14 DAY TRIAL // In a recent story we took you on a trip down memory lane, showing you how tablets looked in the ‘90s. They were bulky, heavy, and quite expensive, but since we reviewed the past, we should also review the current state of affairs tablet-wise.
Since we have already talked about the big boys, we think it would be interesting to make a roundup of the most sleek and slim tablets available for consumer purchase today, products that really make you feel you’re part of the modern era.
Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet
When it was announced, Sony claimed this was the thinnest waterproof tablet in existence and the statement might as well be true.
The Z2 tablet is 0.25 inches / 6.4mm thin. Not only that, but the slate is pretty light – actually one of the lightest of the 10-inch bunch, weighing only 426g / 15 ounces (if we’re talking about the Wi-Fi model) and 439 g / 15.5 ounces (when talking about the LTE/3G model).
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 and 10.5
The new Samsung 8.4 slate is not far from the Xperia Z2 Tablet, being 0.26 inches / 6.6 mm thin and weighing 298 g / 0.65 lbs, which is pretty similar to the bulk of the Nexus 7.
However, the device arrives with a Super AMOLED display that delivers one of the highest pixel densities in the tablet world.
As for the larger brother, the 10.5-incher is also 0.26 inches / 6.6 mm thin, but weighs a little more – 467 g / 1 lbs (since it's a 10.5-incher).
Sony Xperia Tablet Z
Sony’s first flagship tablet also deserves a place in this article, because it boasts a 0.27-inch / 6.9 inch frame. Not to mention it has waterproof certification, similar to the current Xperia Z2 Tablet model.
Apple iPad mini and iPad mini with Retina display
The first-generation iPad mini remains a really sleek device, with a really thin 0.28-inch / 7.2mm profile. But, since this product was launched, Sony and Samsung have managed to cut down the bulk of their respective products even more, leaving the iPad mini trailing.
The second-gen iPad mini arrives with a tad thicker frame of 0.3 inches / 7.5mm, which is understandable given the fact Apple had to throw in the Retina Display.
Samsung Galaxy TabPRO 8.4 and 10.1
Despite being a little overshadowed by the new Samsung Galaxy S arrivals, the TabPRO remain worthy, high-end products.
The thinness of the 8.4 model is comparable to the first iPad mini, at 0.28 inches / 7.2mm – quite impressive, to say the least. Note that this version is capable of delivering 359ppi, the same found in the smaller Samsung Galaxy S.
On the other hand, the 10.1-inch is a little chubbier, arriving with a 0.29-inch / 7.3 mm girth.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 and 10.1-inch
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 is just receiving the Android 4.4.2 KitKat update, but there are other reasons that make this tablet worthy.
The slate features a 0.29-inch / 7.4 mm frame, rendering it just a little bit thicker than the iPad mini.
On the other hand, the 10.1-incher arrives with a 0.31-inch / 7.95 mm profile, making it a member of the sub-8mm party.
Apple iPad Air
Following in the footsteps of the Sony Xperia tablets, the 10-incher is offered with a 0.3-inch / 7.5 mm waistline, making this a truly airy product indeed.
Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9
One of Amazon’s tablets makes it to the list, in the form of the larger Kindle Fire HDX, which comes with a very capable display with a 2560 x 1600 pixels resolution, but also with an extremely thin frame of just 0.31 inches / 7.6mm.