extension technologies now found on most mid-range phones, up to 8 GB.

The 6.5-inch screen is strikingly good, pin sharp, colour rich, great for gaming and certainly the best in the category. It offers 90 Hz fast refresh, which we think is the sweet spot for smooth performance without affecting battery life too harshly.

The A78’s cameras were excellent all round. Although it offers a fairly basic dual-camera setup (compared to the quad cameras on the Samsung A53) the results we got from the 50 MP main shooter were superb, even from awkward low-light shooting. We also appreciated the stereo speakers, which include a volume booster. There is also a headphone jack and a microSD memory slot for hoarding clips, photos and music.

In the looks department, this one is a beauty, with mixture of grippable matte texture on the rear and a glossy panel around the camera hubs. The side-mounted fingerprint sensor is extremely fast and reliable and keeps your fingerprints off the screen. One crucial failing is lack of proper waterproofing, though in fairness only the Samsung A53 offers full IP67. The A78 offers IPX4 splashproofing, which is adequate to shrug off rain and desktop coffee spills.

If you’re looking to move up from an entry-level phone, you can’t go far wrong with the A78. There is some room for improvement in the camera setup, though. Otherwise, the ample processing power and graphics and the superb screen mean it’s great for gamers, and the large 5 000 mAh battery gets through two full days of mixed usage.

5G, 6.56” display @90 Hz, 8 GB RAM, 8 MP front/50 MP + 2 MP depth rear cameras, 128 GB storage, BT5.3, microSD, 5 000 mAh battery, 188 g, R8 900

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Where To Start?

How do you go about choosing the best tablet for you, then? First, it’s important to work out exactly how much you would be willing to spend. Paying a little more could open up some interesting multimedia options, for example.

Try to figure out what your main usage will be: working on communications, documents, web browsing or watching movies? What sort of apps and services are you going to want to run? Do you need cellular data as well as WiFi? Will your children be using it? If your tablet is typically going to be used for watching movies and shows, for example, then your priority will be a large, quality screen.

If you are looking to do something more artistic, such as drawing or photo editing, then stylus support will be important. If you’re looking for a laptop replacement, then accessories like covers and keyboards will matter more, and you’ll need processing power and good battery life.

Apps

From Netflix to Gmail, most apps are now built to look and work great across a wide variety of devices, so you should be able to switch back and forth from phone to tablet with a minimum of hassle.

Hardware

The processor on your tablet won’t be as fast as on a laptop, so apps will run slightly slower, and there will be less memory for running multiple apps simultaneously and less storage space for files and data, but you’ve definitely scored on portability.

Screen

Tablet screens are now as good as, or even sometimes better than, laptop screens. Pin-sharp screens are the norm on tablets, and many now offer high refresh rates too, for smoother scrolling of web pages, and support for the most advanced video enhancements.

Cameras

The cameras on the backs of tablets are strictly for quick snaps, and not for making photo art. However, the front-facing camera has become a lot more important in this age of virtual meetings and video calls.

Brands

As always when choosing a new gadget, you also need to be mindful of the digital ecosystems in which you’re already invested. If everything else in your life is Apple – your phone, your laptop, your TV service – then it makes more sense to opt for an iPad to complete the set. If you spend a lot of time inside Google apps and services, then for you, an Android tablet will work out better.

Build quality

When it comes to the look and feel of the tablet, some affordable slates will be more durable than others. That’s important if you have small children using your tablet, too.

Best All-Rounder

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

Samsung’s S-series is its premium tablet line. Two years ago, the S6 tablet crushed all comers, but this model strips away the less useful features that drain your battery and drive up the price, and keeps the superb build quality, superior screen and best-in-class stylus support.

Samsung refreshed this model very recently with a new, faster processor, Bluetooth 5.0 and an OS upgrade, though there’s still just 4 GB of RAM, no USB-C and no 5G either. There is removable storage, which is a big advantage if storing movies is requirement, and it even has a headphone jack.

For all the top tech packed in here, the S6 Lite is remarkably light at just 465 g. That’s on par with the lightest models on offer here, and the same as Apple’s iPad Air. But this tablet’s big differentiator is the S-Pen stylus. Unlike with most tablets, this stylus comes bundled and is extremely versatile for taking notes, marking up documents and drawing and colouring.

