Best tablets 2013: The best tablets available to buy today
So you're looking to buy a new tablet but are confused by all the options out there. If you're looking for the best tablets of 2013, you've come to the right place. Here we will guide you through the hottest tablets of the year, to help you reach a decision on buying the right device for you.
Our list of 10 great tablets covers all operating systems, all sizes and prices, so you'll be armed with everything you need when choosing to buy. We'll be regularly updating this feature with the latest and greatest tablets we review, so you can see where the smart money is heading.
Let us know what you think is the best tablet in the comments below.
The Transformer's crowning glory is that it is the most complete laptop replacement we've seen. While neither the keyboard nor the mouse is perfect, what you get is the sort of flexibility that's missing from other tablets. Android has evolved to become an operating system that can cope with removable USB drives and office documents almost as easily as Windows does. What you also get is strong cloud back-up and access to a very comprehensive app store. For many, it's likely to be a more enjoyable system than either a Windows or OS X laptop.
On the downside, it's not all that cheap, and you could quite easily get a laptop for this sort of money. While that might put off some people, amazing battery life and that stunning high-resolution screen make this a tablet that's well worth considering.
PRICE: £549
QUICK VERDICT: Aside from the cost, and the ongoing issue of the trackpad being a little bit too small on the Transformers, we really like this package. It's a lovely standalone tablet but the keyboard makes it so much more attractive. Our only serious reservation is that price tag, which is sure to put this out of reach of most.
FULL REVIEW: Asus Transformer Pad Infinity review
The Nook HD is a powerful tablet that's been thoughtfully customised to offer a great user experience. Barnes & Noble has tweaked the user interface to make it simple and approachable. There's plenty of content on offer and the navigation options offered make sure that the content takes advantage of the platform: Barnes & Noble isn't just pushing out content in whatever fashion, it's making it work, so that the Nook system makes sense.
PRICE: £129
QUICK VERDICT: A great tablet for content consumption, offering plenty of choices. It's affordable and good quality, but has fierce rivals.
FULL REVIEW: Barnes & Noble Nook HD review
The Note range continues to be a surprise. When it launched, there was much smirking about the stylus, but Samsung's skill here has been to make the device work perfectly without it, but then to offer bundles of extra features if you do want to make use of the pen. We also love how well Samsung tablets handle media, they're flexible and class-leading for all sorts of HD playback, and we really value that.
The screen resolution is a slight issue here - and it's somewhat noticeable on the Note II as well - and we suspect next year these will get bumped up to 1080p, but for the most part, it's not an issue anyway, but high resolutions do help with web browsing and email. Like all the Notes, this is a winner and is a better buy than the Galaxy Tab range.
PRICE: £339
QUICK VERDICT: There's lots to love here, and the only real letdowns are the screen resolution and the fact it's quite expensive. If you're after a budget tablet in this size, look to the Amazon Kindle Fire HD or the Nexus 7, but don't expect the same breadth of features.
FULL REVIEW: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review
There’s a lot to like about the Kindle Fire HD 8.9. As a tablet it looks good, both in terms of that display and the simple design. The build is good quality too and the speakers offer really impressive performance, as does the dual Wi-Fi antenna.
As for the experience, it's also easy enough to use, with content being at the forefront. If you're a fan of Kindle, or of Amazon, then the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 might be just the tablet for you. It does just about everything you could want and is competitively priced.
PRICE: £229
QUICK VERDICT: The Kindle Fire HD 8.9 offers a great display in a nicely put together package, but ultimately lacks the freedom of regular Android tablets and is a little on the slow side.
FULL REVIEW: Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 review
Meet the king of tablets. There's something about the Note 10.1 that "just works". We prefer both the styling and the build quality over the Galaxy Tab range. We think the Pen is a brilliant and useful addition, and there's media playback and bundles of processing power to keep even demanding users happy.
