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Few brands are still innovating at the high end of the tablet market, but Samsung continues to stand out with its Galaxy Tab S series. For those seeking something more budget-friendly, they offer the Tab S10 FE, and even lower-priced options like the Galaxy Tab A9+. In the midrange space, there are a lot more options, vying for your undivided attention. Google has made waves with the Pixel Tablet, offering a fresh perspective on how tablets can integrate into daily life. Meanwhile, OnePlus has joined the scene with the OnePlus Pad 2 — a well-equipped, high-performance device that clearly draws inspiration from the iPad Pro.
Still, Apple remains the dominant player in the tablet space. Its iPad lineup spans a wide range — from budget-friendly models starting at $330 to the ultra-premium iPad Pro, which can exceed $2,000 depending on configuration. With such a broad spectrum, there's truly an iPad for nearly every user and use case.
It’s a great time to be shopping for a tablet — but the sheer number of choices can be overwhelming. That’s where we come in. We've evaluated the current lineup of tablets to help you cut through the noise and choose the best option for your needs and budget.
Thunderbolt port for extremely fast transfer speeds
Good, well-balanced battery life
New Magic Keyboard and selfie camera bring it closer to laptop experience
The Bad
Expensive on its own, exorbitant when you add accessories
Speakers sound good, but suffered a slight downgrade
Apple M4 is awesome, but doesn't get to stretch its legs too much
Display11.0-inch
2420 x 1688 px
Camera12 MP Main
12 MP Selfie
Battery8160 mAh
Storage256GB
HardwareApple M4
8GB RAM
OSiPadOS 16.x
The iPad Pro models from 2024 are in a class of their own. With a brand-new Tandem OLED display system, they are bright, sharp, clear, with infinite contrast and no blooming effects like the mini-LED before that. The M4 chip skipped the Macs and debuted on the new iPads, but it's no mobile silicon — no, no, this thing is raw power in a thin aluminum wrapping. New Apple Pencil tricks await those who spring for the new Pencil Pro, and there's a new Magic Keyboard with a function row and bigger touchpad.
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Unfortunately, iPad Pros are quite expensive. And while you can grab and iPad Air M3 and enjoy plenty of those Pro features, there are two things still held hostage by the Pro line — a 120 Hz ProMotion screen and a quad-speaker setup.
With the Stage Manager feature, you can 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 Airs. With the Center Stage selfie camera, you can take those FaceTime calls and keep doing your chores while conversing with your loved ones — the camera will follow you around. With the Magic Keyboard, you can sit down and get some work done, and with the large screen — you can binge Netflix or game.
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 2022 (the M2 models), jump on that one. You won't get the new Pencil Pro features, or compatibility with the new Magic Keyboard, but all the essential Pro features will be there and accounted for. Plus years upon years of support.
120 Hz screen is still a fantastic way to experience iPadOS
Tons of power on tap
USB Type-C Thunderbolt port is super-fast and useful
The quad speakers sound great
Dependable battery endurance
The Bad
Accessories for the full experience are expensive
3rd party mice will be a bit awkward
iPadOS has made strides in multi-tasking, but UI feel is still sticky and confined
Display11.0-inch
2388 x 1688 px
Camera12 MP Main
12 MP Selfie
Battery7538 mAh
Storage128GB
HardwareApple M2
8GB RAM
OSiPadOS 16.x
The 2022 iPad Pro models have now been discontinued, meaning you will have a few months before they get cleared off the shelves. These will become deal fodder pretty fast — retailers will be looking to sell them off during events like Prime Day or Black Friday.
You will get the full power of the Apple M2 chip — it's still quite good for Macs, we are pretty sure it's overkill for iPads. No Tandem OLED, but you do get 120 Hz refresh rate and the best-sounding quad speaker stereo. And the USB C on the bottom is Thunderbolt (40 Gbps) — unlike the iPad Air, which has USB 3 speeds (10 Gbps).
So, as long as you don't mind using the slightly older Apple Pencil Gen 2 and slightly older Magic Keyboard (if you even plan on accessorizing, that is), the old iPad Pro M2 is still an excellent choice. Time your purchase correctly and you might just nab yourself a steal of a deal!
Beautiful screen, now with excellent anti-reflection coating
Very thin, but pretty durable
S Pen included in the box - very good stylus
Great audio
Can run DeX for desktop work on the tablet screen
The Bad
Big size and super-thin bezel means this is not an "on the go" work machine
Expensive accessories, the keyboard still doesn't feel quite clicky and premium
Android ecosystem doesn't have many pro apps
Display14.6-inch
2960 x 1848 px
Camera13 MP Main
12 MP Selfie
Battery11200 mAh
Storage256GB
HardwareMediatek Dimensity 9300+
12GB RAM
OSAndroid 14
Samsung updated the Galaxy Tab series silently and surprisingly a bit earlier than expected. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ instead of a new Snapdragon chip, which left the community perplexed.
None the less, it's a bit faster and more powerful than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip that was in the galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, so technically... it's an upgrade.