When not in use, it attaches magnetically to the body of the tab. This versatile gadget offers a full-strength tablet experience for both work and play, and all at a decent enough price. 10.4” FHD+ display, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, 5 MP front/8 MP rear cameras, S-Pen stylus, 465 g, R9 000

Apple fans

Apple iPad Mini 6

Despite having the smallest screen in our line-up, at 8 inches, this is one of the most powerful tablets on test here. It’s a veritable pocket rocket featuring the A15 Bionic processor that powered last years top-end iPhones. Which means this model is well equipped for heavy lifting like multimedia editing and handling large documents and is often compared to the mid-range laptop. It’s not cheap, but it is small and light, if those are your primary criteria. Battery life is good at 10 hours, but it’s less than the other iPads, obviously.8.3” display, A15 Bionic CPU, 64 GB storage, 12 MP front/12 MP rear cameras, 293 g, R10 500

 Apple iPad

The base iPad model has been rejuvenated this year with a more modern design and USB-C, which automatically makes it more useful by virtue of the accessories that can be added. Otherwise, this iPad can’t be beaten for tablet gaming on a budget. Its A13 Bionic processor is far more powerful than that of Android tablets at this price, and the iPad OS gaming library is very strong. Sure, the other iPads have fancier features and more modern-looking designs, but this one will save you thousands of rands you will be able to set aside for actual games. 10” display, A13 Bionic CPU, 64 GB storage, 12 MP front/8 MP rear cameras, 498 g, R10 500

Best value

Lenovo Tab M10 Plus (3rd gen)

Right out of the box, this tab feels quite different to everything else. It’s noticeably thinner than the others, and also the lightest of the full-size 10-inch models on test here. We particularly enjoyed the feel of the aluminium body work and the rigidity of the aluminium chassis. Otherwise, it’s pretty standard stuff with 4 GB RAM, enough processing power to keep things moving and a microSD slot to expand your storage. The screen looks fantastic, or a lot better than its full-HD resolution would suggest, and it gets bright enough for most uses. Overall, it feels more like a business product, with its lean form factor, sharper corners and grey metallic finish. However its dual speakers with Dolby Atmos support and excellent screen means it’s still well equipped for streaming video too. 10,1” display, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, 5 MP front/8 MP rear cameras, microSD slot, 460 g, R4 800

Nokia T20

One of our favourite products of last year, this bare-bones 10-inch model offers fantastic value. It’s remarkably unpretentious and uses simple and clean Android without loads of unwanted apps cluttering up the experience. And according to Nokia’s policies, the device will be receiving regular Android updates and security patches.

The screen is better than full-HD resolution and is covered with toughened glass in front. It looks stylish and it’s well balanced, so it feels lighter than it is. We found ourselves taking it everywhere, preferring it to our more expensive and more powerful tablet models.10.4” FHD+ screen, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, 5 MP front /8 MP rear cameras, microSD slot, FM radio, 465 g, R4 000it to our more expensive and more 10.4” FHD+ screen, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, 5 MP front /8 MP rear cameras, mic.

 Laptop replacements

 Xiaomi Pad 5

The ultimate multimedia device, this tablet sports an outsized 11-inch UHD (4K) screen of superb quality, with high 120 Hz refresh rate to make your movies pop and your social scrolling buttery smooth. And there’s serious processing power on board, too, considering the Snapdragon 860 paired with the Adreno 640 graphics chip, so even the biggest games will fly.

Then there’s a four-way speaker system with Dolby Atmos support for more immersive sound, and even the cameras are a cut above the rest, at 13 and 8 megapixels respectively. The 8 720 mAh battery showed impressive stamina and kept going for nearly three days. We’re surprised it’s constrained to just 64 GB of storage, though, which could prove limiting if you’re planning to use it for business.11” UHD/4K display @120 Hz, 6 GB RAM, 128 GB storage, 8 MP front/13 MP rear cameras, quad speakers, Dolby Atmos, 511 g, R8 000.

Apple iPad Air (2022)

This is the model that ticks all the boxes for most people. There are no compromises in its makeup, but, unsurprisingly, it comes at a hefty price premium.It’s delightfully thin and light, with a beautiful and bigger-than-average 11-inch screen, and it feels fantastic in hand, but its best feature is under the hood.

The updated Air for 2022 now features Apple’s wildly overpowered M1 processor, which will fly through any computing task, from editing 4K video streams or massive image files, to hardcore tablet gaming, without breaking a sweat.We’re delighted that it has USB-C, which makes it far easier to plug in all kinds of peripherals, so you can extend the versatility of the device and work in comfort for longer stretches.11-inch display, Apple M1 CPU, 8 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, 12 MP wide front/12 MP rear cameras, USB-C, 462 g, R13 200.

 Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra

This top-tier Samsung tablet has a monster-sized 14.6-inch Super AMOLED screen with an ultra-smooth 120 Hz refresh rate and supreme colour depth. Match that with an advanced stylus that comes bundled in the box and you have a winning formula for high-quality digital artwork. The stylus sticks to the back to prevent under-the-sofa rummaging.

