Tablet Wars: 3 excellent wifi-only tablets

There's a lot of talk out there about how expensive tablets are; however, you don't have to shell out an arm and a leg to get a tablet if you're willing to make some compromises. Most people will do perfectly fine with a wifi-only tablet instead of a 3G one. Going with a wifi-only tablet can save you hundreds of dollars, and that's only for the initial device purchase. You'll also save money every month by not signing up for a pricey 3G monthly data plan, since wifi-only tablets use an existing wireless connection.

Here are three of the best wifi-only tablets. How do they stack up?

iPad 2 
Obviously, the iPad 2 is the gold standard most people recall when they think of a tablet, and it's no wonder: Apple's 9.7" screen, dual-core processor, robust app catalog, and sleek form factor make it the top choice of many tablet shoppers. Apple definitely wins the battle in terms of wifi-only options, as there are 6 different kinds for you to choose from: 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB models in either black or white. 

The iPad 2 is currently available for purchase online and in retail stores, though recent shortages mean you might be waiting for a while (4+ weeks!) to get one. Pricing for the wifi-only iPad 2 starts at $499 for the 16GB, $599 for the 32GB, and $699 for the 64GB. How's that for options? Pretty great, if you ask us.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Samsung took a long, hard look at making some changes to its Galaxy Tab line after Apple unveiled the iPad 2. The result of those considerations is the gorgeous Galaxy Tab 10.1, a serious competitor to the iPad 2. The Tab 10.1 is thinner than the iPad 2 by a scant 0.2mm and has a dual core processor, high-resolution screen, and the full weight of Android's 3.0 OS (tablet-optimized "Honeycomb") behind it.

The launch for the Tab 10.1 is scheduled for June 8th, with pricing for its wifi only models starting at $499 for the 16GB model, and $599 for the 32GB model. We're thrilled that Samsung is on board with ultra-competitive pricing for their new, sleek tablet. 

Motorola Xoom
Most of us balked at Motorola's insane price point and lack of options when it first launched the Xoom. A solitary 32GB 3G model for $799, without the wide variety of tablet-optimized apps the iPad 2 had? Yikes. Fortunately, Motorola's realized the error of its ways and is giving us a wifi-only Xoom — same 10.1" screen, same Android 3.0 Honeycomb experience, but without the mandatory one-month 3G data contract and subsequent monthly fees.

The wifi-only Motorola Xoom will hit stores March 27 with a single 32GB model priced at $599, which is definitely comparable to the others but lacking in other model options with less storage. 

It's great that we're finally settling into the so-called "year of the tablet" with a wider variety of wifi-only devices and options to choose from. In addition to these 3 tablets, HP's TouchPad 10.1" tablet is rumored to have a June release, and there's also the wifi-only BlackBerry Playbook, a 7" tablet with an April 19 launch date.


[Image credit: Engadget]

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