If you have any artistic talent, then there's a very real chance you'll be able to make the Note 10.1 work for you as a creative tool. The big screen means you can use it for all manner of illustrations and layouts and it's an ideal companion for throwing together notes in a meeting. If only it had a higher-resolution screen, we'd demand everyone rushed straight out to buy one, although it is a bit pricey.
PRICE: £349
QUICK VERDICT: It's a much overused expression, but the Note is an iPad killer. We aren't pretending that Samsung has quite the same build quality as the Apple, and we know people are beholden to the iTunes ecosystem, but the Note has so much that's unique and features that we'd actually use. Its screen is its biggest letdown, but it's not bad, it just doesn't compare well to the iPad 3. It is, however, a great tablet and is very deserving of its score.
FULL REVIEW: Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 review
If you want a tablet that is more focused towards work, and to how you use your laptop, then the Surface RT from Microsoft is the one to get.
Sporting an 10.6-inch screen, the Surface RT interface should be thought of as Windows 8 without the desktop, but with all the power of Microsoft Office still at your fingertips.
Other features include a kickstand so you don't have to buy a case to prop it up, and a USB socket you can connect other devices to it. If you really want to turn it into the netbook it wants to be, you can even connect a mouse and keyboard, although the optional keyboard case extra is very good. If you are a Microsoft boy or girl, then you'll know this is the choice for you.
PRICE: £399
QUICK VERDICT: Think of the Surface as something of a leap of faith. It's a great device now, and there's more than enough here to make it worth buying. Although we do think it's expensive once you factor in a keyboard - and we urge you to get it with the keyboard - the Touch is just brilliant. The faith comes in the apps, which are currently less than ideal, but we know Microsoft has a lot invested in this, so we hope things will improve soon. For now, enjoy the current crop of apps and the amazing hardware, for a first attempt at a tablet, this is quite a triumph.
FULL REVIEW: Microsoft Surface RT review
Previous Sony Android tablets were late to arrive at the party and blighted by quirky design. That's not the case with the Xperia Tablet Z. A stylish, lightweight Android tablet that is also waterproof so you can take it in the bath. The display isn't the best out there, bettered by the Samsung-built Nexus 10, which offers a more natural colour palette as well as a higher resolution for sharper details, but it is still very good. Overall the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is a great choice. A software update to Android 4.2 would lift the user experience to be one of the best out there. If you're looking for an Android tablet at 10.1 inches, it comes recommended.
PRICE: £399
QUICK VERDICT: Excellent design and specification at an impressive price, the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is a great Android tablet with plenty on offer.
FULL REVIEW: Sony Xperia Tablet Z review
The Nexus 10 brings that pure Android experience, meaning you'll be the first to get updates and it's free from the bloat of additional apps and services you don't want which some manufacturers add. But it's the display that's the real beauty of the Nexus 10.
The 10-inch display has a sharp 2560 x 1600, so content looks fantastic. You can revel in the desktop experience of websites with less zooming, it makes for a great, sharp, reading device, and has the power to handle the latest apps and games. It's well built too.
This Samsung-constructed device is slim, and the tactile finish to the back makes it really nice to hold. The cherry on top is the competitive price, which for a tablet with these specs is hard to beat.
PRICE: £319
QUICK VERDICT: The Nexus 10 doesn't fill our hearts with joy, aside from when we look at that screen. In many ways, this typifies the difference between Android and iOS. The Nexus is competent and powerful, but it lacks that whiff of passion you get from Apple products. It's still a great tablet though, and did we mention that screen...?
FULL REVIEW: Google Nexus 10 review
The original tablet and the big daddy of the pack. The iPad 4's Retina display, its powerful specs, and huge collection of dedicated apps make this a hard tablet to beat if you plan is for it never to leave the home.
For your money you will get a 9.7-inch display, front-facing camera, rear-facing camera, up to 64GB of storage for all those apps and movies, and plenty more in between. There's a reason Apple is number one in the tablet market and the iPad 4 shows that. You won't be disappointed.