This is a true laptop replacement, as you might have expected from the screen size and the matching price tag, but that also means you are treated to top-tier processing power courtesy of the blazingly fast Snapdragon 8 Gen1 CPU with industry-leading 5G built in. Build quality is of the highest order. It’s encased in toughened aluminium but is still a remarkable 6 mm thin.

Somewhat disappointingly, the device no longer ships with its own keyboard cover included, but there are great aftermarket accessories available, including several from Samsung itself.11” UHD/4K display @120 Hz, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB storage, 5 MP front/12 MP rear cameras, quad speakers, Dolby Atmos, 507 g, R8 000.

Amazon Readers

Amazon Kindle Scribe

Amazon’s latest is the biggest Kindle yet, with a 10.2-inch display, and for the first time, it mixes its e-reader functions with stylus input in perfect harmony. You can write and draw on this one – and we’ve been promised improved connectivity, including the ability to scrawl notes on things like Word documents. It should still be a great ebook reader, especially with the much bigger screen, and we think the stylus operation may potentially open the door for new companion apps, too.10” e-ink display, 32 GB storage, stylus, 433 g, R7 000 (import)

reMarkable 2

This unusual tablet has an E Ink screen, and has been designed to make reading documents and taking notes feel as though you are doing so on a paper notepad. It is basically a giant 10-inch Kindle with a stylus, minus the lit screen. Subscribe to the Connect service and it’ll even attempt to convert your scribbles into plain text, using optical character recognition. Work without distractions. 10.3” e-ink display, 512 MB RAM, 8 GB storage, R5 200.

Amazon Fire 7 Kids

The actual 7-inch-tablet part here is nothing too special. Buy this one for the warranty. If one of your kids breaks it within the first two years, you get a replacement, no questions asked. The bundled bumper case does its best to avoid this being required, though, and has a sturdy kickstand that allows the Fire to double as a miniature TV. Also includes a year of Amazon’s Kids+ service.7” display, 16 GB RAM, 16 GB storage, 2 MP front / 2 MP rear cameras, 530 g, R1 700.

Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus

You’re not going to create complex spreadsheets and edit videos on this tablet, but it works great for web reading, checking social media feeds and watching video clips. Its thin and light form factor quickly made it my preferred media player: It was just so easy to carry around the house, to hold with one hand and to slip into a pocket as I went about my day.

This bare-bones design has a decent high-definition screen, a low-power processor, 3 GB of RAM and up to 64 GB of storage and looks quite plain, but it’s very thin and light, making it a good option for pre-teen learners, for whom holding a tablet upright for extended periods is a factor. The Fire makes use of its own version of Android and its own app store, which means that some popular apps including WhatsApp, Spotify and Chrome browser are not available.8” HD screen, 3 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, 2 MP front/2 MP rear camera, 355 g, Fire OS 7, R2 300.

Tablet innovation

Asus ZenBook Fold 17

Asus’ gorgeous new release isn’t the first foldable laptop to reach the market, but it has trimmer bezels, a home-grown hinge designed to retain laptop-like stiffness while maintaining the necessary horseshoe fold, a thin, balanced chassis and, yep, the biggest flexible OLED we’ve seen on a portable device. That’s the headline here, and it has to be: it’s 17.3 inches, offers 2K resolution and supports HDR. You can completely unfurl it into an absolutely gigantic tablet mode, and use it horizontally or vertically thanks to an integrated kickstand.

Alternatively, you can half-fold it to use as a laptop, and drop its keyboard accessory on to the bottom half to get a more traditional computing experience. But our favourite is the combination of the fully extended 17-inch screen oriented landscape, and connected to the keyboard accessory, so you’re working in proper luxury. It uses the powerful, but battery optimised, 12th-gen Intel Core i7-1250U, to wring every last ounce of life out of its 75 Wh battery, meaning fewer interruptions – and there’s 65 W USB-C charging, meaning you’ll be able to top it up quickly and minimise downtime. 17.3” display, i7-1250U (12th gen), 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD storage, 2x USB-C, 1.5 kg, R TBA.

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Phones

Xiaomi Mi 11T Pro
This is a phone for serious techies and it comes with a superb 120 Hz refresh OLED screen, a quality 108 MP camera, great speakers and masses of processing power. Fast charging is a nice bonus.
R14 000  

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
The best-value phone below R10 000, this has truly outstanding AMOLED screen with 120 Hz high refresh, and an equally impressive triple camera set-up. It has tough Gorilla Glass on the front and is the only phone at this price with 1P67 waterproofing.
R7 499

Oppo A74 5G
There’s not much changed from the excellent A72 that it replaces, but it does just enough to stay on our list, thanks to the 90 Hz high refresh 6.5″ screen and the remarkably effective fast-charging abilities.
R7 099

