Last Updated on October 17, 2022 by Ernests Embutnieks
I did a little research. I was wondering how differently Seniors use their tablets/iPads – what are their use cases? Do they use different apps?
Turns out there is no big difference. They facetime with their family & friends, browse the internet, use social media just like everyone else, watch YouTube, read on their tablets and watch Podcasts. Read emails and play games.
They don’t need Apple Pencil or Stylus, they don’t draw or take notes, they don’t need processing power, they don’t code, do data processing, or edit pictures. The games they play are very lightweight like Candy Crush (Puzzle Game Gendre).
Knowing how seniors use their tablets makes it easier for me to create a list of the best tablets for them.
There is a difference between Android Tablets, iPads, Windows Tablets and Fire Tablets, so if you’ve used Android Smartphones before we would recommend sticking to Android and vice versa.
The king of tablets – the iPad. They release a new generation of iPad almost every year, so make sure to get the newest model. iPad’s history is getting longer and longer, the first iPad was released in 2010. 9th gen iPad has improved quite a bit since then.
You can play games on it, facetime with family and friends, browse the internet, read, listen to podcasts, watch movies, spy on your grandkids, read emails and there are a lot of other fun use cases for iPads.
You have to make a choice whether to get the 64GB or 256GB version, both of them will have 3GB of RAM.
Overall, we believe the iPad is the best option for Seniors due to its simplicity.
Specifications
| OS | iPadOS 15 |
| Processor | A13 Bionic chip |
| Storage | 64GB, 256GB |
| RAM | 3GB |
| Camera | 8MP (rear), 12MP (front) |
| Graphics | Apple GPU (4 core) |
| Display (inches) | 10.2 inches |
| Resolution | 1620 x 2160 |
| Size | 9.87 x 6.85 x 0.30 inches |
| Weight | 1.07lbs |
| Port | Lightning connector |
| Battery | Up to 10h |
The updated version of Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. Samsung did something they haven’t done before and now we have Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 2022 Edition.
It’s an Android tablet, so there are quite a few little differences between this tablet and the iPad. One of the reasons you might like this one better is because it has a Stylus pen included in the box. You will have the chance to draw and take notes. Great performance, great battery life, great price and it’s a direct competitor to the iPad.
Many people choose it due to the fact that the S pen is included in the package and it’s a good enough reason, but in my experience, if you’re not really dedicated to drawing, it will become just a tool you don’t use.
Specifications
| OS | Android 12 |
| CPU | Exynos 9611 / Snapdragon 720G |
| Storage | 64 GB / 128 GB |
| Display | 10.4 inches (1200×2000) ~224 ppi |
| Camera | 5 MP Front Facing / 8 MP Rear Facing |
| Wireless | WiFi / Bluetooth / GPS / LTE |
| Battery Life | 10-12 hours |
| Size | 9.63” x 6.07” x 0.28” |
| Weight | 1.02 lbs |
I feel like I will upset many people by ranking the iPad Mini 6 below the regular iPad and Samsung S6 Lite(2022). But hear me out.
I know that the iPad Mini is more expensive than the regular iPad, I know the iPad Mini has more features and has a better processor and better display, etc. All of this is true.
iPad Mini 6 is 8.3-inches and the regular iPad is 10.2-inches. That’s quite the difference. For seniors the screen size matters, not to all but to the majority. It’s a fact that eyesight gets worse with age.
The smaller the screen the harder it is to see and the harder it is to navigate the device. That’s the reasoning behind our rankings.
Other than that, we love the device. It has come a long way. Its display is magnificent, the design, the camera, everything is great.
Specifications
| OS | iPadOS |
| CPU | A15 Bionic |
| Storage | 64GB, 256GB |
| Display | 8.3-inch (2266 x 1488 pixels) Liquid Retina |
| Camera | 12MP wide (f/1.8) back camera, 12MP Front camera |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6, optional 5G (Sub-6) |
| Battery Life | ~10h |
| Size | 7.7 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches |
| Weight | 0.7lbs |
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is one of the most popular Samsung budget tablets. There’s a reason for that. It’s a very useful tablet you can do great, fun things with it and it’s very affordable. It’s like the perfect combination, right? It’s also listed as the best tablet under $300.
It offers a great price, great performance, and good display, and overall it’s just a great budget tablet on which you can play lightweight games, make video calls, browse social media, etc.
It’s equipped with great speakers that make media consumption a treat and obviously are great for video calls as well for the music we would still recommend getting headphones/earbuds.
Specifications
| OS | Android |
| CPU | Mali G52 MP2 |
| Storage | 32GB|64GB|128GB |
| Display | 10.5-inch (1200×1920 pixels) |
| Camera | Front: 5MP | Rear: 8MP |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Battery Life | ~10h |
| Size | 0.27 x 6.37 x 9.72 inches |
| Weight | 1.12lbs |
Windows tablets are so underrated. Everyone believes they are complicated. I think they are the ideal gateway device from laptop to tablet. It’s sort of a 2-in-1 tablet, that’s what I would call it. If you’ve used laptops(windows) your entire life then switching to Microsoft Surface Go 3 would be simple.
Something you need to know: there is no keyboard or pen or mouse included in the box. You have to buy all the accessories separately.
