Gitex Shopper: Huge discounts, crazy Tablet PC offers in Dubai; these are our top picks for home, professional use that fit your needs, budget

Palavi Gidwani, 20, promoter of Huawei Tablet PCs, with colleague Sarah Jameel, 22, showing the Huawei Media Pad M5 Lite Tablet at the Gitex Shopper, Dubai World Trade Centre, on Wednesday, September 25, 2019. Image Credit: Jay Hilotin / Gulf News

                    
                        Highlights
                    
                    Buy-1-take-1 offers by some retailers on certain Tablet PCs models
Huge discounts, >Dh3,000 off, on iPad Pro tablet
Options for professionals who need high-end, top specs

Dubai: Who needs tablets? Kids, for sure. But also architects, designers and engineers. Even commercial airline pilots.

The reasons: Table PCs are overwhelmingly used for games, entertainment and certain professions.

Compared to phones with tiny screens, tablets (especially those fitted with retina display or capacitive touch screens) help enhance user experience and also preserve your eyesight. This helps avoid a new health challenge facing millennials and post-millennials: the so-called "smartphone vision".

This, of course, requires users (especially kids) to take a healthy amount of breaks in between. In general, compared to smartphones, tablets have bigger screens, though the differences are sometimes unclear, especially with hybrids.

Smartphones, on the other hand, are used mostly as a communications and social media, utility gear, and tend to be pocket-sized.

What is a Tablet PC?

Also known as a tablet PC, or a portable computer, tablets are segmented by size, type and end users.

In terms of size, tablets are classified into 7 inches, 8 inches, 9 inches, 10 inches and up to 12 inches – with some slight variations in between, depending on the manufacturer.

By type, the segment is further classified as mini-tablet, slate, hybrid, gaming console, booklet and others. Some may be customized for business, sales or engineering.

So yes, if you see the above use cases, tablets are here to stay (it's a $4.5 billion market, according to one research).

We went around Gitex Shopper in Dubai, on Day 2, and found some compelling offers. Here's the low-down on tablet PCs:

1. Brand: Samsung

Model: Tab S6 (2019) 4G/LTE 10.5”

Vaibhav Bansal, 26, presents the Samsung Tab S6 at Gitex Shopper. Image Credit: Jay Hilotin / Gulf News

Features: This Smartphone is compatible/will work with any 4G/LTE network. Also backward compatible with 2G GSM, 3G, 4G/LTE; 10.5" HD screen, 2.8GHz Octa-Core CPU; LCD touchscreen, 16M colors; 128 GB Storage, 6GB RAM, Up to 1TB microSD Card slot, Android 9.0 (Pie). Primary Camera 8 MP, AF, f/2.0, LED flash, panorama, 1080p@30fps, 5MP (front camera), f/2.2, 1080p@30fps

+ Fast processor, high capacity, high-end tablet “Air actions” convert feature the S-Pen into a magical wand via Bluetooth (up to 10 meters).

- We didn't find anything negative (yet) about this product. Tell us what you think, if you use it.

Price: Dh2,899 ($787) for LTE model; Dh2,599 for Wifi model

2. Brand: Lenovo

Model: Yoga Tab 3 Model X50

Features: Qualcomm Snapdragon; 4 viewing modes (hold, stand, tilt hand), 10.1” Full HD 1920 x 1080; 8MB (front and back rotatable) camera; 2GB RAM LPDDR3; 16GB HD + expandable microSD to 128GB; WiFi &4G; dual front-facing stereo speakers; LTE/WLAN + BT 4.0 + GPS

+ Rotatable camera, phone function; 4-way viewing mode, affordable price

- Low RAM

Price: Dh649 or $176 (slashed from Dh999)

You save: Dh150

Free: Bluetooth speaker. Deal at eMax (Taha Mohammad)

3. Brand: Microsoft

Model: Surface Pro 6

Features: Intel iCore 5 8GB, 128GB, 12.3" (2019 model).

This is actually a laptop with tablet-like feature (if you detach the keyboard".

+ Slim, tough design, high-quality resolution and robust tablet case, easy to hold and weighs 786g (~1.7 lb). Delivers a laptop-like performance, quiet fan, battery lasts full working day, keyboard and Pen that magnetically attaches to the side, convertible to laptop, good cameras, Windows support, decent microphone, bright display, high res RGB colour space coverage, recharged fully in two hours.

- No USB Type-C, Signature Type Cover (2017) remains an additional purchase, as does the Surface Pen (2017); expensive.

Price: Dh3,499.00, slashed from Dh4,199 (Jumbo)

You Save: Dh650

Caption for Apple iPad Pro: Salman Siraj, 22, of Sharaf DG, and Amrin Abdul Mutlib, 18, show the iPad Pro at Dh3099 (slashed from Dh6,199)

4. Brand: Apple

Model: 11-inch iPad Pro

Features: Apple's 11-inch iPad is one of the best tablets. Powerful A10 Fusion processor, "immersive" augmented reality experiences (using AR apps). With Apple Pencil support (Pencil must be bought separately), works with iWork suite; making it easier to take notes, sketch, annotate.

+ Great for professional graphic design; 10 hours of battery life, 12MP camera (back); front camera 8MP; Fast A10 Fusion performance; Works with Apple Pencil; fun augmented-reality apps; good battery life; thick bezels; Apple Pencil, long battery life and Apple Pencil support.

- Keyboard and cover all cost extra

Price: Dh3,099 ($842), slashed from Dh6,199 (less Dh3,100)

Offer: Travel/entertainment vouchers worth Dh3,000 Gitex offer only (Sharaf DG)

6. Brand: Huawei

Model: MediaPad M5 Lite Tablet

Features: 10.1" FHD Display, Octa Core, Quick Charge, Quad Harman Kardon-Tuned Speakers, 3GB+32GB, M-Pen Lite Stylus included, 4 speakers in each corner, Space Grey; Android 8; pre-loaded with "Nebo for Huawei" note-taking app in the MediaPad M5 Lite (converts your handwriting to typed word)s. When used for drawing, as good as Apple Pencil, say users. No need to buy the M pen (free in the box). Child friendly, kids can have their own account. Expandable storage capacity using SD card.

+ Advance eye-comfort mode; Harman Kardon 4-way speakers; good battery life (1 hour on YouTube cuts 10% from battery life); fast-charging, less than 2 hrs to fully charge; excellent tablet for a reasonable price point. Solid, feels high end. Good reviews from existing users. Comes pre-loaded with "Nebo for Huawei" note-taking app in the MediaPad M5 Lite, This converts your handwriting to typed words. The M pen, used for drawing, as good as Apple Pencil, according to a number of user reviews. The M Pen is in the box, no need to buy the M pen. Child friendly, kids can have their own account. Expandable storage capacity using SD card

- OS does not allow transfers from the internal to external storage on most apps, according to some users; "Nebo for HuaWei" cannot import pdf from other sources as good as "GoodNotes" (on iPad) at the moment; if used as a gaming machine, Apps cannot be moved off the internal drive, in contrast to other Android devices. Not much use for additional SD card, according to one review.

Price: Dh999 ($271), from Dh1,299

Free: M-pen (Stylus)

6. Brand: Lenovo

Model: Tab E7:

Features: 8GB storage; 1GB RAM, 7-inch screen, Wireless LAN+ Bluetooth; front facing speaker; 0.3MP front camera + 2MP rear camera; battery: 2750 mAH battery; OS 8.1 Adroid Oreo; 3G calling (SIM card); also used as phone; all calling and VOIP app.