Samsung Galaxy A22
This Samsung budget beater includes a 6.4-inch AMOLED screen with a 90 Hz high refresh rate, and a quad-camera set-up, which produced superb results whatever we threw at them. Add in Samsung build quality, and you’re winning here.
R4 000

Honor X8
Thin and light and easy to handle, it feels built for the long road, and that won us over. Despite its large 6.7-inch high-refresh screen, it was a delight to hold and pocket, but there is no 5G and only average cameras.
R5 000

Laptops

HP Envy X360 2019
This model ticks all our boxes for a versatile and convertible ultrabook that does not break the bank. We enjoyed the powerful battery-saving AMD CPU and graphics in this revamped model. Stylus included. AMD Ryzen 7, 13.3″ screen, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB storage, 1.3 kg.
R22 000

Acer Swift 1
This well-built thin and light model weighs just 1.3 kg and has a fanless CPU, which saves your battery, but at the cost of some processing power. But it’s a versatile model that will satisfy many kinds of users, and for an excellent price. Celeron CPU, 4 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD.
R7 000

Asus Vivobook 15 M513
This mid-priced model has a great balanced build with generous storage, loads of ports and, to top it all, a spectacular 15-inch OLED screen. It also comes with a built-in fingerprint sensor. AMD Ryzen 7, 16 GB RAM, 1.8 kg
R15 000

Apple Macbook Air M1
Apple’s highly regarded M1 chipset brings a huge boost in power and battery life to the new Air. Although it looks little changed from previous models, the build quality and horsepower means it will outlast most competitors. Al CPU, 13″ screen, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB storage
R19 000

Lenovo IdeaPad C340
This well-priced two-in-one won us over with its sturdy yet slimline design, generous 14″ screen and low weight. It could have scored even higher with more processing power and RAM. i5 (8th gen), 14″ screen, 4 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, 1.6 kg.
R12 250

Accessories

Gizzu 8800 mAh Mini Dual DC UPS
Reduce loadshedding stress with this simple gadget: a powerbank with a variety of cables to power both your internet point and WiFi router, so your broadband keeps going when the power goes down.
R1000

DeskStand Laptop Riser
Save yourself a lot of neck- and back pain by lifting your laptop screen up to the height of your eyes using this simple but sturdy birchwood deck. It’s designed to let you use your full-sized mouse and keyboard below.
R600

Samsung Smart Monitor M5
Adding WiFi and speakers to a large 27-inch monitor means it can download streaming apps and function as a space saver TV or a hi-fi when you’re not doing computer work.
R5 200  

Anker PowerCore 13000
Not all power banks are equal. This one packs a 13 000 mAh battery into space half the size of competitors, but weighs just 250 g. It also has two 3A outputs for fast charging, which is intelligently optimised for any device.
R650

Astrum USB-C to HDMI
For work-from-home, this simple, affordable gadget solves the problem of losing your laptop’s USB-C port to plug in a monitor. It converts erl to HDMI for your monitor but also provides an extra, full-sized USB-A port and another USB-C port.
R270

Best hi deals

Samsung A32
Available in blue, black or purple
Now R4 499  

Samsung A13
Available in blue or black
Now R2 999

Oppo A16
Available in blue or black
Now R2 699

Hisense U50
Available in green
Now R1299  

Itel Vision 1 Pro
Available in blue or Cosmic Shine
Now R1699

Headphones

Sony WH-1000XM5
The new version of Sony’s acclaimed headphones again delivers superb listening, and lifts its noise-cancelling to another level. They’re heart-stoppingly expensive, but for sheer listening pleasure and cutting-edge innovation, they’re almost impossible to beat.
R10 000

Logitech G335
We especially like the fuss-free nature of these cans that offer no USB or surround-sound effects but just get on with the job of delivering great sound and long-term comfort across games, music and movies.
R1200

Sony WF-0500
A downscaled version of Sony’s much more expensive buds, you give up the noise cancelling and some other high-end features, but these are easy to use, fit snugly and will delight music lovers and audiophiles on a shoestring budget.
R1000

Samsung Galaxy Buds+
Our favourite true wireless buds have been upgraded with more refined soundstage, better quality on voice calls and much-improved battery life while keeping the great shape that made them easy to handle and wear.

