What is the best screen resolution for your tablet?
Retina Displays,4K, and True Tone are among the screen resolutions available in the tablet market.
But which ones are worth the cost and which are just marketing buzzwords?
Lifewire
Is spending the money on a 4K tablet really worth it?
And how does it stack up to the Retina Display and True Tone?
Overall Findings
There’s an important difference between a tablet and a television.
A television is used primarily to watch video.
So, in terms of a tablet, the 4K designation has less meaning.
Does that make Retina or True Tone (or both) a better option?
Retina Display Pros and Cons
Comes with many different screen resolutions.
No extra viewing benefits beyond a certain point.
Uses more graphics power and deplete the battery faster.
The Retina Display distinction is important because any higher screen resolution doesn’t provide extra viewing benefits.
And, higher screen resolutions require more graphics power, which depletes the battery faster.
So exceeding a Retina Display can actually detract from the equipment.
The confusing part about a Retina Display is that it comes with many different screen resolutions.
The 9.7-inch iPad Pro has a 9.7-inch display measured diagonally with a 2048 x 1536 resolution.
A PPI of around 250 or above is key to achieving that Retina display range in tablets.
4K Pros and Cons
Sharper videos.
3840 x 2160 or 2160p resolution.
More pixels per inch (PPI) than HD.
Only benefits streaming video.
Best on tablets that measure 12 inches diagonally or more.
A limited selection of movies and TV in 4K.
Streaming 4K video requires more bandwidth.
The real number to look for is the display’spixels per inch (PPI).
PPI is based on screen size and screen resolution.
Most tablets now display it in their specifications.
This is the same resolution as the 9.7-inch iPad Pro.
This labeling basically takes marketing buzz words into the bait-and-switch area.
It also means you should be skeptical of any tablet referring to itself as 4K.
It takes around 5-6 Megabytes-per-second (Mbps) to stream 1080p high definition video.
And while 4K video streaming requires between 12 Mbps and 15 Mbps, the ideal connection is around 25Mbps.
True Tone Pros and Cons
Capable of producing DCI-P3 Wide Color Gamut.
Detects ambient light and mimic real-world light.
Can be turned on and off.
Uses a tiny amount of battery.
The Apple iPad Pro line has what it’s calling a True Tone display.
Which Should You Choose?
If you use your tablet more as a multi-purpose rig, you might want a Retina display instead.
As for True Tone, it’s a welcome addition, but hardly necessary.
