Tablet Comparison Table

The Apple iPad effectively had the tablet market to itself for a couple of years year, but now there is a bewildering array of options to consider. To help you choose between the Google Nexus and the new generation of Samsung Tab 2s, we have prepared a chart of specifications.

At first, they can all look pretty similar, but some now have quite significant differentiators. To be honest, some also have significant problems.

Our comparison chart is split into handy tabs for you to compare similar devices side by side.

Smaller tablets

These tablets are physically smaller than the original iPad, which has a 9.7 inch screen. Most of these slates feature 7" screens, ideal for those seeking a more portable device.

There are a lot of products in this area so the cheaper ones have their own page...

And the phablets - small enough to fit a (larger) pocket and doubling as a proper mobile phone - now also get a separate page.



  iPad Mini Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 N5100

Samsung Galaxy Tab3 8-inch SM-T310

Samsung Galaxy Tab3 7-inch

Google Asus Nexus 7
2013
Google Asus Nexus 7
2012
Tesco Hudl Amazon Kindle Fire HD Amazon Kindle Fire HDX

Onda V812 Quad Core

Asus Fonepad ME371MG Barnes & Noble Nook HD+  
 
Tesco Hudl with BlinkBoxAccessorize your Hudl

 
Recommended 3 starWhy?

6 Top Sellers Compared

3 starWhy?   Check out also the 2012 Tab2

3 starWhy?

6 Top Sellers Compared

star star Almost              
Available November 2012 April 2013 June 2013 June 2013 August 2013 August 2012 October 2013 October 2012 October 2013 January 2013 April 2013 September 2012 Availability
Operating System iOS 6.1

The Google Platform 4.1 Jelly Bean

with S Pen and Touchwiz side-by-side app features

The Google Platform 4.2. Jelly Bean The Google Platform 4.1 Jelly Bean The Google Platform 4.3. Jelly Bean The Google Platform 4.1 Jelly Bean The Google Platform 4.2.2 Jelly Bean The Google Platform 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich - modified) Amazon Fire OS 3.0Amazon Kindle Fire OS 3.0 Mojito based on Android 4.2.2 The Google Platform 4.1 Jelly Bean The Google Platform 4.1 Jelly Bean The Google Platform4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) Platform
Display 7.9" LED 8" TFT 8" 7" 7" 7" IPS LCD 7" IPS 7" IPS LCD 7" LCD 8" 7" LED WXGA IPS 9" Display
Resolution 1024X768 WXGA (1280 x 800, 189ppi) 1200x800
(189ppi)
1024x600 (169 ppi) 1920x1200
(323ppi)
1280x800
(216ppi)
1440 x 900
(243ppi)
1280x800
(216ppi)
1920x1200 (323 ppi) 1024x768 1280x800
(216ppi)
1920x1280 (256 ppi) Resolution
Apps iTunes App Store (700,000+) Full Google Play Store     Full Google Play Store Full Google Play Store Full Google Play Store Amazon AppStoreAmazon AppStore Amazon AppStoreAmazon AppStore Full Google Play Store Full Google Play Store NOOK Apps Apps
Camera (front) 1.2 MP 1.3MP   1.3MP 1.2MP Yes 2 MP HD HD 0.3MP 1.2 MP No Front camera
Camera (rear) 5 MP 5 MP with LED flash   3 MP 5 MP No 3 MP No No 5.0MP No No Rear camera
Processor 1 GHz Exynos 4412 (1.6 GHz x 4) ARM 1.5-GHz Exynos 4212 Marvell PXA986
1.2 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 dual core
Quad Core Snapdragon 1.5GHz Quad Core 1.2GHz NVidia Tegra 3 1.5GHz quad-core A9 processor Dual Core 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4460 QualComm Snapdragon 800 2.2GHz AllWinner A31 Quad Core Intel® Atom™ Z2420 1.2 GHz Dual Core 1.5 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 Processor
Benchmark   AnTuTu 16,783
Geekbench 2 - 2,146
AnTuTu 10,389
Geekbench 1,231
GeekBench 2 - 1,064 AnTuTu 19,572
AnTuTu 12,166
Geekbench 2 - 1,599
AnTuTu 18,450
      AnTuTu 5,553
Geekbench 573
  Benchmark
Memory 512MB RAM 2GB   1 GB 2GB 1GB 1 GB 1 GB 2GB 2GB 1 GB 1 GB Memory
Storage and Expansion slots 16 / 32 / 64 GB 16/32GB
microSD (up to 64GB)
  8 or 16GB + up to 64Gb on MicroSD 16 or 32 GB 16 or 32 GB 16GB + up to 32 Gb on MicroSD 16 Gb 16 Gb 16GB + 32GB via TF or micro SD 8 / 16GB + up to 32 Gb on MicroSD 8GB / 16GB + microSD up to 32GB Storage and Expansion slots
Non-Expandable Non-Expandable Non-Expandable Non-Expandable Non-Expandable
USB Ports With adaptor micro-USB   Micro-USB Micro-USB Yes Micro USB USB 2.0 (micro-USB connector) USB 2.0 (micro-USB connector) Yes Micro USB Yes USB Ports
HDMI out With adaptor MHL Port   via MHL Via the Micro-USB port using adaptor No Micro HDMI Yes Fling to TV Yes No Yes HDMI output
WIFI 802,11 a/b/g/n 802.11 b/g/n   802,11 a/b/g/n 802.11 b/g/n 802.11 b/g/n 802.11a/ b/g/n 802.11 b/g/n dual-band MIMO 802.11a/ b/g/n 802.11 b/g/n 802.11 b/g/n 802.11 b/g/n WIFI
3G / 4G 4G option 4G option   No   No No No LTE, HSPA (unspecified), UMTS, EDGE, GPRS No 3G (Micro SIM) No 3G
Battery 4490 mAh 4,600mAh   4000 mAh 8.5 hrs 10.5 Hrs 9 Hours claimed 11 Hrs stated   7-9 hours 9 Hours claimed on 16 Wh battery 9 hrs Battery
Weight 308g 340g   305g 290g 340g 370g 395g 311g 594g (screen than most, but this is quite heavy) 340g 515g - but it is larger Weight
Flash Support No Yes   More or less More or less Yes Yes Yes More or less Yes Yes More or less Flash Support
GPS Yes with A-GPS A-GPS (3G/LTE), S-GPS(WiFi) + Glonass   Yes Yes Yes Yes No GPS, A-GPS, WiFi positioning No GPS and Glonass No GPS
Update plans               See to the right         Update plans
Comment Review saying the Mini iPad is cool and pretty but the Note 8 does much more

