Buying guide for best tablets
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Every year, new tablets arrive on the market, getting bigger, faster and more powerful. But the best tablets aren’t necessarily the ones with the most powerful specs or biggest sizes. Instead, the best tablets are the ones that are the best at the jobs they’re intended for, whether that’s high-end movie production or everyday couch browsing.
The BestReviews Testing Lab recently examined several tablets at different price points, from low-cost, kid-friendly models to high-end, high-priced powerhouses. The tablet testing team, myself included, looked at each tablet’s setup, display, OS, processor, performance and battery life, as well as noting any rough edges or drawbacks we encountered.
Our top pick is the 2024 Apple iPad Pro 13-inch with the M4 processor, the most impressive tablet we’ve yet come across. Still, different people need different things from their tablets, and we’re confident one of our picks will be right for you.
Which tablet is best?
Apple iPad Pro 13-inch with M4
Best of the Best
Operating system: iPadOS | Screen Type: OLED | Screen Size: 2752 x 2064 pixels | Dimensions & Weight: 11.09” L x 8.48” W x 0.2” D, 1.28 lb | Storage: 256GB to 2TB | Battery Life: 10 hr
The 13-inch Apple iPad Pro with the M4 processor is almost ridiculously powerful. It’s not just the fastest and most powerful tablet we tested, but one of the fastest and most powerful computing devices, including desktops and laptops, that I personally have ever encountered – with a price tag to match.
In the testing I conducted, I couldn’t find anything that could faze the iPad Pro: not gaming, not graphics or video editing, not music creation or all the browser tabs I could open.
Its OLED screen was also the most dazzling display I’d ever seen, not just on a tablet but on anything smaller than a TV, with an adaptive refresh rate as high as 120 Hz for silky-smooth response. It’s also thinner than the iPad Air.
Its rear camera boasts ProRes (4K video at 30 fps) capability, while its front camera offers 12 MP quality that could power a professional vlog. In fact, its power, storage, four-way speakers, high-grade microphones and camera capabilities make the iPad Pro an all-in-one media workstation in a tablet form.
It’s more expensive than even some Apple laptops, and it doesn’t come with a stylus, case or keyboard, but for creative and media professionals, the Apple iPad Pro with M4 processor, which scored a 5 out of 5 in our testing, is the top tablet around.
Amazon Fire Max 11
Best bang for the buck
Operating system: FireOS | Screen Type: LCD | Screen Size: 2000 x 1200 pixels | Dimensions & Weight: 10.2” L x 6.44” W x 0.3” D, 1.08 lb | Storage: 64 or 128GB plus microSD slot | Battery Life: 14 hr
The Amazon Fire Max 11 is one of the most budget-friendly big tablets on the market. According to BestReviews tester Hannah Suh, it was powerful and versatile, with a vivid screen and solid performance, as long as you were prepared for the limitations of FireOS.
The Max 11 is the top tablet in Amazon’s Fire lineup, with an 8-core ARM-based processor running at 2.2 GHz and 4GB of memory, specs comparable to competitors like the iPad or Galaxy Tab.
It has an estimated 14-hour battery life, one of the longest among our picks, and didn’t seem to lose much charge in between usage sessions during testing. She noted that its 11-inch screen was a treat as well — bright, vivid and sharp with “stunning clarity.”
Our tester also liked that the Max 11 looks and feels like a premium tablet, although she elected to get a case to give it more grip.
As befits an Amazon product, the Max 11 excels at Prime Video and Kindle. All in all, for less than the price of entry-level competitors, the big and capable Fire Max 11, which received a score of 4 out of 5, is an excellent value.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+
Best Android tablet
Operating system: Android | Screen Type: AMOLED | Screen Size: 2960 x 1848 pixels | Dimensions & Weight: 11.24” L x 7.3” W x 0.22” D, 1.6 lb | Storage: 256GB plus microSD slot | Battery Life: 10 hr
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ is a laptop-replacement tablet with the sharpest screen, as measured by pixel density, of all the models we’ve picked. It’s got the expected pluses and minuses of a Samsung Android device, but it can’t be faulted for its top-notch screen, excellent speakers and fantastic S-Pen.
The big, bright AMOLED screen shines when it comes to responsiveness and video playback and offers plenty of space for multitasking.
Its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 processor gives it laptop-replacement performance, and I experienced no lags, jitter or hangs when I tested it with games and productivity software.
It also comes with Samsung’s S-Pen, whose soft tip and deep integration with Samsung’s OneUI make it one of the more useful stylus features I’ve used. Dual front and rear cameras offer up to 13 MP of picture resolution.
Getting a Samsung device means having to deal with Samsung’s versions of apps that already come with Android, but the interoperability between Samsung devices is a worthwhile advantage to keeping things consistent. It’s not a low-cost tablet, but as a laptop replacement, the Galaxy Tab S9+, which received a score of 4.5 out of 5, has few rivals.
