GSMArena tablet shopping guide: December 2013

WiFi-only full-size tablets

If you must have the best, full-size tablets is where it's at. With 10-inch and higher display sizes, you'll have plenty of screen estate for multitasking, and watching videos is also a more pleasant experience than you'll have on smaller screen sizes. If you're going this big then display fidelity plays a much bigger part, so we'll only be listing tablets with eye-popping pixel density in our full-size recommendations.

Up next is another offering from Archos, this time in the 9.7-inch flavor. The 97b Platinum HD features a very respectable 2048 x 1536 screen, which is the same diagonal and aspect ratio of the new Apple iPad Air. You'll find a decent 1.6GHz quad-core Cortex-A9 processor and 2GB of RAM, although again you'll have to pay for a microSD card to build on the very limited 8GB of internal memory. But you'll have more than enough money left over, as the 97b Platinum is still more affordable than most competitors' 8-inch offerings.

Archos 97b Platinum HD	Pros	Cons
	Android 4.2 Jelly Bean microSD card slot microHDMI port	Uninspiring performance

Asus makes it to our WiFi-only list with its affordable yet capable Memo Pad FHD10 tablet. At 1920 x 1200 pixels, the 10-inch display provides great sharpness, and although the dual-core 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor isn't the fastest out there, the 2GB of RAM should help take some of the pressure off. There's also 1080p video recording for the camera, as well as some interesting colors available like Royal Blue and Vivid Pink.

Asus Memo Pad FHD10	Pros	Cons
	Android 4.2 Jelly Bean microSD card slot	Average performance

Google's Nexus 10 offering by Samsung is now a year old, but has aged well thanks to its dual-core 1.7GHz Exynos 5250 chipset and excellent 2560 x 1600 pixel Super PLS TFT display. The resulting pixel density is just under 300 ppi. That and the 1080p video recording, Android 4.4 KitKat, and ample 9,000 mAh battery make it a very compelling value for its now reduced price.

However, there is no microSD card slot, so we recommend you go for the 32GB version.

Google Nexus 10	Pros	Cons
	Android 4.4 KitKat Best possible upgrade support Robust battery Excellent display	No microSD card slot
	Review

Microsoft's Surface 2 tablet saw an October release this year alongside Windows 8.1 RT. While the 8.1 update did bring a few improvements, the RT version of Microsoft's mobile OS still retains its love-it-or-hate-it stigma. Nevertheless, the quad-core 1.7GHz Tegra 4 CPU, FullHD display, and solid construction with 2-stage kickstand make for quite a compelling offering, and the ample amount of storage is expandable via microSD. There's also the Full office suite that comes preinstalled, which offers the sort of productivity you will have a hard time finding on competing platforms.

Windows RT offers a fluid user experience but it's nether Windows Phone, nor regular Windows, so there is not that big of a choice of apps and also the only way you get those is via the Windows Store. There are also many compelling tablets running the proper version of Windows on Intel's new Bay Trail architecture, such as the 8-inch Dell Venue 8 Pro or the 10.1-inch Asus Transformer Book.

If you plan on getting one of the (rather expensive) keyboard covers, we recommend the Type cover, as the Touch cover offers no tactile feedback.

Microsoft Surface 2	Pros	Cons
	Microsoft Office comes preinstalled microSD card slot Built-in kickstand Solid construction	Limited app selection UI isn't perfectly touch-optimized
	Review

Sony's Xperia Tablet Z is one of the most stylish tablet offerings you'll see at this or any other size, with is dual-glass panel design and ultra-slim 6.9mm waistline. Under the hood there's a 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor with 2GB of RAM and Adreno 320 GPU, and Sony is already working on an Android 4.4 KitKat update.

The relatively small 6,000mAh battery is the only real downside, as you may not get much time between charges, but battery life is still passable.

Sony Xperia Tablet Z	Pros	Cons
	Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean microSD card slot IR-port, NFC Impressive design IP57 dust and water resistance	Average battery life Chipset not up with the best
	Review

If you're big on typing, then Asus has you covered again with its latest Transformer Pad TF701T. Basically a MeMo Pad on steroids, the TF701T comes with an ultra-crisp 2560 x 1600 pixel screen, a hefty quad-core 1.9 GHz Tegra 4 processor, and 32GB of expandable storage. More importantly, the Transformer earns its moniker by being the only tablet that also comes with a keyboard dock as part of the retail package, making it a great deal.

Asus Transformer Pad TF701T	Pros	Cons
	microSD card slot Crisp display Great performance Best implemented keyboard dock	Larger and heavier than other high-end slates
	Review

The latest Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 brings an incredibly sharp 2560 x 1600 pixel display, 3GB of RAM, and quad-core Snapdragon 800 to the table. Samsung's great pressure-sensitive S-Pen offers something other tablets simply can't match. The pleasant leather-like textured plastic back from the Note 3 has also made its way to its elder sibling and it works great visually.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition)	Pros	Cons
	Excellent performance and unrivaled multitasking IR-port S-Pen stylus microSD card slot	Heavier than competition
	Review

Finally, if price is not a factor, then the Apple iPad Air brings an ultra-sharp display alongside Apple's proprietary A7 chipset. The iPad Air features a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is arguably the more user-friendly aspect for web browsing or reading and also offers more screen real estate for the same diagonal. Thanks to Apple's extensive app store, there's no shortage of functional and innovative apps and games.

The iPad Air does not come with a microSD card slot, so we recommend you get at least the 32GB version despite its exorbitant markup.

Apple iPad Air	Pros	Cons
	Unmatched selection of tablet-optimized apps Great performance Lighter and more compact than most rivals Great design	No microSD card slot and costly memory upgrade options
Review