#1. Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

The Eee Pad Transformer Prime was not only the first quad-core tablet to reach the market, it was also the first to be updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The quad-core Tegra 3 processor makes the Transformer Prime one of the highest performing tablets available, and at just $499 for the 32GB version, it is amazingly affordable. The Transformer can also be used as a laptop with exceptional battery life thanks to the optional keyboard dock.

#2. Apple iPad 2

As a surprising twist, the iPad 2 is actually more popular than the New iPad. While the iPad 2 isn’t quite as powerful as the New iPad and has a lower resolution screen, it’s still just as capable as the third generation. For the time being, at least, iPad apps won’t even be targeting the latest version’s improved specs anyway. The most appealing feature of the iPad 2 is now its price; the Wi-Fi only version is just $399.

#3. Apple iPad 3^rd Generation

The third generation iPad is Apple’s latest and greatest. It features an improved dual-core processor and a super high-resolution display. As Apple’s newest product, it’s definitely popular, but it just doesn’t offer quite enough of a performance boost of the iPad 2 to justify the need to upgrade for most users, especially since apps that actually take advantage of the iPad’s new-found power are fairly scarce. The iPad 2’s new low price also makes the 3^rd gen a difficult sell.

#4. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 was Samsung’s first truly successful Android tablet. It has been out for a while now, and does show its age, though only slightly. Much like the iPad 2, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is outclassed in terms of performance by newer products, but its reduced price tag helps to keep it an appealing buy. For those who prefer an Android tablet over iOS, the Galaxy Tab is also one of the few that offers a 4G LTE connectivity option.

#5. Sony Tabet S

Sony’s Tablet S is another Android tablet, though it runs a highly modified version. Sony has gone to great lengths to optimize the Tablet S as a true multimedia device. It carries features such as PlayStation Certification for gaming, an IR Blaster to control Sony’s Bravia TV sets, and a solid dual-core Tegra 2 processor. Though it offers some unique features, it is a bit pricier than its competitors, but still affordable.

The Tablet market is still growing very quickly, with new products coming out monthly. Android has certainly shaken things up a bit, but Microsoft is looking to enter the market very shortly with Windows 8. You’ll definitely want to keep an eye on our blog for the latest news, and take a look at our tablet charts to see how the competition is heating up.

On The Surface

Not surprisingly, the New iPad looks nearly identical to the iPad 2, and even the original iPad. Compared to the iPad 2, it features the same screen size, 9.7 inches, and the same width and height as well, 7.31 and 9.5 inches respectively. They even come in the same color choices – white or black.

Where they do differ, though, is the thickness. The New iPad is actually slightly thicker than its predecessor, by a full .8mm. It’s enough to notice when comparing the two side-by-side, but the new model also features more tapering along the edge, giving the illusion of a thinner body. That .8mm may not seem like much, but it may render many cases and skins incompatible. If you’re thinking about upgrading, remember that you may need to invest in a new protective case.

The Display

The greatest incentive to upgrading to the New iPad is the new display. With a pixel density of just 264ppi, it doesn’t quite make the 300ppi cutoff Apple previously set for “Retina” displays, though it still calls it one. Still, it has a resolution of 2048×1536, which is currently unmatched by any other tablet. Compared to the iPad 2’s 1024×768 (a mere 132ppi), this is a major improvement. The New iPad will be able to play 1080p content at its native resolution. Text and images will appear much crisper, and fine details will be perceptible where they weren’t on the iPad 2.

The Processor

The New iPad also comes with the A5X processor, a more powerful variant of the A5, found in the iPad 2. This may seem like a compelling reason to upgrade to the New iPad, but it’s actually not.

First, the A5X’ CPU is a dual-core CPU nearly identical to the A5’s. General processing power had not been significantly increased compared to the iPad 2. Where the A5X has seen major improvements is in its GPU.

The A5 uses an SGX543MP2 GPU, while the A5X has an SGX543MP4 GPU (the same GPU found in the PlayStation Vita). In short, the New iPad’s GPU 2 to 4 times more powerful. Ultimately, this results in nearly the same real world performance since the New iPad has 4-times as many pixels as the iPad 2 which requires about 4-times the GPU processing power to run.

