Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2012 Part Two: Rankings For Tablets and e-Readers

by Holly Shoemaker

Earlier in the week I discussed how Verizon topped Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2012 and summarized the guide's smartphone buying tips. For those more interested in tablets and e-readers, I have the rankings and advice for those too.

Tablet Buying Guidelines

• Portability – For those unconcerned with portability, Consumer Reports recommended buying a 10-inch screen.
• Viewing Angle – The guide recommended a wide viewing angle.
• Upgradable Operating System – Consumer Reports recommend to always look for an upgradeable OS.
• Apps – The guide encouraged consumers to opt for a tablet that offers a variety of apps as that will vary based on the OS manufacturer.

Tablet Rankings

In the six- to seven-inch range, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3G 16 GB ranked first with a score of 73, followed by the WiFi model at 71. Research in Motion (RIM) made the list with its BlackBerry PlayBook WiFi 32 GB model with a score of 67. However, it was not a recommended buy, which should come as no surprise.

In the nine- to 12-inch range, Apple comes out on top with the iPad 2 3G with a score of 83. The Samsung Galaxy tab 10.1 ranked third with a score of 78.

e-Reader Buying Guidelines

• Screen Size – The guide recommended that consumers look for a six-inch screen as that provides the best value.
• Touch Capability – The guide recommended that consumers look for an e-reader that offers this feature to allow for easy content selection.
• Network – As the guide covered a certain period of time, it discussed more 3G capability. Consumer Reports recommended skipping 3G access citing that WiFi access costs less.

e-Reader Rankings

In the six- to seven-inch range, the Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch Reader ranked first with a score of 76, followed by Amazon's Kindle 3G and then the WiFi version with a score of 75. The Barnes & Noble Nook Color came in seventh with a score of 70.