The best tablets to buy in 2024

Over the last couple of years, we saw the Android tablet space liven up a bit (thankfully). Samsung boldly launched a Galaxy Tab S9 trio, which brings a no-frills flagship experience at three different price and size tiers. Google also finally launched its Pixel Tablet, which tries to rethink how a tablet can be useful to you. Then, OnePlus released the OnePlus Pad, which is a value offering that wears the iPad Pro inspirations on its sleeve.

Of course, Apple's iPads still reign supreme, with models ranging from $330 to $1,100 for every need, taste, budget, and requirement. It's a great time to be shopping for a tablet — we are literally spoiled for choice. But for some that can only lead to "choice paralysis". Which is why we are here to recommend the best tablets you should be looking at — and help you make a choice.

No matter which side you're on, the list below surely contains a tablet that would serve you well.

Apple's iPads have long been considered "the best tablet". Even in a declining tablet market, iPads were going up in sales, and for good reason.

iPadOS has been developed specifically for the large tablet screen, and apps on the App Store that wanted to be listed as "for iPad", need to cover a set of guidelines.

Not to mention the power of Apple chips. The latest iPad Pros are powered by the M2 processor, same as in the latest MacBook Pros and Mac minis. We are talking lightning-fast photo and video editing and a plethora of touch-controlled apps that make it easy.

Their USB C ports make them compatible with most generic accessories out there (finally) and actually support Thunderbolt data transfer speeds.

Admittedly, an iPad Pro may be a bit overkill — in terms of price and untapped power — for many. That's why we have more affordable models listed below. However, here's a hot take — if you can find a deal on an iPad Pro 2021 (the M1 models), jump on that one — the newer ones didn't add that much, but a discount on an old iPad Pro can get you awesome value.

With the new Stage Manager feature, you can also (finally) get a desktop-style work environment, if you connect the iPad to an external monitor. This feature is supported by iPad Pros, and the newest iPad Air.

Their screens work for leisure, too — such as playing games or watching movies. And the ultra-wide selfie cameras have the Center Stage feature, which follows your face around during video calls. Unfortunately, no headphone jack, which would've been great on a "Pro"-grade device, but alas.

Apple's Magic Keyboard is a fantastic accessory and we really love how it feels. It is a bit costly and we can't fully recommend the spend, but if you decide to go that route — rest assured that it's a high quality keyboard with a touchpad that feels much better than it has the right to.

The second generation Apple Pencil is a divisive topic. On one hand, it's an incredibly responsive stylus. On the other, its plastic tip feels slippery and unnatural when applied to the screen's glass. One solution is to apply a matte Paperlike screen protector to your iPad, but then you lose some of the sharpness and pristine imagery of the expensive screen.

With the most powerful hardware on Android tablets, Samsung's own OneUI interface, an included S Pen, and the ability to sync with Windows and your other Samsung devices, the Galaxy Tab S are built for work and multi-tasking — split screen, multiple windows, quick app switching. DeX mode specifically makes it feel like an Android-powered laptop, as it switches to a desktop UI. Slap a Bluetooth keyboard on and you are ready to write articles on the go — I rarely go out of DeX mode when using a Samsung tablet. It's just so convenient.

You don't need an external monitor or anything, too, which is already an advantage over the iPad Pro. Thanks to the huge screen size, this can work as a laptop replacement for some.

Also, Samsung continues its partnership with Lumafusion's devs. The excellent video editor is already available for multiple Android devices, but since Lumafusion is tested on Galaxy Tab models — Samsung users will be getting the newest features first.

If raw power and productivity is what you are after, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is easily the best Android tablet right now. The notched-in camera may look a bit off, but at least it's placed for landscape orientation, making for less awkward video calls. The one complaint we have with it is that at 14.6 inches, the 2960 x 1848 screen resolution feels a bit weak (239 pixels per inch, while the other Tab S8 models hit 267 PPI).

If the Tab S9 Ultra is a bit expensive, do check out the more affordable Tab S9 Plus and Tab S9. They don't cut out on a lot of features and are great for both work and play!

