Best Tablet

Tablets are one of the fastest growing electronics products of 2012 and are giving laptops and netbooks a serious run for their money. Thanks to vast amounts of apps, and simplicity of use, the very best tablets have become versatile devices, from browsing the web, writing an email or staying connected via social media, to reading a good book, watching movies and TV programs, gaming or even using them as productivity tools, they can do it all. In some cases the once humble tablet can even become your primary computing device, particularly Windows 8 tablets with a keyboard, but which is the best tablet, or more importantly, which tablet is right for you?

There are 11-inch, 10-inch, 8-inch, 7-inch and even 5-inch tablets, running Google's Android, Apple's iOS, Microsoft's Windows 8 or RIM's BlackBerry OS. The Asus Transformer Prime and Microsoft Surface have a keyboard dock that transforms them into great productivity devices, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet and Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Tablet have a pressure-sensitive stylus you can write or draw with, making them great tools for budding artists.

If you're after a small tablet that doubles as a phone and note-taking device there's the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. The mighty iPad 4, meanwhile, has one of the highest-resolution screens of any tablet barring the equally awesome Google Nexus 10.

The decision between the best 10-inch, 7-inch and convertible tablet is a difficult one and depends on your needs. If you primarily browse the internet on your sofa and are a casual gamer then the screen real-estate a 10-inch tablet offers is probably the best way to go. If you like to have a tablet on the commute or the beach then the 7 or 8-inch tablets are far more practical. If you're looking to replace a laptop and are intending to use your tablet for work, then a convertible tablet gives you the best of both the laptop and tablet world in a single device, but costs a fair bit more than a same spec laptop and weighs much more than a tablet.

Price is another factor to consider. A convertible tablet like the Lenovo Thinkpad X220 costs upwards of £1,200.00 while a top of the range iPad 4 or Microsoft Surface can set you back £550.00. At the other end of the scale the Google Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD offer superb performance at exceptional value.

Whether you're looking for a 10-inch tablet, a convertible or a 7-inch one, we will help you make the right choice and find the best tablet for you.