Tablets put everything you need right at your fingertips, from the
Web and Facebook to games and email. And while these devices started as
mere PC companions, they’re becoming powerful enough for all your
computing needs. The trick is getting the right slate for you.
While the iPad continues to be the best-selling tablet, there are plenty of compelling alternatives. Affordable 7-inch slates such as the Hisense Sero 7 Pro and Kindle Fire deliver snappy performance and easy access to apps and content. And Samsung offers a wide range of tablets in multiple sizes, including models with pen input. Meanwhile, Windows 8 slates and hybrids target more productivity minded shoppers.
At LAPTOP we test every major tablet and rate it on a scale of 1 to 5 stars based on design, features, performance, battery life and value. The very best tablets make our top 10 list, which should make your shopping as easy as tapping on an app.
Apple's iPad created demand for an entirely new category of computing device, a tablet that let users intimately interact with their content, whether it's photos, videos, games or the Web. The fourth-generation iPad has the same eye-popping Retina Display as the previous model, but it's packed with power. A new A6X chip promises double the performance and graphics punch, making this a device that's ready to handle the intensive apps of today and tomorrow. Starting at $499 for 16GB ($629 for Wi-Fi plus 4G), the new iPad is fast and sleek as ever, but how does it stack up to the ever-improving competition?
The Nexus 7 is the among the best 7-inch tablets on the market today. It combines fast quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 performance, top-notch design and Google's smart Jelly Bean OS for a pretty fantastic $199 price. Google Now is especially useful, giving you Siri-like functionality along with offline voice typing. At 7.8 x 4.7 x 0.41 inches and 12 ounces, the Nexus 7 fits easily in one hand and won't weigh down your bag.
The iPad mini's superior design, unparalleled app selection and extra-long battery life make this tablet a cut above the 7-inch competition. Featuring a beautiful 7.9 inch display and measuring only 0.28 inches thin, the sleek iPad mini beats its competition in form. It also boasts a 5-MP rear-facing camera that captures 1080p video, and a front-facing HD camera for FaceTime calls. We can't wait to see how iOS 7 improves and already stunning device.
Amazon's affordable tablet boasts a bright, crisp 1280 x 800-pixel display, booming sound and access to Amazon's vast library of movies, music, books and magazines. Amazon Prime members even get free access to those same books and video options. Parents, in particular, will love the FreeTime feature for curating content and setting use limits for kids.
This Android 4.2 Jelly Bean tablet boasts great performance, a bright screen and a fantastic $149 price tag. The 7.9-ounce Hisense Sero 7 Pro features a rear-facing 5-MP camera with a flash and a front-facing 2-MP camera, plus it comes with a microSD card slot for expandable storage up to 32GB. In addition to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 support, this 7-inch slate features NFC support, meaning users can share playlists, Web pages and clips with other NFC-supported devices simply by bumping the backs together.
Barnes & Noble's new 7-inch tablet offers a gorgeous screen, category-leading battery life and the best family reading experience around. The Nook HD beats out competitors with its 1440 X 900-pixel display. And the customized Android skin doesn't hurt either, offering the Nook a unique look and feel. Like Amazon's small tablet, this slate also allows multiple user accounts, giving parents greater control over restrictions for children accounts like content purchasing and viewing permissions
The Galaxy Note 8.0 offers excellent multitasking functionality and a built-in IR blaster to control your TV all in an 8-inch tablet. But one of our favorite features of this uniquely-sized slate is the S Pen integration. Users nostalgic for the feeling of good old pen-and-pad note taking will love the accurate handwriting recognition keyboard that replaces keys with a yellow, ruled drawing area. And based on its size, the Note 8 is thin and light enough to hold in one hand yet large enough to write on without running out of space.
Lenovo's Intel Atom-powered ThinkPad Tablet 2 is easily one of the best Windows 8 tablets we've reviewed to date. With its superior battery life, exceptional handwriting recognition and an impressive optional keyboard attachment, this is the Windows 8 tablet business users have been waiting for. Weighing just 1.2 pounds and with a 10.1 inch-wide screen, the ThinkPad is easy to use and retains a classy and professional aesthetic. And the optional stylus with the tablet’s superior handwriting recognition makes taking notes a great experience.
The Surface and its innovative Touch Cover proves that Microsoft can make hardware to rival the iPad. Beautifully designed with a 10.6-inch display, the Surface also features connectivity options such as a proprietary HD video out port for HDMI or VGA on top of the standard USB 2.0 port. It is also preloaded with a special version of Office 2013 Home and Student, including fully functional versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint, making it an efficient device for business users.
Parents looking for a kid-friendly tablet have been with few worthwhile options until now. The Fuhu Nabi 2 offers the power and functionality of a standard Android tablet complete with quad-core processor and 2 GB of RAM. A parental control dashboard and kid-specific mode help keep children from visiting inappropriate websites or downloading apps without their parents permission. It’s also designed to withstand some bumps, with a plastic chassis and bumper protector, as well as kid-friendly apps make this device perfect for sharing with kids.
