Examined and reviewed by our consultants

Tablets are the proper center floor between your telephone and laptop computer, supplying you with one of the best of each worlds. Whether or not you need a light-weight machine to binge your favourite exhibits, a bigger display for cellular gaming or a transportable solution to get some work completed on the go, a pill can do all of it. They’re additionally nice for holding children entertained, managing work duties or sharing household moments by means of video calls. When a telephone feels too small and lugging round a laptop computer is simply an excessive amount of, that’s the place tablets match into the combination.

For a lot of, the Apple iPad is the go-to alternative, and it’s simple to see why with its easy efficiency and infinite app choices. However don’t fear if iOS isn’t your factor — there are many Android options on the market, providing the identical stage of flexibility with out locking you into Apple’s ecosystem. Plus, when you’re on a price range, there are extra inexpensive choices that also pack a punch. Whether or not you’re in search of a premium pill for work, a kid-friendly machine with parental controls or only a dependable on a regular basis companion, we’ve examined all the huge gamers (and lots of others) to search out one of the best tablets value your cash proper now.

Desk of contents

Greatest tablets for 2025

Apple

Display screen dimension: 11- or 13-inch 120Hz tandem OLED XDR touchscreen | CPU: Apple M4 | Storage: As much as 2TB | Battery life: As much as 10 hours | Digicam: 12MP rear, 12MP entrance

Learn our full Apple iPad Pro (M4) review

In loads of methods, the M4 iPad Pro is overkill for many. Its chip is simply as highly effective as what you possibly can presently get in a MacBook Air and it has an arguably a greater display due to an OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh fee, to not point out assist for each contact and stylus enter. It’s additionally accessible in two sizes (11 and 13 inches), so that you get some management over how transportable you want it to be. For those who actually need a pill that may substitute a laptop computer, that is pretty much as good because it will get, significantly on this aspect of the Apple vs. Android/Home windows divide.

This era of iPad can be shockingly skinny and light-weight, so it’ll principally disappear into your bag with out including a ton of heft. In the meantime, Apple’s new Magic Keyboard is sleeker than earlier than whereas additionally that includes a bigger trackpad and a really helpful row of operate keys. The one actual draw back is value, with the smaller, 11-inch mannequin beginning at $999, and the 13-inch mannequin beginning at $1,299. And that’s earlier than you think about the price of issues like further storage or equipment. However when you’ve acquired the money and need a top-of-the-line pill, it’s arduous to go flawed with the M4 iPad Professional.

Alternatively, when you respect what the iPad Professional can do however don’t wish to shell out fairly that a lot cash, the iPad Air is a extra inexpensive possibility. We contemplate it to be the best iPad for most individuals. Its display isn’t fairly as good and its M2 chip is a pair generations outdated, however all of the vital issues are there together with Apple Pencil compatibility and the flexibility to connect a Magic Keyboard (although you’ll have to make use of an older mannequin). Critically, it additionally prices practically half the worth with the 11 and 13-inch fashions beginning at $599 and $799, respectively.

Execs

Probably one of the best display I’ve ever seen
M4 chip is extraordinarily highly effective
Thinner and lighter than earlier than, making it simpler to carry
Entrance digicam is now on the panorama edge
Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Professional embrace vital new options

Cons

Prohibitively costly
Not backwards suitable with outdated equipment, and new ones are nonetheless expensive

$896 at Amazon

Photograph by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

Display screen dimension: 11-inch LCD, 12.4-inch or 14.6-inch Tremendous AMOLED | CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Storage: As much as 1TB (relying on mannequin) | Battery life: As much as 9 hours | Digicam: S9: 13MP rear, 12MP ultrawide entrance / S9+: 13MP + 8MP ultrawide rear, 12MP ultrawide entrance / S9 Extremely: 13MP + 8MP ultrawide rear, 12MP + 12MP ultrawide entrance

Learn our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra review

For those who’re in search of a flexible Samsung pill, the Galaxy Tab S9 presents three display sizes: 11, 12.4 and 14.6 inches. We solely reviewed the 14.6-inch Galaxy Tab S9 Extremely, however all three tablets have similar specs aside from display dimension and some slight variations within the digicam array. Whereas the S9 Ultra is a bit too huge to be comfy utilizing in your fingers for very lengthy, the 11- and 12.4-inch fashions are your most suitable option for an Android pill on the market, with excellent screens and an included S Pen stylus for note-taking and sketching that’s extraordinarily responsive.

