What's the best tablet for 2015 Today's latest tablets compared and rated - constantly updated

The tablet is now a thing - from the days when nobody thought a laptop without a keyboard to a good thing to today, where a slate full of more power than some games consoles is nestled in bags across the world.

And with that popularity comes the dreaded notion of choice. Do you eschew Apple's high prices, join the Android brigade and find the best iPad alternative Or jump on board Cupertino's lovetrain, and use one of the most popular tablets on the planet

There are a lot of cool new tablets coming down the pipeline too: we've got the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet, a monster with all manner of high specs with a very light chassis, and the Android-powered iPad-a-like Nokia N1 from the now-non-phone Finnish brand.

We've made it easy for you and pulled together the top 10 tablets of the moment available in the UK.

It's a difficult process divining which place each of these excellent tablets should occupy in our list, so we take into account multiple elements including performance, battery life, screen quality and more.

Price plays a part, as does age: a tablet that's been replaced by a sequel will tumble down the rankings as you can get all the great features on a better slate.

If none of the top 10 tablets here take your fancy then head on over to our tablet reviews pages, where you'll find in-depth reviews for many more models.

Let us know your thoughts on the top 10 (and whether you think we've got the order wrong) in the comment box below.

10. iPad Air

People scoffed when Apple launched the first iPad, but the sector has grown exponentially since the first generation device landed and with the Air the Cupertino firm has now nailed the formula.

It's been usurped by the iPad Air 2, for obvious reasons, but with a price drop and a still-impressive spec list it has every reason to still be a viable purchase.

Impressive design coupled with a thinner, lighter chassis makes for a premium and quite frankly beautiful tablet, and Apple's powerful A7 and M7 chips under the hood means it chews through even the toughest tasks in next to no time, even if it's not in the same power league as the Air 2.

Quick verdict

"It's not just Apple's best tablet, it's the only tablet you should be considering if you're keen on a larger screen." That's what we said in the verdict of our in-depth iPad Air review. While the Galaxy Tab S is a brilliant tablet, the Air just took things to the next level.

It may not quite be a match for the iPad Air 2, but the original iPad Air is still one of the very best tablets around and it's not even among the most expensive any more.

9. Google Nexus 7

The new Nexus 7 took over from the original 7-inch effort from Google in 2012, packing a 1.5Ghz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and comes with either 16GB or 32GB of storage

Offered up at just 260g, it's the perfect tablet for slinging in a bag and hurtling down to the local supermarket, or is equally adept at being a long-haul saviour, with reams of apps, a decent slug of battery life and that all-new high-res 7-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 display with 323 ppi.

It's unclear how long this tablet will stay on sale for, as it's been shifted out of the limelight by the new Nexus 9, but as a different form factor there's a good chance it will stick around on the virtual shop shelves for a while, along with the latest version of Android.

But it has some decent features, a low-risk update policy and is built in a way that makes it feel both premium and robust enough to chuck around the house. That's a enough good mix in our eyes.

Quick verdict

If you're considering a tablet now and are already dabbling in the Android ecosystem, we see no reason why shouldn't take the plunge with a Nexus 7, especially if you don't like the size (or price) of the Nexus 9, although it's starting to age rapidly.

If you haven't invested at all with Android, you're still in a good place to start. You could check out the iPad mini 2, which is advisable for those who have racked up a lot of App Store purchases, but it's still not as affordable as the Nexus 7.

8. Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2

Never one to leave a tablet niche unexplored, Samsung pushed screen sizes up to new heights with the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2.

Thankfully that's not all it has going for it, as the Note Pro 12.2's 3GB of RAM and quad-core processor give it superior performance, while the S Pen becomes truly useful in combination with the slates large, bright screen.

It's an obvious choice for digital artists or anyone else who wants a device they can be productive on, but the bigger screen makes it great just for web browsing and watching videos too.

On the flip side the increased size makes it a little unwieldy and the build quality is a touch creaky thanks to the larger chassis, but is offset by the sheer expanse of screen to play with.

Quick verdict

Its big screen and S Pen support make the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 an extremely useful productivity tool - if you're a fan of the Note range, there's very little better on the market and Samsung seems to be successfully convincing the world that the stylu... sorry, S Pen is still relevant to today's gadget fans.