PRICE: £399
QUICK VERDICT: The iPad 4 represents quite a modest improvement on its predecessor. Although it certainly is faster, iPad 3 owners are probably not going to feel the need to spend another £400. That said, if you're a first-time buyer, what are you waiting for - this is the best iPad yet, and it has some incredible performance to back it up.
FULL REVIEW: Apple iPad 4 review
The Nexus device range from Google has always been the benchmark for an Android device. The clean state in which to deliver an experience that is pure, that Google owns, before the likes of Samsung, Sony or LG get their hands on it.
The Nexus 7 is that experience in a 7-inch tablet that just works. Cheap, affordable, portable and coming with plenty of apps, this is the best Android tablet on the market. It's winner of the Pocket-lint Gadget Awards Best Tablet of the year 2012 for a reason and while many cheap or cheaper tablets have appeared since its launch, you really are wasting your time. If it's Android and portability you are after, this is the one to get.
PRICE: £159
QUICK VERDICT: We do love the Nexus 7, and heartily recommend it. The only real problems are the limited internal memory, lack of SD slot and slightly limited UK entertainment content.
FULL REVIEW: Nexus 7 review
The Apple iPad mini might not have as good a screen as the iPad 4, but we love its size, portability and weight. This is what tablets should be like. Thin, easy to use, and come with an abundance of apps for all walks of life whether its watching Netflix or Sky Go from the bath, drawing a picture using apps like "Paper" or Photoshop, or playing games like Real Racing 3.
For those who need to actually get some work done, you can now get a bevy of keyboards for the iPad mini which effectively turn this into the netbook you owned a couple of years ago.
While rumours suggest a Retina display is coming for the iPad mini 2, at £269 for the base iPad mini model you still won't be disappointed. This is the best tablet on the market.
PRICE: £269
QUICK VERDICT: It might be mini by nature, but it is mighty in the things it can offer. We love it.
FULL REVIEW: Apple iPad mini review
Our list of 10 great tablets covers all operating systems, all sizes and prices, so you'll be armed with everything you need when choosing to buy. We'll be regularly updating this feature with the latest and greatest tablets we review, so you can see where the smart money is heading.
Let us know what you think is the best tablet in the comments below.
11. Asus Transformer Pad Infinity
The Transformer's crowning glory is that it is the most complete laptop replacement we've seen. While neither the keyboard nor the mouse is perfect, what you get is the sort of flexibility that's missing from other tablets. Android has evolved to become an operating system that can cope with removable USB drives and office documents almost as easily as Windows does. What you also get is strong cloud back-up and access to a very comprehensive app store. For many, it's likely to be a more enjoyable system than either a Windows or OS X laptop.
On the downside, it's not all that cheap, and you could quite easily get a laptop for this sort of money. While that might put off some people, amazing battery life and that stunning high-resolution screen make this a tablet that's well worth considering.
PRICE: £549
QUICK VERDICT: Aside from the cost, and the ongoing issue of the trackpad being a little bit too small on the Transformers, we really like this package. It's a lovely standalone tablet but the keyboard makes it so much more attractive. Our only serious reservation is that price tag, which is sure to put this out of reach of most.
FULL REVIEW: Asus Transformer Pad Infinity review
10. Barnes & Noble Nook HD
The Nook HD is a powerful tablet that's been thoughtfully customised to offer a great user experience. Barnes & Noble has tweaked the user interface to make it simple and approachable. There's plenty of content on offer and the navigation options offered make sure that the content takes advantage of the platform: Barnes & Noble isn't just pushing out content in whatever fashion, it's making it work, so that the Nook system makes sense.
If you're looking for a tablet primarily for content consumption - books, movies, magazines - then the Nook HD is an excellent choice.
That added to a new drop in price and Google Play access now make this a very attractive offer if you are on a budget and want a focus on books.PRICE: £129
QUICK VERDICT: A great tablet for content consumption, offering plenty of choices. It's affordable and good quality, but has fierce rivals.
