Are iPads worth the extra money?

prowla

A._Badger wrote: »

Now there's a tired old cliche that should qualify for an immediate MSE reprimand.

If it were true there would be no bargains, nothing would be overpriced and there would be absolutely no meaning to the phrase 'value for money'.

Some products and services are overpriced - and that's a fact.

It is an interesting question...

If you consider a tablet to be a flat metal case with a bit of glass on the front that you can poke at to make pictures appear, then they would all appear to be the same, and so price would be the sole differentiator.

But that is not the case; there are other considerations which define a product's "quality" and/or whether it is "value for money".

And with that in mind, it is certainly the case that cheaper does not equate to value for money.

For me, the iPad is the best value for money and quality product on the market, whether it's Apple's superlative post-sales support, the availability of apps which run on iPad/iPhone/iPod, the longevity of the range, the screen resolution (the iPad has a higher res screen than a 1080p TV), the way it can be integrated with other products (Apple and other vendors), the right to install the same app on multiple devices, the availability of free apps, and so-on.

My experience of other products is that they aren't as good; I've got a BB PlayBook, which I never use, I've got Windows 8 and a Windows Phone and they are quite horrible so there's no way I would add to the misery by getting Windows tablet, I've got a Samsung Android phone which is OK but doesn't set my world on fire.

Yes, iPads are at the top-end of the market, but that is for a reason.

As with almost every other thing in life, you can choose the price point at which you wish to buy, and in general that will broadly reflect the quality of the product.

There are of course exceptions, and that is great, but in general a product will find its place in the market.

PenguinJim

prowla wrote: »

For me, the iPad is the best value for money and quality product on the market, whether it's Apple's superlative post-sales support, the availability of apps which run on iPad/iPhone/iPod, the longevity of the range, the screen resolution (the iPad has a higher res screen than a 1080p TV), the way it can be integrated with other products (Apple and other vendors), the right to install the same app on multiple devices, the availability of free apps, and so-on.

Coincidentally enough, those are the same reasons I bought my Nook HD+ tablet (except that it was the availability of apps which run on Android, naturally), but I had three further reasons - the ability to play with the software and customise the interface to my liking, expandable storage, and the £110 price tag for the 32GB version.

A few further apps on a completely locked-down system was not enough for me to justify four times the price for Apple's offering.

I absolutely agree with your point about value > cost. The iPad just sits far too far inside the Land of Diminishing Returns - provided, of course, that you're prepared to do your research to choose a better alternative.

Anne_Marie_2

Just goes to show that at the end of the day, it all boils down to personal preference, and of course purse strings.

RumRat

I have an original iPad that Apple no longer really support. The newer apps will not download onto it. Consequently I would now rather pay less for an android tablet to replace it, than have another expensive picture frame. (Slight exaggeration..;):D) in the future.

prowla

PenguinJim wrote: »

Coincidentally enough, those are the same reasons I bought my Nook HD+ tablet (except that it was the availability of apps which run on Android, naturally), but I had three further reasons - the ability to play with the software and customise the interface to my liking, expandable storage, and the £110 price tag for the 32GB version.

A few further apps on a completely locked-down system was not enough for me to justify four times the price for Apple's offering.

I absolutely agree with your point about value > cost. The iPad just sits far too far inside the Land of Diminishing Returns - provided, of course, that you're prepared to do your research to choose a better alternative.

Well, I already had an iPod and an iPhone (from work), so the synergy between them and the apps I had, along with already using iTunes made it the logical choice.

I also bought my iPad using Tesco ClubCard vouchers, which saved me some money.

But yes, if you can find something for less money which meets your requirements, then that makes good sense.