Best tablets: Overview

What’s the best tablet? Our verdict on the best tablets – 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. 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.

For those of you who are still new to 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-inch Samsung Galaxy Note.

Physical keyboards are also a rarity, but there are the exceptions such as the Asus Transformer Prime, which comes with a keyboard dock for the tablet.

As with today’s best smartphones, applications play a big role on tablets – you can get your fill of Temple Run, update your friends on Facebook and read the latest news, all on a bigger screen.

So without further ado, here’s our 10 best tablets currently around, enjoy.

If none of the top 10 tablets take your fancy then head on over to our tablet reviews pages, where you’ll find in-depth reviews for many more models.

Let us know your thoughts on the top 10 and whether you think we’ve got the order wrong, in the comment box below.

Number 10: Motorola Xoom

10. Motorola Xoom

The Motorola Xoom was the first Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) tablet to hit the market. That made it the first Android tablet to ship with an OS designed especially for big screens, and that’s why it’s in the top 10.

It may be the most elderly tablet in the top 10, but the Xoom can still pack a punch. It has a 10.1-inch display, 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor, 1GB RAM, 32GB internal storage, microSD card, 5MP rear camera, 2MP front camera, 4G support and a 10 hour battery life.

The Xoom has highly priced went it first arrived, at £499 (Wi-Fi) and £599 (Wi-Fi & 3G), but it can now be picked up for just a shade over £300.

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Quick verdict

The Xoom may not have the zing of tablets higher up the list, but overall it’s a joy to use – fast and nimble, able to handle high-res media files and long-lasting. Just beware of its slightly lack-lustre successor, the Xoom 2.

• Motorola Xoom review

Number 9: Toshiba AT200

9. Toshiba AT200

It’s the world’s thinnest 10-inch tablet, so it’d be rude not to include the Toshiba AT200 in our top 10 best tablets.

The AT200 clocks in at a super slender 7.7mm thin, which means you can slide it into your bag without issue and at 535g, you probably won’t notice it’s in there.

You get a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 TFT display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 5MP rear camera, 2MP front camera and a decent array of ports including micro SD, USB and HDMI.

Toshiba has also dropped the price of the AT200 just a few months after launch to keep it competitive in the market, but it’s exclusively at Carphone Warehouse in the UK for the time being.

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Quick verdict

The Toshiba AT200 is a good, solid and portable device, delivering everything you’d expect from an unfussy Android slate. If you’re looking for a standard tablet experience, the AT200 is certainly worth a look.

• Toshiba AT200 review

Number 8: Sony Tablet S

8. Sony Tablet S

Sony was a late arrival to the tablet party, taking almost two years to field its first attempt in the form of the Tablet S.

The Tablet S takes a unique design angle, styled to resemble a folded over paperback book, which makes it stand out in the sea of rectangular slates we see today.

Sony has also tweaked the Android 3.1 operating system, making it very easy to use, plus there’s a host of exclusive content including various PlayStation titles which you won’t get on other Android tabs.

With the 16GB version available at £299 it’s a tempting option for anyone who wants a quality tablet, although the lack of 3G support is slightly disappointing, as it limits your internet activity to Wi-Fi hotspots.

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Quick verdict

We loved the Sony Tablet S and its wedge-shaped design, which really makes this stand out from the crowd. The responsive touch screen and unique shape combine to make this tablet extremely usable, and a joy to type on.

• Sony Tablet S review

Number 7: Apple iPad 2

7. Apple iPad 2

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, has stolen its thunder.

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.

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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.

• iPad 2 review

Number 6: Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101

6. Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101

The Eee Pad Transformer TF101 came in and turned the tablet market upside down as Asus gave us this tablet-come-netbook concoction.

The tablet itself is a perfectly capable device, sporting Nvidia’s dual-core Tegra 2 processor, a 10.1-inch display, 5MP rear camera, 1.3MP front camera, microSD slot and a choice of memory (16GB or 32GB) and colours.

Add to that the keyboard dock which transforms (see what they’ve done with the name?) the tablet into a netbook and suddenly the boundaries between tablets and computers becomes even more blurred.

There is now the more powerful Transformer Prime (look out for that a bit later), but with the extra power comes a higher price, so the TF101 is a great economical option.

Quick verdict

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101 is an excellent tablet. It’s an all-round performance expert with very few weaknesses – but slightly starting to creak with age now, so make sure you get it for a good price.

• Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101 review

Number 5

5. Asus Eee Pad Slider

Carrying on from where the Transformer TF101 left off, the Eee Pad Slider takes a design note from the ill-fated Nokia N97 with a slide out keyboard.

It’s another interesting twist on the tablet market by the ever innovative Taiwanese firm and the Eee Pad Slider packs a great screen and excellent performance into its admittedly slightly heavy and chunky frame.

The screen is displayed at the perfect viewing angle when you slide the keyboard out, which itself is well spaced, and Asus has included some useful apps too.

The Eee Pad Slide hasn’t dropped in price yet, but with Asus currently releasing more tablets, expect the cost to, *ahem*, slide in the near future.

