The best small tablets you can buy in 2024

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Best small tablet
It's now the early 2024 and phones have been rocking their largest screen sizes ever. Apple doesn't even seem to think you need a phone smaller than 6.1-inches (no mini in the iPhone 14 or iPhone 15 series, and no mini rumored for the iPhone 16 either). This situation is almost kicking tablets out of their otherwise secure job positions - smaller tablets are especially at risk, with their display sizes being now ever so close to the regular big phone.

But there are always those of us who have a preference for tablets despite owning a smartphone, and some of us will like to go for a smaller tablet to accompany our phone.

Maybe you want a separate device, such as an iPad or a tablet, that you can do schoolwork on, read, work, or watch YouTube. But at the same time, you don't want something too big, bulky or too heavy, and you don't want to do everything on your phone... if that's the case, you've come to the right place! Welcome to our selection of the best small tablets available right now.

The best small tablets in 2024, summarized list:

iPad mini 6 (2021)

Awesome performance, compact iPad
Apple iPad mini 6
9.0

Apple iPad mini 6


The Good

  • Perfect size and weight for reading and jotting down notes
  • Unrivaled performance on a small tablet
  • Punchy stereo speakers
  • USB Type-C
  • 2nd-gen Apple Pencil support

The Bad

  • Unimpressive display, wavy scrolling in portrait mode

*By the way, we're expecting Apple to announce a successor to this tablet - although that's not official yet (just rumors about an iPad mini 7 floating around), it's sort of due time for the iPad mini to get an upgrade. When (and if) it does, we'll let you know, so stay tuned!

The iPad mini from 2021 was released back in September and is currently the best small tablet from Apple you can buy right now. The iPad mini 6 sports an 8.3-inch IPS screen with good sharpness and colors making it a great middle-ground – not too big, but still bigger than your smartphone.

Sporting the powerful A15 Bionic chipset, which is a flagship-grade processor from the iPhone 13 (the flagship iPhones from 2021), the iPad mini handles any task with ease, it is fast and smooth, so you won't have any issues with productivity on it.

Another cool thing about the iPad generally is that it seamlessly syncs with your iPhone and other devices from the Apple ecosystem. It also supports Apple Pencil second generation (purchased separately) if you want to draw or just doodle when in the middle of a meeting. You can attach the Pencil magnetically and with iPadOS 15, you can quickly scribble a note with Quick Notes.

By the way, this year we expect Apple to refresh its iPad portfolio with a new iPad mini. This isn't confirmed yet (only rumors about it so far), and we don't have a date, but do keep that in mind.

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 3

A rugged small tablet with the Samsung experience
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 3

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 3


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If you don't want to get an iPad or you're not into the Apple ecosystem, worry not, as the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 3 is also one of the best small tablets on the market right now. Released in 2020, this compact tablet sports an 8-inch screen and a good processor, but the most important thing about it is that it is rugged.

This tablet is good for the outdoors, for example, if you wish to bring it on a trip in the mountain, due to its rugged design. It was build so you don't have to worry about breaking it in tough environments, so it's also great for front-line workers. It has an Exynos 9810 and 4GB of RAM, a sufficient amount of memory to do your everyday tasks on a small tablet. On top of that, it sports military-grade protection and IP68 water and dust resistance rating.

The Galaxy Tab Active 3 supports Samsung's S Pen as well.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.4 (2020)

Budget-friendly, modern-looking Samsung tablet
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.4 (2020)

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.4 (2020)


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The slim and comfortable form of the Galaxy Tab A 8.4-inch from 2020 makes it one of the best small tablets this year. If you don't need a rugged tablet, but you still want an Android-powered one, this Galaxy Tab is the best for you.

The Tab A 8.4 is an upgrade over 2019's Galaxy Tab A 8.0, it has 3GB of RAM, a more modern look with thinner bezels, and an improved 5MP selfie camera for video-conferencing. Of course, being a budget-friendly device, it doesn't come with top-notch specs of flagship phones, but it gets the job done, great for reading, browsing, watching YouTube, or writing. Unfortunately, it doesn't have an S Pen, as Samsung has decided to drop it to ensure top-notch sound with stereo speakers.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019)

Affordable, S Pen support, good battery life
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019)

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019)


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The Galaxy Tab A 8.0 is another great small tablet from Samsung, and this one supports the S Pen. Its compact size and long battery life ensure you have a great time with it while consuming media or reading. One of the great things about it is that it is a budget-friendly option that supports the S Pen, so if you really need to have a portable technical sketchbook, this one will not disappoint you.

It comes with a quad-core Snapdragon 429 processor and the modest 2GB of RAM, but for its price, it performs good enough. Another great aspect of this Galaxy Tab is its good battery life with the 5,100mAh battery cell inside.

Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus (2020)

The best small tablet for kids or elders
Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus (2020)

Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus (2020)


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The Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus is a great tablet if you're on a budget, or you want a tablet for your kid. Released in 2020, the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus sports a compact 8-inch display, an octa-core processor with 3GB of RAM onboard, and a modest camera set. The thing with this tablet is that despite it not sporting the best specs out there, it is a very affordable option and works just fine.

The Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus is perfect for social media browsing, reading, or watching Netflix, and its compact form factor ensures you are comfortable in carrying it around if you wish to do so. It comes with Amazon Alexa smart assistant support.

Small tablets still exist, and they don't seem to be going anywhere just yet


As you can see from our list of the best small tablets to buy in early 2024, there are still options (and, on top of that, quite capable options) despite smartphones almost overtaking the small tablet role. If you wish to have a separate device, other than your smartphone, for reading, browsing, or even drawing, these small tablets here are a great choice.

Despite smartphones getting bigger, the small tablet market has not closed its doors and the models above prove it. On top of that, companies refresh their product portfolio with a new small tablet every year or every two years. This means small tablets are here to stay (at least for now!). And thanks to this, there is a capable small tablet for every person that would need one and no matter if you prefer an iPad or an Android tablet.

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