Top 5 Tablets to Consider Before Buying the iPad 4 [July, 2014]

Apple’s iPad 4, also known as the iPad with Retina Display, still sits on the Apple Store next to the iPad Air as the company’s budget 9.7-inch option. And while the iPad 4 is still a viable option for many people looking for a new tablet, there are some slates that we suggest looking at before buying into Apple’s aging former flagship.

Nearly two years ago, Apple pulled the rug out from underneath iPad 3 owners and prospective iPad buyers when it announced a fourth-generation iPad, a device that is known as the iPad 4 or the iPad with Retina Display. The device, which launched the same year as the iPad 3, delivered a couple of significant changes including an improved front-facing camera, a better processor, Sprint LTE, and the Lightning dock standard that debuted on board the iPhone 5.

The iPad 4 was the top dog up until last year when Apple debuted the iPad Air, a new compact 9.7-inch tablet that pushed the iPad 4 from its $499 perch down to the $399 slot. And while the iPad Air is certainly Apple’s top 9.7-inch option at this point, the iPad 4 is still a solid option particularly for those that want to save $100 on their brand new slate.

We are constantly bombarded with questions about which tablets to buy. In particular, we’re constantly asked about the tablets consumers should weigh against the iPad 4. There are a number of different devices that we could recommend, the smartphone market is full of solid choices, but we want to narrow things down a bit and take a look at what we consider to be the top five.

These devices represent the devices that we’d recommend to friends and family. And while our list may differ from yours, these are the devices that Gotta Be Mobile editors have selected for recognition this month. We feel like the tablets listed here deliver the best, all-around package for this month and this month alone.

That said, here are the top five smartphones to consider before buying the iPad fourth-generation also known as the iPad 4.

iPad Air

> 1 / 5

If you're thinking about buying the iPad 4, you absolutely must rule out the iPad Air before buying it. For $100 more, you're going to get a much better tablet, the best that Apple has ever made. The $499 iPad Air comes with several bells and whistles that the iPad 4 simply does not have. Maybe the biggest difference is the design. The iPad Air is thinner and more compact than the iPad 4 which makes it easier to take with you on the go. It also comes with a better processor. The $100 difference is significant for a lot of people but the extra cash might just be worth the investment for many of those in the hunt for a new slate. Be sure to rule out the more expensive iPad Air before you plop down $400 on a tablet that's simply not as good as the iPad Air.

> 1 / 5