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Quick verdict

The Eee Pad Slider isn’t going after the same market as the iPad 2 or Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, but as an alternative to a small laptop it’s compact, light and fast and puts many Windows 7 devices to shame.

• Asus Eee Pad Slider review

Number 4

4. Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9

If you find these 10-inch tablets just too big, then the Galaxy Tab 8.9 could be right up your street.

Based on its bigger brother the Galaxy Tab 10.1, the Tab 8.9 provides another excellent 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.

The relatively high price compared to other small screened Android tablets may put some people off, but if the smaller screen appeals keep an eye out for the Amazon Kindle Fire 2, which will sport a budget price tag.

Quick verdict

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

• Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 review

Number 3

3. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 strode into the tablet arena in the summer of last year and has become a tough act to follow for other Android tabs.

Samsung made it clear who it was competing with the Galaxy Tab 10.1, price-matching the tablet with the iPad 2, which was launched a few months prior to it.

You do get bang for your buck, with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 offering up a quality 10.1-inch (1280 x 800) display, 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor, 1GB RAM, 3.15MP rear camera with 720p video recording, 2MP front camera and the choice of 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of internal storage.

It’s smaller, thinner and lighter than the new iPad, and with a screen which matches the iPad 2 the Galaxy Tab 10.1 provides a real alternative in an Apple-dominated tablet market.

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Quick verdict

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is one of the best Android tablets around, but Samsung’s highly competitive pricing is yet to drop. Competitors have reduced their asking prices, but if it’s quality you want you’ll have to pay for it.

• Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 review

Number 2

2. Asus Transformer Prime

Asus wowed us when it launched its Eee Pad Transformer TF101 and with the Transformer Prime it has managed to go one better.

The Transformer Prime packs a mighty 1.3GHz quad-core processor into a super-slim 8.6mm chassis and although it shipped with Android 3.2, the Prime was the first Android tab to receive the upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich.

That huge processor means using the Transformer Prime is a breeze, with it able to process full HD movies and multiple apps with ease.

You also get a super-crisp 10.1-inch IPS display (1280 x800), a surprisingly good 8MP camera capable of recording 1080p video and 32GB of internal storage, with a microSD card slot available if you need more space.

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Quick verdict

It’s a close run battle for the top Android tablet accolade, but the Transformer Prime just pips the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with its super fast Tegra 3 quad-core processor, slender style and additional keyboard dock.

• Asus Transformer Prime review

Number 1

1. New iPad

We’re not a fan of the name, but we reckon the new iPad (or iPad 3 as most people refer to it as) is the best tablet out there.

The stunning Retina Display is certainly the highlight of Apple’s latest tab 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 which 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 which 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.

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Quick verdict

Dodgy name aside, the new iPad is the cr

Best features of iPhone 4SWhat makes iPhone 4S so special? Is it its monstrous hardware performance or cutting-edge technology driven iOS or its foxy cunning apps giving master accomplishment? And the winning answer is… “Everything”. Apple’s iPhone 4S is conceived to conquer and rule the market making it the hottest and most lusted device.A short look at what makes it the fiercest

HP has announced an absolute plethora of new products today, including – by our count, at least – four new Ultrabooks.

• Best Ultrabook: 16 top thin and lights for 2012

And TechRadar was on hand to get up close and personal with the pick of the bunch – the HP Envy Spectre XT.

The follow up to the company’s original Ultrabook contender – the HP Envy 14 Spectre – the HP Envy Spectre XT shaves off over 5mm in thickness from the older version, coming in at an Acer Aspire S5-esque 14.5mm.

And the slimmer waistline makes all the difference, the XT is a gorgeous looking machine that quite rightly stole much of the attention at the HP event we attended in Shanghai.

Described by its makers as an “ultramobile premium Ultrabook”, the Spectre XT weighs 1.4kg. It certainly isn’t the lightest Ultrabook that we’ve handled, but it’s far from being heavy.

This being HP, Beats Audio is on board – complete with quad speakers. Unfortunately, due to the booming noises inside the Shaghai Expo Centre, we couldn’t fully gauge the quality but it sounded loud enough.

The 13.3-inch HD screen held up pretty well under the hall lights, and surprisingly wasn’t covered by smears and fingerprints, despite the array of global tech hacks giving it a quick fondle.

Boot up time from sleep was more or less instantaneous, due to the latest generation Intel Core processor on board combined with Intel’s Rapid Start Technology.

Other notable hardware inclusions are its 256GB mSATA SSD, an HP TrueVision HD Webcam, and Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi, USB 3.0 and HDMI. You can expect a battery life of around 8 hours.

Here you can see the HDMI, USB and Ethernet ports…

…while the other side features the headphone jack, a further USB and an SD card slot.

The trackpad is a good size and seemed perfectly usable to us, while the isolation keyboard is remarkably similar to that on a MacBook Air.

As you can see, there’s a Beats Audio speaker at the top of the keyboard where the power button is also located.

