TOP 10 TABLET PCS

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 details
Release date: October 2011
Price at launch: £400
Price today: from £249
OS:Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
TechRadar review: 4.5/5
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Before the onslaught of the tiny budget tabs, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 cut a lonely figure at the smaller end of the tablet market.
Based on its bigger brother the Galaxy Tab 10.1, the Tab 8.9 provides another decent Android tablet experience, with a lighter body, but of course a sacrifice in screen size.
The smaller and lighter Galaxy Tab 8.9 is great for reading books, checking emails and browsing the web, and as it trumps the 7-inch BlackBerry PlayBook and Acer Iconia Tab A100, it's able to deliver reasonable movie playback too.

Quick verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 is great for those who want an ebook reader with extra media functions, or for those who are more conscious of weight than screen size.

• Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 review                                                                                            

iPad 2 details
Release date: March 2011
Price at launch: from £399
Price today: From £329 (Wi-Fi) / £429 (Wi-Fi & 3G)
OS:iOS 6
TechRadar review: 4.5/5
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Buy direct from Apple

For a whole year the iPad 2 reigned supreme, usurping the original iPad and setting the standard for all other tablets to aspire to.
However, as the Apple product cycle goes, one year later and the new kid on the block, cleverly named the new iPad, had stolen its thunder, only for that to be replaced six months later by the iPad 4 - crazy times.
It's not all bad news though. The iPad 2 still offers a top tablet experience with access to the huge app store and iTunes libraries, and while the screen is not the Retina Display of its successor, it's gosh darn good.

Quick verdict

No longer number one, the iPad 2 is still an excellent tablet and at its reduced price is perfect for anyone longing for a bit of iPad action, but unable to stretch their budget to the new iPad. Shame it's only officially available in 16GB now and doesn't pack Siri.

• iPad 2 review

 

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 details
Release date: September 2012
Price at launch: from £399
Price today: from £355
OS: Android Jelly Bean
TechRadar review: 4/5
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What's better than a tablet with a big screen? A tablet with a big screen, a quad core processor and the might of the S Pen... known as a stylus to me and you.
Well, not just a stylus - with many levels of pressure sensitivity and the ability easily sketch and annotate on a wide range of items, the Galaxy Note 10.1 offers so much more than your average tablet.
We're huge fans of the alternative choice here, and it even comes with a microSD slot to boot - plus we're now looking at Android Jelly Bean sitting proudly underneath the TouchWiz OS.

Quick verdict

Sure, it's a mite expensive, the screen quality is lower than we've seen from Samsung in the past and the build quality somewhat lower than the competition, but this is still a fabulous tablet that many workers constantly forced to use a paper and pen will love to try out.

Microsoft Surface

Microsoft Surface details
UK release date: November 2012
Price at launch: from £399
OS:Windows RT
TechRadar review: 4/5
Buy direct from Microsoft

What do you do when you don't think your manufacturers are making good enough hardware? Design and create your own, of course... and that's what Microsoft has done here.
The Surface has a great build and the built-in kickstand is a key part of the device, and provided us with plenty of pleasing moments when we momentarily searched for a place to prop up our tablet before remembering there was no need.
Two types of keyboard, support for SD cards and the ability to choose multiple versions of Windows make this a powerhouse tablet that will unleash the power of Windows 8 to many.

Quick verdict

Microsoft's hardware designers should be applauded for delivering a solid tablet which delivers a great experience, but now it's down to the fortunes of the Windows Store to decide whether Microsoft Surface is remembered in history.

Amazon Kindle Fire HD

 

Amazon Kindle Fire HD details
UK release date: October 2012
Price at launch: from £159
OS: Android Ice Cream Sandwich
TechRadar review: 4.5/5
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What's better than a modern tablet with a quad core processor? One that costs just £159. That's right: the power of the Kindle brand has mated with an HD screen and won't charge you the earth to own it.
Coming in at 16GB and 32GB flavours, the Kindle Fire HD is sure to be a big hit, bringing the simplicity of the e-book range to the tablet arena, with dedicated space to access your movies, games, apps and music too.
It's a little simplistic for some, but for others it's the perfect mix of curated content and easy to use interface - and despite the price, it's got a decent build quality too.

Quick verdict

For casual tablet users or those already knee-deep in Amazon's digital media abyss, the Kindle Fire HD is a fantastic option, especially at the low entry price. It offers a simple and uncomplicated experience through and through, and is built to support the digital media it aims to sell you, with an excellent screen (for a seven-incher) and surprisingly ample speakers.

• Amazon Kindle Fire HD review
• Buy Amazon Kindle Fire HD direct from Amazon

Asus Transformer Pad Infinity details
UK release date: April 2012
Price at launch: £
OS:Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
TechRadar review: 4.5/5
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If it wasn't for the higher price, the Infinity would be a real contender for the top spot. It's got everything you could want in a tablet - and a keyboard dock as standard too.

