MICROSOFT SURFACE PRO 4

With the latest iteration, Microsoft has further refined the design of its Surface tablet. The Surface Pen stylus can now magnetically attach to the side of the device while the keyboard accessory is more sturdy and feels less cramped.

Upgrades to the amount of storage and system memory make the Surface even more like a laptop replacement.

APPLE IPAD PRO

Apple is not the first to introduce a large tablet with a stylus, but the company has maintained its high standards with the iPad Pro.

The companion Apple Pencil stylus is arguably best-in-class and will delight content producers. The iPad Pro's excellent speakers are an unexpected boon for videos and games.

LENOVO YOGA TAB 3 PRO 10

The Lenovo Yoga tablet is the most unusual device here. It comes with a built-in projector good enough for presentations. It is also great for watching movies while lying in bed, with its above-average speakers adding to the experience.

Its clever cylindrical spine lets Lenovo put a bigger battery in the Yoga and makes it easy for you to hold the tablet.

SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB S2

Taking aim at Apple's iPad Air 2 and Microsoft's Surface Pro 3, the Galaxy Tab S2 is impossibly thin at just 5.6mm, but yet powerful enough to handle intensive tasks, thanks to an octa-core processor.

You can partner it with the Book Cover Keyboard, which also serves to protect the 9.7-inch tablet. This Android tablet has access to over a million apps, including a mobile version of Microsoft Office.

SONY XPERIA Z4 TABLET

The best thing about Sony's premium Android tablet is its outstanding battery life, which was an impressive 15.5 hours in our video-loop test.

Its other features are very good, too. It is one of the few tablets that you can use at the swimming pool because it is waterproof to a depth of 1.5m. The 10-inch screen also has a higher pixel density than that of its competitors such as the Apple iPad Air 2.