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What's behind our tablet Ratings?

Experts at our National Testing and Research Center tested 89 models in tablets to see which ones perform best.

We look for:

Overall score
Based on Ease of use, Display, Touch response, Versatility, Battery life, and Weight. Due to test upgrades, results may vary from past Ratings.
Portability
Combines size, weight, and battery life.
Ease of use
Based on a variety of scenarios, including reading books, playing media, and using email and the Web.
Display
Covers display color, viewing angle, brightness and glare.
Versatility
The presence of useful features.
Touch response
Responsiveness of the touchscreen when selecting and moving objects or typing.
Screen size
The diagonal measure of the screen's active area.
Battery life
Battery life is the time to takes to deplete a fully charged battery while the tablet loads a sequence of web pages over Wi-Fi. Bluetooth and 3G/4G are disabled and the screen is set to a specific brightness that's usable indoors or outdoors.
Weight
The carrying weight of the tablet, without any case or cover.

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Recommended tablets

Recommended tablets are standout choices with high scores. They include CR Best Buys, which offer exceptional value. When narrowing your choices, weigh features, price, and attributes that matter to you.

Recommended tablets

Tablet buying guide

To find the tablet that is right for you, read our expert advice on which features to consider and how to find the best value.

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Why shop here?

In addition to finding Ratings for the latest models, you can now shop online using an ad-free interface where you can buy tablets in a safe-shopping environment.

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Before you shop for a tablet, consider your priorities. If price and portability are tops, consider the Samsung Galaxy Tab with Wi-Fi. If access to the largest selection of apps is high on your list, choose the iPad. Other factors to consider when buying a tablet include the availability of a 3G version, the existence of built-in ports, and the operating system. If you're looking for information about tablets, Consumer Reports is your best resource. Consumer Reports’ tablet reviews will give you honest advice that you can trust. Use our tablet buying guide to discover which features are most important to consider. We also provide unbiased Ratings and tablet reviews to help you choose the best tablet for your needs.

Ratings & recommended tablets

Tablets (89)

In choosing a tablet, consider your priorities. If price and portability are tops, consider a high-rated 7-to-8-inch model with Wi-Fi. On the other hand, a larger tablet makes viewing photos, videos, and websites more enjoyable. If access to the largest selection of apps is high on your list, choose an iPad or an Android 4 model. If you need Internet on the go, consider a model with 4G connectivity, but be prepared to pay more and subscribe to cellular data service. If your needs are simple -- reading, email, web and online content -- consider one of the low-cost "specialty" models linked to Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Other factors to consider include the presence of built-in ports, a back-facing camera, GPS, and the availability of a keyboard dock.

The Ratings rank models by performance.

Recently reviewed tablets

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Apple iPad 2 (Wi-Fi, 3G, 16 GB)

(Tested)

A larger tablet from Apple with a 9.7-inch screen and both Wi-Fi and cellular Internet, running on the iOS 6 operating system. Uses the Apple app store for downloading apps.

Apple iPad 2 (Wi-Fi, 3G, 16 GB)

Asus Transformer Pad TF300TL (Wi-Fi, 4G, 32 GB)

Amazon Kindle Fire (Wi-Fi, 8 GB) (2nd gen)

Amazon Kindle Fire HD (Wi-Fi, 16 GB)

Tablet buying guide

New tablets from Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Google, and now Microsoft are making it harder than ever to narrow down your selection. With the exception of Microsoft, all offer both large and small tablets. Battery life has gotten better, especially for small tablets. More displays, large and small, offer high-definition screens. And cost is becoming less of an impediment, with more tablets under $300 on our list of Recommended products.

Before you start tablet shopping, consider your priorities.

Is portability a priority? Tablets with 8-inch or smaller displays mostly weigh less than a pound. Many are very thin. The best in this size range have a battery life of about 9 hours, or more.

Are you on a budget? You can get a great 7- to 8-inch tablet for $250 or less. Even Apple is offering a lower-cost iPad, the iPad Mini, for $330. Tablets with larger display sizes cost more, of course. But very good 10-inch tablets are out there for about $350.

Are you looking for maximum versatility? Then you want a tablet that does it all, and does it well. Consider a larger tablet with at least 10 hours of battery life, and well-equipped app and content stores. Be prepared to spend at least $400. The iPad or iPad 2 offer a good mix of features and performance, but other tablets have things the iPads don't, like a memory-card slot or remote-control capability.

Are you a bookworm? If you want a tablet mainly for reading--with some e-mailing, Web surfing, and a bit of app-downloading on the side--you can save some money with a tablet from Amazon or Barnes & Noble. A larger screen is better for magazine reading, while a smaller one is more portable, costs less, and is big enough for reading books.

Do you have kids? Tablets for tykes have gotten more robust, and parents have more control over what their kids are doing with parental filters. Prices range from $150 to $200, so kids' tablets aren't cheap. Here's how to figure out which is best for your family.

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