The Galaxy Tab S9+ is slightly smaller than the S9 Ultra, which means slightly more manageable. Plus, it's not crazy expensive, though it's still up there at $700. Still, you get the S Pen stylus, DeX, beautiful 120 Hz AMOLED screen, stereo speakers, and powerful internals. It's probably the best balance between price, size, and features in the Tab S9 trio, and a good choice if you are after a premium Android tablet that doesn't go too much over the top.




The smallest Galaxy Tab S9 is still a pretty good canvas with its 11-inch screen. Plus, at $500, we'd say it's an affordable price for a powerful tablet. The corners cut here involve the screen — it's still 120 Hz, but it's now an LCD panel. Fine, it's still great to look at, plus the S8 still comes with the S Pen, stereo speakers, and same processor as the big boys. The screen size and speakers still lend themselves well for watching movies and playing games.

Unfortunately, none of the Galaxy Tab S9 models have a headphone jack.

The Pixel Tablet was teased for a long, long while before Google finally released it later in 2023. It's... a peculiar middle-road solution that tries a slightly different spin on the familiar tablet formula.

What's special about it? Well, it comes with its own speaker / charging dock. When the Pixel Tablet is docked, its screen becomes a smart home hub, a-la Nest Home. And the speaker is — supposedly — of high quality, so it should be able to fill your room with your favorite music if you wish it to. From our experience with the Nest speakers, we are quite confident that this one will, indeed, sound pretty good.

As for raw power — the tablet is not top-tier in specs, but it's built with the casual user in mind. You know, Netflix binging, book or article reading, and some gaming should be on the agenda. Video editing or audio production — not so much.

Oh, also, the Pixel Tablet does not come with a stylus but does support the new USI 2.0 standard, which means it will work with styli built for USI (it's a unifying standard agreed upon by multiple manufacturers).

The OnePlus Pad is the first tablet from OnePlus and it comes out of the gates swinging at the iPad market. It has a proprietary stylus, which attaches magnetically to the tablet, and a magnetical keyboard of its own. Though, beware — the marketing materials make it look like an Apple Magic Keyboard, but it's very much a keyboard folio, meaning it needs the tablet to "step" on the keyboard to keep the whole construction stable.

In any case, it's powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 — which is a very good chip by the Qualcomm competitor — and comes at a fair price of $480. Right now, you can pick it up from the OnePlus store with a free gift — the OnePlus Stylo or the Magnetic Keyboard, among others — so it's already a pretty good value proposition compared to others on the market.

You get a 120 Hz screen and OnePlus' signature snappy interface, plus quad speakers and fast charging. As long as Android, as an operating system, covers your needs from a tablet — the OnePlus Pad will do the rest when it comes to hardware.

Real talk — the iPad Pro is overkill. Both in terms of features and price. If you want that high-productivity Apple tablet, but aren't willing to pay as much for an iPad Pro 11 or iPad Pro 12.9, check out the new iPad Air 5th gen (a.k.a. 2022 model).

It has the same form factor as the iPad Pro 11, so it fits the Apple Magic Keyboard. It also supports the second generation Apple Pencil. And, now, it's powered by the same M1 chip that hums inside the chassis of the iPad Pro 2021 models!

And that M1 ensures that the USB C port of the iPad Air also has Thunderbolt speeds.

Where does it cut corners? For one, the iPad Air 5 does not have quad speakers — it has two drivers, which are positioned on its top and bottom (Apple calls this "landscape stereo"). Basically, this is fine, because you will get true stereo whenever your tablet is in landscape mode (95% of the time you are watching media on it). The bigger setback is the screen refresh rate — the iPad Air 5's screen caps off at 60 Hz. You can definitely feel this if you are downgrading from a Pro, but you should otherwise be fine with the Air.

But hey, the Apple iPad Air is available in a bunch of fun colors, unlike the "boring" Pro models, and it starts at $600, leaving some budget for an Apple Pencil or Magic Keyboard, if you are eyeing those. It's not the cheapest tablet, but it's the best iPad to get if you are after the most features for the least cash.

The Apple iPad mini 6 is a cute little monster. For all intents and purposes, it’s an iPad Air 4th gen, but smaller. Touch ID in the power button, landscape stereo speakers, an all-screen redesign, and support for second gen Apple Pencil. No Magic Keyboard or Smart Keyboard support here — this tablet is too small for that.

