Tablets are replacing laptops as the way that people access the web and check their emails at home, and 2013 has seen an explosion of choices in every price range. So which tablet is the best one for you to buy this Christmas?
Best Budget Tablet
1. Google Nexus 7
The budget tablet space has really been hotting up this year, with Google’s Nexus 7 really redefining the quality you can expect from a tablet under £200. The 16GB Nexus 7 is now down to £169.99 and is a great buy with its stunning 1080P display.
2. Tesco Hudl
Tesco’s Hudl has been such a success that the supermarket has sold out of the device twice since its launch a few months ago. The reason for this is that it nearly matches the Nexus 7’s specs at a significant discount coming in at £199, and offers memory expansion with a MicroSD card slot.
3. Kindle Fire HD
Amazon was the first to launch a budget tablet as a way to get people to use its streaming services – a business plan tesco has copied. The hardware of Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD is on a par with the Nexus 7 and Hudl, but because at £139 for 16GB the Hudl just beats it on price. Moreover, because it uses its own Amazon fork of Android, you don;t get all the benefits of Android-Google integration.
Cheapest Tablet: If even the £119 for Tesco’s Hudl is too much for you, then don’t despair – there are plenty of tablets under £99 that you could choose at Amazon and Play.com. The cheapest one we can find in stock is this 7″ Kocaso MID M752 tablet running Android ICS at £49.20. We’ve never tried it, but it is *very* cheap
Best Tablet
Not everyone is looking for a cheap 7″ device, and for me 9-10″ is the best size for a tablet. If you have a 4″+ display on your phone, then you are looking for something bigger, and better for watching films and using other media.
1. Apple iPad Air
Apple created the tablet space, and with the latest incarnation of the iPad, they hold onto their lead. The 9.7″ screen is just the right size, and the latest version brings down the thickness and weight even further making it very comfortable to hold in your hands. And at £469 for 32GB it is pretty good value compared to the competition too.
2. Sony Xperia Z Tablet
Sony has come the closest to beating Apple to the title of best tablet, offering similar specs to the flagship Apple device, and comes in a little cheaper at under £420 for 32GB. If you are looking for an Android tablet, then this is the one – the reason for losing out to the iPad Air is mostly that iOS has better tablet apps for the time being.
3. Kindle Fire HDX 8.9
Amazon’s Kindle Fire offers impressive value for money with its top-end hardware and its low £369 price-tag for 16GB. I prefer to have the Android-Google integration of standard Android over the Amazon fork, but if you are primarily using this as a media device then the Amazon integration is fantastic, and there are few better places to watch streaming video.
So, with all that wrapped up – which tablet are you going to buy this Christmas?