FULL REVIEW: Barnes & Noble Nook HD review
9. Samsung Galaxy Note 8
The Note range continues to be a surprise. When it launched, there was much smirking about the stylus, but Samsung's skill here has been to make the device work perfectly without it, but then to offer bundles of extra features if you do want to make use of the pen. We also love how well Samsung tablets handle media, they're flexible and class-leading for all sorts of HD playback, and we really value that.
The screen resolution is a slight issue here - and it's somewhat noticeable on the Note II as well - and we suspect next year these will get bumped up to 1080p, but for the most part, it's not an issue anyway, but high resolutions do help with web browsing and email. Like all the Notes, this is a winner and is a better buy than the Galaxy Tab range.
PRICE: £339
QUICK VERDICT: There's lots to love here, and the only real letdowns are the screen resolution and the fact it's quite expensive. If you're after a budget tablet in this size, look to the Amazon Kindle Fire HD or the Nexus 7, but don't expect the same breadth of features.
FULL REVIEW: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review
8. Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9
There’s a lot to like about the Kindle Fire HD 8.9. As a tablet it looks good, both in terms of that display and the simple design. The build is good quality too and the speakers offer really impressive performance, as does the dual Wi-Fi antenna.
As for the experience, it's also easy enough to use, with content being at the forefront. If you're a fan of Kindle, or of Amazon, then the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 might be just the tablet for you. It does just about everything you could want and is competitively priced.
PRICE: £229
QUICK VERDICT: The Kindle Fire HD 8.9 offers a great display in a nicely put together package, but ultimately lacks the freedom of regular Android tablets and is a little on the slow side.
FULL REVIEW: Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 review
7. Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1
Meet the king of tablets. There's something about the Note 10.1 that "just works". We prefer both the styling and the build quality over the Galaxy Tab range. We think the Pen is a brilliant and useful addition, and there's media playback and bundles of processing power to keep even demanding users happy.
If you have any artistic talent, then there's a very real chance you'll be able to make the Note 10.1 work for you as a creative tool. The big screen means you can use it for all manner of illustrations and layouts and it's an ideal companion for throwing together notes in a meeting. If only it had a higher-resolution screen, we'd demand everyone rushed straight out to buy one, although it is a bit pricey.
PRICE: £349
QUICK VERDICT: It's a much overused expression, but the Note is an iPad killer. We aren't pretending that Samsung has quite the same build quality as the Apple, and we know people are beholden to the iTunes ecosystem, but the Note has so much that's unique and features that we'd actually use. Its screen is its biggest letdown, but it's not bad, it just doesn't compare well to the iPad 3. It is, however, a great tablet and is very deserving of its score.
FULL REVIEW: Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 review
6. Microsoft Surface RT
If you want a tablet that is more focused towards work, and to how you use your laptop, then the Surface RT from Microsoft is the one to get.
Sporting an 10.6-inch screen, the Surface RT interface should be thought of as Windows 8 without the desktop, but with all the power of Microsoft Office still at your fingertips.
Other features include a kickstand so you don't have to buy a case to prop it up, and a USB socket you can connect other devices to it. If you really want to turn it into the netbook it wants to be, you can even connect a mouse and keyboard, although the optional keyboard case extra is very good. If you are a Microsoft boy or girl, then you'll know this is the choice for you.
PRICE: £399
QUICK VERDICT: Think of the Surface as something of a leap of faith. It's a great device now, and there's more than enough here to make it worth buying. Although we do think it's expensive once you factor in a keyboard - and we urge you to get it with the keyboard - the Touch is just brilliant. The faith comes in the apps, which are currently less than ideal, but we know Microsoft has a lot invested in this, so we hope things will improve soon. For now, enjoy the current crop of apps and the amazing hardware, for a first attempt at a tablet, this is quite a triumph.
