Are there any tablets that are 12"+ that can play 1080p60 videos without lagging or stuttering that don't cost a fortune?

[scruffy238]

I'm in the UK and have been using a 13.3" Toshiba CR2 Chromebook since 2015 for watching YouTube and Netflix around the house. I can't watch YouTube at higher than 720p without stuttering and lagging, and even at that resolution Netflix stutters and lags a lot. I figure it's time to replace it and I'd like to replace it with a tablet, as it takes up a lot less space on a kitchen counter, is easier to use in bed or in a car when waiting to collect someone, and generally will be a more pleasant experience for media consumption than using a desktop OS. 

 

The big issue I'm having is that 12" is the smallest screen size I feel I could be happy with, although I'd prefer 13", but the only tablets I've found with that size are way too high end and expensive for my needs as I do not play games on this device, nor take photos, although I could conceivably make video calls occasionally. The two devices I've found so far are: 

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ (£719, 12.4" screen, looks like a great screen but it's expensive) 
• Apple iPad Air 2020 (£579, 10.9" screen, a bit too small but looks like a great screen, but again very expensive) 
• Apple iPad Pro (£969, 12.9" screen, great screen size but incredibly expensive)

I don't need the vast majority of features on these tablets so I'm hoping there's an alternative out there that meets my needs, but after several weeks of searching, watching YouTube videos rounding up tablets and reading reviews and blog posts, I have not managed to find any. 

 

My feature wish list is: 

• 12"+ screen 
• Can play 1080p60 video without any issues like stuttering, lagging or hitching 
• Has a front-facing camera in case I want to make a video call 
• Has stereo speakers (preferably front-firing if possible) 
• Has decent battery life to be able to last for at least four hours watching video at a reasonable brightness and volume level 
• Not incredibly expensive

Is what I'm looking for unreasonable? Is this something that doesn't exist on the market? What would you suggest I get? Any help, ideas or recommendations would be greatly appreciated! 

[Teddy07]

Well, you listed the only options.
The only alternative is to buy a used tablet if you want to save money. I bought a used Ipad pro first gen for ~400 Euro about a year ago and I am quite happy. It still gets updates but probably not much longer. I noticed a few minor problems creep up during the last half-year such as rare freezes in specific apps.

 

I would not buy the 2020 Ipad Pro because the new rumored version in early 2021 will be likely with new mini LED technology.

 

My father has a Galaxy Tab 6 and it is great but my Ipad pro is overall superior. I just want to point out that I don´t have other Apple devices so don´t think I am an Apple fanboy.

[jaslion]

A older used 2in1 laptop?

[BiotechBen]

Honestly, a 2-in-1 would likely be a good deal, there are a few out there that are pretty good deals, takes a bit of hunting but a 13-14" 2-in-1 might be your best bet. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lenovo-IdeaPad-Flex-5-Laptop-14-FHD-Convertible-AMD-Ryzen-3-4300U-4GB-RAM-128GB-SSD-Graphite-Grey-Windows-10S-81X2000HUS/829136096?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&&adid=22222222227363013204&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=472226347332&wl4=aud-667380510857:pla-978823852791&wl5=9007386&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=829136096&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-rj9BRCAARIsANB_4ABHf0DQVs95yZ6Uwrpk63VUHQw2zSxgg-DOqDecNs1w1qwCPNQhX0QaAldrEALw_wcB 

The above convertible is a decent enough machine, the specs it has are more like a beefy tablet than laptop. So if a beefy tablet piques your interest, maybe try something like that. 

[scruffy238]

Based on your suggestions I've been looking at second hand devices, and it seems an iPad Pro 2nd Gen 12.9" (2017) only goes for between £300-£400 on eBay, so that might be a good route to go down as it would meet all my criteria. 

[Commodus]

14 hours ago, scruffy238 said:

Based on your suggestions I've been looking at second hand devices, and it seems an iPad Pro 2nd Gen 12.9" (2017) only goes for between £300-£400 on eBay, so that might be a good route to go down as it would meet all my criteria. 

Sounds wise. That iPad Pro probably won't get too many more years of support, but it's still quite quick and will easily meet your needs — I have one, I should know!