The HP Envy Spectre XT will come pre-loaded with full versions of Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 and Adobe Premiere Elements 10 – it looks as if HP is taking a leaf out of Apple’s book too by offering an “experience” rather than just a product. If you fork out for an XT you’ll also get access to a concierge phone line for technical support dedicated exclusively to HP Spectre users.

But it’s the design that really makes the HP Spectre XT stand out from the ever expanding Ultrabook clan. Its brushed-aluminium chassis looks superb and the svelte bezel helps to create an illusion of a notebook much smaller than its 13.3 inches.

Out in June, the HP Envy Spectre XT will be joined by a Pro version – one that offers Windows 7 Professional and TPM security. Prices are expected to from £899.

Pictures by Dan Grabham

HP has announced an absolute plethora of new products today, including – by our count, at least – four new Ultrabooks.

• Best Ultrabook: 16 top thin and lights for 2012

And TechRadar was on hand to get up close and personal with the pick of the bunch – the HP Envy Spectre XT.

The follow up to the company’s original Ultrabook contender – the HP Envy 14 Spectre – the HP Envy Spectre XT shaves off over 5mm in thickness from the older version, coming in at an Acer Aspire S5-esque 14.5mm.

And the slimmer waistline makes all the difference, the XT is a gorgeous looking machine that quite rightly stole much of the attention at the HP event we attended in Shanghai.

Described by its makers as an “ultramobile premium Ultrabook”, the Spectre XT weighs 1.4kg. It certainly isn’t the lightest Ultrabook that we’ve handled, but it’s far from being heavy.

This being HP, Beats Audio is on board – complete with quad speakers. Unfortunately, due to the booming noises inside the Shaghai Expo Centre, we couldn’t fully gauge the quality but it sounded loud enough.

The 13.3-inch HD screen held up pretty well under the hall lights, and surprisingly wasn’t covered by smears and fingerprints, despite the array of global tech hacks giving it a quick fondle.

Boot up time from sleep was more or less instantaneous, due to the latest generation Intel Core processor on board combined with Intel’s Rapid Start Technology.

Other notable hardware inclusions are its 256GB mSATA SSD, an HP TrueVision HD Webcam, and Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi, USB 3.0 and HDMI. You can expect a battery life of around 8 hours.

Here you can see the HDMI, USB and Ethernet ports…

…while the other side features the headphone jack, a further USB and an SD card slot.

The trackpad is a good size and seemed perfectly usable to us, while the isolation keyboard is remarkably similar to that on a MacBook Air.

As you can see, there’s a Beats Audio speaker at the top of the keyboard where the power button is also located.

The HP Envy Spectre XT will come pre-loaded with full versions of Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 and Adobe Premiere Elements 10 – it looks as if HP is taking a leaf out of Apple’s book too by offering an “experience” rather than just a product. If you fork out for an XT you’ll also get access to a concierge phone line for technical support dedicated exclusively to HP Spectre users.

But it’s the design that really makes the HP Spectre XT stand out from the ever expanding Ultrabook clan. Its brushed-aluminium chassis looks superb and the svelte bezel helps to create an illusion of a notebook much smaller than its 13.3 inches.

Out in June, the HP Envy Spectre XT will be joined by a Pro version – one that offers Windows 7 Professional and TPM security. Prices are expected to from £899.

Pictures by Dan Grabham

Nokia no longer holds the top spot in mobile hardware, but outgoing chairman Jorma Ollila thinks that the company could soon wind up back in the lead.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Ollila teased Nokia’s upcoming batch of devices and exclusive services, claiming that they’re sure to “make a difference” in the company’s fortunes.

These devices include tablets, “hybrid” smart mobile devices, and handsets with “different form factors” from what’s currently on the market.

The figures Nokia recently released for their last quarter paint a grim picture. The company posted an operating loss of $1.76 billion, and sales are down.

Samsung recently overtook Nokia as the top phone manufacturer, and the same report noted that Nokia actually makes more money from licensing its patents to Apple for use in the iPhone than from selling its own devices.

This despite the recent release of Nokia’s Lumia 900 Windows smartphone, which has been met with glowing reviews but a mixed reception – particularly outside the U.S. in areas like the UK.

Perhaps in an attempt to replicate that revenue, Nokia recently filed 45 patent suits, against HTC and Viewsonic in the U.S. and HTC and Research in Motion in Germany, as well as a complaint against HTC with the US International Trade Commission.

The future is tablets

It’s been rumored that Nokia is working on tablet that has yet to be released, but that could change as early as this year.

Despite statements from Ollila, who’s being replaced as Nokia chairman today by Risto Siilasmaa, the company is remaining secretive on the subject.

Nokia spokesperson Karen Lachtanski told TechRadar that the company is “looking at the tablet space with interest,” but that they “have no details or announcement at this time.”

Nevertheless, speculation holds that a Nokia tablet could arrive later this year alongside Microsoft’s new Windows 8 OS.

Details on Ollila’s other claims, including new services, “form factors,” and “hybrid” smart devices, are even more scarce.

But Nokia’s secrecy could well be in preparation for some kind of announcement, so keep an ear to the ground.