The history books are filled with sadistic, cruel, and truly terribly unfortunate leaders, each seemingly more grotesque than the last as we march through the pants of recorded time.
And, no, I'm not cunningly digging into, what some people might see as, the cheeky and chaotic hierarchy of our own scepter island over the past few months, as it's been done to death. Instead, I am referring to one of the most insulted, libertine and irresponsible leaders that history has ever spat out: no, not Tony Blair, but Nero Claudio Cesare Augusto Germanico himself, often better known as Emperor Nero of Rome.
Why drag this unlikely inspiration for a coffee shop chain after all this time? Well, in 64 A.D. Nero was criticized for "playing the violin while Rome burned". However, as any good historian will tell you, the violin was only invented in the 10th century, so it would have been ridiculous and impossible! So what could he play with with backward extrapolation? Yes, you have, baby, her tablet! You probably get distracted from all the fiery horror with a fascinating Hangpleb game.
You see, while the wax tablets of the ancient world may have been basic, rather low-resolution things with a refresh rate that depended a lot on how quickly the user could smooth out previous tracks, the concept of tablets as entertainment was essentially and probably the same then, just as despots are today equally desperate to ignore the fiery demise of their own empires. So, having demonstrated beyond doubt how important the tablet is to history, we now turn to the modern ancestor, the gaming tablet: a wax-free fusion of cutting-edge wearable technology, brilliant touch-sensitive glass, touch and applied knowledge of literally thousands of years of tablet evolution, all culminating in such crisp graphics, such realistic colors and such immersive gameplay that the whole world could explode around you and you will hardly miss a beat, such are his powers of seduction. .
Does it sound like something I might want / need now that Sunak has ascended the Throne of Irony? So let me talk a lot about the best cards for all player budgets and the levels of concern required ...
ASUS ROG Flow Z13
Ideal for: play. final point
Right, before anyone starts, I am well aware that this absolute beast from Asus is not strictly speaking a tablet. But, strictly speaking, it's a 2-in-1 laptop and tablet thanks to its super thin and flexible keyboard that falls against the back of the screen for a tablet-like effect. Therefore, there. Sure, those who leapt ahead may still be hesitant to see the price, but let's be clear: this is a pure gaming machine aimed at those with a high level of disposable income and an absolute desire to own the latest gadget. laptop. gameplay -gen.
Let's see the specifications. Running on Windows 11Pro, ROG Flow Z13 is equipped with a powerful AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS processor, coupled with a GeForce RTX ™ 3050 Ti GPU, while the delightful 13.4-inch display gives you the ability to play games with a screen. 4K UHD or 120Hz FHD - either way, you will be transported to a gaming world like never before. Or, indeed, listened to, as the Flow Z13 comes with stereo speakers with Smart Amp support with Dolby Atmos too. And 16 GB of RAM. And a whopping 1TB of internal storage ... it goes on and on until culminating in a glorious orgasm of gaming glory. There are also front and rear cameras, but who cares? All you need to know is that this machine handles high-quality, high-resolution content like the consummate professional computer it is - everything looks, sounds and handles exceptionally well, which means the only downsides I can take away from having the Opportunity to have this One notable piece of kit handing my hands is a) it's undeniably expensive, b) at 1.18kg, it's also undeniably heavy, meaning you won't be able to play it in the form of a portable tablet for a long time before fears of CSR began to raise, and c) he eventually had to give it back and come back to life as an adult father of two with responsibilities to care for. In short: the Asus ROG Flow Z13 - if you can, do it.
Technical specifications
Operating system: Windows 11
CPU: 12th Generation Intel Core i9-12900H at 2.50 GHz
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
Memory: 16 GB
Display: 13.4-inch UHD + 16:10 (3840 x 2400, WQUXGA)
Refresh rate: 60 or 120 Hz
Audio: Dual Smart Amp speakers, Hi-Res and Dolby Atmos certified
Rear and front cameras: 720p and 720p
Internal memory: 1 TB
Battery: about 5 hours
Weight: 1.18 kg
Buy Now £ 2349.00, Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra (2022)
Best for: Uninterrupted intelligent gaming glory
Samsung does some great things and I know this because I rely on some of those good things to keep me organized, on time, and not drive in the wrong direction on a dual carriageway. It breaks, I admit. So when the opportunity arose to try the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, I put down my Galaxy phone, unzipped my Galaxy Watch, and took the opportunity with both hands; here's how you really need to hold a tablet of this size. Sure, it comes at a pretty steep price point, but that's because it packs over 14.6 inches of gaming magnificence, from the epic display to the full 120Hz refresh rate, powerful Octo-core processor, ample RAM, great storage, and just as much audio. impressive.