R2 800

Xiaomi Mi TW Earbuds Basic 2
These buds were a delight, from the proper rumbling bass ending in a well-balanced sound, to the physical control buttons, which we prefer over touch sensors. For the price, these are truly an unbeatable budget buy.
R300

Tablets

Apple iPad mini 6
The iPad still reigns supreme, offering masses of processing power, a superb screen and build quality that sees it easily outlast most other tablets. This smaller size is more affordable. 8.3″ screen, 293 g.
R10 000

Xiaomi Pad 5
The perfect size for learning, gaming and video bingeing, this near-4K screen also boasts 120 Hz fast refresh, so movies look great and socials scroll smoothly. 11″ screen, 511 g
R8 000

Nokia T20
It’s light, cheap and cheerful with a decent screen and solid build quality you can feel in hand. And Nokia promises years of Android OS updates. 10.4″ screen, 465 g
R4 000

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition
For reading documents, newspapers and books, the Kindle has no equal, thanks to the pin-sharp, passive, greyscale screen that doesn’t blast hard blue light at your retinas. 6.8″ screen, 208 g
R5 000

Microsoft Surface Go 2
Designed as a full-strength business tablet, it runs proper Windows and has a USB-C port for plugging in add-ons, which road warriors will appreciate. 10″ screen, 544 g
R10 000

Wireless Speakers

UE Wonderboom 2
This party-starting, go-anywhere speaker has multiple full-range drivers and delivers surprising amounts of bass for its size. It’s a rugged construction and fully waterproof, so it’s ideal for the beach, the park or the poolside, and comes in funky colours.
R1500

Astrum BT220 receiver
This tiny, inexpensive receiver connects with your phone over Bluetooth to pipe your music into your hi-fi and there’s minimal audio distortion using the aptX protocol. Or connect to your TV to listen on your Bluetooth headphones.
R380

Logitech Z407
These look fantastic and deliver wonderfully rich sound for a great price. Ideal for music lovers with limited space, the compact subwoofer delivers some real thump. The wireless dial lets you control your music from 20 m away, and you can Bluetooth your phone into the mix too.
R1500

Bitty Boomer
It’s no boom box, obviously, but this pocketable egg-sized dual-driver speaker is the most convenient way to share your tunes. It comes in loads of funky pop-culture designs and you can use the power button to remote-fire your phone camera.
R375

LG Xboom PL7
For rap and dance music fans this ghetto blaster-style speaker does not disappoint. The 30-watt output gets your party started with remarkably undistorted bass that you can feel as much as hear. Then there’s a RGB light show bling and IPX4 splashproofing too.
R2 000

Fitness

Garmin Venu 2
Our top tracker combines tons of detailed, accurate workout data with useful smartwatch functions in a cool, office-friendly design. We especially like the improved Body Battery function, which helps you balance rest and play.
R7 800

Xiaomi Mi Watch
With a very cool design, large colourful screen, solid tracking data (with GPS) and excellent battery life, this watch is a winner. Consider that it costs half as much as most competitors, and you can see why Xiaomi is now the industry leader in wearables.
R2 300

Huawei Watch GT2e
This update to the excellent GT2 has the same extraordinary two weeks of battery life with full GPS support, but it’s more sport focused with VO2 Max and SP02. It’s also a more streamlined shape, and has 4 GB music storage on-board.
R3 500

Xiaomi Band 6
The sharp and colourful screen is the winning feature here, along with exceptional battery life and decent step, heart- and sleep metrics. At this price, the lack of GPS won’t bother casual gym-goers.
R800

Huawei Band 6
Our favourite budget tracker doesn’t have built-in GPS, but the bright and sharp colour screen is a treat, and you’re getting SP02 and stress metrics in the mix. Great build quality at a fantastic price.
R1700

Prices correct at the time of print

Photography: Courtesy Images

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TECH BUYER’S GUIDE, December2023 – Best budget tablets tested and compared on sound, price and build quality by the experts at Tech Magazine

PHONES | HEADPHONES | LAPTOPS | TABLETS | HEALTH TRACKERS | WIRELESS SPEAKERS | GAMING | TVS | ACCESSORIES | STREAMING | MOUSES | GAMING MOUSES

1. Apple iPad (2022)

Apple’s most basic iPad has an updated design and still trumps most other 10-inch tablets. It uses the older A13 Bionic chip (which still outguns competitors) and now has USB-C so you can use a wider range of plug-in accessories. 10”, 498 g, R10 500

2. Xiaomi Pad 5

The perfect size for learning, gaming and video bingeing, this near-4K screen also boasts 120 Hz fast refresh, so movies look great and socials scroll smoothly. 11” screen, 511 g. R8 000

3. Nokia T20

It’s light, cheap and cheerful, with a decent screen and solid build quality you can feel in hand. And Nokia promises years of Android OS updates. 10.4” screen, 465 g. R4 000

4. Lenovo Tab M10 Plus (3rd gen)

Its narrower shape makes it easier to handle. The sharper corners and the metal chassis and bodywork give it a businesslike feel, and the screen, although basic, looks better than on most budget tablets. Stereo speakers round out the multimedia offering. 10”, 460 g, R4 800

5. Nokia T10

The shrunken-down version of the T20 tablet above, but this budget 8-inch model does the basics well. Its size and weight make it perfect for learners and pre-teens, and it’s built extra tough to last longer, even with some rough treatment. 10”, 460 g, R3 200

BUYING GUIDE

How to buy a low priced tablet

How do you go about choosing the best tablet for you, then? First, it’s important to work out exactly how much you would be willing to spend. Try to figure out what your main usage will or watching movies? What sort of apps and services are you going to want to run? Do you need cellular data as well as WiFi?  

