If you are looking to gift someone with a tablet, or you simply want one for yourself, you may be confused by all the options available. It seems as though there is a new tablet each and every day! Hopefully this list we compiled will help you understand the best tablets available for the holidays, and which one meets your needs.

1. Google Nexus

The Google Nexus 7″ tablet is at the top of this list because of its affordable price and outstanding features. The Nexus has a sleek design and a quad-core processor. In addition to that, it also has a 1.2-megapixel camera, GPS and a microphone.

2. Kindle Fire HD 4G LTE

The Kindle Fire HD has a 8.9″ touchscreen and is an affordable option with exclusive features. The Fire HD has Dolby audio and dual stereo speakers, which is sound quality you can’t get with any other tablet on the market. This tablet also has a front facing HD camera. The biggest pitfall of this tablet is the fact that it is restricted to Amazon’s app store, which is a bit limited when compared to other app stores.

3. iPad 3

You certainly can’t list the best tablets of 2012 without mentioning the iPad 3. However, you will notice that it isn’t at the top of this list. The biggest reason this tablet isn’t headlining this list is because of its price. The high price of the iPad 3 seriously limits its demographics. If you are lucky enough to afford this tablet, you will surely enjoy its HD 9.7-inch retina display, flawless wireless connection and 7-megapixel camera.

4. Samsung Galaxy 2 (10.1)

Just as the new Samsung Galaxy SIII is competing heavily with the iPhone 5, the Galaxy 2 is the iPad 3’s biggest competitor. This slim and lightweight tablet has a 10.1″ display and is based on the latest Android platform. It comes with dual-core processors and is even preloaded with great apps and Google mobile services. The Samsung Galaxy 2 is also capable of making and receiving crystal clear voice calls.

5. Blackberry Playbook

The Blackberrry Playbook is a 7″ tablet that appeals to a variety of people. The tablet is capable of 4G LTE connectivity, has built in wi-fi and a powerful dual-core processor. The high resolution screen, and the 16 GB of storage that the tablet offers makes it a perfect tablet choice for casual or business use.

When choosing the perfect tablet for gifting, you will have a variety of options. The most valuable thing to remember is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy all the benefits of a tablet. Simply look for a tablet that offers features you or your recipient would use the most, and make a choice based on that need.