TECH NOW: Choosing a tablet - save or splurge?

• Be wary of older, inexpensive tablet models
• Balance cost issues with how you intend to use your tablet
• iPad is a splurge but still tops in the market

Tablets are getting more affordable, but they are still miles away from cheap. In this TECH NOW, find out when to save and when to splurge on purchasing a tablet.

No bargain. Be careful of dubious deals on lesser-known brands. There are a lot of older generation tablets floating around that often lack storage capacity, have poor screen quality and outdated operating systems with no way to upgrade.

Don't buy more tablet than you need. If you mostly want to read books, play music or watch movies, for instance, the Amazon Kindle Fire HD comes in starting at $200. Google's Nexus 7 is another well-priced option, also starting at $200.

The iPad. Apple's latest full-size ipad is a splurge at $500 and up but worth it for its terrific hardware and software and bounty of apps in the App Store. It's also perhaps the most intuitive tablet out there to just pick up and use whether you're tech savvy or not. You can also consider the iPad Mini, starting at $330.

You can also find great deals on refurbished tablets — gently used models from online sites like MacMall, eBay, Amazon.

Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy award-winning consumer tech contributor and host of USA Today's new daily digital TECH NOW . Email her at techcomments@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter: @JenniferJolly.