FULL REVIEW: Microsoft Surface RT review
5. Sony Xperia Tablet Z
Previous Sony Android tablets were late to arrive at the party and blighted by quirky design. That's not the case with the Xperia Tablet Z. A stylish, lightweight Android tablet that is also waterproof so you can take it in the bath. The display isn't the best out there, bettered by the Samsung-built Nexus 10, which offers a more natural colour palette as well as a higher resolution for sharper details, but it is still very good. Overall the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is a great choice. A software update to Android 4.2 would lift the user experience to be one of the best out there. If you're looking for an Android tablet at 10.1 inches, it comes recommended.
PRICE: £399
QUICK VERDICT: Excellent design and specification at an impressive price, the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is a great Android tablet with plenty on offer.
FULL REVIEW: Sony Xperia Tablet Z review
4. Google Nexus 10
The Nexus 10 brings that pure Android experience, meaning you'll be the first to get updates and it's free from the bloat of additional apps and services you don't want which some manufacturers add. But it's the display that's the real beauty of the Nexus 10.
The 10-inch display has a sharp 2560 x 1600, so content looks fantastic. You can revel in the desktop experience of websites with less zooming, it makes for a great, sharp, reading device, and has the power to handle the latest apps and games. It's well built too.
This Samsung-constructed device is slim, and the tactile finish to the back makes it really nice to hold. The cherry on top is the competitive price, which for a tablet with these specs is hard to beat.
PRICE: £319
QUICK VERDICT: The Nexus 10 doesn't fill our hearts with joy, aside from when we look at that screen. In many ways, this typifies the difference between Android and iOS. The Nexus is competent and powerful, but it lacks that whiff of passion you get from Apple products. It's still a great tablet though, and did we mention that screen...?
FULL REVIEW: Google Nexus 10 review
3. Apple iPad 4
The original tablet and the big daddy of the pack. The iPad 4's Retina display, its powerful specs, and huge collection of dedicated apps make this a hard tablet to beat if you plan is for it never to leave the home.
For your money you will get a 9.7-inch display, front-facing camera, rear-facing camera, up to 64GB of storage for all those apps and movies, and plenty more in between. There's a reason Apple is number one in the tablet market and the iPad 4 shows that. You won't be disappointed.
PRICE: £399
QUICK VERDICT: The iPad 4 represents quite a modest improvement on its predecessor. Although it certainly is faster, iPad 3 owners are probably not going to feel the need to spend another £400. That said, if you're a first-time buyer, what are you waiting for - this is the best iPad yet, and it has some incredible performance to back it up.
FULL REVIEW: Apple iPad 4 review
2. Nexus 7
The Nexus device range from Google has always been the benchmark for an Android device. The clean state in which to deliver an experience that is pure, that Google owns, before the likes of Samsung, Sony or LG get their hands on it.
The Nexus 7 is that experience in a 7-inch tablet that just works. Cheap, affordable, portable and coming with plenty of apps, this is the best Android tablet on the market. It's winner of the Pocket-lint Gadget Awards Best Tablet of the year 2012 for a reason and while many cheap or cheaper tablets have appeared since its launch, you really are wasting your time. If it's Android and portability you are after, this is the one to get.
PRICE: £159
QUICK VERDICT: We do love the Nexus 7, and heartily recommend it. The only real problems are the limited internal memory, lack of SD slot and slightly limited UK entertainment content.
FULL REVIEW: Nexus 7 review
1. Apple iPad mini
The Apple iPad mini might not have as good a screen as the iPad 4, but we love its size, portability and weight. This is what tablets should be like. Thin, easy to use, and come with an abundance of apps for all walks of life whether its watching Netflix or Sky Go from the bath, drawing a picture using apps like "Paper" or Photoshop, or playing games like Real Racing 3.
For those who need to actually get some work done, you can now get a bevy of keyboards for the iPad mini which effectively turn this into the netbook you owned a couple of years ago.
While rumours suggest a Retina display is coming for the iPad mini 2, at £269 for the base iPad mini model you still won't be disappointed. This is the best tablet on the market.
PRICE: £269
QUICK VERDICT: It might be mini by nature, but it is mighty in the things it can offer. We love it.
FULL REVIEW: Apple iPad mini review