The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is the end-all be-all tablet from Samsung. It comes with the S Pen in the box, which is an excellent stylus, it has a gorgeous AMOLED screen, now with a very effective anti-reflective coating on it. The Book Cover Keyboard, which is sold separately, turns it into an Android-powered laptop replacer.
You don't need an external monitor, too, as the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra can run DeX mode straight on its huge screen. It transforms the UI into a desktop-like experience, with taskbars and shortcut icons, and apps opening in floating windows for multi-tasking. Pretty good for basic work or if you are in a pinch and need to stay mobile.
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.
The truth of it is that the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ can't step up to the M4 or M2 that are in the iPad Pro and iPad Air. However, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is the most powerful Android tablet, as other manufacturers aren't chasing the premium tablet segment. 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 S models hit 267 PPI).
If the Tab S10 Ultra is a bit expensive, do check out the more affordable Tab S10 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 S10+ is slightly smaller than the S10 Ultra, which means slightly more manageable. 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 S lineup, and a good choice if you are after a premium Android tablet that doesn't go too much over the top.
8.5
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+
The Good
Large and vivid AMOLED screen
Superb performance
Great battery life
Functional interface and S Pen
Cellular version available
The Bad
Bad haptic feedback
Loudspeakers could have been better
Camera is mostly average
Display12.4-inch
2800 x 1752 px
Camera13 MP Main
12 MP Selfie
Battery10090 mAh
Storage256GB
HardwareQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
12GB RAM
OSAndroid 14
One UI
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. It's the only model that wasn't updated — currently, the Tab S10 series only have the Plus and Ultra. Which means that Samsung still believes the Tab S9 is good enough to be a contemporary tablet, driving further confusion about that early Tab S10 Ultra launch.
Unfortunately, none of the modern Galaxy Tab S models have a headphone jack.
Google Pixel Tablet
3.4
Google Pixel Tablet
The Good
The Google Android tablet is back
Speaker dock is practical
Good screen quality
The Bad
No keyboard or planned "productive" tools
Overall audio quality is not impressive
Performance is solid but a tad sluggish
Display10.9-inch
2560 x 1600 px
Camera8 MP Main
8 MP Selfie
Battery7020 mAh
Storage128GB
HardwareGoogle Tensor G2
8GB RAM
OSAndroid 13
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).
OnePlus Pad 2
8.0
OnePlus Pad 2
The Good
Stylish and premium build
Bright display, 144 Hz refresh rate
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Big battery, fast charging
Reasonably priced
Great loudspeakers
Accessories (keyboard and stylus)
The Bad
Heavy
Camera is not great
LCD screen
No fingerprint scanner
Accessories sold separately
Display12.1-inch
3000 x 2120 px
Camera13 MP Main
8 MP Selfie
Battery9510 mAh
Storage128GB
HardwareQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
8GB RAM
OSAndroid 14
The OnePlus Pad is the second tablet from OnePlus and it comes straight after that iPad market. It has its own stylus, which attaches magnetically to the tablet, and a magnetical keyboard.
It's powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and has a rather spacious 12.1-inch screen. OnePlus' interface is optimized for snappy animations and gets some shortcuts and tricks to quickly get you into multitasking. It doesn't offer something as advanced as Samsung's DeX or Apple's Stage Manager for desktop work, but as far as getting the work done on a tablet, it's good enough.
The MSRP here is quite competitive, but be warned that the stylus and keyboard are both sold separately.
Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro are excellent accessories
Well-calibrated, laminated screen
The stereo speakers sound quite good
The Bad
Battery charging is on the slow side
The aforementioned accessories are quite expensive
60 Hz screen
Display11.0-inch
2360 x 1640 px
Camera12 MP Main
12 MP Selfie
Battery7606 mAh
Storage128GB
HardwareApple M3
8GB RAM
OSiPadOS 18.x
The iPad Air got an unexpected refresh in early 2025, now powered by an M3 chip. Kind of weird, it's probably that Apple just decided to free up the production lines and stop making the M2.
That said, some things remain unchanged. The iPad Air M3 still lacks a high refresh rate, sticking with a 60Hz LCD display — sharp and vibrant but not as smooth as the Pro’s OLED with the 120 Hz ProMotion refresh rate. The USB-C port is limited to USB 3 speeds (10 Gbps) rather than Thunderbolt (40 Gbps), meaning it’s fast but not the fastest, but certainly much better than the base iPad A16 with its USB 2 speeds.
It now supports a new Magic Keyboard for iPad Air, which is basically the OG Magic Keyboard for iPad from 2020, now with a function key row. The iPad Air M3 supports both the Apple Pencil USB C and Apple Pencil Pro.
The new 13-inch iPad Air is perfect for those who want a larger screen without the iPad Pro price tag. It starts at $799 for 128GB, while the 11-inch model comes in at $599 for 128GB. As always, accessories are sold separately.
And here’s the kicker: The M3 chip brings hardware-accelerated ray tracing, further closing the gap between the Air and the Pro. So remind me again—why do we even need an iPad Pro?
