UPDATE: 06/27/2023 11:00 EST BY ROLAND UDVARLAKI
We updated the list to include the latest and the best tablets from Apple, Samsung, Google, OnePlus, Lenovo, Amazon, and Microsoft.
Tablets come in all shapes and sizes, and there’s one that fits your wallet and purpose without many sacrifices. Whether you want to consume media, study, or do some work, there’s one that’ll fit all of your needs and provide a comfortable and enjoyable experience. We have hand-picked some of our favorite devices, ranging from the cheapest to the most expensive models, featuring the ones that let you browse the web and the ones that let you create and stay on top of your impart tasks.
We also have several other guides that tell you the best iPads that money can buy, and the best Mac and MacBook computers in case you need a full-fledged keyboard and even more options. We also have several other case lists for devices such as the iPad Air 5, 10.2-inch iPad, and the iPad Pro series.
Amazon Fire 7 (2022)
Best Budget
Amazon Fire 7 (2022) comes with a 7-inch touchscreen display. It features a 30% faster quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM, which is double compared to Fire 7 (9th generation). Check out all the deals on the Fire 7 tablet down below.
- Great value
- Excellent for Amazon users
- Great battery life
- It’s not a sharp display
- Speaker isn’t great
- No Google Play Store
The Amazon Fire 7 is one of the cheapest tablets on this list. As the name suggests, the tablet comes with a 7-inch display, and it’s powered by Amazon’s own operating system, based on Android. You can download your favorite apps from the Amazon Store and watch your favorite movies on Amazon Prime Video or other streaming providers such as Netflix, Disney+, and many more.
Given it’s a tablet made by Amazon, it lets you access all of Amazon’s services, enabling you to watch movies, listen to music, read books, and listen to your favorite audiobooks. You can store photos, browse the web, and do just about anything you can think about, including the ability to play games.
The tablet has 16GB of storage and a 10-hour battery life, meaning that it should last you about a day on a single charge. The Fire 7 is ideal if you’re looking for an additional device to recharge or relax. Its 7-inch display is perfect for watching movies, reading, shopping, and browsing.
If you’re looking for alternatives for a similar price, or perhaps, slightly higher, we’d recommend you check out the Amazon Fire HD 8 or the Amazon Fire HD 10 tablets. They have 8 and 10-inch displays, respectively, and provide a similar experience with some small upgrades to the battery, storage, and displays.
iPad 9th Generation
Best Value
The iPad 9th Gen. features refreshed internals and an improved front-facing camera, making it the perfect tablet for kids or seniors in your family who just need a device to keep in touch or get school work done with just enough power for gaming.
- Affordable
- Slim, lightweight and compact design
- Powerful enough for most games & apps
The 10.2-inch iPad (9th Gen) is a fan favorite and one of the most affordable tablets in 2023. It’s powered by the Apple A13 Bionic chipset – which might seem outdated – that still holds up today. It supports the latest version of iPadOS and is fast enough to play graphics-intensive titles.
The iPad is perfect for those who want to multitask and get some light work done on the go. It’s fast, responsive, and it doesn’t break the bank. It has the classic TouchID sensor and a single rear camera, and a 12MP front-facing camera with Center Stage to help you focus during conference calls.
The iPad is great if you want a device that works well, if you wish to watch movies, read books and news, browse the web, play games, or get some shopping done. It won’t let you down and can easily last a full day on a single charge.
However, if you’re not a fan of Apple’s iPads, or perhaps you’re looking for something else, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 might be a great alternative for you. It’s cheaper, and has a 10.5-inch LCD FHD display and 32GB of storage. It’s available in three colors, and unlike the iPad, it has a USB-C port that lets you use your Android’s cable to charge it up. Samsung also offers even more multitasking features.
iPad Mini (6th generation)
Best Compact
The iPad mini (6th generation) combines the best iPad features into a compact package that’s easy to handle and extremely lightweight. It supports the 2nd generation Apple Pencil and ships with the A15 Bionic processor.
