The tablet game has been heating up over the past few years, with 2012 playing host to the biggest year yet. 

A variety of devices were launched last year, with Apple and Google slugging it out as the two established veterans, while the likes of Amazon and Microsoft also stepped things up.

So we decided to take a look at what we felt were the top tablets of the year.

 

iPad 4

Fourth-generation iPad, iPad 4, new new iPad. Who cares what the name is, all we know is that the latest 9.7-inch Apple tablet is another excellent effort.

Standout features include that high-resolution Retina Display, LTE connectivity and a powerful new A6X processor.

Whether you're buying a tablet for the first time or considering an upgrade, the latest iPad comes highly recommended. 

 

Samsung Nexus 10

The latest tablet in Google's critically acclaimed Nexus line comes from Samsung, featuring some great specs too.

The Nexus 10's unique selling point is its market-leading high resolution screen, besting the likes of Apple and the new iPad in terms of sheer pixel density.

Other than that, the Nexus 10 also features a cutting-edge dual-core 1.7GHz A15 CPU, quad-core graphics and near-field communications tech.

 

iPad Mini

Despite Apple's claims that a small tablet isn't on the cards, the success of devices such as the Kindle Fire and Galaxy Tab 7.0 forced the Cupertino giant's hand.

The end-result is the iPad Mini, a beautiful slate with a 7.9-inch touchscreen and the latest iOS 6 update.

The iPad Mini features the same A5 processor seen in the iPad 2 as well as the same screen resolution, so all your favourite apps should work just fine. 

 

Asus Transformer Pad Infinity (review)

Asus has gained a reputation for building great tablets thanks to the Transformer line, with the Transformer Pad Infinity being the definitive Asus Android tablet. 

Released way back in the first half of 2012, the Transformer Pad Infinity features a wonderfully crisp 1920x1200 display, quad-core Tegra 3 chipset and 8MP rear-facing camera.

As is the case with other Transformer tablets, this slate also has a versatile keyboard dock, complete with trackpad, USB port, SD slot and additional battery. 

 

Amazon Kindle Fire HD

Amazon's first 7-inch tablet sold millions thanks to its cheap price tag and access to the web giant's ecosystem. But subpar performance and a few hardware shortcuts sullied the experience somewhat. 

However, 2012 saw Amazon introduce a second generation of Kindle Fire tablets, the Kindle Fire HD range. Featuring a beautiful display, 1GB of RAM and a heavily customised version of Android 4.0, Amazon's refreshed tablet represents fantastic value for money.

The biggest issue with the Kindle Fire HD has nothing to do with the device itself, but rather, that many Amazon services (e.g. Appstore, Amazon Prime) are simply not available in South Africa without some workarounds.

 

Asus Nexus 7 (review)

Google's first Nexus tablet computer is a doozy in the form of the Nexus 7, built by Taiwanese tech giant Asus. 

Featuring a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, 7-inch 1280x800 display and near-field communications, the Nexus 7 manages to tick plenty of boxes.

The tablet isn't quite as sexy as the iPad Mini, but still represents better value for money, although the omission of a rear-facing camera might be a dealbreaker for some.