How to Choose a Tablet PC in 2014 (Part 4 – Screen Resolution and Cameras)

This post will cover some general specifications of tablet computers. If you're new to the series, you might want to go back and read Part 1 (types and basic information), Part 2 (size and operating system), and Part 3 (storage and battery life). When you're ready, come back to this page to learn about other specs like screen resolution and cameras.
Most tablets have capacitive touchscreens that respond to skin touch rather than pressure. (Resistive touchscreens, used as POS signature pads in retail stores, require pressure of a stylus or finger to generate a response.) Tablet screens are used for both navigation and viewing on the devices.

Screen Resolution

Display resolution is the number of pixels in each direction. A display being held horizontally with 1024 x 768 resolution has 1024 pixels from right to left and 768 from top to bottom. Most tablets offer a resolution ranging from 1024 x 600 to 2560 x 1600.
Pixel density is another specification you may want to consider. It's the number of pixels per inch (PPI) and ranges from 130 PPI to 400 PPI in most tablets. Apple introduced its Retina display which boasts 264 PPI. It's unlikely that the human eye would detect an improvement in quality at higher pixel densities unless using a microscope.
Considering that widescreen HD movies are 1920 x 1080, it's unlikely that the average user would need a higher screen resolution.

Cameras

Cameras and screen resolution go hand-in-hand, at least to some extent, because what you're photographing will be displayed on the same device's screen for viewing.
Many tablets have cameras on both the front and back of the device. The "front" is the side that faces the user. It typically has a lower resolution than the "back" camera, also known as the rear-facing camera, that is located at the back of the device. A forward-facing camera is used for video conferencing applications like Skype or for taking "selfies." It's useful because the user can view him or herself on the screen while taking the image. A rear-facing camera can be used for the same purpose, or to take photos or videos of things in the user's line of site.
Cameras vary in terms of megapixels (most range from 1 MP - 5 MP), autofocus, flash, and incorporated microphones.