Tablets will likely be the hot gift items this holiday season, and Consumer Reports has released ratings on nearly 100 devices.
After reviewing the contenders, Consumer Reports found that the iPad Air was the lightest full-size tablet, its 1-pound weight making it perfect to hold for reading or watching movies.
The ultra-slender device "didn't sacrifice screen quality at all," according to Consumer Reports.
"The screen looks just as good as the screen on the iPad 4," the website said.
Starting at $629 and at $500 for Wi-Fi only, the iPad Air with 4G earned the highest-ever tablet score from Consumer Reports.
The iPad Mini was also tested in the ratings report, which noted that the device with retina display is an improvement on its predecessor and has a better battery life.
For Android fans, the $550 Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 is recommended in the Consumer Reports ratings.
The review points out the latest Samsung tablet's unique stylus, which comes with a set of apps that allow the user to draw graphics, write notes and more.
According to Consumer Reports, the best low-budget option is the Kindle Fire HDX.
Listed at just $230, the 7-inch device is fairly straightforward without a lot of extra features, but it does include a vital option: a tech-support button that brings up a live tech-support person to help with any questions or issues.
To view the complete Consumer Reports tablet buying guide, go here for ratings and reviews on specific tablet models.
While iPads and other tablets have been hits this holiday season, the tablet market will likely slow next year, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.
Research firm IDC said in early December that tablet shipments will rise 54 percent this year to 221.3 million, but will then fall to 22 percent growth next year and less than 10 percent in 2017, the magazine reported.
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