Samsung bumped up each the RAM and processor on the Galaxy Tab S9 sequence. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip is greater than highly effective sufficient for every little thing I needed to do, and the 12GB of RAM is a giant bump over the 8GB on the earlier years’ tablets. These tablets are even rated IP68 for water and dirt resistance – so if you wish to take your S9 within the tub and watch a film, you don’t have to fret about destroying it if it slips into the bathtub. Add in a strong accent ecosystem with a number of completely different keyboard covers plus the Dex multitasking mode and the S9 generally is a highly effective productiveness device, too.

Really nice Android tablets are few and much between, and Google stepped again into the ring with its personal Pixel Tablet. Whereas it’s not compelling sufficient as a pill to knock the Galaxy Tab S9 out of our high spot, it may very well be an intriguing possibility for those who need a machine that can be utilized as each a pill and a sensible show. Admittedly, it shines because the latter, which makes it factor that Google contains the bottom within the $500 value. There’s additionally an $80 case you will get for the Pixel Pill, which provides a really helpful kickstand that you should use everytime you don’t wish to dock the machine however nonetheless wish to prop it up.

Execs

Lovely display
Nice audio system
Highly effective {hardware}
S Pen is extraordinarily responsive
Dex mode is a surprisingly highly effective multitasking interface

Cons

Costly
Too many Android apps aren’t designed for a giant display

$670 at Amazon

Photograph by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget

Display screen dimension: 13-inch OLED touchscreen | CPU: Snapdragon X Plus/X Elite | Storage: As much as 1TB | Battery life: As much as 14 hours | Digicam: Quad HD front-facing Floor Studio Digicam, 10MP rear digicam

Learn our full Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ review

The Surface Pro is every little thing we’ve needed the Floor pill line to be for years. It’s extremely quick and environment friendly, due to Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite and Plus chips. Its neural processing unit (NPU) additionally allows probably highly effective AI options, although the present crop received’t be helpful to everybody. We’re additionally nonetheless ready to see Microsoft’s controversial Recall function in motion, which has been delayed to deal with its many safety issues.

The brand new OLED display possibility appears to be like fantastic: It makes colours pop off the display and likewise ensures inky darkish black ranges. Coupled along with surprisingly highly effective audio system, the Floor Professional is a strong possibility for watching video on the go.

When it’s paired along with the brand new Floor Professional Flex keyboard ($350), you possibly can kind and mouse across the Floor fully wirelessly, which opens up solely new methods of utilizing it. So long as there’s a small desk close by, or someplace to prop up the pill, you possibly can work with only a skinny and light-weight keyboard in your lap. It’s additionally good to see Microsoft pack in 16GB of RAM with the bottom Floor Professional mannequin.

Whereas we’d nonetheless wish to see the corporate bundle in a keyboard and refine its kickstand, the Floor Professional stays one of the vital revolutionary PCs accessible at present. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior Reporter

Execs

Snapdragon X Elite and Plus chips are splendidly quick
Strong battery life
Glorious OLED display possibility
NPU permits for highly effective AI options
Flex keyboard makes it extra versatile
Strong AI options

Cons

All keyboards offered individually
Nonetheless arduous to make use of in your lap
Will get costly rapidly

$999 at Microsoft

Apple

Display screen dimension: 11-inch, 2360 x 1640 LED | CPU: A16 | Storage: As much as 512GB | Battery life: As much as 10 hours | Digicam: 12MP entrance, 12MP rear

Learn our full Apple iPad (A16) review

If all you need is a pill for streaming films, enjoying the occasional sport or doing mild work once in a while, the entry-level iPad (A16) might be lots. Its A16 chip isn’t as highly effective for modifying high-res movies or operating essentially the most graphically intense video games because the iPad Air, and it’s much less more likely to obtain each new iPadOS function down the street. It already lacks Apple Intelligence and the Stage Manager multitasking mode at present. However for youths and most informal iPad customers, these actually aren’t big losses.