- Compact form factor
- Powerful and efficient
- Great battery life
- Support for Apple Pencil (2nd Gen)
- 60Hz display
- Slow charging
Sometimes large tablets can provide extra space and additional room for a more comfortable experience, but other times, you might need something smaller. That’s where the iPad mini comes into play. The small and compact form factor provides a great experience, with all the features you’ve expected from the larger iPads.
It has a large and responsive 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, 4GB of memory, and up to 256GB of storage. It’s powered by the Apple A15 Bionic chip, and it also supports the second-generation Apple Pencil. Additionally, the iPad mini has a USB-C port, making it even better for those who want to cut down on carrying different cables.
On the front, there’s a 12MP selfie camera, which is excellent for talking to friends, family, and conference calls, and there’s also another 12MP shooter on the back. It’s ideal for scanning documents, or snapping a few quick photos on the larger screen, although you’ll likely still rely on your smartphone for the best images. If you’re looking for a compact, one-handed tablet with all the power you’d ever need, the iPad mini might be a great alternative.
iPad 10th Generation
Best for most people
The new 10th Generation iPad features a completely new design, a bigger 10.9-inch display, a faster 14 Bionic chipset, USB-C connectivity, 5G, and much more.
- Comes with USB-C port
- Beautiful, modern design
- Great performance and battery
- Not the best value for money compared to 9th gen and iPad Air
- 64GB isn’t enough in 2023 and 256GB is too much and too expensive
- Supports the old Apple Pencil (1st Gen)
The iPad (10th Gen) is a great tablet with a beautiful display, modern and stylish design, and strong performance. It brings many improvements over the 9th Gen iPad, and while there are a few questionable design decisions, it’s an excellent tablet for most people. However, it’s worth noting that it doesn’t support the 2nd Gen Apple Pencil, and the 1st Gen Apple Pencil will require an adapter as it uses the Lightning port – and the tablet comes with USB-C.
That said, it’s a great tablet, and it’s powered by the Apple A14 Bionic chip with 4GB of RAM and 64/256GB of storage. The 64GB model, however, isn’t a great value, as the storage is too little, and the price is too high. The 256GB model can be costly, and if you’re upgrading, it might be worth considering the iPad Air (5th Gen) instead. The iPad is a great device for general users who want an additional external monitor for their Macs, and relax by consuming content on the larger display.
A great alternative would be the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, or the OnePlus Pad. The Galaxy Tab S8 starts at $699, while the OnePlus tablet retails for $479 in the US. Both devices are available at steep discounts, and offer a great browsing and gaming experience. The two tablets are great for those who want to multitask, do some light work or study, and consume content.
If you’re after a fairly cheap and versatile device, the Galaxy Tab S8 might be an ideal choice as it comes with a powerful chip, a large display, and the included S Pen input. The OnePlus Pad is great if you’re on a budget and want an Android tablet, while the iPad might be worth considering for those already in the ecosystem.
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Fire 7 Kids tablet
Best for children
The Amazon Fire 7 Kids Tablet is one of the best-selling tablets for children. It comes with a 7-inch display, rugged and plastic shell, ad-free videos, books, and 16GB of storage to store children’s apps. It’s available in three color options, and it’s great for children aged 3-7.
Pros- Great for children aged 3-7
- Sturdy and durable design
- 2-year worry-free warranty
Cons- Short battery life and storage capacity
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Fire HD 8 Kids Edition
Best for children
The Fire HD 8 Kids Edition comes with an 8-inch HD display, 32GB of storage, two different colors, or two different styles in the form of Mickey Mouse and Disney Princesses. It’s perfect for children aged 3-7, and it comes with a two-year worry-free guarantee.
Pros- Great for children aged 3-7
- Sturdy and durable design
- 2-year worry-free warranty
Giving smartphones to young children carries many risks nowadays, and parents might be better off getting their little ones started with a smart tablet. The Amazon Fire 7 and 8 HD Kids tablets are excellent value for money, and they provide plenty of parental controls and children-focused content to help them learn, and have fun.
