10 best tablet PCs in the world today 10 best tablet PCs in the world today
techradar.com. What's the best tablet for 2013? Today's latest tablets compared and rated - constantly updated
Tablets
are taking the world by storm. Just a few years ago they were an
unknown for many people, but nowadays you've got more choice than you
can shake a mildly agitated badger at.
And with choice comes
decisions - difficult decisions. Do you eschew Apple's high prices, join
the Android brigade and find the best iPad alternative? Or do you give
in to near-perfection and the get the new iPad?
Luckily we've made it easy for you and pulled together the top 10
tablets of the moment available in the UK. We'll keep this listing
constantly updated as new players enter the market and the older ones
fizzle out.
As well as reading our comprehensive feature, you can also check out our top 10 tablets video below.
For those of you who are still new to the whole tablet game, let us fill you in on what one is:
In
general terms, today's tablet computers sport touchscreens ranging in
size from 7- up to 13-inches. These dimensions are by no means static,
and boundaries can be blurred as smartphones get larger displays, a la
the 5.5-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 2.
Physical keyboards are also a rarity, but there are the exceptions such as the Asus Transformer Prime and newer Asus Transformer Pad Infinity, which come with a keyboard dock for the tablets, but there's a new kid on the block in the form of the Microsoft Surface.
Apps
As with today's best smartphones,
applications play a big role on tablets – once you've decided which of
these tablets if right for you, check out our top app lists so you can
get your fill of Temple Run, update your friends on Facebook and read the latest news, all on a bigger screen.
If none of the top 10 tablets here take your fancy then head on over to our tablet reviews pages, where you'll find in-depth reviews for many more models.
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.
9. Microsoft Surface RT
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.
8. Amazon Kindle Fire HD
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.
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.
We've been waiting for Microsoft Surface Pro for a while but it's finally upon us, although it will set you back a fair few bob.
With
a higher resolution screen than the Surface RT, and running the full
blown version of Windows 8 the Surface Pro is kinder on the eyes and
more powerful under hand, making for a potent, portable offering.
Making
your mind up about the Surface Pro is less about what it is and what it
does and more about what you want out of a tablet. As a hybrid PC it's
an undeniable compromise - but that's no bad thing.
Quick verdict
It's
a bulky device with significant weight, but at the end of the day
you're pretty much getting a portable PC, and all that power means
there's a wealth of options availble on the Surface Pro which you just
can't get on the more standard of tablets.
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.
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.
3. iPad 4
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.
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.
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.
1. iPad mini
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.
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