The A16 chip is lots quick for most typical iPad Issues, whereas battery life stays strong at roughly 10 hours per cost. The aluminum body remains to be splendidly skinny, mild and durable, plus it’s accessible in a bolder set of colours than the pricier iPads. We do want the show was laminated, and the truth that it doesn’t assist one of the best Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard is annoying. However the $349 price ticket helps paper over points like these — that is your least expensive route into the iPad expertise by far. —Jeff Dunn, Senior Reporter, Shopping for Recommendation

Execs

A16 chip is lots quick for many issues folks do with iPads
Double the storage and 2GB extra RAM than earlier mannequin for a similar value
Construct high quality and battery life stay strong
iPadOS nonetheless has one of the best app library and richest function set for tablets
No Apple Intelligence

Cons

Show is due for some updates
Apple Pencil state of affairs remains to be annoying
Magic Keyboard Folio is overpriced and never ultimate on a lap
iPads with M-series chips are in all probability extra futureproof
No Apple Intelligence

$299 at Amazon

Will Lipman Pictures for Engadget

Display screen dimension: 10.1-inch 1080p show | CPU: 2.0 GHz octa-core processor | Storage: 32GB, 64Gb (expandable as much as 1TB) | Battery life: As much as 12 hours | Digicam: 2MP entrance digicam, 5MP rear digicam

For those who’re out there for a brand new pill on your youngster, the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is the simple choose, particularly for first time customers. Amazon Hearth tablets are fairly user-friendly, and the HD 10 Youngsters Professional is not any completely different. Beginning at $200, it is the most affordable pill on this listing, and in contrast to extra adult-oriented fare, it comes with an included “kid-proof” case and a two-year guarantee. Amazon says in case your child breaks the pill, the corporate will substitute it without cost.

Different helpful add-ins embrace a free one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, which unlocks greater than 20,000 video games, books and apps designed for youngsters. There’s additionally a helpful dashboard for fogeys that means that you can set deadlines, content material filters and academic objectives. And although its 3GB of RAM and 32GB of base storage aren’t a lot, its 1080p show is lots sharp and it has a microSD card slot for expandable storage. And if you’d like a barely smaller and extra inexpensive possibility, there’s the $140 Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro too.

$190 at Amazon

Necessary issues to contemplate earlier than shopping for a pill

Earlier than you begin particular gadgets, the primary factor you must do is determine what you propose to make use of your new pill for. That’s as a result of if all you want is one thing to maintain a child busy, shopping for a model new Apple iPad Air or iPad Professional doesn’t make a ton of sense. On the flip aspect, if you wish to use a pill for video modifying or drawing, you’ll must take issues like efficiency, versatility and stylus assist extra significantly — particularly when you’re contemplating utilizing it as a laptop computer substitute.

You’ll additionally wish to take into consideration stuff like how typically you propose on touring with the machine and if it’s extra for productiveness, or for much less demanding stuff like net searching or streaming exhibits. There’s additionally an vital trade-off to contemplate in the case of battery life as nicely. Bigger gadgets are inclined to have longer runtimes, although a rise in dimension might make it much less transportable.

How we check tablets

When evaluating completely different tablets, there are a couple of vital issues we search for above all else: strong efficiency, display and lengthy battery life. For efficiency, we run a handful of artificial exams like Geekbench 6, whereas additionally performing quite a few hands-on, real-world use circumstances similar to modifying pictures and enjoying video games. And with tablets typically serving as hybrid gadgets, we additionally contemplate how simple it’s to multitask and swap rapidly between varied apps. The extra responsive a tool feels, the higher.

As a result of a pill’s show is such a crucial part, we additionally view a variety of content material to gauge issues like brightness, coloration gamut and dynamic vary. It’s vital to take into consideration the distinction between varied panel sorts like OLED, which generally produce richer colours and glorious distinction however will not be as shiny as a mini LED show. Not too long ago, refresh fee has turn into an more and more vital spec as 90Hz and 120Hz screens could make scrolling smoother and graphics seem sharper in video games.

