Top 10 tablets to give as Christmas gifts
So many tablets, but which one shines brightest?
So, thanks to our handy round-up of the best smartphones for Christmas gifts on the market you should have that part of your Christmas shopping sorted. Now, though, you've got to think about tablets.
Everyone wants a tablet: they're easy to use, lightweight and portable, and more stylish than almost any laptop on the market. The trouble is the tablet market is even more confusing than the smartphone one, with manufacturers continually releasing new devices with the claim that their product is the one "true" tablet you need.
So, rather than spend hours in some high-street store having a seasonal Christmas worker young enough to still believe in Santa Claus try to guide you through the array of shiny devices available, let our guide, compiled by our own Three Wise Men, lead the way.
10. HP TouchPad
You might struggle to find a TouchPad as HP famously said it would stop making the device, leading to an almighty scramble to get hold of one as prices dropped to as low as £89.
However, this doesn't mean the tablet won't be available somewhere: eBay, Facebook market, Gumtree, tucked away at the back of some electronic stores in more remote locations. If you can find it, it's worth getting, especially if it's going cheap.
Because, despite HP dropping it faster than Usain Bolt running the 100 metres, it's a decent option. The webOS software offers a nice change from the ubiquitous Android interface and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.2GHz processor and 1024x768 resolution more than match other high-end devices.
Price: Between £89 and £250.
Top 10 tablets to give as Christmas gifts
So many tablets, but which one shines brightest?
9. Acer Iconia Tab A500
One of the bulkier tablets on the market, but also one of the cheapest (always an appealing bonus at Christmas), the Iconia Tab A500 is nonetheless a well-rounded device.
The A500 features high-end specifications including the commonly used Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz chip and 1GB of RAM. Furthermore, it offers between 16GB or 32GB of internal storage and also features a USB 2.0 port and HDMI output on the chassis.
Acer has also squeezed in a 10.1in display, with a resolution of 1280x800. At 730g, it's a little on the heavy side, but this is due in part to the device's solid metallic chassis, which gives it a nice, well-built feel.
The device is shipped with Android Honeycomb 3.0, and like the other Android tablets on the list is expected to be upgraded to Ice Cream Sandwich in the New Year. Android, the gift that keeps on giving.
Price: Around £330.
8. HTC Flyer
The Flyer is HTC's first and currently only tablet and is a decent effort by the firm. It has a nice aluminium uni-body design, offers 3G connectivity and is one of the few tablets to come with a stylus pen.
Furthermore, as the tablet has just received an upgrade to Android 3.2 Honeycomb, the stylus can be used to navigate around the device as well as for doodling and taking notes - perfect for travelling types.
HTC has packed the Flyer with a zippy 1.5GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, storage options of either 16GB or 32GB, while its 7in screen makes it a highly portable option.
Price: Around £330.
Top 10 tablets to give as Christmas gifts
So many tablets, but which one shines brightest?
7. RIM Playbook
The PlayBook has not been much of a success for Research in Motion (RIM), with the firm forced to write off $485m to cover a sales drive designed to get more of its devices into the hands of consumers and business users.
This is obviously great news for end users who may well be able to pick up the device for a good price, and while the PlayBook is hardly world beating, it's far from the worst device out there.
Sure, you need a BlackBerry to "pair" the two devices together, but the tablet itself does boast a 1024x600 display and a forward-facing 3-megapixel camera, with a 5-megapixel version on the back. And because it's made by RIM you know it's both highly secure and reliable.
What's more it's not as big and clunky as some of the 10.1in devices out there as it only has a 7in screen, making it ideal for frequent business travellers.
Price: Around £350.
6. Sony Tablet S
The Japanese electronics giant was one of the last high-profile manufacturers to enter the tablet market, and has attempted to attract users with a unique design.
The Tablet S's best feature is the tapered back edge, which makes it easy to hold and means that when the device is placed on a flat surface, the screen is tilted up slightly making it easier to watch movies.
