How To Buy a Tablet: Shopping Guide

Sam's Club carries many types of electronics at members-only prices. If you're shopping for a new Apple iPad or other types of tablets, you're in the right place.

What is a Tablet?

A tablet is a wireless, portable computer with a touchscreen interface. Unlike e-readers, the best tablet to buy is a solid blend between a smartphone and a laptop computer. With the ability to connect to Wi-Fi, tablets are able to take photos, upload and download documents, make phone calls, send messages, record video and perform other day-to-day tasks. Tablets are smaller in size than a notebook computer, typically less than 10 inches.

You should buy a tablet if you are looking for more convenience in your technology. An Apple iPad mini has a larger screen and can perform a lot of the same tasks as an iPhone. Tablets are smaller devices that can perform some of the same tasks as a laptop. Depending on your need for the tablet - entertainment, design, work or gaming - Sam's Club has an excellent selection, and they're all available at members-only prices.

Buying a new iPad or Galaxy Tab keeps your technology experience mobile and on the move more so than a laptop because it will fit in a purse or small tote bag. You'll find everything you need to keep your home and offices stocked, including tablet accessories like covers, styluses or adapters that will enhance your tech experience at affordable prices.

Avoid a trip to the store when you order your new tablet online from SamsClub.com and get it delivered to your door.

What Sizes of Tablets Are There?

Small: 7 to 9 inches and below

Small tablets are light devices, designed to fit in the palm of your hand and travel in small carriers. These tablets are slim with a touchscreen display and a camera for photos and video.

If you don't need a large screen, and you're primarily reading e-books and checking messages, a Wi-Fi-connected tablet with a display size under 9 inches may be a good choice. For watching movies and playing games, consider a larger screen. The compact Apple iPad mini, sleek iPad Air or Samsung Galaxy Tab E Lite are an example of small tablets with big features that make them the best tablet for work or kids while getting the job done.

Large - 9 inches and above

Large tablets are a 9-inch tablet or more with a wider screen size created for a mobile technological experience that can be entertaining and family-friendly. With added battery power, speakers and a camera - these types of tablets are perfect for recording video, calls and using special apps. An Apple iPad Pro or Samsung Galaxy Tab A and Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e have exceptionally bigger screens and stronger processors that allow you to move quickly between apps during browsing.

What Will You Use Tablet For?

Before you decide which iPad or tablet you're going to buy, consider what you'd like to do with it. Of course, tablets can do so much and understanding your priorities when it comes to your electronic needs is essential to buying the best tablet for work and school.

You can play games, watch TV shows and movies saved to your device or streamed wirelessly, check email, surf the web and use it for running your business. They're so lightweight and portable, so tablets are essential for anyone on the go.

With the large selection of iPads and mobile devices at Sam's Club, you'll be able to find the best tablet for home and kids. Some of the most popular models are larger tablets like the iPad Pro because of its high-performing features, enjoying media and using apps.

What to Consider when Buying a Tablet

Before you make your next tablet purchase, things to consider are its storage capacity, mobility and processor. If you are trying to find the best tablet for work or the best tablet for kids, Sam's Club has iPads, other tablets, and tablet accessories that are specialized to make your life easier depending on your needs.

No matter what type of tablet you're considering, you'll definitely want to pay attention to the total amount of storage available in the unit. The more storage you have, the more pictures, videos and games you can download or store. Some tablets have a microSD card slot for expanding memory capacity. If you're looking at iPads, you can find them with a range of storage amounts, up to 512GB. If you're not sure how much storage you need, it's recommended to size up so you don't run out of storage space.

Tablets are light devices and weigh anywhere from one to two pounds keeping you mobile. Tablet accessories help make a tablet transform and convertible for use. Adding a mount, adapter, stylus, or keyboard case to your tablet will give you the flexibility to enjoy social media and available apps from the app store like Skype and Kindle.

Just like in desktop and laptop computers, the processing power and operating system of a tablet directly relates to how fast it runs. If you're really into playing the latest games, you'll want either an iPad with the iOS operating system that has a top-tier processor. Android tablets run a quality processor that runs a little slower than an iPad.

Battery power and battery life is a measure of durability, function and longevity. The average battery life for iPads and tablets offered at Sam's Club is 10-11 hours.

What Brands of Tablets Does Sam's Club Sell?

We offer popular brands of tablets from these bestsellers:

• Apple
• Samsung

We also offer accessories from:

• Apple
• Mount-It!
• Square

FAQ - Tablets and iPads

What iPad accessories does Sam's Club sell??

Sam's Club offers iPad accessories for your personal interests and business needs. From Square chip readers to AV adapters to screen covers, these tablet accessories will help you enjoy your new tablet.

What tablet accessories does Sam's Club sell?

Accessories allow you to expand the capabilities of your tablet or iPad. Sam's Club has a variety of gadgets to enhance your mobile computing needs. Tablet accessories like a mount, desk stand or stylus make doing tasks on your device easier. Sleeves, chargers and other tablet accessories will keep your unit protected and ready for use.

What is the best tablet to buy for kids?

The best tablet for kids is a small device that has access to educational content, gaming apps and ability to contact via phone or video. Downloading an app that will help you control your kids' tablet use will give you more comfort in allowing your kids to use this technology.

When is the best time to buy computer tablets?

The best time to buy computer tablets from Sam's Club is every day because our electronics are offered at members-only prices that you cannot get anywhere else.