Apple iPad 2

For anyone who already owns an iPhone or iPod Touch, the iPad 2 is absolutely the best choice, so long as you don’t mind paying a bit of a premium for the Apple flare. Its iOS interface is essentially identical to all of the other iOS products, including the iPhone and iPod Touch, so there’s really no learning curve. With its 1GHz dual-core A5 processor, it performs quite well, too.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

If performance is what you’re after, though, the Eee Pad Transformer Prime is the way to go. It’s the first tablet with Nvidia’s Tegra 3 Quad-Core (yes, 4 cores) processor. It will have an optional keyboard dock that basically turns it into a fully functioning laptop, just like its predecessor, the Eee Pad Transformer (note the absence of “Prime”). One caveat: the Prime is scheduled for release on December 19^th, so securing one for Christmas day might not be so easy. The original Transformer is still a great (and affordable) choice, as is the Eee Pad Slider.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 was the first Android tablet that Apple was actually scared of (and even fought against in court). Marking a new era in Android devices, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is all about sleek styling paired with cool performance. Its dual-core Tegra 2 processor and Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system are fairly common in high-end tablets, but none do it quite so stylishly. It looks as nice as the iPad 2 (it’s even thinner than the iPad 2), and it performs as well as the iPad 2. No wonder Apple was afraid of it.

Sony Tablet S

Another dual-core Tegra 2 Android Tablet, the Tablet S sets itself apart by offering both hardware and software features other tablets lack. For starters, it is PlayStation Certified, meaning it can install and play many games from Sony’s PlayStation Store. Sony has also outfitted it with its very own Bravia display technology for a vivid visual experience. To top it all off, the Tablet S includes an integrated IR blaster, making it a very capable universal remote. Overall, it’s a nearly unbeatable multimedia device.

Amazon Kindle Fire

You may think of the Kindle Fire as more of an E-Reader rather than a tablet, but its color screen, gaming apps, web browser, and video streaming capabilities beg to differ. Sure, it lacks things like a camera, microphone, and GPS, but with a price tag of just $200, it’s half as expensive as the cheapest tablet on this list. Bottom line: if you’re looking for a reliable and functional tablet, and you don’t mind forgoing a few bells and whistles, the Kindle Fire is the best deal you’ll find for a while.

Apple iPad 2

The iPad 2 is Apple’s successor to the original iPad, and despite many other tablets offering better specs and features, the iPad line is by far the most popular. Some argue that the entire tablet market simply has no useful place for the general consumer and that it’s Apple’s name alone that causes people to flock to purchase it. Still, it offers very fast hardware, a thin design, and Apple’s familiar iOS operating system. Its biggest shortcoming is its display, featuring a measly 1024×768 resolution, which, compared to the iPhone 4’s Retina Display, is quite disappointing.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the iPad’s biggest competition. It 1-ups the iPad 2 in just about every aspect, from processor performance to display quality; it’s even thinner and lighter than the iPad 2, and unlike the original Galaxy Tab (which was a complete flop), this one is based on a version of Android that was meant for tablets – version 3.1 Honeycomb. If you’re in the market for a new tablet and can forego the Apple name, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is an excellent option.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer

Asus’ Eee Pad Transformer is similarly spec’d to Samsung’s Tab 10.1, sporting a 1280×800 resolution display, identical processor, and Android Honeycomb (though it ships with version 3.2), but what sets it apart is its optional Keyboard Dock, which effectively turns this tablet into a functional netbook. The dock not only adds a few USB ports, keyboard, and touch pad, but also ups the battery life from 9.5 hours to 16. The dock does up the overall price slightly, but for anyone concerned about the practicality of a tablet, it’s worth the investment.

Motorola Xoom

The Xoom was the first of the worth-while Android tablets (aka the first with Android Honeycomb). It originally shipped with Android version 3.0 but has since been updated to 3.1 with a 3.2 update in the works. It has the same 1 GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor as the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Eee Pad Transformer as well as similar 10.1-inch screen and 1280×800 resolution. It has a slightly bulkier design, ideal for those who prefer a sturdy feel to their gadgets.

LG Optimus Pad/G-Slate

The Optimus Pad, also known as the T-Mobile G-Slate, is also a Tegra 2 powered Android Honeycomb based tablet. It comes in a slightly smaller size than its Android brethren, featuring a 1280×768 resolution 8.9-inch display; however, what really sets it apart from the crowd is its dual lens 5MP 3D camera. Yup, it can take 3D photos and video for playback on 3D TVs.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Eee Pad Transformer are both selling quite well, but neither is seeing the sale volume of the iPad 2, despite offering significantly more features. It might take some time for the tablet trend to catch on for other  brand names, but for now, it seems it’s simply an Apple phenomenon.