APPS: From Netflix to Gmail, most apps are now built to look and work great across a wide variety of devices, so you should be able to switch back and forth from phone to tablet with a minimum of hassle.

HARDWARE: The processor on your tablet won’t be as fast as on a laptop, so apps will run slightly slower, and there will be less memory for running multiple apps simultaneously and less storage space for files and data, but you’ve scored on portability.

CAMERAS: The cameras on the backs of tablets are strictly for quick snaps, and not for making photo art. However, the front-facing camera has become a lot more important in this age of virtual meetings and video calls.

BRANDS: As always when choosing a new gadget, you also need to be mindful of the digital ecosystems in which you’re already invested. If everything else in your life is Apple – your phone, your laptop, your TV service – then it makes more sense to opt for an iPad to complete the set. If you spend a lot of time inside Google apps and services, then for you, an Android tablet will work out better.

SCREEN: Tablet screens are now as good as, or even sometimes better than, laptop screens. Pin-sharp screens are the norm on tablets, and many now offer high refresh rates too, for smoother scrolling of web pages, and support for the most advanced video enhancements.

BUILD QUALITY:  When it comes to the look and feel of the tablet, some affordable slates will be more durable than others. That’s important if you have small children using your tablet, too.

The post Best budget tablets in South Africa – December 2023 appeared first on TFG Media.

TECH BUYER’S GUIDE, December 2023 – Best tv’s tested and compared on sound, price and build quality by the experts at Tech Magazine

PHONES | HEADPHONES | LAPTOPS | TABLETS | HEALTH TRACKERS | WIRELESS SPEAKERS | GAMING | TVS | ACCESSORIES | STREAMING | MOUSES | GAMING MOUSES

1. LG QNED 806 

Our reigning champion for over a year, LGs micro dimming, miniLED TV offers unbeatable image quality for the price. Colours are comparable with OLED, but at half the price. And there’s 120 Hz refresh for top-end gaming too. 55” UHD 4K,
R13 000

2.TCL C735

This is one of the stand-out models for 2023, in part because it offers LED micro-dimming and, for gamers, great features at a low price. We are also big fans of Google TV OS, where all streaming services are always supported. 65” UHD 4K,
R12 000

3. Samsung QN90B

Forget the feeds and feeds, this is the best TV image we have seen this year, with no corners cut on features or build quality. Only the price keeps it from ranking higher. We especially like the compact remote with solar recharging. 50” UHD 4K,
R22 000

4. Samsung AU7000

Our first choice for a smaller, secondary TV this older model offers a superb picture with LED edge lighting. The full house of features includes the powerful Crystal image processor, Bluetooth audio and digital tuner for the new free-to-air channels in South Africa. 43” UHD 4K,
R5 500

5. Hisense U6K

One of Hisense best value TVs this model includes miniLEDs, zone dimming and a quantum dot layer for optimal colour balance. The Vidaa OS has limitations (no Disney+ app, for example) but nothing that would trouble the casual viewer. 55” UHD 4K,
R13 999

BUYING GUIDE

How to buy a new TV

When TV shopping on a modest budget, it’s always better to buy a smaller TV with better image quality and features than to focus on size alone. Besides being difficult to watch in smaller living rooms, buying a TV is a long-term decision, and enjoyable quality viewing over time should trump the short-term thrill of having the biggest TV on the street.

4K vs UHD vs FHD: Ultra High Definition, also known as 4K, is twice as detailed as full HD and is now the standard resolution for all new TVs. 8K TVs are increasingly available, but they are very expensive and the screen image may be more detailed than the human eye can see.

HDR vs QLED vs Quantum dot: Using thousands of tiny mini-LEDs for backlighting allows the modern TV to dim and brighten screen areas strategically depending on the video stream. Passing this backlight through a molecular layer called Quantum Dots produces a QLED screen image with more than a billion different colours. These technologies work together to create a far more sophisticated picture with high dynamic range HDR, Dolby Vision and other systems.

OPERATING SYSTEM: Many TV makers still create their own operating systems, but many more now use the Google TV OS, which itself replaces Android TV OS. The biggest advantage of this is that the Play Store will always have all streaming apps available, including local services like DSTV and Showmax, for example. The same cannot be said for the operating systems with small market share.