7. iPad Mini 2

Hey, it's the iPad Mini 2... right next to the Mini 3 There's a reason for this: they're pretty much identical, apart from last year's model not having TouchID and now only coming in 16GB and 32GB flavours.

It's also has a substantial price drop, which is why it's hanging around so high in the list - in fact, we'd advise most people go for this older model if they're hankering for a smaller iPad, as it's got all the same power and display specs as the current model, for less cash.

Plus it has access to all those lovely apps and Apple's brilliant-for-tablets iOS 8 - not a bad choice at all.

Quick verdict

The iPad mini 2 is almost flawless in so many ways. The rich App catalog mean it's a device that will grow with you, and the 64-bit A7 chip and Retina display are certainly future-proofing users from an outdated device.

Yes, it's older, but it's still a very usable device and offers access to a brilliant ecosystem for a lot less cash than before.

6. iPad Mini 3

The iPad mini range is still a brilliant proposition, offering the best of the iPad but squishing it down into a smaller package.

Well, that's what happened last year - this year Apple has basically rebooted the Mini 2, put TouchID on the front, made it gold and called it a new tablet.

It's only ahead of the older version ( a cheaper option while offering the same specs minus the biometrics) due to this being a list of the best tablets, and this is the best mini tablet from Apple, but it's not offering a lot more than last year's model.

What it does bring is good though: iOS 8 works very well on the mini 3, and the overall speed and compact size is still a very good combo, even at the higher price.

Quick verdict

The iPad mini 3 isn't a bad tablet. It's got a great OS, new features and is still attractively designed. It's just that all these features are available on the mini 2 for a lot less money.

Touch ID is a nice feature, but it's not enough to recommend this tablet. It hasn't matched the Air 2 in tech spec, yet the price hasn't dropped. And you can get nearly all the good features cheaper on the iPad mini 2.

Buy the iPad mini 2, or wait a few months and see if Apple Pay and Touch ID-enabled apps start to roar in popularity unless you really want to make sure you've got the best iPad mini on the market.

5. Nexus 9

The Nexus 9 is a bit of a weird one - it's both the replacement for the Nexus 7 and the Nexus 10, without really being a sequel to either thanks to the all-new 8.9-inch screen.

It's mimicking the iPad range by going for a 4:3 screen ratio (which means wider viewing for web browsing, but annoying black bars above and below when watching movies) so you've got a wider device that's not quite able to be gripped in one hand.

But that doesn't mean it's not a great tablet, helped by the fact it's made by HTC. The brand has brought over its Boomsound speakers for greater front facing audio, and the screen is certainly high resolution too.

It's not as cheap as the Nexus 7, but it's not overly pricey either - in fact, were it not for the lack of expandable storage and a few other minor gripes, it would be vying for the top spot here.

Quick verdict

Google's Nexus 9 tablet has display size and price that's indicative of everything you need to know about how it stacks up against the iPad Air 2. It's just a little less.

Android 5.0 Lollipop gives Google's slate a software facelift, even if the hardware construction isn't exceptional. Material Design sets the right tone and lockscreen notifications and priority mode add overdue functionality to make this a very usable tablet.

If you're looking for a naked Android tablet, the Nexus 9 performs well and comes with some really premium touches to make it one of the best around.

4. Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet

Sony's done it again in the tablet world, making an amazing large-screened device, and while it hasn't nabbed the top spot, it's still given us a jolly good tablet.

The Xperia Z2 Tablet - so named to tie in more neatly with the phone version - brings an uprated Snapdragon 801 CPU, 3GB of RAM and an all-new Live Color LED screen that brings vibrancy and contrast to what you're watching.

Video is also improved thanks to the dual front-facing speakers, meaning you can ditch the headphones when watching in a hotel room and still get a decent experience.

Like its predecessor it's also water and dust resistant, so kitchen-based misdemeanours and reading an ebook in the bath are all on offer for you.

Remember the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet is on the way to replace this, and given Sony's penchant for not discounting old stuff you'd be wise to wait before buying this older unit.