Amazon built several applications and games for children, helping them learn numbers, play games, and use the tablet as intended. It has a hard rugged shell that doesn’t break upon impact, and Amazon includes a two-year worry-free warranty for parents to replace or repair the device if the worst happens. The screen on both tablets is decent for children, and while the battery life could be better, it’s usually more than enough for trips and to be used at home.
If you’re after an inexpensive tablet that offers strong parental controls, a rugged design, and plenty of apps for children, the Amazon Fire 7 and Fire 8 HD Kids Edition tablets might be a great choice.
Google Pixel Tablet
Best for home
The Google Pixel Tablet aims to provide the best large-screen entertainment center at home. It’s powered by the new Tensor G2 chipset, and has many smart home features built-in. It comes with a speaker dock to provide the ultimate portable home entertainment experience.
- Great and compact design
- 2-in-1: Smart Home Hub in a tablet form factor
- The speaker dock is included in the box
- Software isn’t fully optimized yet
The Google Pixel Tablet is an excellent device if you often find yourself wanting a smart home hub and a tablet. It does both, and Google optimized the software to provide an excellent experience by turning the large tablet into a smart home hub, enabling you to change your lights, and control other smart home products. Google also provides a speaker dock inside the box, allowing you to listen to music.
Generally, the Pixel Tablet will handle most things like a traditional Android tablet. It lets you use two applications side-by-side, and Google optimized several of its own applications to make the experience better, although there are still many applications that aren’t optimized. These apps will appear in a traditional 16:9 aspect ratio with thick black borders on either side. It’s not a deal breaker, as these apps will reportedly receive an update in the near future, but it’s something worth keeping in mind for now.
As for the hardware itself, the Pixel Tablet packs a large 10.95-inch IPS display with 60Hz refresh rate and is equipped with the Google Tensor G2 chipset. It has 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. There’s an 8MP main camera and an 8MP front-facing sensor. There’s a 7,020mAh battery, a fingerprint scanner, and a quad-speaker setup to improve and audio and video experience
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iPad Air (5th Generation)
Best for productivity
iPad Air 5th Gen brings the highly rated M1 processor, 5G connectivity (for cellular models), Center Stage capability, and all-new colors. It starts at $599 for the 64GB WiFi-only model, with an upgrade to 256GB of internal storage available.
Pros- Beautiful design and display
- Powerful hardware
- Great battery
Cons- Only 60Hz display
- Base storage is low at 64GB
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Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
Best for productivity
The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is the largest in the new series, and it has a better battery life, and 14.6-inch display that’s excellent for watching movies, playing games, multitasking, taking conference calls, studying, and just about anything you can think of. The Tab S8 Ultra is a true powerhouse, and it’s one of the best tablets on the market today.
Pros- Beautiful, large display
- Powerful hardware
- Support for S Pen
The iPad Air (5th Gen) is hands-down one of the best tablets on the market. It’s powered by the Apple M1 chipset, and it starts at a competitive $600 starting price. It has a large 10.9-inch Liquid Retina Display, TouchID sensor, and it supports the second-generation Apple Pencil. It has a 5G model that lets you connect to the internet from anywhere, and it’s an excellent choice for consuming media, playing games, and doing work.
The other great tablet we recommend is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. The Tab S8+ has a 12.4-inch display, while the S8 Ultra sports an even larger, 14.6-inch panel. Both devices are powered by flagship chips and have plenty of memory and storage to keep you going. They’re both excellent for productivity, and Samsung even lets you use multiple applications side by side, making great use of the large displays.
Both the iPad and Galaxy Tablets are fantastic devices, and we can only recommend them. The iPad is great if you’re already in the Apple ecosystem, as it lets you easily pair your iPhone, Mac, and AirPods. Samsung has a similar ecosystem that works nearly identically with supported Samsung devices, making great use of hardware and software optimizations.
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iPad Pro 11-inch (2022)
Best for work
Apple’s latest and greatest iPad Pro comes with the all-new powerful M2 chipset. It also supports Apple Pencil’s new hover feature. Check out all the deals on the device using the links given below.