The iPad mini got a silent refresh with just a press release. It's now powered by an Apple A17 Pro processor inside and the main point of the update was to bring Apple Intelligence to the smallest iPad, it seems.
Smallest, but not cheapest. The iPad mini starts 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. It's there for book reading and more convenient web browsing mostly, but quick sketching, too.
If you are looking for a more affordable iPad experience, that'll come from the iPad 10th gen. However the latter was released in 2022 and is a bit old now. It definitely won't get Apple Intelligence features with its old A14 Bionic chip. Whether Apple will refresh this basic iPad is still a mystery.
Back to the iPad mini, it definitely lives up to its name — 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. It will also work with the Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil USB C.
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.
Shortly after releasing the main Galaxy Tab S9 trio, Samsung also introduced the Galaxy Tab S9 FE and Galaxy Tab S9 FE+. These have much less powerful hardware on the inside, but offer the same size and design, their own S Pens, and also have 90 Hz screens. Not as fast as 120 Hz, but noticeably more fluid than the 60 Hz of old.
It's powered by the homemade Exynos 1380 processor (slightly weaker than a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G), and starts at 6 GB RAM, 128 GB storage. So, it's not a multitasking beast, but it can run the apps you need.
The base non-plus starts at $450, often discounted to $350, and it's a pretty good deal for what you get. If you want an Android tablet that's great to draw on (the S Pen is among the best styli), it's a very easy entry point. Its 10.9" screen isn't exactly tiny, but makes sure the tablet stays on the portable side.
If you need more room for a canvas, look towards the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+:
Basically the same as the Galaxy Tab S9 FE, this model offers you more size to work with — for split screen, for web browsing or movie binging, and for drawing. You can get the Plus in a 12 GB / 256 GB spec, so it has a bit more power to work with. The processor is still not a powerhouse, but it starts at $600 and will run well enough for you to dip your toes in the Samsung Experience.
"Best tablet" can mean a lot of things and while Amazon's Fire HD 10 can't keep up with the rest of the tablets on this list when it comes to specs, it has them all beat in one department: the price.
It is affordable enough as it is, though you can shave some money off its final price if you opt into the Amazon lockscreen ad program — something you choose when buying an Amazon Fire Tablet from the website.
Amazon updated it in 2023 to keep its hardware up to par, but make no mistake — this is a low-power tablet. It has 3 GB of RAM and 32 / 64 GB of storage. Chuck it in the corner of the kitchen to have movies playing in the background or talk to Alexa, read books on it, or hand it to the kid for some light mobile gaming. It's not a powerhouse, but does basic tablet tasks for about $100. There are accessories for it, such as a keyboard and stylus, but we wouldn't go that far investing in a low-power tablet.
While the Fire HD 10 is technically an Android tablet, it's running on a heavily modified Amazon-centered software and doesn't come with Google's Play Store (there are ways to install it, if you insist). Still, Amazon's own app store offers enough variety to fit the relatively narrow focus of this tablet, so for most people this won't be an issue.
Microsoft Surface Pro 11
Microsoft updated its Surface Pro tablets with the new Surface Pro 11 — launched in June, 2024. Now with the Copilot key in the keyboards and Snapdragon X processors. It comes in various memory options, with 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB of storage. RAM options are also pretty generous, starting at 16 GB and topping off at 32 GB. It runs full Windows 11 and is the closest you can get to PC experience on any tablet — it runs Windows 11 out of the box.
Microsoft promises a full day of work from it, so the Surface Pro 11 is supposed to be your digital nomad's tool with full Windows functionality.
Its starting price is $999 for Snapdragon X Plus and LCD screen. If you want a Snapdragon X Elite and OLED, the starting price jumps to $1,499.
No headphone jack, though. Yes, other tablets in this list suffer from this, too, but it's disappointing to see this "laptop-like tablet" also remove it.
Microsoft Surface Pro 9
Microsoft Surface Pro 9
$309 off (28%)
Last generation Surface Pro, powered by Intel EVO i5. Comes with Windows 11 and Copilot, supports Microsoft Pen and Type Cover keyboard.
The Surface Pro 9 served proudly as Microsoft's top-tier tablet for a year and a half. Now, it's being kept around as a slightly cheaper option. That doesn't make it bad — 18 months is barely enough for modern hardware to feel "aged". So, you might as well just go for a Surface 9!
The downside is that its specs options are sporadically available across different websites. The upside is that it's often discounted further over at Amazon and Best Buy!
It also comes loaded with Windows 11, supports the Surface Pen and Surface Pro Type Cover keyboard.
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 2025, 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.
Preslav, a member of the PhoneArena team since 2014, is a mobile technology enthusiast with a penchant for integrating tech into his hobbies and work. Whether it's writing articles on an iPad Pro, recording band rehearsals with multiple phones, or exploring the potential of mobile gaming through services like GeForce Now and Steam Link, Preslav's approach is hands-on and innovative. His balanced perspective allows him to appreciate both Android and iOS ecosystems, focusing on performance, camera quality, and user experience over brand loyalty.
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