It also comes with two completely bulky megapixel cameras, but they're irrelevant when it comes to gaming at the moment. And the Sammy can handle any premium 3D game you want, with considerable talent. The images are so sharp that you could cut your eyes without proper care and attention, the colors are richer than Elon Musk and the blacks are darker than the soul of Elon Musk, while the game is more fluid and elegant than a velvety otter. .
In a wacky frame of mind for a whole world of vividly imagined adventures, I decided to step into the elementary arena of Genshin Impact and, yes, I was quite impressed with the joy for the eyes and ear that the S8 Ultra delivers. , to the point that the hours are turned into days. and people came to call to see if he was okay.
Simply put, if merciless gameplay is what you want, be it battle, strategy, puzzle or driving, with smooth, gloriously flicker-free graphics combined with sound quality that further enhances the experience, oh, and you can afford it. For a fee, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is the answer all day.
Technical specifications
Android operating system
CPU: Octa Core, 2.99GHz, 2.4GHz, 1.7GHz
GPU: Adreno 730
Memory: 8 to 16GB
Display: 14.6 inches (2960 x 1848 - WQXGA +)
Refresh rate: 120Hz
Audio: Four speakers with Dolby Atmos
Rear and front camera: 13MP and 12MP
Internal and external memory: from 128 to 512 GB and up to 1 TB
Battery: 11200 mAh (8 hours or 6.5 hours at 120Hz)
Weight: 728 g
Buy now £ 1249.00, Samsung
Apple iPad Pro
Best for: Apple gaming acolytes
Fresh fruit from Apple, the new iPad Pro comes in a choice of two sizes, 11-inch and 12.9-inch, but for that I'll focus on the much more manageable and perfectly portable 11-inch option.
Of course, this is an iPad, and as such, previous iPad owners / borderline obsessions will know what to expect. And, yes, it's blazingly fast, thanks to the 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and sleek iPadOS 16 operating system. Plus, bringing the "A" game to the most demanding gamers, yes, it comes with a frequency Full Refresh at 120 Hz As for the screen, as mentioned above, it is an 11-inch with a beautiful Liquid Retina display with a resolution of 2388 x 1668 pixels for graphics that are as sharp as they are fluid, making it a golden delight for gamers. .
The audio side doesn't slow the party down either, thanks to the inclusion of four speakers that deliver a decent level of reasonably well-balanced sound, while the internal storage options range from "wide" to "cavernously spacious", depending on how deep they are. your pocket, with 128GB at £ 900 and 2TB at a crisis cost of living at £ 2150. Weight-wise, the 11-inch Apple iPad Pro weighs 466g, which, to put it in a perspective that will infuriate any martyr's metric reading, is a little heavier than a regular bag of sugar, so most some people will be able to handle hours of quality portable gaming without having to worry about the RSI setting or rupture of the tendons in their hands.
Attractive to start with and packed with all the groundbreaking non-gaming technology you've come to expect from Apple, the new iPad Pro is certainly pricey and restricts owners to other Apple devices, but the price equals the performance, so Buy Ticket Now , go around. Technical specifications
Operating system: iPad OS 16
CPU: 8 core CPU with 4 high performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
GPU: 10 cores
Memory: 8 GB
Display: 11-inch LED backlit (2388 x 1668)
Refresh rate: 120Hz
Audio: four speakers
Rear and front camera: 12MP and 10MP
Internal Memory: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
Battery: up to 10 hours
Weight: 466 g
Buy Now £ 899.00, Curry
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8 Plus (2022)
Best for: low cost, more limited fun
In its 12th generation, this freshly baked part of the Kindle manufacturer's craftsmanship may not be strictly aimed at the next-gen gaming community due to its 60Hz refresh rate, but that doesn't mean you should cancel it as a means of achieving glory. in games. for those who don't want all the stress of high intensity shooters.
In fact, with 3GB of RAM on a 2.0GHz hexa-core processor, the 8 Plus is fast. In addition, it also includes a dedicated game mode that automatically optimizes memory and performance, also disabling Alexa and turning off notifications, so you can play in peace and with full power.
