Best 5 Android Tablet PC

1. Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

The first quad-core Tegra 3 tablet smashes its way to the top of our list

The original Asus Eee Pad Transformer is still one of the best Android tablets around, but the Prime is the best of them all.

It's one step better than its predecessor in every respect, and is the first tablet to launch with Nvidia's quad-core Tegra 3 CPU which adds super-powers and increased power efficiency.

Playing 1080p videos is no longer a problem, with high-res clips playing on the Prime's albeit sub-1080p display smoothly and without issue. It's also the thinnest tablet we've yet seen, and comes with a gorgeous keyboard dock which adds an additional 8-hours of battery life to tablet unit's 9-hours.

It's the best Android tablet yet launched, and it'll be unleashed on the UK in January in one single 32GB flavour with keyboard dock and a £499 price tag.

2. Asus Eee Pad Slider

Best Android tablet for: doing things a little differently

The Apple iPad 2 is the daddy. It doesn't matter what the arguments for Android are, the fact is that the iPad is still just about the best out-and-out tablet out there. And that's why the Slider is such a compelling option - it's not a straight iPad-competitor, it offers something different. The slide-out keyboard offers flexibility and functionality not on offer elsewhere.

It's a different prospect to the Transformer Prime above in that it cannot be disconnected from its keyboard, nor does it pack the Tegra 3 innards.

But what it does do is make it easier to work on the train, type emails and documents with the convenience of not needing a dock or peripheral. What's more, the screen is the best we've seen on a 10-inch Android tablet, and it's also the most responsive. It's not for everyone, but it's currently one of the very best tablet for showing off everything that Android can do.

3. Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9

Best Android tablet for: portability and power

In at number three is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 - and it's a funny little thing. It's essentially the same as its older brother, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, but with an 8.9-inch screen. It's slightly thinner and lighter, and consequently more convenient for anyone wanting to stuff it in a bag.

Apart from these physical attributes, the internal components are basically the sale. So you get the same slick performance and overall tablet experience. We've put this above the 10.1 because of the increased convenience owed to its slightly smaller size, but that shouldn't put you off going for the 10.1 if you're after a bigger screen.

4. Asus Eee Pad Transformer

Best Android tablet PC for: replacing your netbook

We love the Asus Eee Pad Transformer. It's been around for a while now, and in our opinion, it's still one of the most compelling Android tablets available. Not only is it powerful and well featured, it's designed to work with a keyboard dock which turns it into a fully-fledged Android-powered netbook.

The fact is that Android as an OS is still lagging behind iOS in terms of tablet usability, so products need a USP. And on that score, this is the tablet that changed the game.

So with the release of the Transformer Prime, you may well find this tablet at discounted prices. And thus could be had for a bargain if you search hard enough.

5. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

Best Android tablet for: the out-and-out tablet experience

While the Transformer and Slider offer something a little different at an unbeatable price, our number 5 -the Galaxy Tab 10.1 - offers a direct alternative to Apple's iPad 2. Sporting the Tegra 2 dual-core CPU, it's both marginally thinner and lighter than the iPad 2. This was some achievement, especially when you consider the fuss Apple made about how thin and light the iPad 2 was on launch.

But it has since been beaten on this front by its little 8.9-inch sibling and of course the Transformer Prime.

If you want an iPad-like tablet that's not an iPad, this is the one. The prices are the same as the iPad 2, so it's a straight shoot-out on features...

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