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Our list of the best Android tablets in the world - regularly updated
If you're looking for a tablet and don't fancy an iPad, then Android is currently the way to go. (Don't know what an Android tablet is? Check out: what is an Android tablet?)
There are other options out there; Windows 7 tablets are available, the BlackBerry PlayBook is on sale now and the HP TouchPad has come and gone in a flurry of £99 ($150) panic-buying. But Android 4.0 (soon to be Android 4.1) is currently the main OS rival to the iPad, and the products are still making their way onto the shelves.
We've saw the launch of Nvidia's next-generation Tegra 3 chip which has taken 2012's quad-core Android tablets to new heights. The likes of the Asus Transformer Prime are beckoning in the new era, and the iPad is starting to feel the heat.
Some tablets have 10-inch screens, others seven, and there are big differences in battery life, processing power and on-board RAM. So while we wait for the likes of the Amazon Kindle Fire 2, let's see what the current best tablets are...
1. Google Nexus 7
Best Android tablet for: quad-core power on a shoe-string
Manufactured by Asus to Google's specifications, the Nexus 7 ushers in a new era of affordable, quality Android tablets.
Packing a Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 12 core GPU, 8GB and 16GB internal storage and 7-inch 1280x800 screen, the Nexus 7 certainly has the skills to pay the bills, but at a highly attractive price point.
Laughing in the face of its closest rival, the Amazon Kindle Fire, it looks like Google has got the budget end of the tablet market all wrapped up, that is until the Kindle Fire 2 and iPad Mini come to the fore.
Quick verdict
A quad-core processor, beefy GPU and the first device to run Android Jelly Bean, the Nexus 7 certainly packs a punch. It may not tread a lot of new ground, but the Nexus 7 is a solid performer and easily the best tablet a couple of hundred bucks/pounds can buy.
Read more:Google Nexus 7 review
2. Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime
Best Android tablet for: tablet come netbook usability
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Asus wowed us when it launched its Eee Pad Transformer TF101 and with the Transformer Prime it has managed to go one better.
The Transformer Prime packs a mighty 1.3GHz quad-core processor into a super-slim 8.6mm chassis and although it shipped with Android 3.2, the Prime was the first Android tab to receive the upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich.
That huge processor means using the Transformer Prime is a breeze, with it able to process full HD movies and multiple apps with ease.
You also get a super-crisp 10.1-inch IPS display (1280 x800), a surprisingly good 8MP camera capable of recording 1080p video and 32GB of internal storage, with a microSD card slot available if you need more space.
Quick verdict
It's a close run battle for the top Android tablet accolade, but the Transformer Prime just pips the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with its super fast Tegra 3 quad-core processor, slender style and additional keyboard dock.
Read more: Asus Transformer Prime review
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Best Android tablet for: the out-and-out tablet experience
While the Asus Transformer and Slider offer something a little different at an unbeatable price, our number 3 - the Galaxy Tab 10.1 - offers a direct alternative to Apple's iPad 2 - although it's found lacking when put up against the new iPad.
Sporting the Tegra 2 dual-core CPU, it's both marginally thinner and lighter than the iPad 2. This was some achievement, especially when you consider the fuss Apple made about how thin and light the iPad 2 was on launch.
Quick verdict
As an out-and-out tablet, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is brilliant. It matches the performance of other Tegra 2-based tablets while beating the pants off them in the portability stakes. This tablet is lighter and thinner than the iPad 2. So unless that keyboard dock of Asus' Transformers is a serious draw for you, this is one to consider.
Read more:Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 review
4. Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9
Best Android tablet for: portability and power
In at number four is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 - and it's a funny little thing. It's essentially the same as its older brother, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, but with an 8.9-inch screen. It's slightly thinner and lighter, and consequently more convenient for anyone wanting to stuff it in a bag.
Apart from these physical attributes, the internal components are basically the same. So you get the same slick performance and overall tablet experience. We've put this above the 10.1 because of the increased convenience owed to its slightly smaller size, but that shouldn't put you off going for the 10.1 if you're after a bigger screen.
Quick Verdict
It's ideal for anyone who thinks 10.1 inches is just slightly too big for a tablet, but also finds 7-inch options a tad too small. A great screen, and premium features across the board make it a superb option.
Read more: Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 review
5. Asus Eee Pad Slider
Best Android tablet for: doing things a little differently
The Apple iPad is the daddy. It doesn't matter what the arguments for Android are, the fact is that the iPad is still just about the best out-and-out tablet out there. And that's why the Slider is such a compelling option - it's not a straight iPad-competitor, it offers something different. The slide-out keyboard offers flexibility and functionality not on offer elsewhere.
It's a different prospect to the Transformer Prime above in that it cannot be disconnected from its keyboard, nor does it pack the Tegra 3 innards.
But what it does do is make it easier to work on the train, type emails and documents with the convenience of not needing a dock or peripheral. What's more, the screen is the best we've seen on a 10-inch Android tablet, and it's also the most responsive. It's not for everyone, but it's one of the best tablet for showing off everything that Android can do.
Read more: Asus Eee Pad Slider review
6. Asus Eee Pad Transformer
Best Android tablet PC for: replacing your netbook
We love the Asus Transformer. It's been around for a while now, and in our opinion, it's still one of the most compelling Android tablets available. Not only is it powerful and well featured, it's designed to work with a keyboard dock which turns it into a fully-fledged Android-powered netbook.
The fact is that Android as an OS is still lagging behind iOS in terms of tablet usability, so products need a USP. And on that score, this is the tablet that changed the game.
With the release of the Transformer Prime and Transformer Pad 300, you may well find this tablet at discounted prices. And thus could be had for a bargain if you search hard enough.
Read more:Asus Eee Pad Transformer review
7. Asus Transformer Pad 300
Best Android tablet for: Transformer Prime power on a budget
The Transformer Pad 300 offers up the power of a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, a 10.1-inch display and 12 hour battery life into a device which is £100 cheaper than the Transformer Prime.
A big plus point for the 300 is the fact that it comes running Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box – keeping it bang up to date with the Android OS – even if Android 4.1 has just popped up.
However the price difference is noticeable when it comes to the materials used to build the 300, with its plastic body not feeling as premium or solid as the more expensive Prime – that said, the Transformer Pad 300 is still a great tablet.
Quick verdict
Individual needs and budget will determine if the Asus Transformer Pad TF300 is right for you, but we applaud Asus for marrying value and performance, and the TF300 comes highly recommended.
Read more:Asus Transformer Pad 300 review
8. Sony Tablet S
Best Android tablet for: PlayStation gaming
As a veritable mega-giant in the consumer tech universe, Sony's landing on Planet Tablet was always going to be interesting. Blasting off alongside the fold-in-half Tablet P, the Tablet S has a unique wedge-shaped design and top-end specs.
It's a very decent and refined tablet, and has the unique feature of having access to original PlayStation games. The only issue is that it's not as tidy as the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and not as versatile as the Transformer. Apart from that, it's one of the best Android tablets out there.
Read more:Sony Tablet S review
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