Quick verdict

If you're invested in the Sony ecosystem, you could do a lot worse than the Xperia Z2 Tablet, as it comes fully-loaded with access to Sony's music, movies and Playstation platforms. Well, you have to download an app to properly get gaming, but we'll overlook that for now.

There's an IR blaster on top to make this a great tablet for controlling the TV, and the speed and sheer weight (or lack thereof) make this a real sofa-friendly choice.

The screen could do with being sharper and you'll still be paying top dollar for this 10.1-inch tablet, but what you're getting is a really nifty, well-packaged slate - perfect if you don't like the more densely-packed features of the Z3 Tablet Compact.

3. Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact

Sony's gone a bit crackers in the naming department, but the Z3 Tablet Compact is still a pretty decent device despite the obvious attempts to shoehorn the word 'tablet' into the title to align it with the smartphone.

Let's get the main issue out of the way first: the screen isn't as high res as the competition, with Sony essentially sticking a stretched out smartphone display on the front. And the price isn't as palatable as some of the other options here.

But that looks past the fact Sony is pretty darn good at making these here tablets. Using its Bravia technology it makes the screen still look sharp and colourful, and the thin design makes the Z3 Tablet Compact easier to hold than you'd expect.

It's also waterproof, which is useful given its ebook-like dimensions, so you can happily use it next to the pool.

Quick verdict

It might not balance properly in terms of price to spec, and the screen resolution is lower than the top contenders, and this shows up when web browsing and in the interface.

However, it's not really a concern for watching video or playing games, where the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact excels.

Add in the thin, light body and you have a great tablet for long trips and boring work commutes, this makes sense a tablet as higher ranked tablet.

2. Samsung Galaxy Tab S

Samsung has been pouring a lot of effort into making a really decent iPad rival, and that strategy has seen some hare-brained decisions (such as launching the Tab Pro in January 2014, and then replacing it a few months later with the Galaxy Tab S).

But, apart from annoying anyone that's already bought into the Tab Pro range, this strategy has finally yielded a brilliant tablet in the shape of this Super AMOLED-shod Tab S duo. Available in both 8.4- and 10.5-inch screen sizes, Samsung has taken the best of its OS and technology ability, fused them with the best display on a tablet and created something pretty special. •Everything you need to know about the Galaxy Tab S2

The battery life is great, the screen has to be seen to be believed (and is excellent for media and internet viewing, which is really the point of a tablet) and the price is on a par with the rest of the industry. Well done, Samsung.

Quick verdict

Why isn't the Tab S at the top of the tree Samsung's eternal problem returns to bite it: the design is still too flimsy, although having two sizes does help mitigate this problem.

Android still struggles to be a truly powerful tablet OS yet as well, which means the apps are still poor compared to iOS on larger screens.

The difference between the Tab S and the Xperia Z2 Tablet is minimal - it really comes down to design and extra features, but if you're not wedded to the idea of owning an Apple tablet these two are the choices you should be looking at.

1. iPad Air 2

The iPad Air was an incredible achievement and yet somehow, remarkably, Apple has topped it with the iPad Air 2.

It's even thinner and lighter than last time around and to a noticeable extent. The screen is better, with more vibrant colours, it's more powerful thanks to its A8X processor and the battery life holds up just as well. It even benefits from Touch ID and Apple Pay and while these features aren't as exciting here as they are on phones they're still nice to have.

In short the iPad Air 2 really is the complete package and while you can always find things to niggle about there are no significant flaws.

In the time since the original iPad Air launched everything else is still struggling to match it and yet Apple has managed to raise the benchmark higher still. Everyone else really has their work cut out if the iPad Air 2 is going to be unseated from the number one spot.

Quick verdict

The iPad Air 2 is a spectacular achievement. Faster, better looking and more feature packed than ever, it's the slate to beat and we suspect it will be for a while yet.

With a starting price of £399 it's moderately expensive, especially since you'll really to want to spend more and get a larger storage size to get the most out of it, but it's worth every penny.

Tablet apps

As with today's best smartphones, applications play a big role on tablets – once you've decided which of these tablets if right for you, check out our top app lists so you can get your fill of Temple Run, update your friends on Facebook and read the latest news, all on a bigger screen.

By Gareth Beavis / TechRadar