Apple iPad 4 ($499)

Still the best bet for an all-around outstanding tablet experience, the recently upgraded 9.7-inch iPad boasts a more powerful A6X chip, high-definition Retina display and Apple’s unbeatable design cues.

With a keypad that doubles as a cover, the 10-inch Surface is perfect for Windows fans who still prefer a tactile keyboard, and the front- and rear-facing cameras make it ideal for collaboration and sharing.

This 10-inch tablet was created in partnership with Samsung and comes with a dual-core ARM Cortex A15 processor, advanced WiFi and the Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) operating system.

Boasting the Android 4.1 OS, an 8-megapixel high-definition camera (and 2.1MP front-facing camera) and 4G (Long Term Evolution) LTE capability, this 5-inch phablet, with a 1080p HD-resolution display, gets you the most for your money.

Some critics thought the price a tad high, but the 7-inch iPad Mini is everything people love about its big brother, just smaller, thinner and almost impossibly light. Pick one up and you’ll see.

The 10.1-inch tablet, running Android 4.0, offers a dual-core processor, expandable memory and AllShare Play, which lets you wirelessly connect to your phone, computer or television.

Arguably the most advanced 7-inch tablet on the market for the price, this quad-core-driven device sports near-field communication (NFC) technology and an HD display.

Among the very best of the bargain tablets is the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD, which is perfect for consumers who love movies, music, TV shows and other digital content.

An optional docking keyboard turns this 10.1-inch Android tablet into a notebook PC, and contains an additional battery that increases overall battery life from 8.5 hours to 12.5 hours.

The 7-inch Nook HD is ideal for bookworms ready to drop the dust covers and move to the digital age. It offers access to the company’s library of 3 million books, magazines and newspapers, including 1 million free titles.