What kind of tablet should I buy? A holiday shopping guide

Microsoft Surface tablets — (Image credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

A little over a year ago there was the iPad… and then far, far behind, there was everything else. Today, the tablet marketplace is all but littered with viable options for every kind of user, and choosing a slab can be dizzying for anyone who doesn't spend their day reading tech blogs. To make gift shopping less of a headache, here's The Week's rundown of your tablet-buying options:

MICROSOFT SURFACE RT

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The rundown: The Surface is Microsoft's long-awaited foray into the tablet world. It runs a glitzy version of the software maker's new user-interface, Windows RT, which emphasizes customizable tiles to launch your applications instead of the traditional icons you see on iPhones or Androids. Also big: Its removable keyboard flap, which in theory allows the device to pull double-duty as a laptop-like workstation. Unlike devices powered by iOS or Android, the Surface RT can easily run Office applications like Word or Excel.

The rundown: Apple quietly gave its flagship tablet, the fourth-generation iPad, some under-the-hood improvements when it announced its holiday product lineup at the end of October. The full-sized iPad's biggest sell is its 9.7-inch Retina display, which packs pixels so tightly they're invisible to the naked eye. The iPad runs a snappy A6X processor that's even better than the chip powering the iPhone 5, ensuring that even the clunkiest applications load relatively quickly. Also new: A front-facing HD camera for less-pixelated FaceTime sessions with loved ones. All things considered, the iPad is still the "gold standard" for tablets, says The Verge.

The rundown: The Kindle Fire HD is a media-consuming machine. It improves on the game-changing original model with a new high-definition display and Dolby stereo speakers. Although it's running on a re-tinkered version of Android, users can tap into Amazon's impressive ecosystem of videos, music, and Kindle books. You may be asking: Why is it so cheap? The company actually loses money on each model sold, but considers the loss a strategic investment by putting a take-anywhere portal to Amazon's diverse product offerings in the hands of users. Each Kindle Fire comes with a free month of Amazon Prime, which lets users access the Kindle Lending Library (180,000 titles, including Harry Potter), Prime Instant Video (think Netflix), and gives users free two-day shipping on physical goods.

The rundown: The brick-and-mortar bookseller's 7-incher comes in two colors (gray and white), and boasts "the best screen" of any budget-edition tablet to date, says The Verge. It's a little more reader-friendly than the Kindle Fire HD thanks to its wide bezels, lighter weight, and comfortable curves — complete with a rubber backing. However, more than one critic has pointed out that its software is unpolished compared to competitors.

The rundown: Apple never wanted to release a 7-inch tablet; instead, the famously stubborn company released an 8-inch model. The iPad Mini trades the computing power and screen sharpness of its big brother for a re-imagined compact body that, at only 0.68 pounds, is lightweight enough to hold in one hand for long periods of time. Unlike a full-sized iPad (and even its small-tablet competition), you'll be able to individually pick out pixels. On the upside, you'll have access to Apple's unrivaled selection of apps and content. "If you love the iPad, or want one but just found it too large or heavy, the iPad Mini is the perfect solution," says Walt Mossberg at All Things D. It's basically the iPad 2 made more portable.

Chris Gayomali is the science and technology editor for TheWeek.com. Previously, he was a tech reporter at TIME. His work has also appeared in Men's Journal, Esquire, and The Atlantic, among other places. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.