For book lovers

Whether you want a new e-reader or to join the digital book revolution, the charm and popularity behind these travel-ready devices are undeniable. Our top Apple, Samsung and Amazon Kindles range will be the best gift for bookworms of all ages.

E-readers like Amazon’s Kindle are explicitly crafted for reading, featuring compact designs, easy-on-the-eyes greyscale displays, long-lasting battery and house one of the most extensive electronic libraries in the digital space.

But if you’re looking for something beyond being a single-purpose device, for instance, if you want one for reading, watching videos and playing the latest games, then you’re better off investing in a tablet. The 6th gen iPad Mini is the most versatile tablet for reading, whereas Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A8 is a budget-friendly rival against iPads. Microsoft Surface Pro and Galaxy Tab S8 are the best all-in-one tabs for power users.

• Best budget tablet for reading: Amazon Kindle
• Budget friendly android tablet: Samsung Galaxy Tab A8
• Best mid-range tablet: iPad Air

For gamers

Most smartphones are great for gaming, and the same applies to tablets - they enhance your experience with their large displays, and some are powerhouses that can handle high-end visuals and graphics with zero to minimal lag. The Samsung Galaxy S8 series is the best android gaming tablet available on the market now, followed by the Tab A7 as a cheap alternative for droid fans. Among the Apple ecosystem, nothing beats the iPad Pro with the M1 chip as the most powerful gaming tablet. Lenovo P11 and Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 are bang for your buck choices among these portable slates. If you’re looking for a versatile tablet, look no further than the Microsoft Surface Pro.

• Best android gaming tablet: Samsung S8 | S8 Plus
• Best overall: Apple iPad Pro
• Best tablet for light and desktop gaming: Microsoft Surface Pro

Tablets for artists and creative pros

Drawing tablets make it easy for creative professionals like artists, photographers, illustrators, animators, designers and architects to bring their masterpieces to life. New generation tablets come or are compatible with pens or stylus and feel just as natural as drawing on paper or painting on canvas. These are touch-sensitive pads with a pen that you can plug into your computer to create digital art, mind-maps, diagrams, edit photos and videos. Wacom makes a variety of tablets that are perfect for all creative professional fields. Or they can be standalone devices that combine a graphic tab and a computer like Microsoft Pro, iPad Pro & Air and Samsung Galaxy Tab S8. Wacom Cintiq is an excellent graphic slate for students.

• Best professional pen display: Wacom Cintiq 16
• Best graphics tablet for designers and illustrators: Wacom Intuos Pro
• Best standalone drawing tablet: Microsoft Surface Pro
• Best tablet with a screen for beginners: Apple iPad Air

Casual users – multimedia and web surfing

If you want to watch videos on YouTube, stream movies on Netflix, browse the internet, listen to your favourite songs or play light games - display and size will be your main criterion. The following makes a great companion for providing entertainment and being a family favourite.

• Best for most people: Apple iPad
• Best android tablet: Samsung Tab A8
• Best compact and versatile: iPad Mini
• Best value for a Windows slate: Microsoft Surface Go

Features to look out for

You won’t get everything you need in a brand or device, but here are a few things to look for in your next device:

• Tablet sizes. A compact tablet is a light portable device that is more affordable and easy to carry. Medium and large tablets are better suited for productivity & multi-tasking capabilities.
• Storage. To future-proof yourself, it might be helpful to purchase a device with a larger capacity. Although with the availability of cloud-based storage like OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive and iCloud, local storage might not be a major deciding factor anymore.
• Battery life. As a rule of thumb, watching high-definition videos and playing games will deplete your battery life far quicker than checking your emails and the news. Tip: If your device is more than four years old, it would be best to upgrade to a newer model.
• Processing power. If you intend to use heavy software or perform specialist tasks like photo or video editing, you may benefit from a powerful processor.
• Screen resolution. A lower resolution will be satisfactory for general use, but a higher resolution is best for watching films in HD or spending time editing photos & videos.
• Internet access. Many models provide Wi-Fi as standard, but if you need to stay connected, you may want to consider a tablet with a SIM card allowing you to enjoy data and stay connected.