With the latest version of Android on the way, a simple interface and more ports than you can poke with a stick, the Infinity is the tablet that can handle anything you can throw at it.
Add in the Super IPS panel with a tremendous resolution, and you can see why this is a tablet to rate very highly - especially if you're fond of typing on the go but crave the simplicity of a slate too.

Quick verdict

Everything we'd look for in a high-end tablet is present and accounted for with the Transformer Pad Infinity.
While power is always welcomed, it was the improved screen that really caught our attention. Given that we use our tablet mostly for browsing the web and watching video, we couldn't help but marvel at the resolution, either. if you're looking for a top Android tablet (and have the cash to splash), then the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity should be at the top of your list.

• Asus Transformer Pad Infinity review
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Google Nexus 10

Google Nexus 10 details
UK release date: November 2012
Price at launch: £319
OS:Android Jelly Bean
TechRadar review: 4.5/5

The 10.1 display is one of the biggest talking points on the Google Nexus 10. At 300 pixels per inch it's the highest resolution tablet display on the planet - take that Apple and your Retina screens.
It's a great performer too. Other than taking a while to process panoramic photos we never felt like it was struggling to keep up. It's fast and smooth whatever you throw at it.
Sure it may not be as stunning to look at, or as well built as an iPad, and the lack of expandable memory will irk some, but overall the Nexus 10 gives you a quality, big-screen Android experience which is not to be sniffed at.

Quick verdict

The Google Nexus 10 is easily one of the best Android tablets on the market and while it's not quite as fantastic value for money as the Nexus 7, it certainly gives Apple's high-priced iPad 4 a run for its money. For the price you're paying, you won't be disappointed.

iPad 4

New iPad 4 details
UK release date: October 2012
Price at launch: from £399
OS:iOS 6
TechRadar review: 4.5/5
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We're not a fan of the name, but we reckon the new iPad 4 is the best full sized tablet out there.
The stunning Retina Display is certainly the highlight of Apple's latest tablet, and you won't see a better tablet screen on the market today.
It may be slightly bigger and heavier than the iPad 2, but with a bigger battery, beefed up processor and THAT screen, you can hardly blame Apple for this – plus it still keeps the famous iPad styling that has become something of a cult classic.
The price tag is eye-watering, however, and the lack of widgets and customisation will put some people off, but there are plenty of Android tablets that can satisfy your need for tweaking.
The Android experience cannot compete when it comes to dedicated apps, with the App Store rising head and shoulders above the competition, offering reams of quality applications made especially for the iPad.

Quick verdict

Dodgy name aside, the new iPad is the crème de la crème of the tablet market. The eye-popping Retina Display is something to behold, the vast array of tablet apps in the App Store is something Google Play can't touch, and the OS simply just works.
If your pockets are deep and your need is great, then the new iPad 4 is the tablet for you - and the tablet that all other 10-inch offerings are compared to.

Google Nexus 7

Google Nexus 7 details
UK release date: July 2012
Price at launch: from £159 (16GB version)
OS:Android Jelly Bean
TechRadar review: 4.5/5
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With a quad-core processor, beefy 12-core GPU and the first device to run Android Jelly Bean, the Google Nexus 7 certainly packs a punch.
The 7-inch HD IPS display means you can easily hold the Nexus 7 in one hand, making it a perfect reading device, as well as a great portable entertainment machine.
Then consider the 16GB version is available for just £159 and you'll start to realise that this might well be the bargain of the century - the 32GB model is still a steal at £199.
We now get our hands on a 3G (or 4G with dongle) model as well, although no microSD card slot means you're stuck with 32GB at most, and no rear camera - although we still think tablets shouldn't replace your cameraphone or point-and-shoot snapper.
For the ultimate tablet experience, the Google Nexus 7 gets close, but doesn't quite hit the mark of Apple's offerings. But as a cheap alternative you can't really go wrong.

iPad mini

iPad mini details
UK release date: November 2012
Price at launch: from £269
OS:iOS 6
TechRadar review: 4.5/5
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Apple's former CEO Steve Jobs famously slammed small tablets a few years back, leading many to believe the Cupertino-based firm would never dabble in the budget end of the market, but here we are.
In terms of consistency in the tablet market Apple cannot be matched, as it now lays claim to two of the top three places in our top 10, with the iPad mini the jewel in an already glistening crown.
The slight downsides to the iPad mini are that it misses out on a Retina display and it pushes the upper end of the budget price bracket, but you can justify that price with its slick operation and premium build quality, letting you know you have a top piece of kit in your hand.

Quick verdict

"The iPad mini is the best iPad Apple has ever created" - need we say more? That's the official verdict from our in-depth review. If you have the extra cash to spend on the iPad mini over the likes of the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD, you won't be disappointed.

Quick verdict

The Google Nexus 7 is the best budget Android tablet on the market. Nothing in its price range is able to touch it, although Apple has managed to have the last laugh with the iPad Mini.
If you're looking for a tablet which doesn't cost an arm or a leg, but provides enough power to act as an extra limb, then look no further – the Google Nexus 7 is the tablet for you, and the 32GB / 3G upgrade is enough to push it up into second spot.