I tested a rollable Android tablet – these 6 use cases impressed me the most

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The KTC MegPad 32-inch Android tablet is available from Amazon now for $799.
• With a 32-inch display on a rolling tablet, this device can serve many use cases.
• The MegPad uses Android 13, which is a bit long in the tooth.

I never thought a large Android tablet on a rolling stand with an accompanying mouse would be of any consequence to me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of Android tablets and think they’re every bit as good as iPads (although the typical hardware found on an Android tablet pales in comparison). 

When a company requested I review a massive tablet on a stand, my initial reaction was, “Yeah, that’s not going to go anywhere.”

Also: I finally found an Android tablet with a large screen that can last for several years

I was wrong. At least, I think I was wrong. This device turns out to be not only pretty cool, but very handy. If you have a use for such a beast, the KTC MegPad is ready to serve.

Before we dive into my experience with the device, let’s talk specs.

The specs

• 32-inch display that rotates, swivels, and tilts on an included stand
• Display – 4K touchscreen capable of a 3840 x 2160 resolution @ 1080p with a 3000:1 contrast ratio, and a 121% sRGB color gamut
• One HDMI 2.0 port, one USB-A  3.0 port, and one USB-A 2.0 port
• RAM – 8 GB
• CPU – Rockchip octa-core
• Storage – 128 GB
• OS – Android 13
• Wireless and wired projection sharing
• 9500 mAh battery provides up to 11 hours of usage on a 3-hour charge
• Dual 6W 3D speakers
• 1-year warranty and lifetime tech support
• Mouse included (with USB dongle)
• Price – Amazon $722.

Also: I upgraded to Android 15 on my Pixel 9 Pro. Here are my 6 favorite features so far

My experience

First things first. This thing was not easy to assemble. There were only four pieces (tablet, stand pole, stand base, and mouse shelf), but putting this baby together would have been exponentially easier with two people. I can put anything together — I grew up assembling bicycles — but this thing nearly bested me. The specific challenge here was having to connect a short power cable from the stand to the monitor while ensuring the cable did not get in the way. This was not easy. Eventually, I did get it assembled, but then I ran into another situation.

How does this thing power on?

The instruction manual left much to be desired. Eventually, I realized there was a small black button on the base (not the power button!) that has to be pressed before the tablet could draw power. Once that button was pressed, I could press the power button on the back, and the tablet came to life.

Setup was as easy as any Android device: Connect it to the Wi-Fi network, associate it with my Google account, and wait for it to complete. Greeted by the home screen, I decided to see what it would be like to play a game on this thing.

Also: The best Android tablets: Expert tested and reviewed

Lately, I’ve been enjoying an older game, Fallout Shelter, a basic sim game with a clever aesthetic and plenty of replayability.

One of the first things I noticed was that the matte display does a fairly good job of preventing too much glare, which is very important with a screen this large. The screen does have that textured feeling, which can be a bit disconcerting when using it as a touch screen. Fortunately, there’s the included mouse, which makes working with Android even more efficient. 

Who’d have thought, huh?

To use the mouse, you must remove the dongle from within the battery compartment, plug it in, insert an AA battery (not included), and switch it on. The mouse will be automatically recognized and connected, and you’ll be ready to go. Use the scroll wheel to zoom in and zoom out and the left button to click.

But what is this tablet for?

That question lingered in my brain as I tested the KTC MegPad. At first, the cut-and-dry answer would be something like a kiosk for enabling users to log into a service, order things, or interact with a business. However, the longer I used the tablet, the more I realized it has far more applications than I originally thought.

1. A kitchen tablet to view recipes
2. A tablet for the garage
3. An educational center for children
4. A gaming device
5. A device to view stocks
6. An entertainment center

And that’s just scratching the surface. For my purposes, however, it’s been stationed to the side of my desk so I can look over and check how my Fallout shelter is doing — and it’s been quite enjoyable.

Also: I tested the Kindle Scribe for two weeks, and its best feature isn’t what I expected

The MegPad isn’t the most powerful tablet I’ve ever used, nor is the display the best. However, its size and stand make up for what it lacks in performance. Here’s one thing I’ve always found with Android tablets: As long as there are enough resources to power the OS and some apps, I can make it work. The mid-range CPU and 8 GB of RAM are just enough to keep this tablet humming. It won’t break any benchmark records, but the specs will serve you fine.

My biggest issue with the MegPad is that it’s running Android 13, which was released in 2022. Android 13 is still supported, and I’d imagine it’ll remain so until around 2026. Even so, once you’ve become used to using Android 15, going back can feel like you’re using something antiquated and far less efficient. Even so — it works well.

ZDNET’s buying advice

This device is a bit of a hard sell because, at first blush, you might not think this is something you’d ever want or need. The thing is, once you start using it, you’ll realize that it’s something you wish you had had all along. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve grown pretty fond of the MegPad and have started using it more and more. 

Yes, the cost is high for a tablet with an aging operating system and mid-range specs, but the size and convenience of having it on a stand make this thing very useful. I can imagine tons of use cases for both families and businesses. 

Source Link