The world of gaming has changed in recent years, with a new trend towards playing competitively online.
Some gamers like to while away the hours on the first-person shooter, competing against their friends. Others want to socialize online, playing strangers on social games and making new friends. Over the last two years, there has been a perfect storm for the online gaming industry, with circumstances creating an environment in which it can survive. Indeed, Gamerant.com suggests as much as 40% of the world’s population enjoy playing video games of some description. 2.8bn of those will play on mobile devices, according to Venturebeat.com, although some will play alongside other devices such as consoles or home computers.
Mobile devices have become a much more accepted gaming platform in recent years, mainly because of their versatility. Early games on mobile were basic and pre-loaded, such as Snake on the early Nokia phones, but the smartphone and tablet revolutionized the industry. As Poker.org details, online poker providers require you to download software onto a device, something you could not do 20 years ago. Still, now tablets have internal memories and slots for additional memory; you can download the latest poker app, or Call of Duty, or whatever other game you choose to play. That’s why you’ll see people glued to their screens on the train or bus; they’re deep into a hand of poker or wading through hoards of zombie soldiers with their friends, something you struggled to do in the past.
With that in mind, what tablets should you be buying for your online gaming sessions? We have selected three of the best for you to pick up in 2021 and get into the global phenomenon of online gaming.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
Samsung is a serious rival to Apple in the gaming tablet market, and the Tab A7 benefits from being versatile and compatible with other Android devices. It has a 12.4” super AMOLED display, 128GB of storage and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset. That gives it some real processing power and makes it perfect for your gaming needs. It’s not too bulky either, so it won’t weigh you down if you want a hand of poker on the bus but then have to have it with you for the rest of your day. It is also 5G compatible, so it’s future-proofed as much as technology allows.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7
Microsoft is synonymous with home computers and gaming, so it would be remiss not to touch upon their gaming device option. A 12.3” PixelSense display is smaller than the others we suggest, and that is not entirely reflected in the price point. However, there are options in the processor, but the Quad-core i7 should be your choice for real gaming power. It is also easy to attach to a keyboard and mouse, making it a mobile gaming device and a viable home computer option. It is also capable of running full-blown PC games, which very few other mobile devices are.
Apple iPad Pro 12.9
This is the gaming tablet that defines gaming tablets. Packing a 12.9” liquid retina screen, A12Z bionic processing chip and 128GB of storage, it is a gaming device for the modern world, capable of handling anything from a round of poker to a World Cup on FIFA mobile. You get what you pay for, this device will cost you more than $1,000, but it is the ultimate gaming tablet and well worth the money. It offers trackpad and mouse support to bring it into line with laptops and has an eight-core processor, rather than the seven of its predecessor. The iPad also links up with your Mac Book and iPhone, which is a big feature for dedicated users. If your budget allows, and you’re already an Apple user, then this is the only tablet you should think of buying.