Your friendly guide to buying a device to best fit your needs on the water (and that works best with Argo!)
We live in a world full of options, and sometimes when you need to decide on a piece of technology it can be daunting to find exactly what you need to buy. We all run to online reviews, retailer rating systems, and publications like Consumer Reports to figure out what’s best, whether it’s a car, a dishwasher, or a computing device. At some point, it all just reads like marketing wonk, and it’s hard to separate fact from fiction.
Selecting an Apple iPhone or iPad for Argo
If you are a happy user of Apple products looking to buy a new tablet or phone to use with Argo, your choices are likely simple. Buy a current iPhone or an iPad (the cellular version with internal GPS). Apple’s quality is generally excellent—though at the time of this writing (June 2024), the iPad Mini has not been refreshed in about 3 years, and we recommend avoiding it.
What about Android?
If you are an Android user and don’t want to dip a toe in the “fruit company’s” walled garden, or if you are an Apple user who wants a secondary Android device for redundancy, the choices can seem much more complicated and daunting. Consequently, one of the most common questions we field here at Argo HQ is “What kind of Android phone or tablet should I buy to work with Argo?” There is no simple answer to this question because there are literally hundreds of options out there. It’s hard to know what is best without trying everything, but we do have a pretty good idea of what types of devices work best with Argo, so without further ado…
Selecting an Android Cell Phone for Argo
Let’s start with phones. Visit the brick-and-mortar store of your favorite cell phone carrier and ask them what the latest and greatest might be. This is not a time to be frugal. Free phone? Only if it checks all the boxes.
- Don’t buy a phone made by a company you’ve never heard of.
- Buy a device with a good warranty—at least a full year.
- You’re using it on the water, so consider insuring it against loss if your phone decides to go for a swim.
- Don’t buy “last year’s” phone.
- Don’t buy used or refurbished.
- Buy a current model with at least 8GB of hardware RAM (not virtual RAM).
- Buy a device with a screen capable of at least 700 nits of brightness if you are going to be using it in the sun.
- Buy a phone built with a light-colored, preferably aluminum housing to help prevent the device from overheating.
- Beware of phones that have a lot of manufacturer-installed “bloatware” (Samsung is notorious for this). All that extra stuff will just slow the phone down. If you get one, you might want to disable the bloatware to give it a fighting chance.
- Consider the Google “Pixel” phones which are known to provide the best “stock Android” or pure “Google Experience” and usually no bloatware. They come with our highest recommendation, provided it’s a current model that has sufficient RAM and screen brightness.

With so many choices, it's smart to do some research before buying a tech device for use on the water.
Selecting an Android Tablet for Argo
A more difficult purchase is a tablet, but many of the rules are the same. It can seem, when looking at the specs for current, lower to mid-priced Android offerings, that many manufacturers are in a bit of a race to the bottom in an effort to secure more budget-minded tablet market share. Beware of such lower-end, lower-priced tablets. The cautious Android tablet purchaser must read and understand the device specifications and avoid underpowered tablets entirely. They will only serve to frustrate. Part of the marketing story around Android has long been that Apple devices are over-priced, which has historically been true, but is far less so these days—especially in regard to tablets.
In an effort to perpetuate the pricing mythology, many Android tablet offerings that are being marketed as “current” are being manufactured using stripped-down or inferior technology and sold for a fraction of what a full-featured tablet should cost. The dirty truth is that iPads are not really overpriced for what they are. If you compare a high-end LG or Samsung tablet with a similarly-appointed iPad Pro, for instance, the pricing is nearly identical. Many Android tablets are, by comparison, substantially under-built to keep pricing low and perpetuate the myth. It works especially well for manufacturers, giving Apple a virtual monopoly on the high-end of the market, and allowing Samsung, LG, Lenovo, et al to enjoy high volume on the low end of the market. It’s good for everyone except consumers who have the illusion of choice but not a lot of actual good, lower-priced options. This doesn’t mean there aren’t good Android options out there, but you will need to shop carefully to find them.
- Buy from a brand you’ve heard of with a good warranty, and consider insurance or extended warranties that will cover the device if it takes a dip.
- Buy a device with real horsepower. That $200 Amazon special will likely be underpowered.
- Be prepared to spend “Apple money” on your tablet.
- Buy a device with a minimum of 16GB of hardware RAM (not virtual RAM)
- Buy a device with a screen capable of at least 700 nits of brightness if you are going to be using it in the sun.
- Buy a device built with a light-colored, preferably aluminum housing to prevent the device overheating.
- Beware of tablets that have a lot of manufacturer-installed “bloatware” (Samsung is notorious for this). All that extra stuff will just slow the device down. If you get one, you might want to disable the bloatware to give it a fighting chance.
- Consider “ruggedized” tablets. They are often built to military spec, the screens are usually very bright, and the cases generally shed heat well.
- Whatever you buy, make sure it’s a late model. It is not uncommon for retailers to present older Android hardware in new condition, and try to pass it off as a current model for current-model money. Caveat emptor.
Choosing a device to power your adventures on the water and keep your friends and family out of harm’s way is one of the most important first steps to making great memories on the boat. There is no substitute for capable, powerful hardware when you need things to “just work.” As always, Argo is there for you, not only to provide seamless voyages but peace of mind with these helpful tips for buying your next device.