Specifications
| OS | Windows 11 |
| CPU | 1.1 GHz Intel Pentium Gold | Intel Core i3 |
| Storage | 64GB | 128GB |
| Display | 10.5-inch (1920×1280 px) |
| Camera | 5MP Front and 8MP rear-facing 1080p HD |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Battery Life | ~10h |
| Size | 7.98 x 10.82 x 1.89 inch |
| Weight | 1.2lbs |
Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus Tablet. I love tablets by Amazon. They are great, they do exactly what you need, but most importantly I love them because they won’t put a dent in your pocket.
It’s bright, it’s fast, it’s vibrant and it has Alexa. You can make calls without touching the tablet, you can play your favorite audiobook without touching the tablet, and you can play music without touching the tablet. You can also connect it to speakers wirelessly.
It’s a great device overall, you just need to know how to make the most out of it.
Specifications
| OS | Amazon Fire OS |
| CPU | Octa-core 2.0 GHz with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 32GB|64GB |
| Display | 10.1-inch (1920 x 1200 px) |
| Camera | 2 MP front-facing and 5MP rear-facing cameras with 720p HD video recording |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Battery Life | ~12h |
| Size | 9.73” x 6.53” x 0.36” |
| Weight | 1.03lbs |
Yes, Lenovo is more known for making laptops, than tablets. Lenovo has a small market share when it comes to tablets, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have some good tablets. Nevertheless, Lenovo has good tablets that are worth mentioning, but let’s talk about Lenovo M10 Plus (3rd gen)
Released in 2022, May. They created a great tablet that can compete even with Samsung Galaxy Tab A8.
The tablet has a large screen, made for content consumption and light productivity. It also has a great display and the design is beautiful, it honestly feels like a premium tablet when held in hands.
Overall, we believe it’s a great pick for seniors that like to consume media on their devices and don’t like to charge it often. Lenovo Tab M10 Plus (3rd gen) can last up to 15 hours. That’s the crazy good battery life for a tablet.
Specifications
| OS | Android |
| CPU | MediaTek Helio G80 |
| Storage | 64GB|256GB |
| Display | 10.6” 2K (2000×1200) IPS (400 nits) |
| Camera | 8 MP front camera / 8 MP back camera |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth |
| Battery Life | ~15h |
| Size | 0.29” x 9.89” x 6.25” |
| Weight | 1.03lbs |
Amazon Fire HD 7 was updated in 2022. It’s the 12th gen Amazon Fire 7. Why do they update their tablet so much? They don’t make many changes, they don’t add features, and they update necessary things like processors and batteries. Newer apps require more processing power and drain batteries faster. This is why I always say – new is better when it comes to technology.
You have to understand it’s a small tablet 7.1-inches. It’s pretty much the smallest tablet you can get. If you have eyesight problems or your have big fingers this probably shouldn’t be your first pick.
Fire HD 7 is an entry-level tablet. You can do light video watching, movies, social media, reading, listening to audiobooks, and lightweight games.
Specifications
| OS | Fire OS 8 |
| CPU | Mediatek MT8168 |
| Storage | 16GB|32GB |
| Display | 7.1 inches (1024 x 600) ~171 ppi |
| Camera | 2 MP front facing / 2 MP rear facing |
| Wireless | WiFi, Bluetooth |
| Battery Life | 10-11h |
| Size | 7.11” x 4.63” x 0.38” |
| Weight | 0.61lbs |
Why Did I Rank iPad above Samsung S6 Lite?
In my subjective opinion iPads are better when it comes to the overall experience. I’ve used both tablets Android and iPadOS and I believe there’s a good reason why Apple dominated in the market share. Their tablets are one step ahead, apps, performance, and display everything feels on point, with no glitches, no lags and unfortunately, I can’t say the same thing about Android Tablets.
If I had to buy a tablet for my grandparents or parents I would buy an iPad. Without a doubt. It’s simpler, it’s easier to navigate and it provides the best experience.
If you are interested you can check the differences between Android tablets and iPads – Here.
Summary
| Tablet | Price | Pros |
| iPad 9th gen | $289.99 | Easy to navigate, great price |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2022) | ~$389 | Stylus included, just updated |
| iPad Mini 6 | $499 | Compact, incredible screen, powerful |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 | $209 | Aluminum body, microSD card slot, battery life |
| Microsoft Surface Go 3 | ~$399.99 | 1080p video cam, good speakers |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus | ~$179.99 | Alexa, sharp display, budget-friendly |
| Lenovo Tab M10 Plus (3rd gen) | ~$209.99 | Great display, great battery life(best) |
| Amazon Fire HD 7 (2022) | $74.99 | Budget-friendly, durable, entry-level(simple) |
It’s all about personal preference. But overall iPad is a great choice for Seniors that are interested in media consumption(Netflix, YouTube, Podcasts, Disney+, Amazon Video, Rumble, HBO, etc.), web browsing, social media, facetime, emails, reading, audiobooks, etc.
iPad is a great device that is capable of a great many things. You can use it as an entertainment device, you can use it as a productivity tool and you can use it as a device where you can study and learn.
It all comes down to how you want to use it.
I love tech and all about it. I'm interested in finding ways how they can make my life more productive, and I share my knowledge with my blog readers. I'm an iPad Pro, iPhone, MacBook, and Apple Watch user, so I know a thing or two about these devices and try to write helpful content around these topics.
