Like many avid readers, I love to hold a book in my hands, feel its weight, and turn the crisp pages. To me, this – along with a stellar story - makes for a perfect experience. But the days of physical books are waning, and technology is pushing us to quickly adopt eBooks that can be read on e-readers and tablets. And yes, even I resisted this trend. In fact, I avoided turning on my first e-reader until months after I had received it as a gift.

But now I'll admit; while tablets and e-readers may never fully replace the experience of reading actual books, they are convenient, lightweight, and offer direct access to a vast digital library.

That said, given the broad range of features and functionality found in tablets, it can be a daunting task to select the one that is perfect for you. If you are in the market for a tablet for reading, following are five things to consider before making your purchase.

1. Screen Size: The screen size of a tablet is akin to the size of a page. When it comes to your eyes, the bigger the better. Smaller screens may be more difficult to read without straining, but they also fit more handily into a bag or purse. Fortunately, most popular tablets come in a variety of sizes. Amazon's Kindle Fire HD and HDX can be purchased with 7-inch or 8.9-inch screens. Apple's iPad 2 and iPad Air models comes with a similarly sized 9.7-inch screen. Apple also offers the 7.9-inch iPad Mini. Google's Nexus is sold in 7-inch and 10-inch models, and Barnes & Noble offers 7-inch and 9-inch HD versions of its Nook tablet.

2. Resolution: The resolution of the tablet determines how much information can be displayed on the screen at a given time. While most of the popular tablets fall into a similar resolution range, there are standouts. The 8.9-inch Kindle HDX and Nexus 10 have a 2560 x 1600 screens, while Apple's iPad Air and iPad Mini with Retina Display deliver a resolution of 2048 X 1536. On the lower end are the iPad 2 and iPad Mini (1024 X 768), the 7-inch Fire HDX and 8.9 inch Fire HD (1920 x 1200), and Nook HD (1440 x 900) and HD+ (1920X1280). If your reading material includes pictures and photographs, you'll appreciate the stunning imagery of a retina display.

3. Storage: If you are using your tablet primarily for reading, you probably don't need a whole lot of storage, even if you want to travel with lots of books and magazines stored on your device. Apple provides a variety of storage options that top out at 128 GB, while many other tablets provide storage in the 16GB to 32GB range. There are also a number of cloud storage options that are inexpensive and can supplement the storage on your tablet.

4. Connectivity: Tablets generally come in two types: a Wi-Fi version, which can only be used when connected to a Wi-Fi Internet connection, and a Wi-Fi and cellular version, which allow users to use the tablet either with a Wi-Fi Internet connection or a cellular data plan. If you plan to use your tablet predominantly for reading, the Wi-Fi version may just meet your needs. Since you really only need Internet access to download your books, you can save some money and then read your downloads while you are on the go.

5. Cost: Tablet prices run the gamut, so it is important to carefully consider your specific needs, and then find the model that fits your wallet. Barnes and Noble's Nook models represent the low end, with tablets starting at $129, while Apple's tablet line represents the high end. iPad Minis begin at $299, and top of the line iPad models can cost as much as $929. Keep in mind that you can find Android tablets, like the Nexus, on sale, while Apple's tablets are rarely sold at discounts. Keep an eye out for refurbished Apple and Android tablets; you can often find them on sale through their respective websites.

If you truly only anticipate using a tablet for reading, and you don't have any desire to surf the Web, download apps, or access media (like videos or music), you may be better suited with an e-reader. E-readers deliver limited functionality, but they do provide access to your favorite books and are small, light, and generally include easy-to-use interfaces. There are a number of options on the market for less than $75.

If you spend a great deal of time reading, make sure not to skimp on the tablet that you purchase. While you may not be able to turn the pages, things like screen size and resolution will not only impact your experience, but may be the difference between adopting this new technology or reverting back to your old reading ways.

Author Bio
Jamie Lee is a freelance writer, as well as a regular blogger and consumer technology contributor at eBay.com.