Sure, you'll never be able to compete with your flashy player-created models sitting there commanding a whole week of winter energy crisis money, but then if you (or older kids / relatives) like it a little. conscious or subconscious distraction involving basic puzzles or games, so for £ 150 you really can't go wrong. With a crisp, crisp, color-rich and responsive HD display, smoother gaming and minimal lag, the brilliant new HD 8 Plus delivers refined performance in a form factor that fits well under gloves and with a weight that hardly ever it will be a risk to your wrists.
Add a pair of speakers for mediocre audio (although you'll probably want to power your headphones via the 3.5-inch jack or Bluetooth for some audio-enhancing headphones), expandable storage up to 1 TB, good battery life. battery and rear and front cameras offering 5 and 2 megapixels respectively and as long as your gaming expectations and desires are more relaxed and relaxed.
Technical specifications
Operating System: Fire Operating System
CPU: 2.0 GHz Hexa-core
GPU: ARM Mali-G52 MC1
Memory: 3 GB
Screen: 8 inches (1280 x 800)
Refresh rate: 60Hz
Audio: built-in dual speaker
Rear and front camera: 5MP and 2MP
Internal memory: 32GB / 64GB
External Memory: Up to 1TB
Battery: up to 13 hours
Weight: 342 g
Buy Now £ 150.00, Amazon
HANNspree Pad Zeus 2
Ideal for: imitating God's games for deadly money
the mighty Zeus; ruler of the gods of ancient Greece, emitter of thunder and lightning, rain and winds, lover of multiple forms of mortals and immortals alike and most recently portrayed by Russell Crowe in the latest entry of the MCU, Thor: Love and Thunder - yes , these are the "facts" from hardcore mythology that you won't find in any other gaming tablet review collection today.
But with all the Zeus lore in mind, you should be quite arrogant to name your tablet after such an important deity, right? So what are we looking at? Well, to start the battle between performance and price, the Zeus 2 is equipped with a fairly decent MTK MT8183 octa-core CPU, clocked at up to 2.0GHz, which isn't designed for gaming per se, but is more than just in capable of handling less demanding gaming applications that you would normally limit to your smartphone but can now be enjoyed without restrictions on a huge 13.3-inch screen. And this is also a Full HD (1920 x 1080) LED backlit display, which offers stunning images. Audio, meanwhile, comes in the form of two not particularly powerful 1W speakers, but since most people will pair it with headphones or earbuds, it doesn't matter. 64GB of internal storage is available, with external storage allowing you to increase its capacity up to 128GB via a Micro SD card, meaning you won't run out of space anytime soon.
Now, I enjoy a hidden object game just as much as the next boring person, but I also love whizzing around world-famous racing circuits in all kinds of hyper-powered cars and F1 because, well, sometimes hidden object apps just don't. they don't give you the right adrenaline rush. In the case of Zeus 2, EA's Real Racing 3 seemed like a solid choice to put HANNspree to the test with its almighty strides, especially given all the updates this definitive racing game has received this year.
The gameplay didn't disappoint: the graphics were crisp and sharp, brightly colored and glitch-free, and the accelerometer (or G-Sensor, if you're feeling fruity) was perfect, allowing me to spin and spin at breakneck speeds. fluidity of a liquefied Charles LeClerc. And yes, thanks to the recent NASCAR update, you can also drive around and around at mind-boggling speeds.
So, in sort of a recap, it may not have been created with gaming in mind, but Zeus 2 still has the chops to whet the appetite of all but the most obsessed with online adventures. He may not be a god among the best pantheons of gaming tablets, but he is powerful enough.
Technical specifications
Operating system: Android 10
CPU: MTK MT8183 octa-core CPU, up to 2.0GHz
GPU: ARM G72 MP3 900 MHz
Memory: 4 GB
Screen: 13.3-inch IPS LED (1920 x 1080 - Full HD)
Refresh rate: 60Hz
Audio: 2x 1W stereo
Rear and front camera: 5MP and 5MP
Internal and external memory: 64GB and up to 128GB
Battery: 10,000mAh (6.5 hours)
Dimensions: 219.2 x 336.1 x 11.8 (H x W x D)
Weight: 2.55 kg
Buy now £ 252.00, CCL online
HONOR Table 8
Ideal for: large and light games on the go
What can you say about HONOR that hasn't already been said? Well quite a lot actually, as this Chinese brand is huge all over the world, but little known here in the UK. Despite having been around posting some pretty nifty smart gadgets, the UK store has just celebrated its first anniversary since 2013, so you don't have to feel too guilty about your awesome HONOR ignorance. While reviewing the headphones for this excellent online organ recently, I first came across HONOR and to say that their 3 Pro headphones impressed would be an understatement on par with saying that Kayne West needs to give social media a break. average. So when I saw that HONOR also made a 12-inch tablet, it was an obvious choice to include it.
