iPad Mini(01 of09)
Open Image ModalPound-for-pound, the iPad Mini is arguably the best tablet in the world. It\'s lighter, thinner and cheaper (£269) than the iPad 4, with access to exactly the same selection of apps. No, the screen isn\'t comparable, and the rumours of a Retina version on the horizon might give some cause to wait for a reboot. But for our money this is the best designed, most cost-effective and most useful mobile device Apple has ever made.
Sony Tablet Z(02 of09)
Open Image ModalSony\'s Tablet Z is just as beautiful as its smartphone namesake. It\'s also waterproof, dustproof, has a tremendous screen and is thinner than an iPad. If you can cope with the lack of some of iOS\'s sweeter apps, or you can\'t get enough of Sony\'s resurgent design aesthetic, it\'s among the best alternatives on the market.
Samsung Note 8.0(03 of09)
Open Image ModalThe Samsung Note 8.0 is faintly ridiculous, in that it\'s technically a phone, and can be used as such when bought in the UK, but you\'ll look absolutely ridiculous if you try that in public. On the other hand, it\'s also a quite beautiful and cost-effective device, with a sharp screen, a good processor, a nice suite of S-Pen enabled drawing and note-taking apps. Yes, it\'s more expensive than an iPad Mini - and it also suffers on battery life. But for the right customer, it\'s a good choice.
Kindle 8.9 HD(04 of09)
Open Image ModalAmazon\'s second generation Kindle Tablet, is another decent lower-cost tablet with an excellent screen and good options for media consumption, which suffers a little for not being optimised for the other things you want to do on a mobile computer - browse the web, play games and stay in touch with friends. If you just want a tablet to read Kindle books and watch LoveFilm, it\'s a good choice. But as Engadget said: \"If you\'re a more serious tablet user who wants access to the full power of the Android operating system, the decision is still simple: go with something else.\"
Google/Asus Nexus 7(05 of09)
Open Image ModalThe Nexus 7 is almost a year old, and Google is surely prepping its replacement, but at just £159 with a decent screen, lightweight hardware, good specs (1280 x 800 pixels, quad core processor) and the latest version of Android, it\'s still among the most attractive tablets on the market - iPads included. And among the true \'budget\' devices it\'s still the stand-out option.
Nexus 10(06 of09)
Open Image ModalThe Samsung-built Nexus 10 has an excellent display, runs the latest version of stock Android (which has never been better for tablets) and is less expensive than the iPad - while also being quite a bit lighter. With Google Play\'s ever improving list of tablet-enabled apps and the availability of many options for watching and consuming media, there is nothing you want to do on a tablet you can\'t do with this. That said, it suffers from a less-developed app ecosystem, and the design of the machine is far clunkier than you might hope with a thick bezel being a noticeable downside.
iPad (4th Generation)(07 of09)
Open Image ModalWith the same essential design, price and features as the original iPad, it\'s possible to think Apple is standing still on the tablet market. Then you actually use the iPad 4, and you realise they\'re doing nothing of the sort. In individual specs the iPad isn\'t anything special, but as a combination of excellent hardware with the simple and efficient iOS, added to a simply selection of mind-blowing apps and a design elegance unmatched elsewhere in the market, it\'s hard to argue that its anything other than the clear leader.
Microsoft Surface Pro(08 of09)
Open Image ModalThe Surface Pro is a hybrid between a true tablet and a convertible laptop. Without the clip-on keyboard it\'s a - fairly hefty, it has to be said - usable tablet that makes sense for watching movies, browsing and a bit of light gaming. The screen is decent and bright, and weighs just two pounds. With the heavy-duty kickstand own and keyboard (either clicky keys or the fancier, touch-enabled accessory) it\'s a good laptop which runs a full version of Windows 8. Unfortunately it\'s got weaker battery life than many other true tablets.
Asus Padfone 2(09 of09)
Open Image ModalIf you want a good smartphone and a tablet, but don\'t want to (a) sync both and (b) pay for both, the Padfone 2 might be for you. Essentially a regular, decent if unspectacular Android phone with a slim, secure tablet dock, this is a convertible wonder - for the right customer. What you\'re gaining is both the convenience of carrying only one device, and the ability to switch to a bigger screen at will. What you\'re losing is a bit of polish on either end. The Padfone 2 is nicely designed but not beautiful, and the tablet-phone mixture of Android is a bit clunky.