5 Best iPad Mini Alternatives

Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Lastly, a bit of a wild card, the 5.5-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 2 phablet that will be hitting shelves in the U.S. this month. Unlike these tablets, the Galaxy Note 2 doubles as both a native smartphone and a tablet with its large display and its S-Pen stylus that allows users to draw and write directly on the screen.

At its $299.99 starting price point, and with its quad-core processor, 4G LTE data speeds and availability on all five major U.S. carriers, it's certainly a viable competitor to the iPad Mini, even if its screen-size is a bit smaller.