VOICE CONTROLS: For several years TV makers have offered voice controls for managing your set, and for searching for video content and apps. However, there does not appear to be much uptake of people wanting to talk to their TVs, and so the novelty of voice control remains a hit-and-miss solution looking for a problem.

produces a superior image for shows and movies, but slows down image input. All the sets on test do offer the required HDMI 2.1 port, though.

DIGITAL TV: South Africa is among the last African countries to switch to digital TV. All the TVs on test here have a digital TV tuner built in, which will allow viewers to tune in to dozens of extra TV channels in HD at no extra cost. The broadcast standards are DBV-T, DBV-T2 and DVB-S2

PORTS: All TVs on test here have several HDMI and USB ports. However, these have become much less important because wireless network connections now deliver videos from both streaming services and from phones and PC hard drives on your home network. Video-game consoles are the exception. Unless you’re still using a DVD player, of course.

GAMING: Budget TV sets rarely offer the native high refresh rates above 100 Hz prized by the more serious gamers. Most sets can achieve this high refresh rate by bypassing the heavy processing that

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TECH BUYER’S GUIDE, December 2023 – Best wireless speakers tested and compared on sound, price and build quality by the experts at Tech Magazine

PHONES | HEADPHONES | LAPTOPS | TABLETS | HEALTH TRACKERS | WIRELESS SPEAKERS | GAMING | TVS | ACCESSORIES | STREAMING | MOUSES | GAMING MOUSES

1. JBL Flip 6

This tough, highly portable, great-sounding speaker goes from strength to strength, now offering both dust- and waterproofing to IP67, an extra tweeter for better sound, and far more reliable battery-saving Bluetooth 5.1. It’s your trusted companion for bopping around the house, or to take on the road. R2 500

2. UE Wonderboom 3

This well-priced speaker remains popular thanks to its IP67 waterproofing and all-round rugged reliability, and the expansive sound. The new model adds upgraded Bluetooth support, new colour options and improved battery life. R1 200

3. Astrum BT220 receiver

This tiny, inexpensive receiver connects to your phone over Bluetooth to pipe your music into your hi-fi, and there’s minimal audio distortion using the aptX protocol. Or connect to your TV to listen on your Bluetooth headphones. R380

4. Hisense HP100 Party Rocker

This well-built, splashproof party speaker actually lives up to its name by delivering surprisingly good sound quality at volumes that properly shake the room. The battery runs for well over 10 hours and the six colourful lighting- and DJ effects are a nice touch, too. R4 500

5. LG XBOOM Go PL7

For rap and dance music fans, this ghetto blaster-style speaker does not disappoint. The 30-watt output gets your party started with remarkably undistorted bass that you can feel as much as hear. And there’s RGB light-show bling and IPX4 splashproofing, too. R2 000

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TECH BUYER’S GUIDE, December 2023 – Best gaming gear tested and compared on sound, price and build quality by the experts at Tech Magazine

PHONES | HEADPHONES | LAPTOPS | TABLETS | HEALTH TRACKERS | WIRELESS SPEAKERS | GAMING | TVS | ACCESSORIES | STREAMING | MOUSES | GAMING MOUSES

1. Nintendo Switch OLED

The latest iteration of Nintendo’s smash hit console still offers the same fixed or mobile hybrid play style, but upgrades the experience with a bigger and pristine OLED screen, from 6.2- to 7 inches, better battery life, more storage and a proper LAN port on the redesigned dock, for the more serious players. R8 000

2. Turtle Beach Recon Xbox Controller

This controller feels fantastic in hand, from the rubberised handles to the rough textured triggers and bumper buttons, so you always have positive traction in the heat if battle. There are two programmable paddle buttons on the underside and a function to lower sensitivity for accurate long-range sniping. R1 300

3. Redragon Horus K621

It may not be to everyone’s taste, but the shorter key travel of this tenkeyless board delivers all the tactile feedback gamers crave, but with less clutter. Connect wired or wireless using the low-latency 2,4 GHz dongle. Program macros and adjust RGB without any extra software, and there are even spare switches in the box. R1 700

4. SteelSeries Aerox 3

Combining a trendy, lightweight design with a high-performance sensor and some RGB bling is certainly cool, but this mouse also has serious longevity built in, from the sturdy honeycomb bodywork to the IP54 splashproof rating, replaceable cable, and switches rated for 80 million clicks. R 1 600

5. Redragon Icon H520

For rap and dance music fans, this ghetto blaster-style speaker does not disappoint. The 30-watt output gets your party started with remarkably undistorted bass that you can feel as much as hear. And there’s RGB light-show bling and IPX4 splashproofing, too. R2 000

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TECH BUYER’S GUIDE, December 2023 – Best accessories tested and compared on sound, price and build quality by the experts at Tech Magazine

