Number 10: Sony
Tablet S
Sony Tablet S details
Release date: September 2011
OS:Android 3.1 Honeycomb (upgradeable to Android 4.0)
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.
Quick verdict
Number 9: Asus
Transformer Pad 300
Asus Transformer Pad 300 details
Release date: May 2012
OS:Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
The Transformer Pad 300 offers up the power of a quad-core
Tegra 3 processor, a 10.1-inch display and 12 hour battery life into a device
which is cheaper than the Transformer Prime.
A big plus point for the 300 is the fact that it comes
running Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box – keeping it bang up to date with the
Android OS – even if Android 4.1 has just popped up.
However the price difference is noticeable when it comes to
the materials used to build the 300, with its plastic body not feeling as
premium orsolid as the more expensive Prime – that said, the Transformer Pad
300 is still a great tablet.
Quick verdict
Individual needs and budget will determine if the Asus
Transformer Pad TF300 is right for you, but we applaud Asus for marrying value
and performance, and the TF300 comes highly recommended.
Number 8: iPad 2
iPad 2 details
Release date: March 2011
OS: iOS 4 (upgradeable to iOS 5.1)
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.
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.
Number 7: Asus Eee
Pad Transformer
Asus Eee Pad Transformer details
Release date: April 2011
OS:Android 3.2 Honeycomb (upgradeable to Android 4.0)
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
Number 6: Asus Eee
Pad Slider
Asus Eee Pad Slider details
Release date: October 2011
OS: Android 3.1 Honeycomb (upgradeable to Android 4.0)
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.
Quick verdict
Number 5: Samsung
Galaxy Tab 8.9
Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 details
Release date: October 2011
OS:Android 3.1 Honeycomb (upgradeable to Android 4.0)
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.
Number 4: Samsung
Galaxy Tab 10.1
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 details
Release date: July 2011
OS:Android 3.1 Honeycomb (upgradeable to Android 4.0)
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.
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.
Number 3: Asus
Transformer Prime
Asus Transformer Prime details
Release date: January 2012
OS: Android 3.2 Honeycomb (upgradeable to Android 4.0)
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.
Quick verdict
It's a close run battle for the top high-end 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.
Number 2: Google
Nexus 7
Google Nexus 7 details
UK release date: July 2012
OS:Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
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 great
portable entertainment machine.
Then consider the 8GB version is available and you'll start to realise that this might
well be the bargain of the century - the 16GB model is still a steal.
Ok so there are a few short-comings, no 3G support for on
the go data, no microSD card slot, meaning you're stuck with 16GB at most and
no rear camera - although we're still in the field of reckoning 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 quick hit the mark of the new iPad, but as a cheap
alternative you can't really go wrong.
Quick Verdict
The Google Nexus 7 is quite simply the best budget tablet on
the market. Nothing in its price range is able to touch it, and while there's
rumours of an iPad Mini and Amazon Kindle Fire 2, the Nexus 7 is going to be a
tough one to beat.
If you're looking for a tablet which doesn't cost an arm or
leg, but provides enough power to act as an extra limb then look no further,
for the Google Nexus 7 is the tablet for you.
Number 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.
Quick verdict
Dodgy name aside, the new iPad is the crème de la crème in
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 you're pockets are deep and your need is great, then the
new iPad is the tablet for you - and the tablet which all others are compared
to, until next year at least.
techradar.com
3 comments:
Tough to judge the-best-tablet from these 10 aptops-and-tablets
Android Specifications 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.
i am first time visit your blog.very helpful for choose tablet pc.
Bästa Surfplattor Recension
Post a Comment