First of all, it comes with a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 Octo-core processor with a 650MHz GPU, so a smooth gaming experience is guaranteed. Being an angry middle-aged man who's crazy to be middle-aged, I went straight with the messy multiplayer battle royale shooter of all the action to keep quiet Free Fire, optimistic thinking that I could probably get the 12-year-old scrote out. from Salt Lake City who kept shooting me in the back because I didn't know how to turn around.
Then there's the decidedly crisp and vibrant 1200 x 2000 pixel LCD screen, complete with a super slim 7.2mm bezel that offers generously large gaming space while at the same time giving you enough room to lay your free thumbs up without interfering with interaction on the screen. . As for the sound, HONOR gives you a full eight speakers complete with HONOR Histen and DTS: X Ultra for rich, immersive 3D audio that really enhances gameplay, even if that sound is still mostly only when you get shot in the back. .
In short, the HONOR Pad 8 is superior tablet technology that may not rank the refresh rates of gaming-specific whiteboard, but still offers solid performance at an extraordinarily affordable price. Can you help you take down a barely legal kid-gamer from Salt Lake City? No, unfortunately it is not possible.
Technical specifications
Operating system: Android 12 + Magic UI 6.1
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 octa-core (4x A73 2.4GHz + 4x A53 1.9GHz)
Screen: 12 inch (1200 x 2000)
Refresh rate: 60Hz
Audio: 8 speakers with HONOR Histen, DTS: X Ultra
Rear camera: 5 MP
Front camera: 5MP
Internal memory: 128GB
Battery: 7250mAh (10 hours)
Weight: 520 g
Buy now £ 270.00, HONOR
nokia t20
Best for: Impressive gameplay at a ridiculously low price
Since it re-emerged on the tech market as a kind of Finnish phoenix from the flames, I have been working with a couple of new Nokia devices, namely the T10 tablet and the G60 smartphone, and have found that both represent exceptional value for money.
Now let's move on to the T10's big brother, the T20. First of all, the T20 features the same solid build quality as the other reviewed Nokia's I mentioned a moment ago, so there's a real sense of quality to it. Secondly, it has a large 10.4-inch display with 2K resolution to keep graphics pleasantly sharp and colors punchy. And thirdly, it features a UNISOC Tiger T610 octa-core processor, which might be an entry level when it comes to octa-core CPUs, but it's still an octa-core CPU.
RAM works with 4GB and storage with 64GB internally and up to 512GB externally. But what you really want to know is how the game works? And with good reason too. First of all, I fell into a nostalgia hole and played Sims for a couple of hours. Then I got myself together, gave myself a stern speech, and downloaded the hot lap lead devil driving track and cheats, which proved to be a much greater test of Nokia's skills. And it performed sensationally, doing justice to the game's brightly colored and detailed graphics, while response time was the button with every Tokyo drift.
For a tablet costing a dime under £ 200, the T20 is very well endowed and offers a solid gaming experience above its price and while I really enjoyed the Amazon Kindle HD 8 Plus, for an extra Bullseye (which is £ 50 for anyone other than London's East End), you might seriously consider increasing the extra.
Technical specifications
Operating system: Android 11
CPU: UNISOC Tiger T610 octa-core (2x Cortex-A75 1.8GHz and 6x Cortex-A55 1.8GHz)
GPU: Mali-G52 MP2
Memory: 4 GB
Screen: 10.4 inches (1200 x 2000)
Refresh rate: 60Hz
Audio: stereo speakers
Rear and front camera: 8M
Buy Now £ 149.99, Argos
Verdict
Look, let's not get silly here! If money isn't an issue and your hand muscles are overdeveloped, then there's only one obvious conclusion here: the Asus ROG.
But since this will be out of the reach / dreams / achievable dreams of most, then the more affordable options are on the agenda. To me this means HONOR Pad 8 because of its cost, performance, size and weight - the game should be big and the 12-inch hits very well, while its light weight means it can last too long without straining your fingers in the gnarled fists of a cursed monkey.
Now go and start your game.