PHONES | HEADPHONES | LAPTOPS | TABLETS | HEALTH TRACKERS | WIRELESS SPEAKERS | GAMING | TVS | ACCESSORIES | STREAMING | MOUSES | GAMING MOUSES

1. Gizzu 8800 mAh Mini Dual DC UPS

Reduce load-shedding stress with this simple gadget: a powerbank with a variety of cables to power both your internet point and WiFi router, so your broadband keeps going when the power goes down. R1 000

2. SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2

This is the ultimate flash drive, because it’s small, light and nearly indestructible, with 500 GB of data storage using a real NVME SSD drive, but with USB-C connectivity, so transfer speeds both to and from the drive are blazingly fast, around 1 GB/sec. R3 000

3. Xiaomi AW200

This security camera cannot be swivelled around remotely like some cams, but its wide field of view, excellent low-light performance and solid IP65 weatherproofing make it a strong addition to your outdoor, or indoor, home–security setup. R800 

4. EcoFlow River Pro

The simplest solution we have found to defeat load shedding is this handy 720 Wh battery, which offers hours of uptime for traditional three-prong AC plugs, DC, USB and more. During office hours, plug in multiple laptops, PCs, monitors and the WiFi router. In the evenings, swap for the TV, fridge and lights. R14 000

5. Astrum USB-C to HDMI

For working from home, this simple, affordable gadget solves the problem of losing your laptop’s USB-C port to plug in a monitor. It converts to HDMI for your monitor, but also provides an extra, full-sized USB-A port and another USB-C port. R270

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TECH BUYER’S GUIDE, December 2023 – Best health trackers tested and compared on sound, price and build quality by the experts at Tech Magazine

PHONES | HEADPHONES | LAPTOPS | TABLETS | HEALTH TRACKERS | WIRELESS SPEAKERS | GAMING | TVS | ACCESSORIES | STREAMING | MOUSES | GAMING MOUSES

1. Garmin Venu 2

Our top tracker combines tons of detailed, accurate workout data with useful smartwatch functions in a cool, office-friendly design. We especially like the improved Body Battery function, which helps you balance rest and play. R7 800

2. Xiaomi Mi Watch

With a very cool design, large, colourful screen, solid tracking data (with GPS) and excellent battery life, this watch is a winner. Consider that it costs half as much as most competitors, and you can see why Xiaomi is now the industry leader in wearables. R2 300

3. Huawei Watch GT2e

This update to the excellent GT2 has the same extraordinary two weeks of battery life with full GPS support, but it’s more sport focused, with VO₂ max and SPO₂. It’s also a more streamlined shape, and has 4 GB of music storage on board. R3 500

4. Xiaomi Band 7

Our favourite budget tracker now includes stress and SPO2 metrics. Despite a slightly bigger 1.62” colour screen, it remains small and easy to wear, with extraordinary two-week battery life, and all for a remarkably low price. R800

5. Huawei Band 6

Our favourite budget tracker doesn’t have built-in GPS, but the bright, sharp colour screen is a treat, and you are getting SPO₂ and stress metrics in the mix. Great build quality at a fantastic price. R1 700

BUYING GUIDE

How to buy a health tracker

Activity trackers all track your heart rate, your steps and your sleep and include basic stuff such as stopwatch and timer functions, but only serious sports watches have more advanced features such as GPS or real time coaching to improve your performance. Many features are simply useless bloatware but others are essential in order to track your activities accurately.

HEART-RATE SENSOR: Activity trackers have optical sensors – as opposed to the electrode pad and transmitter found in chest heart-rate monitors – and, by now, most big brands use sophisticated algorithms and precise sensors that provide accurate enough readings to give you a really good idea of your heart’s performance.

INTEGRATED GPS: Getting a watch with a built-in GPS chip means you can do outdoor activities where pace, distance and cadence are tracked. Budget trackers often use ‘connected GPS’, which means they use their connection to the GPS on your phone to produce accurate distance measurements. When activated for a workout, the GPS impacts heavily on battery life. If you’re using your band mostly for indoor training like gym, treadmill running or weights then you might not need GPS.

SENSORS: Some trackers have sensors to measure changes in altitude over distance, so you can see how many steep hills you climbed. Other sensors that you might need and are often included in decent trackers are barometers to measure air pressure (and elevation), a digital compass, gyroscope, accelerometer and thermometer. Some watches even have a blood oxygen saturation sensor (SP02), which is a high-end feature that shot to prominence during the height of the pandemic.

OTHER FEATURES: Smart notifications display messages from your phone on your watch. This might include caller ID for incoming calls, appointment reminders and alarms, social-media alerts and incoming text messages and emails. You can also choose from a variety of watch faces that display more or less of your key data. All trackers are sweat-proof and can be rinsed under a tap, but only a few can be fully submerged for water sports such as swimming or surfing.

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