If a performance upgrade is what you’re after, you’re better off waiting until next generation.

4G LTE

Apple finally has a 4G product for us, and with LTE, you can expect data speeds over 25Mbps. This works well in tandem with the HD display since HD content requires a fast connection. If you don’t stream much in HD, you won’t notice much of a difference between 4G and 3G, though. Most people prefer the Wi-Fi only version since it’s significantly cheaper anyway.

The Lack of Siri

Many people were looking forward to getting Siri on their tablet, but it looks like Apple has opted to keep Siri restricted to the iPhone 4S, at least for now. The New iPad is just as Siri-less as the iPad 2.

The Price

In order to stay competitive with other tablets, the New iPad actually has a pretty attractive price tag, starting at $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi version. What this does, though, is push the iPad 2’s price down to $399 – now that’s a bargain. Anyone in the market for a new tablet, should definitely consider the iPad 2.

What it really all comes down to is whether or not you can live with a 1024×768 resolution display. If you can, stick with your iPad 2.

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.

The Dual-Core Processor

That’s right, the iPad two has Apple’s latest Cortex A5 processor, a 1GHz dual-core beast. It’s like strapping two iPads together, yet you still get the same battery life. This new processor also has a new GPU, which, even though Apple is never very forthcoming with its hardware components, is expected to be the PowerVR SGX543. It may seem like a bunch of random letters and numbers, but the SGX543 is a multi-core GPU capable of full 1080p video playback, as well as some pretty spiffy 3D gaming (9 times more powerful than the first iPad’s GPU, according to Apple). Still, Tegra 2 powered Android tablets, like the Motorola Xoom manage to outperform the iPad 2 at least slightly.

The Screen

The iPad 2’s screen really has to be its weakest selling point, ironic considering the iPhone 4 has one of the nicest screens in the mobile industry. The iPad 2’s screen is essentially no different from the original’s, a mediocre 1024×768, which at its 9.7-inches is only 132 pixels per inch (versus the iPhone 4’s 326 ppi). If this doesn’t leave a bad taste in your mouth, it should; it’s not even capable of 720p, unlike the majority of the Android tablets expected this year. Still, keeping the screen the same as the original means all of the 65,000 tablet apps in the Apple App Store should work just fine on the iPad 2.

A Few New Features

Sadly, it’s not 4G, but it does have some pretty sweet new features, some of which the first iPad really should have had. The iPad 2 doesn’t have a camera though…it has two cameras! Apple has yet to mention anything about megapixel counts, but the rear camera is likely 5MP, capable of 720p recording, and the front facing camera seems to be the standard VGA webcam type.

As mentioned earlier, the screen isn’t capable of displaying anything in 720p, so you might be thinking, “What good is a 720p video camera, and why does it claim to do 1080p vide?” You’ll be happy to know that the iPad 2 is capable of HDMI and Component video output, though it does require a special adapter sold separately (costing a hefty $40). And don’t forget the clever (albeit wonky looking and expensive) case that doubles as a kick-stand.

A Thinner Design

Thought the first iPad was ridiculously thin? It was 134mm thick; the iPad 2 is just 88mm thick (that’s thinner than the iPhone 4!). The overall footprint is also smaller, cutting it back by almost 2-square inches.
Apple also shaved off about .22 pounds, something I’m quite happy about since tablets are often awkwardly weighted.

The Price

Here’s something a bit surprising. The iPad 2 is actually reasonably priced compared to the competing Tablets on (or soon to be on) the market. Starting at $499, it’s a full $100 cheaper than the Xoom’s cheapest model. Oh, and you can choose between AT&T or Verizon if you want the 3G model.

The Bottom Line

All things considered, the iPad 2 is a nice upgrade over the original, but if you already own an iPad, you may want to pass on this one. Rumor has it that the big upgrades are planned for the iPad 3, possibly launching late this year.