Starting at $500 it’s a bit steep and definitely a device geared only towards those that are looking for a compact tablet experience. It's not ideal for watching videos or playing games, and it doesn't support enhanced features like Stage Manager.

But it still has its charm — it's smaller than most other tablets on the market, yet it packs a punch. It has a long battery life, and still supports the high quality apps that inhabit the Apple ecosystem.

If you are not after the compact size of the iPad mini, but on the hunt for a bargain tablet — look at other iPad models.

Conclusion

So, what are the best tablets around? Apple's iPads are pretty hard to beat as they offer tons of value on every price tier. Well, maybe the large Pros are past a certain price-value threshold.

Samsung's Galaxy Tab S8 line was a pleasant surprise since it launched with an ambitious setup — it has been a while since any Android manufacturer took a hard swing at making an actual premium tablet experience, and we do believe that it can draw customers away from the iPad.

And Microsoft's Surface Pro line has a devout following of fans who simply enjoy having a full-fledged Windows on a portable slab. Admittedly, it's a device for the ones that are feeling a bit more adventurous, but it has definitely proven its worth as a professional's work tool.

What to consider when buying a tablet:

• Performance - there's a very wide variety when it comes to performance in the world of tablets. Apple's iPad Pros literally have desktop-grade processors in their thin bodies, and even Microsoft packs Intel Core CPUs in the Surface Pros.

The question is — what are you going to do with this tablet? A multimedia machine for Netflix binging? Then you really don't need the cutting-edge hardware. Light mobile gaming? You will do fine with a midranger, as mobile games are usually optimized to work on any type of hardware.

Want to do some creative work on it and have it be a viable device for the forseeable future? Definitely invest in a more powerful tablet, as that headroom will come in handy a few years from now.

• Screen size - for most people's use cases, tablets are supposed to feel portable. We find that an 11-inch screen, a-la iPad Pro / Air or Galaxy Tab S8 kind of hits the sweet spot. The screen feels large enough to be comfortable for most uses, yet the entire device is easy to slip into almost any kind of bag.

Artists, multi-taskers, and those looking to legitimately replace their laptop with a tablet may find better use from the bigger tablets — the likes of Galaxy Tab S7 FE, iPad Pro 12.9, or Tab S8 Ultra.

• Storage - in 2024, mid-tier tablets and above typically start at 128 GB. That's usually good enough for most users. Typically, smartphone people might consider this to be on the low side, but keep in mind that you won't be shooting pictures or 4K video with that tablet on the regular, right?

Though, if you do intend to do video editing or other type of creative work that involves storing and shuffling many media files on the device, definitely consider at least 256 GB.

Gamers should be fine, as mobile games don't take a whole lot of space (well, unless you plan on installing 20 or so). And casual media enjoyers will probably be streaming their entertainment from the cloud, so storage isn't a huge concern.

• Battery life - most tablets, even the iPad mini, usually meet somewhere between 6 and 10 hours of screen-on time. It depends on what type of apps they are running, but if you are browsing battery life tests online, see that it can hit about 7 hours of YouTube streaming or more. You should be good then.

Should I go for iOS or Android?

The Apple iPad has had a long and very successful reign. So much so that Apple felt confident to expand the range all the way to the insanely-priced iPad Pro 12.9.

As such, there are plenty of hardware accessories, and a ton of apps for many, many use cases. From musicians, to artists, to photographers — everyone can find something to do on an iPad. Then, there's gaming and Apple Arcade, Apple TV+ for your entertainment needs. For a long time, even Android fans would have an Android phone and an iPad for a tablet.

Nowadays, however, Android has also gotten better. Makers of Android tablets usually lean in heavily into the split screen and multitasking functionalities that the platform allows. There is definitely value to be had if you go Android — either you get an affordable price offer, or you get to enhance your Samsung ecosystem if you already have a Galaxy phone.

We still lean towards iPadOS due to the robustness of the ecosystem and it readily being able to handle more specific tasks for artists and professionals, but there are definitely Android tablets out there that can get the job done for general use cases.