Best Android tablets for work and play (July 2015 edition)

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  • Google Nexus 9

    Google Nexus 9

    If you want a pure Android experience, free from UI overlays and junkware, along with a regular drip feed of updates then the Nexus is the place to look, and the Nexus 9 is tablet for you.

    Tech spec:

    • Android 5.0 (Lollipop)
    • 8.9-inch 2048 x 1536 IPS LCD TFT display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3
    • Nvidia Tegra K1 chip featuring a dual-core 2.3GHz Denver CPU and Kepler DX1 GPU
    • 2GB of RAM
    • 6600 mAh non-removable battery
    • 1.6-megapixel front camera with fixed focus
    • 8-megapixel rear camera with auto-focus and LED flash

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Google Nexus 9

    Google Nexus 9

    For more information on the Google Nexus 9, along with pricing, check out the CNET review.

    Photo by: Josh Miller/CNET

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Amazon Fire HDX 8.9

    Amazon Fire HDX 8.9

    If you want a cheap but user-friendly Android tablet with excellent build quality then look no further than the Amazon Fire HDX 8.9. About the only complaint I can level at the Fire HDX is that the Amazon app store is a little more barren than its Google counterpart. But if you're a heavy user of Amazon's service, the HDX 8.9 will act as a great hub for all your entertainment and shopping needs.

    Tech spec:

    • Android OS, v4.4 (heavily modified version of KitKat)
    • 8.9-inch 2560 x 1600 IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen
    • Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 featuring a quad-core 2.5GHz Krait 450 CPU and Adreno 420 GPU
    • 2GB of RAM
    • Non-removable Li-Ion battery
    • 8-megapixel rear camera with auto-focus and LED flash

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Amazon Fire HDX 8.9

    Amazon Fire HDX 8.9

    For more information on the Amazon Fire HDX 8.9, along with pricing, check out the CNET review.

    Photo by: Josh Miller/CNET

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Nvidia Shield Tablet

    Nvidia Shield Tablet

    If you're looking for a tablet that packs a graphics punch then the Nvidia Shield Tablet should be on your list to look at. Not only is it a great platform for gaming, but it is also a great hub for home entertainment.

    Tech spec:

    • Android 5.0 (Lollipop)
    • 8-inch 1920x1200 multi-touch Full HD display
    • 2.2 GHz ARM Cortex A15 CPU
    • NVIDIA Tegra K1 192 core Kepler GPU
    • 2GB of RAM
    • Non-removable Li-Ion battery
    • 5-megapixel rear camera with auto focus

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Nvidia Shield Tablet

    Nvidia Shield Tablet

    For more information on the Nvidia Shield Tablet, along with pricing, check out the CNET review.

    Photo by: Sarah Tew/CNET

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Dell Venue 8 7000

    Dell Venue 8 7000

    It's thin, it's light, it features an Intel RealSense depth-sensing camera. It must be the Dell Venue 8 7000.

    Tech spec:

    • Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat) at launch, with planned upgrade to v5.0.2 (Lollipop)
    • 8.4-inch 1600 x 2560 OLED capacitive touchscreen
    • Quad-core Intel Atom Z3580 CPU with PowerVR G6430 GPU
    • 2GB of RAM
    • 8-megapixel primary camera with auto focus, and two 720p Intel RealSense 3D cameras

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Dell Venue 8 7000

    Dell Venue 8 7000

    For more information on the Nvidia Shield Tablet, along with pricing, check out the CNET review.

    Photo by: Josh Miller/CNET

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Samsung Galaxy Tab S (10.5-inch)

    Samsung Galaxy Tab S (10.5-inch)

    Time for a big tablet, and big tablets don't come much better than the Samsung Galaxy Tab S. This is a big tablet, big enough to make compete with the iPad, giving you better screen real estate to do more work.

    Tech spec:

    • Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat), upgradable to v5.0.2 (Lollipop)
    • 10.5-inch 2560 x 1600 Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen
    • Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 or Exynos 5 Octa 5420
    • 3GB of RAM
    • 8-megapixel primary camera with auto focus

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Samsung Galaxy Tab S (10.5-inch)

    Samsung Galaxy Tab S (10.5-inch)

    For more information on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S, along with pricing, check out the CNET review.

    Photo by: James Martin/CNET

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

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It is no exaggeration to say that there are hundreds of different Android tablets on the market to choose from, but if you filter this down to "best" tablets then this list boils down to only a handful.

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Google Nexus 9

If you want a pure Android experience, free from UI overlays and junkware, along with a regular drip feed of updates then the Nexus is the place to look, and the Nexus 9 is tablet for you.

Tech spec:

  • Android 5.0 (Lollipop)
  • 8.9-inch 2048 x 1536 IPS LCD TFT display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3
  • Nvidia Tegra K1 chip featuring a dual-core 2.3GHz Denver CPU and Kepler DX1 GPU
  • 2GB of RAM
  • 6600 mAh non-removable battery
  • 1.6-megapixel front camera with fixed focus
  • 8-megapixel rear camera with auto-focus and LED flash

Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

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