Are Tablets Good For Gaming? Here Are Our Two Cents

Want to find out if it makes sense to invest in a high-end tablet for serious gaming? Keep reading.

Tablets can be good options for gaming, especially if you prefer a larger screen and longer battery life compared to smartphones. All you have to do is look for a tab with fast processors, sufficient RAM, and high-resolution displays with good refresh rates.

Some popular current gaming tablets are the Amazon Fire HD 10, Asus Rog Flow Z13, Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, and the latest 6.8-inch OLED Tablet Razer Edge. These power-packed devices are great for playing puzzles, multiplayer action games, FPS, simulation games as well as online casinos.

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That said, tablets may not be ideal for certain genres like heavy shooter games or RTS games that require a mouse, keyboard, or controller.

Reasons to Choose a Gaming Tablet

Tablets offer some unique advantages for gaming compared to traditional PCs and game consoles. Their portability, touchscreen controls, powerful hardware, and apps make them enticing gaming devices.

More Portable and Lightweight

One of the biggest advantages of gaming on a tablet is its portability and lightweight design. Tablets are much smaller and lighter than bulky gaming laptops or desktops.

You can easily throw a tablet in your bag and game anywhere, whether on the couch, in bed, on a plane, or anywhere else. Their compact size makes gaming on the go a breeze.

Intuitive Touchscreen Controls

The touchscreen of a tablet lends itself well to gaming controls. Many games are designed specifically with touchscreen interfaces in mind.

Swiping, tapping, and using on-screen controllers often feel more natural on a tablet than using a mouse or controller. For certain casual and mobile games, touchscreens offer a more immersive and intuitive way to play.

Vivid Retina Displays

Modern gaming tablets boast incredibly vibrant, high-resolution displays and fast refresh rates that make games look great. OLED and AMOLED screens with Quad HD or even 4K resolutions are common.

The modern tablet displays have high pixel densities and excellent color reproduction as well as refresh rates varying from 120 Hz to 144 Hz. This allows game graphics and details to pop on a tablet’s screen. The immersive visuals make gaming on a tablet more engaging.

Powerful Hardware

While not as strong as gaming PCs, today’s gaming tablets pack impressive hardware that can handle high-fidelity games. Tablets like the Razer Edge uses 3.0 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 processor and Adreno 660 GPU along with 6 to 8GB LPDDR5 RAM.

This hardware matches what you’d find in a smartphone flagship. Advanced cooling technology sustains high performance.

With this power, gaming tablets can run even graphics-intensive games smoothly at high settings such as Battlefront, Arean Breakout, Bloodstrike, COD, and more.

Ideal for Mobile & Casual Games

Tablets give you access to mobile game apps and app stores with thousands of titles. Many exclusive and popular casual games are playable on tablets.

From arcade games to puzzles to RPGs, tablets are loaded with quick, fun games perfect for gaming in short bursts. In short, tablets can cover both casual and more advanced mobile gaming needs.

Obvious Shortcomings of Gaming Tablets

While tablets can be great gaming devices, they also come with some drawbacks compared to PCs and consoles. Their smaller screens, limited controls, weaker hardware, battery life, and incomplete game libraries pose challenges.

Smaller Screens

One disadvantage of gaming on a tablet is the smaller screen size, generally ranging from 8 to 13 inches diagonally. This is tiny compared to the large monitors PC gamers use. It can be harder to appreciate details and graphics on a small display.

Also, touchscreen controls take up screen space. Larger phones closing in on tablet sizes reduce the screen advantage tablets once had.

Limited Controls

Gaming on a touchscreen limits the controls compared to the precise keyboards and mice used on PC gaming rigs. Virtual on-screen controls can be imprecise and clutter the display. While some tablets allow console-style controllers, touchscreens lack tactile feedback. This makes complex controls in certain games challenging on tablets.

Less Processing Power

Tablets utilize mobile processors and graphics that pale in comparison to the powerful discrete GPUs and CPUs found in gaming desktop PCs and consoles. They cannot match high-end gaming rigs needed for cutting-edge AAA games. Tablets may struggle to run the latest releases with maximal graphics settings.

Battery Life Restrictions

Gaming drains a tablet’s battery much faster than light tasks like web browsing or media playback. Long, intensive 3D gaming sessions may not be feasible on a single charge. Tablets also lack the consistent power supply of a plugged-in gaming PC or console. You may need to intermittently recharge while gaming.

Fewer Optimized Games

The Google Play and Apple app stores have limited selections of tablet-optimized games, especially more demanding AAA titles. PC and console gaming still have far bigger libraries and get most major releases. Not all genres like RTS are well-represented on tablets. Support for gaming peripherals is also spotty.

Today’s Tablets Are Leveled Up for Gaming!

Tablet gaming has come a long way in recent years. With hardware and features that rival even gaming laptops, modern tablets are far more capable and versatile gaming devices.

Hook up Your Favorite Controller

Gone are the days of only clumsy on-screen controls for tablet gaming. Many new tablets allow you to connect controllers like the DualShock 4 or Xbox wireless controller to your tablet. Some even have detachable controller accessories. This finally gives you precise, tactile controls for tablet gameplay. No more gaming handicap!

Stream Games From Your Console

Cloud gaming on tablets gets even better with console streaming. Services like PS Remote Play and Xbox Cloud Gaming let you stream your own PlayStation or Xbox games to your tablet. Your tablet essentially acts as the screen while the processing happens on your console. Latency is far lower than typical cloud gaming.

Serious Power for Serious Gaming

With processors like the Snapdragon 870 and up to 16GB of RAM, today’s tablets are packing serious power.

Even intense 3D games and AAA titles are no match for these specs. Advanced cooling tech also allows tablets to run at full speed for longer without throttling. Your gaming sessions are uninterrupted.

Eye-Popping Displays

Tablet screens continue to get sharper and more vivid. OLED and AMOLED panels boast incredible contrast and colors that really make games pop. High refresh rates up to 120Hz make everything silky smooth. Tablet makers know a good display is key for gaming.

Cloud Gaming Fills the Library Gap

Cloud gaming finally gives tablets access to AAA titles and full gaming libraries. Services like Xbox Cloud Gaming, Nvidia GeForce Now, and Google Stadia let you stream top games.

As internet speeds improve, cloud gaming keeps getting better. More games and convenience are removing tablet library limitations.

Tablets Are Holding Their Own for Gaming

At the end of the day, tablets may not beat dedicated gaming PCs and consoles for hardcore gaming. But with their portability, intuitive controls, and beefed-up hardware, tablets offer a solid middle ground for gaming on the couch or on the go.

For many gamers, a tablet hits the sweet spot between mobility and performance. Tablets keep getting better for gaming, carving