Or buy
from Samsung's "flagship" east London shop

Pressure sensitive S Pen stylus

Review with interest in S Pen & Samsung apps

Review saying the Mini iPad is cool and pretty but the Note 8 does much more

 

The 2012 Tab2 is still competitive - we've moved it to the budget tab

Unsure Simley"...hard to see many people finding the Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 to be a better choice than the new Nexus 7"

Unsure SimleyNot really a great advance on last year's model

   

Comes with BlinkBox access

Can be bought via Tesco Clubcard

7/10 no Nexus 7 2, but still a good value for money, despite screen being "a little murky and washed out."

Unsure SimleyA comparison with its closest competitors

  Has the Amazon "MayDay" helpdesk Discussion Board for a number of Chinese "brand" mobile devices First tablet to hit the mainstream market with an Intel Atom chip

With no cameras and the little carrying eyelet, this looks good for the restaurant waiter to take orders with.

Also maybe good for magazine reading.

Comments

 

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Platform options (Operating Systems)


Android Jelly Bean 4.2

Ice Cream SandwichThis is quite a minor increment compared to Ice Cream Sandwich, but it has been generally well received. This version of the platform was introduced along with the first tablet to be sold directly by Google - the Nexus 7. One feature that has been particularly well received is the ability to have multiple user-profiles on one device - meaning multiple users can use the device while keeping settings and preferences walled off from each other.


Android Ice Cream (or Ice Cream Sandwich or ICS)

Ice Cream SandwichThis is hoped to be the saviour for Android tablets. It's been launched for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus Smartphone in the UK. The source code has also been released, resolving what was looking quite a big issue for Honeycomb. There is so far just one tablet available - and that's in China!


Android 3 Honeycomb

Targeted for tablets. Formally released with Motorola Xoom February 2011: now improved to become 3 .1.


Android 2.3 Gingerbread

Available since December 2010. Does not support dual core processors. Improvements to user interface, speed and battery life.


Android 2.2 Froyo

Available since May 2010 and finally became the most common version on Android smartphones in January 2011. Froyo supports Flash and will allow your tablet (or phone) to work as a WiFi hotspot (if your tablet has 3G support, SIM card and contract.) The importance of these two features in particular makes tablets running earlier versions seem a poor choice.

iOS

This is Apple's wildly successful mobile operating system. While it only works on Apple hardware and does not support Flash, it has withstood the attentions of more (and more demanding) tablet users than any of the alternatives.


Notes

The official Google Play Store now has 600,000 apps (July 2012). However, a number of tablets are not officially recognised by Google who appear to want all devices running Android 2.x to be fully functioning mobile phones, despite their size. As a result, many tablets are not officially permitted access to the market. In most cases, the manufacturer has added some sort of library of their own. Generally, these aren't very successful. However, the more ambitious user can follow reasonably simple instructions to download an unofficial copy of the Android Market and install it. This market should work properly, giving you access to free and paid apps and taking your money in the normal way. However, paid apps are not available in all countries.

Until recently very few of the apps available were optimised for Honeycomb. Developers of the most popular apps, however, have taken the time to optimise their apps: one compendium estimates that there are around 400 apps optimised for Honeycomb (August 2011). It was also recently announced that Honeycomb 3.2 will feature a 'zoom-to-fill' compatibility mode, giving the users a chance to experience non-optimised apps in full screen.

 

Updates:

20 August 2013

Replaced Archos Gen 9 8-inch (502031) with Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7"

10 August 2013

Replaced Sony Tablet P (SGPT212DE) with Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8"

24 April 2013

Added Asus Fonepad

22 April 2013

Added Samsung Note 8

4 April 2013

Moved RIM Blackberry Playbook to the budget page

31 December 2012

Added iPad Mini and Nook. Moved Note, Tab 1 & Dell Streak.

13 September 2012

Added Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and removed the earlier version of the Archos 80 Gen9

11 September 2012

Added Amazon Kindle Fire HD and Google Asus Nexus 7. Moved Cisco Cius to Limited Sales page

21 February 2012

Archos 80 G9 Turbo replaces Sharp Galapagos A01SH

8 January 2012

Added Samsung Galaxy Note

1 August 2011

Added Cisco Cius, Archos G9 8

27 May 2011

Updated Archos 70 and platform information.

10 May 2011

Added Acer Iconia A100 and Eee Pad MeMo

 

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