Tablets can do almost anything a desktop computer can and in some cases more. But the number of tablet computers available is dizzying. So here’s our guide to six of the best, covering all budgets and needs.
Tesco Hudl 2
Cost: £129
The Tesco Hudl 2 is living proof that good tablets do not have to be expensive. The second generation Hudl has a larger, 8.3in 1080p high-definition screen that’s crisp, bright and great for sharing video. It has 16GB of storage space, a microSD card slot and microHDMI for hooking it up to a television.
Stereo speakers on the back are loud and clear. The battery lasts about a day of intermittent use, while a 5MP camera on the back and a 1.2MP camera on the front take passable photos – not worth printing, but OK for impromptu snaps.
An extensive parental control system allows adults to set restricted profiles for children and is useful for keeping prying eyes away from inappropriate content.
The Hudl 2 costs £129, but can be bought with only £65 of Tesco Clubcard vouchers, making it exceptional value.
Verdict: a durable, solid, small tablet that is excellent value with great parental controls
Google Nexus 7 2013
Cost: £200
Google’s 7in tablet has been around for a year, but is still one of the best small Android tablets available.
It has a crisp, clear 1080p high-definition screen, a solid build and stereo speakers like the Hudl. But it also runs the latest version of Android, smoother and faster than the Hudl 2, with guaranteed updates as Google prepares to launch Android 5 Lollipop.
The rear-facing 5MP camera takes passable photos, the front-facing camera works well for video chat and the battery lasts about eight hours and can be charged wirelessly. Storage is limited to 16GB or 32GB without the ability to add extra, but the Nexus 7 has arguably the best lag and stutter-free experience of any Android tablet.
Verdict: clutter-free Android, a solid build and decent screen
Apple iPad mini 3
Cost: £319
The iPad mini is the smallest iPad available, but with a 7.9in screen it’s still bigger than a lot of small tablets. Its aluminium body is solid, its retina screen bright and better than 1080p high definition, while the battery lasts a day of hard use on a single charge.
The iPad mini’s standout feature is the Touch ID fingerprint sensor hidden under the home button that unlocks the tablet and allows users to pay for goods and services using a fingerprint. Third-party apps such as Evernote and Dropbox can be secured with a fingerprint too.
A 5MP camera on the back takes decent, but not spectacular photos while a front-facing camera does the job for video calling. The standard 16GB of storage will fill up quickly with apps, music, videos, games and photos and is not expandable – the 64GB version costing £399 is recommended.
The iPad mini 3’s biggest issue is that the iPad mini 2 is still available with everything but the Touch ID sensor and costs £80 less.
Verdict: a solid smaller tablet with a good screen and long battery life
Samsung Galaxy Tab S
Cost: £370
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S is its flagship tablet and comes in 8.4in and 10.5in versions. Both are thin and light, feature powerful octa-core processors, 16GB of storage with a microSD card slot for expansion and the latest version of Android.
But it’s the new better-than-high-definition wide screens that set these tablets apart. The OLED screens have the deepest blacks, brightest whites and richest colours available on a tablet and make watching videos, reading books and comics and viewing photos a fantastic experience.
A fingerprint scanner also makes logging into the tablet easy, an 8MP camera on the back takes decent photos when no smartphone is handy, and the battery lasts about eight hours on a single charge.
Verdict: the best screen available on a tablet
Apple iPad Air 2
Cost: £399
The latest full-sized iPad has a 9.7in screen that is better than 1080p high definition for crisp text and detailed images. The shape of the screen means videos are shown with black bars at the top and bottom, but websites and books fill the screen and look great.
Its aluminium frame makes it the thinnest tablet available at 6.1mm – only marginally thicker than a headphones port – and at 437g it feels solid and svelte in the hand. A powerful 64-bit processor can run advanced apps that process video and photos, while the battery lasts all day.
A fingerprint sensor under the home button, like the iPad mini 3, allows the user to unlock the tablet and pay for goods and services. A solid 8MP camera is one of the best fitted to a tablet yet, but is not quite as good as high-end smartphones.
Verdict: the thinnest tablet available with a powerful processor
Microsoft Surface Pro 3
Cost: £639
The biggest and most expensive in the group, the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is a full Windows computer squeezed into a tablet body.
It has the same processor, Ram and storage as a laptop, but with a touchscreen and no fixed keyboard. It runs full Windows 8.1, which means access to thousands of Windows desktop applications, including iTunes and Photoshop– full apps that aren’t available on the iPad or Android tablets. It has USB ports and can be attached to monitors, keyboards and mice.
The tablet also comes with a stylus for writing on the screen and can connect to a detachable keyboard for using like a laptop with an adjustable kickstand on the back to prop it up.
It is heavier and doesn’t last as long on a charge as some of the other tablets, but is as capable as a full computer.
Verdict: a full computer in a tablet with a few compromises
Other reviews
• Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet review: a serious iPad Air competitor
• Google Android 5 Lollipop review: faster, prettier and better battery life