We additionally contemplate a pill’s design (together with issues like dimension, weight and water resistance), its connectivity (WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, 5G, et cetera) and particular options like stylus assist or the flexibility to function a secondary show. That’s as a result of, whereas tablets had been typically seen as content material consumption gadgets up to now, higher-end gadgets just like the Floor Professional and iPad Professional are greater than able to replacing a laptop for lots of people.

Lastly, we check battery life by operating our normal native video rundown check, which includes enjoying a single video on a loop from one hundred pc till it runs out of juice. Ideally, a pill ought to be capable of final a whole working day, however longer runtimes are at all times welcome — particularly for customers counting on them for productiveness, leisure and storage choices on the go.

Different tablets we examined

Apple iPad mini

Apple up to date the iPad mini for 2024 with some under-the-hood modifications together with a brand new processor and extra RAM to assist assist Apple Intelligence options. Whereas the iPad mini is likely one of the finest iPads you should buy, its small dimension makes it a bit area of interest. Provided that you favor your pill be the scale of an ereader do you have to contemplate this one.

Google Pixel Pill

The Google Pixel Tablet excels as a sensible show quite than a easy pill. Because the latter, it is unexciting, however when paired with its speaker/charging dock, it turns into rather more helpful. It may very well be possibility for those who already reside inside the Google ecosystem and use the Google Assistant typically, or those that like the thought of a pill that may be docked and used as a sensible show as nicely.

OnePlus Pad

The strong OnePlus Pad is let down by Android as a result of there aren’t many Android apps designed for use on a big show like this mannequin’s 11.6-inch panel. In any other case, the {hardware} is well-designed, its companion stylus is comfy to make use of and it has a wonderful battery life.

Pill FAQs

What’s the finest model for tablets?

The very best model for tablets is basically the model you’re feeling most comfy with. We advocate taking inventory of the devices you have already got — do you reside within the Apple ecosystem already? An iPad is perhaps finest for you then. Do you will have a Samsung telephone? If that’s the case, a Galaxy Tab will seemingly be essentially the most handy alternative. There isn’t any one “finest model” for tablets; you’ll discover good choices made by corporations together with Apple, Google, Samsung, Microsoft and Amazon.

Can a pill substitute a laptop computer?

It’s doable for a pill to exchange a laptop computer, however you’ll want a couple of equipment to actually make the expertise as shut as doable to that of a conventional pocket book. A keyboard is a should, be it a keyboard case or a Bluetooth accent that you simply hold with you. Some keyboard circumstances, like apple’s Magic Keyboard for the iPad, have a built-in trackpad, which might be extra ergonomic than tapping in your pill’s display for enter. Moreover, you would go one step additional and use a wi-fi mouse that connects through Bluetooth to your pill. For those who’re primarily in search of a pill to exchange your laptop computer, contemplate shopping for a 2-in-1 laptop since these techniques sometimes encompass high-powered tablets which can be designed to work nicely with (and with out) keyboards.

What dimension display do I would like?

Determining one of the best display dimension for additionally, you will be associated to the form of work (or play) you plan to do. Bigger screens make it a lot simpler to view two apps aspect by aspect, and massive screens additionally ship a extra immersive film viewing expertise — particularly when paired with an OLED show or Liquid Retina show. However on the identical time, the bigger the pill, the much less seemingly you’re going to wish to transfer it round. Meaning you’re not solely going to wish to take inventory of your workspace (i.e., if in case you have a desk or as an alternative plan to work from a sofa and even your mattress), however you’re additionally going to wish to take into consideration how the machine will match into your on a regular basis routine or commute (if in case you have one).

Pill equipment

Lastly, you’ll wish to contemplate any add-ons or equipment you’re planning to make use of, which may vary from removable keyboards to issues like exterior mics or a stylus. The excellent news is that most of the finest tablets these days provide some form of keyboard accent, which permits the machine to operate extra like a 2-in-1 as an alternative of merely being a content material consumption machine. Some tablets additionally function issues like microSD card slots that assist expandable storage, or optionally available 4G or 5G connectivity, which generally is a actual boon to frequent vacationers. And when you’re planning to make use of the pill primarily for work, you may wish to seize a USB hub for connecting all of your favourite peripherals so your gadgets don’t need to combat for the charger.