While the iPad continues to be the best-selling tablet, there are plenty of compelling alternatives. Affordable 7-inch slates such as the Hisense Sero 7 Pro and Kindle Fire deliver snappy performance and easy access to apps and content. And Samsung offers a wide range of tablets in multiple sizes, including models with pen input. Meanwhile, Windows 8 slates and hybrids target more productivity minded shoppers.
At LAPTOP we test every major tablet and rate it on a scale of 1 to 5 stars based on design, features, performance, battery life and value. The very best tablets make our top 10 list, which should make your shopping as easy as tapping on an app.
Apple's iPad created demand for an entirely new category of computing device, a tablet that let users intimately interact with their content, whether it's photos, videos, games or the Web. The fourth-generation iPad has the same eye-popping Retina Display as the previous model, but it's packed with power. A new A6X chip promises double the performance and graphics punch, making this a device that's ready to handle the intensive apps of today and tomorrow. Starting at $499 for 16GB ($629 for Wi-Fi plus 4G), the new iPad is fast and sleek as ever, but how does it stack up to the ever-improving competition?
The Nexus 7 is the among the best 7-inch tablets on the market today. It combines fast quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 performance, top-notch design and Google's smart Jelly Bean OS for a pretty fantastic $199 price. Google Now is especially useful, giving you Siri-like functionality along with offline voice typing. At 7.8 x 4.7 x 0.41 inches and 12 ounces, the Nexus 7 fits easily in one hand and won't weigh down your bag.
The iPad mini's superior design, unparalleled app selection and extra-long battery life make this tablet a cut above the 7-inch competition. Featuring a beautiful 7.9 inch display and measuring only 0.28 inches thin, the sleek iPad mini beats its competition in form. It also boasts a 5-MP rear-facing camera that captures 1080p video, and a front-facing HD camera for FaceTime calls. We can't wait to see how iOS 7 improves and already stunning device.
Amazon's affordable tablet boasts a bright, crisp 1280 x 800-pixel display, booming sound and access to Amazon's vast library of movies, music, books and magazines. Amazon Prime members even get free access to those same books and video options. Parents, in particular, will love the FreeTime feature for curating content and setting use limits for kids.
This Android 4.2 Jelly Bean tablet boasts great performance, a bright screen and a fantastic $149 price tag. The 7.9-ounce Hisense Sero 7 Pro features a rear-facing 5-MP camera with a flash and a front-facing 2-MP camera, plus it comes with a microSD card slot for expandable storage up to 32GB. In addition to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 support, this 7-inch slate features NFC support, meaning users can share playlists, Web pages and clips with other NFC-supported devices simply by bumping the backs together.
Barnes & Noble's new 7-inch tablet offers a gorgeous screen, category-leading battery life and the best family reading experience around. The Nook HD beats out competitors with its 1440 X 900-pixel display. And the customized Android skin doesn't hurt either, offering the Nook a unique look and feel. Like Amazon's small tablet, this slate also allows multiple user accounts, giving parents greater control over restrictions for children accounts like content purchasing and viewing permissions
The Galaxy Note 8.0 offers excellent multitasking functionality and a built-in IR blaster to control your TV all in an 8-inch tablet. But one of our favorite features of this uniquely-sized slate is the S Pen integration. Users nostalgic for the feeling of good old pen-and-pad note taking will love the accurate handwriting recognition keyboard that replaces keys with a yellow, ruled drawing area. And based on its size, the Note 8 is thin and light enough to hold in one hand yet large enough to write on without running out of space.
Lenovo's Intel Atom-powered ThinkPad Tablet 2 is easily one of the best Windows 8 tablets we've reviewed to date. With its superior battery life, exceptional handwriting recognition and an impressive optional keyboard attachment, this is the Windows 8 tablet business users have been waiting for. Weighing just 1.2 pounds and with a 10.1 inch-wide screen, the ThinkPad is easy to use and retains a classy and professional aesthetic. And the optional stylus with the tablet’s superior handwriting recognition makes taking notes a great experience.
The Surface and its innovative Touch Cover proves that Microsoft can make hardware to rival the iPad. Beautifully designed with a 10.6-inch display, the Surface also features connectivity options such as a proprietary HD video out port for HDMI or VGA on top of the standard USB 2.0 port. It is also preloaded with a special version of Office 2013 Home and Student, including fully functional versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint, making it an efficient device for business users.
Parents looking for a kid-friendly tablet have been with few worthwhile options until now. The Fuhu Nabi 2 offers the power and functionality of a standard Android tablet complete with quad-core processor and 2 GB of RAM. A parental control dashboard and kid-specific mode help keep children from visiting inappropriate websites or downloading apps without their parents permission. It’s also designed to withstand some bumps, with a plastic chassis and bumper protector, as well as kid-friendly apps make this device perfect for sharing with kids.
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Great work please keeps it up!
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