Because of their portability and lower prices compared to laptops, the tablet market bloomed in the past two years, causing sales of PCs and laptops to decline further. With so many tablet computers available on the market as tech companies cash in on the tablet trend, experts recommend that potential buyers of the device answer first the following seven questions before making a decision what unit to purchase.

1. What size of tablet do you need?

Size matters, as a recent study on female preferences on vital anatomical parts of their bed partners said. In the case of tablets, the common sizes available are 7- or 10-inch screens, while on the middle ground is Kindle Fire HD's 8.9-inch tablet. The size often also determines the weight of a tablet. Given these two vital factors, the buyer should include in his decision-making if he intends to lug the tablet on his palm, inside a bag or tuck it in a pocket. The size is also linked with abilities, ranging from providing high-resolution images to 4G or LTE access.

2. How large storage space do you need?

The usual range available among current tablets is: 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB, and the bigger the space, the higher the price tag of the device. For people who plan to store a lot of images, videos or other types of files, make sure to get a model with larger storage space. However, for people who plan to use their tablets only for surfing the Web, reading ebooks, checking emails or playing, the smallest storage space which also has the least price tag would be sufficient.

3. Would you need cellular service?

Buying a tablet that offers cellular service is recommended for people who are often on the road or need to communicate frequently such as business people. However, the service would definitely bump up your cost. But if you still have a smartphone, you can opt for a more simple unit that requires only WiFi connectivity.

4. What operating system do you prefer?

The most common choice to make is often between Apple's iPad which runs on iOS or the various Android devices. However, for those who want to go outside the two major OS, they can opt for tablets that run on the OS used by BlackBerry of a version of Windows. The major considerations when picking what OS your tablet would run on are the availability of app stores and compatibility of the OS with other devices.

5. What is your benchmark for screen quality?

High-quality screens makes reading emails and other documents easier and reduces eye strain, while gamers would enjoy full HD experience with incredible details.

6. How much control is available for parents?

Your device should offer the ability to restrict app and in-app purchases to protect your credit card limit and budget. Such a feature is usually found in Android tablets that run on Jelly Bean (Android 4.2).

7. How much is your budget?

The cheapest is usually $199, which offers 7-inch screens. If you have a separate mobile phone, you can opt to avoid tablets that have cellular services. You can also consider buying last year's model which usually costs less than the current one.

For those who prefer Apple devices, The iPad guide recommends checking out Best Buy's Tablet Clearance Page, which is offering 30 per cent off on selected third-generation iPads.

A 16GB Wi-Fi only model sells for $314, which has specs not very different from fourth-generation iPads such as the Retina display and A5X processor.

The lower price of the iPad 3, released on March 16, 2012, was because of the roll out of the iPad 4 eight months after.

For non-Apple fans, Best Generation also has price cuts on first-generation Amazon Kindle Fire and other older generation Android tablets.

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