Barnes & Noble Nook HD

1. PCMag.com

Review Credibility: Excellent
Segan appreciates the Nook HD's pixel-packed screen, abundance of reading material and solid build quality. However, the general lack of nonreading materials available and small app marketplace make it a far less appealing and versatile option than the Nexus 7 or the Amazon Kindle Fire HD.

Review: Barnes & Noble Nook HD, Sascha Segan, Nov. 1, 2012

2. The Verge

Review Credibility: Excellent
Pierce says that reading e-books and watching movies are two particular joys, but the skimpy content selection and "constant, pervasive performance issues" are among the major drawbacks with the Nook HD. "From the slow UI to the poor gaming performance, this just isn't a fun device to use," he writes.

Review: Barnes & Noble Nook HD Review, David Pierce, Oct. 30, 2012

3. Laptop Magazine

Review Credibility: Excellent
Piltch doesn't experience the same performance issues noted by other reviewers, but he does mention the relative lack of content available. Nevertheless, the Nook HD's bright and detailed screen, excellent reading experience and robust parental controls lead him to give the slate 4 stars out of 5. "However, despite making some strides, Barnes & [Noble's] ecosystem simply isn't as robust as the competition," he says.

Review: Barnes & Noble Nook HD Review, Avram Piltch, Oct. 30, 2012

4. Engadget.com

Review Credibility: Excellent
Heater loves the Nook HD's build quality, including its eye-popping screen and durable battery life. However, he questions the lack of a camera, and says the bland and buggy software interface "doesn't feel as if it got quite as much attention."

Review: Nook HD Review: A High-Def Tablet With the Heart of a Reader, Brian Heater, Oct. 30 , 2012

5. TechCrunch.com

Review Credibility: Excellent
Potential buyers should consider the Nook HD a great e-book reader with the ability to do a lot more rather than a full-fledged tablet, Biggs' review suggests. In that light, he says the Nook HD is a viable alternative to the Kindle Fire HD. "If you're looking for a solid, stand-alone reader with lots of media chops, you could do worse than picking up one of these this holiday," he writes.

Review: Review: The New Nook HD Tablet Is Just About the Best Reader You Can Buy, John Biggs, Oct. 30, 2012

6. CNET

Review Credibility: Excellent
The Nook HD's overall build quality earns props in CNET's review, as well, but Franklin says the slate's lack of content makes it less appealing than similarly priced alternatives. "The Barnes & Noble Nook HD can't match competing tablets in media library breadth, but as long as you're not looking for bells and whistles, its sharp screen and comfortable body make it an ideal tablet choice for reading books and magazines."

Review: Barnes & Noble Nook HD: A Reading Tablet for Non-Techies, Eric Franklin, Oct. 30, 2012