Pros- Beautiful display
- Excellent performance
- Great battery life
Cons- Expensive device and accessories
- Slow charging
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iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2022)
Best for work
Apple’s newest 12.9-inch iPad Pro is powered by the M2 chipset, which brings improved CPU and GPU performance along with faster connectivity. It also supports the new Apple Pencil hover experience.
Pros- Beautiful display
- Excellent performance
- Great battery life
Cons- Expensive device and accessories
- Slow charging
The iPad Pro series comes in two sizes, 11-inch and 12.9-inch. Depending on your use case, you might be interested in picking the larger model, especially if you also want a secondary monitor for your Mac computer. Aside from the size differences, the two tablets share a lot of qualities, and they’re both premium tablets. The 11-inch model starts at $799, while the larger iPad retails from $1,099. Both tablets have 128GB of starting storage capacity, going all the way up to 2TB.
The iPad Pros are the most powerful tablets on the market, and with the release of Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro, they’re officially the best tablets for content creators, and those who want to do video and music-related work on-to-go. The tablets are powered by Apple’s chips, and provide plenty of power to edit videos, and images, and even offer the possibility of composing audio. While iPadOS still lacks important features, it’s the best we’ve got to this date.
If you’re looking for the best and most powerful tablets that let you do more than consume content, the iPad Pro series is a solid option, especially if you plan on taking advantage of the second-display feature, and the ability to create and edit graphics, video, and audio.
Surface Pro 9
Best Windows Tablet
Microsoft’s Surface 9 Pro comes with the SQ3 processor, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage space, 19 hours of battery life, an adjustable and built-in kickstand, and more.
- Powerful hardware
- Beautiful 120Hz display
- Great battery life
Microsoft has significantly improved its Surface lineup, and the Surface Pro 9 is the best one yet. It lets you use full-fledged Windows applications, which isn’t possible on the likes of Android and iPadOS running tablets. The Surface Pro 9 comes with a large 13-inch 2880 x 1920 display with 120Hz refresh rate, and it’s powered by the Intel 12th-generation chips. It has Intel Iris Xe graphics, up to 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD.
The Surface Pro 9 has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and the Surface Connect Port. It can attach to keyboards, and it has a 5G model that lets you browse the web, and connect to the internet wirelessly with a plan.
The Surface Pro 9 can last you all day on a single charge, depending on the type of work you’re doing, and it’s perfect for those who want the option to use a touch interface, or a laptop without many other accessories and cables. If you’re looking for a great Windows machine that lets you do everything without many limitations, the Surface Pro 9 might be a great choice.
The best tablet in 2023
There are a wide variety of different tablets on the list, ranging from the simplest and cheapest to the ones that offer everything in a single package, albeit, at a rather steep price. Whether you’re looking for a e-reader, a tablet to consume media on a larger display, or an all-in-one entertainment device, there are plenty of options to choose from.
iPad Air (5th Generation)
Best Overall
iPad Air 5th Gen brings the highly rated M1 processor, 5G connectivity (for cellular models), Center Stage capability, and all-new colors. It starts at $599 for the 64GB WiFi-only model, with an upgrade to 256GB of internal storage available.
However, if you’re looking for a tablet that ticks all the boxes, costs less than most premium tablets, you might be interested in the iPad Air (5th Gen). The iPad Air starts at $600, and it offers flagship components that let you play graphics-intensive games with a large display, modern design, and all the features you’d want from a new iPad.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
Runner-up: Best Overall
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is a fantastic option for those looking for a new Android tablet. This tablet not only delivers an outstanding media experience, but also other features to help you create anything you want. It also works as a great computing device.
It’s cheaper than most high-end tablets on this list and offers a competitive experience with few sacrifices. However, if you’re not a fan of iPadOS or Apple devices and want an Android alternative, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is the best tablet from team green. Similar to the iPad, it has a beautiful display, support for the stylus, an efficient and powerful chipset, and plenty of storage.
