Consumer Reports award best tablet crown to iPad 2

Even with the growing number of tablet manufacturers this year, none are apparently putting up as good of a fight so far compared to Apple’s latest iPad according to a recent review from Consumer Reports.

The well-respected monthly American magazine has tested and ranked currently available tablets on 17 different criteria, and the iPad 2 was the clear winner. “Apple is leading the tablet market in both quality and price, which is unusual for a company whose products are usually premium-priced,” said Consumer Reports editor Paul Reynolds. This claim indicates a very important position that Apple holds in the tablet market, as the iPad 2 can be bought brand new and contract-free for under $500, much lower than many other high-end tablets. This low price has also recently intimidated Samsung and its upcoming 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab. In addition, its graphics performance is unmatched when compared to tablets with Nvidia’s Tegra 2 APU. The attractive price, thin profile, and impressive performance of the iPad 2 are putting immense pressure on its competitors. 

Ranked at second place was none other than the Motorola Xoom, which was praised for its built-in memory card reader and Adobe Flash support. Perhaps more surprising, however, was that the Xoom tied second with the original iPad. To have a 2010 tablet positioned higher than every other competing consumer tablet presently available shows just how far ahead Apple is ahead of its competitors.

By the end of the year, this list could be revised as other major companies begin to show what they have to offer. More specifically, highly anticipated tablets such as the HTC Flyer, HP TouchPad, and RIM PlayBook should all be able to provide respectable performances when released.

Source(s)