Although e-Readers and tablets are quite different to one another in many ways, their path to popularity has followed a similar trend. Both have been around for more than two decades, however it wasn’t really until the last decade or so where they really gained traction in terms of popularity.
Fast forward to the modern day and it seems like pretty much everyone has one of the Kindle models or a tablet, and in some cases, they may even have both. This can make it difficult for those that have neither to know which of them would be the wiser investment.
The good news is that there are ways that you can decide which of them would be the ideal choice for your needs, and it really depends on what you’re looking for in general. Let’s look at the top e-Readers and tablets out there.
Kindle vs Tablet
A Kindle is a better option for reading than a tablet, as they’re much easier on the eyes. They’re also lighter in weight, cheaper, have a much longer battery life and for many, a Kindle is a haven away from their daily responsibilities.
However, not everyone is sold on Kindles. This is likely due to their increasing price, as although the base model of Kindle is pretty cheap, at the higher end the Kindle Oasis can cost several hundred pounds if you want 4G connectivity.
But the lower costing e-readers do tend to have some benefits to them that you won’t get with when buying a tablet. Although you can only use a Kindle for reading books and scrolling social media, many people see this as a good thing.
There are also other aspects to consider, like how responsive the touch screen is on your display, or the quality of your wi-fi connection. We’re going to look at both tablet and Kindle to see what they’re best for.
Reasons to Opt for a Kindle/e-Reader
Now, if you’re not sure whether an e-Reader is going to be a good fit for you, then there are some advantages to going for a Kindle over a tablet, or as well as. Here’s a few of the key differences that you’ll notice when using your Kindle to read as opposed to using a tablet.
The text
I guess what most people are thinking about when trying to work out whether to opt for a tablet or a Kindle is what is going to be best for reading with. For most people, a Kindle will be easier on the eyes and the better choice if you plan to read a lot.
Kindle’s are made with electronic ink, and they’re designed to read just like books are. They’re almost exactly the same as reading a book, especially if you read without the Kindle light on. So, if you prefer to read books over a tablet, then an e-Reader will undoubtedly be a better choice.
Lightweight & Thin
One of the main advantages of reading books on a Kindle as opposed to using a tablet for the same purpose is its size. Kindles are only 6 or 7 inches in size, whereas a tablet is usually going to be much bigger than this.
Kindles have become lighter and lighter over the years, with Amazon steadily making improvements on them when they’ve released newer generations. The basic Kindle weighs less than 200 grams, which is pretty impressive. This makes it really easy to carry around with you or pack into your suitcase.
Comparing this to a tablet of a similar size, which will typically be around double the weight, it’s clear to see the difference in this aspect. Going from reading a Kindle to reading a tablet can take a little getting used to, with the weight being a key difference.
Price
Kindles haven’t always been as cheap as they are right now. Although some people aren’t fans of Amazon trying to dominate every market, one thing good that comes from it is their constant product development.
And when it comes to the original Kindle, it’s now better than ever, whilst also being cheaper than ever too. This means that whilst it may cost more to go for a different brand of e-Reader, Kindles can be quite cheap.
The thing is, tablets can also be pretty low cost as well. But, they tend to be a lot better at the higher end of the price point. In comparison to this, the basic Kindle e-Reader has many of the same features as the high-end model too.
Better for your eyes
When I was first contemplating getting a Kindle, I have to admit that I was a little bit dubious on how it would be on the eyes. If you work all day on a computer, the last thing you want is to add another screen to use in the evenings.
However, the good thing with the Kindle is that you can have no lights on and their simple E-ink display is much easier on your eyes than the standard LED screen of a tablet.
The Kindle display is designed to emulate real paper as opposed to a glossy screen. So if you struggle with migraine and headaches, or you get occasional eye strain, an e-Reader shouldn’t make this any worse than reading a book would.
Keeping things separate
For many people, a Kindle is a worthwhile investment because it’s completely separate to the rest of the device in the household. Many people are dubious of e-Readers over books as they’re another tech device, but Kindles are designed to be pretty minimalistic.
Reading from your Kindle can help to give you peace of mind away from your tablet, phone and laptop, where you’re constantly scrolling Facebook or checking Twitter. So even if it’s for this reason only, it could be a good decision to invest in a Kindle.
Battery life
Although it’s not the first thing people think of, the additional battery life on a Kindle can be a massive deal if you need something to take travelling with you.
For example, if we look at the Kindle Paperwhite, then it’s stated to have 28 hours of battery life if you use it consistently. Compare this to a fairly standard tablet, like an iPad or iPad mini, it’s around 3 times the lifespan – a mini will last on average 9 or 10 hours.
Obviously, there are different factors at play that may affect the life of your device, like its screen size. However, generally, an eReader will last much longer than a tablet.
Areas where a tablet is better
Now although there are many reasons to go with a Kindle, there are some circumstances where a tablet might be a more appropriate choice for your needs. Here are a few reasons why a tablet could prove to be better.
Not just for reading
The main reason that most people will probably look at a tablet over a Kindle is that it gives you the ability to do other things, not only reading. If you can read your email and browse the internet in the same device you read your eBooks, then it makes sense to opt for this instead for some people.
With a tablet, you will get the best of everything, and they’re great devices (especially for gaming!). You can read on a tablet too, and if you already have one, it might be a good idea to try reading books on it for a while first to see if you like the design, as they are similar to a Kindle.
Lots of storage space
Kindle’s generally come with 4 GB or 8GB of storage space, and at the higher end you can get a 32GB Kindle, though they are a bit more expensive. A tablet will tend to come with a decent amount of storage (32GB+) no matter what you do.
Whilst 4GB of storage space will probably be enough for many people, it could be a little low if you listen to audiobooks. Audiobooks take up a lot more space than a standard book, so it makes sense to get more storage if you prefer listening to reading.
Plus, with a tablet you can often increase the amount of storage space on the device at will with a MicroSD card. You can’t do that with a Kindle, which is a bit annoying.
Larger screen
There are other e-Reader brands that offer large screens, but Kindle specifically only make 6 or 7 inch e-Readers nowadays.
If we compare this to a tablet, which can often be 10-12+ inches in size, then it’s clear there’s a massive difference between the two. This may mean that a tablet would be a better choice for those hard of eyesight, although you can usually zoom in on a Kindle if necessary.
Conclusion
In conclusion, although they are quite similar to one another, both of these devices have their place in the world. If you read a lot, I’d advise that you look at getting a Kindle – even the cheapest model is pretty impressive. It’s better for your eyes, and it can give you time away from checking your emails.
This doesn’t mean that a tablet is obsolete – far from it – and they’re still great devices for casually browsing the internet. But for reading books, a Kindle is much better than a tablet.