The device packs the Nvidia Tegra 2 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and 16GB or 32GB of internal storage. The tablet also boasts SD support, DLNA connectivity and the ability to act as a remote control via the infrared sensor.
In an attempt to be a little different from other manufacturers, Sony has opted to go with a unique 9.4in screen, but the resolution remains similar to other devices at 1280x800. Definitely one for Sony fans to add to their Christmas wish list.
Price: Around £350.
Top 10 tablets to give as Christmas gifts
So many tablets, but which one shines brightest?
5. Samsung Galaxy Note
The Galaxy Note is technically a smartphone but it's so big it could pass as a tablet too.
With a mammoth 5.3in Super Amoled display with 1280x800 resolution, the Note is great for viewing multimedia content on the move. The inclusion of a 1.4GHz dual-core processor also makes this one of the fastest devices on the market.
Samsung has also included an S Pen stylus so you can take notes and screen shots with a quick tap.
The device ships with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, but is expected to receive the Android 4.0 upgrade.
For making calls Samsung provides headphones with an inbuilt microphone so you don't have to hold the oversized device to your ear.
Price: Around £510.
4. Motorola Xoom 2
The Xoom 2 is one of the newest Android devices on the market.
It's not the sexiest of tablets but what it lacks in looks it more than makes up for in toughness. The 10.1in display is made from Corning Gorilla Glass and Motorola's splash-guard coating ensures that it can handle spillages - so no need to panic when a sherry-wielding drunken aunt insists on having a play.
The Xoom runs Android 3.2 Honeycomb, but will be upgradeable to Android 4.0 in the New Year.
The device packs a number of business apps, such as Citrix Receiver, GoToMeeting and Fuze Meeting. V3 particularly likes the preloaded MotoCast app that allows you to sync the device wirelessly to your PC and stream files remotely.
Price: Around £380.
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is Samsung's flagship tablet device and looks a lot like the iPad, as Apple itself has highlighted by trying to have the device banned in Australia and Germany for infringing on the iPad's design patents.
The device runs on the Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system, boasts 32GB of storage, has front- and rear-facing cameras and weighs just 589g, making it a highly attractive high-end device.
So, until Apple's lawyers get it banned in Blighty, this is a great gift for anyone looking for a state-of-the-art Android tablet.
Price: Around £370.
Top 10 tablets to give as Christmas gifts
So many tablets, but which one shines brightest?
2. Asus Eee Pad Transformer
Generally regarded as the most versatile Android tablet on the market, the Transformer is able to run as a standalone tablet or be used as a pseudo-netbook when you want to settle down and get some proper work done.
It also boasts a high-end spec, including a 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, 1GB of RAM and a choice between 16GB or 32GB of internal storage. Additional features include a Micro-SD Card slot and SD card reader on the keyboard as well as two USB 2.0 ports.
The 10.1in screen has a 1280x800 resolution, which will be more than adequate for watching videos on the daily commute. It will also be able to receive the Android 4.0 upgrade when launched in 2012.
However, as Asus is set to release the Transformer Prime in early January this is likely to mean a significant price cut for the current device, so perhaps one to pick up for someone in the January sales instead.
Price: Around £400 including keyboard, £350 without.
1. Apple iPad 2
Ultimately, while all the other tablets listed above have their strengths and would be popular presents, there's no doubting that for most the iPad 2 will be the device they'd like to wake up in bed with on Christmas morning.
The iPad 2 is everything a tablet should be - fast, swish, lovely to use and with access to thousands of top-notch apps.
It also has a snappy 1GHz processor, front- and rear-facing cameras and a high-quality screen resolution of 1024x768. Amazingly it's also as cheap, if not cheaper, than most of the other devices on the market, which is the icing on the Christmas cake.
The only downside? Apple is likely to launch the iPad 3 in March, so perhaps it's best to wait until then and get hold of what will no doubt be one of the must-have devices of 2012? Decisions, decisions.
Price: Around £399.