The top 10 tablets to buy in India

A tablet can be a useful addition to your kitty of gadgets, as they are quickly becoming a vital link between smartphones and laptops. Useful for a wide variety of situations and usage scenarios – from work to entertainment, keeping up with the latest news to social shenanigans, catching up on email to playing games – you’re missing on something if you don’t have one. Zeroing in on the right tablet to buy can be difficult, especially since the market is chockablock with options. Here’s a look at some of the best tablets currently available in India, sorted alphabetically.

Acer Iconia W4

If you’re looking for a Windows-based tablet, the Acer Iconia W4 is a good choice. Running Windows 8.1, the slate offers an 8-inch 1,280 x 800 pixel display. It’s available in 32GB and 64GB variants, and includes a microSD card slot for expansion. A 5MP rear, and 2MP front cameras are also on board. Aimed at professionals and students, it comes preloaded with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 edition.

Apple iPad Air

The iPad Air is the most cosmetically-changed iPad yet, weighing less than 500g and measuring just 7.5mm in thickness. Even with its 64-bit A7 chip and M7 motion co-processor, the iPad Air continues to provide 10 hours of battery life. With iOS 7, you’ll also get iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband and the iWork productivity suite of apps preloaded on the tablet.

Apple iPad Mini 2

Apple’s smaller 7.9-inch tablet is a powerful device in a compact body. Powered by Apple’s A7 chip based on 64-bit architecture, the iPad Mini 2 also includes the M7 motion co-processor. The Retina display with a 2,048 x 1,536 resolution is easy on the eyes, and comes to life with the latest iOS 7 operating system.

ASUS FonePad 7

If you fancy a tablet with voice calling, consider the ASUS FonePad 7. The 7-inch tablet runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, with ASUS’ own custom user interface on top. The FonePad 7 packs in 5MP rear and 1.2MP front cameras, and offers 16GB of expandable storage. It comes preloaded with various apps, including SuperNote Lite, a note-taking app.

Dell Venue 7

Dell re-entered the tablet market with its Venue 7 and Venue 8 Android tablets. Running Android 4.3, they are expected to receive the KitKat update in the future. The tablets are affordably priced, offering 1,280 x 800 pixel displays, front and rear cameras, a microSD card slot and 10 hours of video playback.

Google Nexus 7 (2013)

Google’s second-gen Nexus tablet got a major upgrade in build and specs. Lighter and thinner, it weighs 290g and measures just 8.7mm in thickness. The screen has been upgraded to a full HD IPS panel, with a 323ppi pixel density. A 5-megapixel rear camera, Android 4.4 KitKat and a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor make it one of the most attractive Android tablets currently available.

Lenovo IdeaTab A3000

Lenovo’s IdeaTab A3000 is an affordable tablet running Android 4.2. It sports a 7-inch, 1,024 x 600 pixel display, a 5MP rear camera and a VGA front camera. Performance is handled by a quad-core processor and 1GB RAM. Internal storage maxes out at 16GB, with an option to expand it up to 64GB via a microSD card. Wi-Fi, 3G and Bluetooth are included as connectivity options.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 edition)

If you’re looking for a powerful 10-inch tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition is a good bet. It offers a high-resolution, 2,560 x 1,600 pixel display, comes with an S-Pen stylus and supports the Galaxy Gear smartwatch. The Note 10.1 runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, and is expected to get a KitKat update in the future.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0

The latest iteration of the Samsung Galaxy Tab has a thinner, more premium finish in an 8-inch size. The Android 4.2.2 tablet includes an IR blaster, so you can use it as a remote control for your TV. It also boasts the Multi Window feature, letting you use two applications simultaneously. The microSD card slot for expansion is a big plus.

XOLO Play Tegra Note

The NVIDIA Tegra Note gaming tablet was launched in India by XOLO, and is powered by NVIDIA’s Tegra 4 chipset and 72-core GeForce GPU. It provides access to NVIDIA TegraZone, letting users download and play Tegra-optimised games. The 7-inch HD display is complemented by the pressure-sensitive NVIDIA DirectStylus, which can be used for drawing or taking notes. The above is by no means a comprehensive list, and covers what we think are some of the best options currently available if you’re looking for a premium tablet. If nothing on this list catches your eye, or if you’re looking for a more specific set of features, hop on over to the 91mobiles Tablet Finder.