Amazon Fire 10 HD
Budget-friendly
Operating system: FireOS | Screen Type: LCD | Screen Size: 1920 x 1200 pixels | Dimensions & Weight: 9.69” L x 6.49” W x 0.34” D, 0.95 lb | Storage: 32 or 64GB plus microSD slot | Battery Life: 13 hr
The Amazon Fire 10 HD occupies a sweet spot in the retail giant’s tablet lineup, offering a screen that is spacious enough for enjoyment while retaining the affordability and approachability that the Fire line offers. It’s a solid midsize device for an entertainment-focused tablet.
The Fire 10 HD runs on an eight-core ARM processor clocked at 2.0 GHz. While it only comes with 3GB of memory, our tester experienced no lags or buffering, with webpages loading quickly and video streaming without incident.
The 10-inch, 1080p (FHD) screen was bright and vibrant with bright whites and deep blacks during our testing.
Battery life expectancy is 13 hours, and it lasted over a week on a single charge when used for a couple of hours a day in our testing period. Our tester appreciated its size and form factor above all, noting that it was perfect for use as an e-reader or for watching videos.
We also note that it still comes with a physical headphone jack. Overall, the Fire 10 HD is a good low-cost tablet for reading, viewing and browsing, earning it a score of 3.5 out of 5.
Apple iPad (10th Generation)
Customer Favorite
Operating system: iPadOS | Screen Type: LCD | Screen Size: 2360 x 1640 pixels | Dimensions & Weight: 9.79” L x 7.07” W x 0.28” D, 1.05 lb | Storage: 64 or 256GB | Battery Life: 10 hr
The venerable Apple iPad is the tablet that jumpstarted the category. Now in its 10th generation, it’s still a capable all-around tablet for most people who don’t need or expect to replace their main machines.
Last updated in 2023, the 10th-generation iPad has adopted the curvy corners and USB-C port of the rest of the iPad line, and that port makes it able to connect to expansion docks or flash drives seamlessly.
Its screen isn’t laminated, like that of the iPad Air, but in practical terms, you wouldn’t notice unless you were looking for a difference. It does lack an anti-glare coating, though, which made it harder to read in sunlight in my testing.
The 10th-generation iPad runs on an Apple A14 processor that still runs most apps and videos smoothly, although hard use can cause it to slow down and put background apps to sleep more than faster iPads.
It comes in four bright colors that might especially appeal to younger users, and remains a convenient and capable device for browsing, video watching and general use. In general, the tenth-generation iPad, which received a score of 4 out of 5, remains a solid choice as an everyday tablet.
Apple iPad Air 11-inch with M2
Feature-packed
Operating system: iPadOS | Screen Type: LCD | Screen Size: 2360 x 1640 pixels | Dimensions & Weight: 9.74” L x 7.02” W x 0.24” D, 1.02 lb | Storage: 128GB to 1TB | Battery Life: 10 hr
The Apple iPad Air line would be considered flagship devices if not for the Pro line. A lot of that comes down to the M2 processor that powers both the 11-inch and 13-inch models. With the M2, the iPad Air is essentially as powerful as Apple’s MacBook Air laptops.
The screen on the iPad Air is one of the best LCDs I’ve seen and could be mistaken for an OLED with its high contrast and detail. It’s a laminated screen, which, for practical purposes, meant that I felt the interface more responsive and “closer” to my finger when I touched it.
The M2 processor never struggled with anything I threw at it, including Call of Duty Mobile and Apple’s own iMovie and GarageBand media creation apps. I also used the iPad Air on a trip and, despite its thinness, it came through without a scratch.
I obtained 10 and a half hours of battery life from the iPad Air when using it as a primary device. For productivity, it’s a worthwhile laptop replacement, although ideally, you’d need an external keyboard. Overall, the iPad Air with M2, which received a near-perfect score of 4.5 out of 5, is almost an iPad Pro at a more reasonable price.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+
Simple yet Solid
Operating system: Android | Screen Type: LCD | Screen Size: 1920 x 1200 pixels | Dimensions & Weight: 10.1” L x 6.6” W x 0.27” D, 1.06 lb | Storage: 256GB plus microSD slot | Battery Life: 8 hr
When I unboxed the Galaxy Tab A9+ I was prepared to be unimpressed. It’s one of the lower-cost models in Samsung’s tablet lineup, with specs that, to me, looked mediocre. I changed my tune, however, after testing. It’s not the greatest or fastest out there, but for its price and size, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ is a solid little tablet.
At first glance, the LCD screen looked unappealing, but its 90-hertz refresh rate made it smooth and pleasant to scroll, even when its processor appeared to struggle. It ran Call of Duty Mobile at enjoyable speeds, albeit without the most detailed graphics, and I had no issues with watching HD video from Netflix or Hulu.
I was also impressed with the camera, not because of any great specs but because of abilities like portrait mode and panorama I didn’t expect from an entry-level device.
The A9+ had about eight hours of battery life but took longer to charge than other tablets I tested, and I could tell when its processor and memory were struggling with browser windows. But if you’re in need of a secondary device or a tablet for kids (there’s a kids edition with colorful cases), it’s a solid buy. I give it a score of 3.5 out of 5.
How we tested the best tablets
In building this buying guide, we relied primarily on our own hands-on experience with the models we’ve picked, putting them through a series of tests to establish their effectiveness in real-world usage.
- Setup: we noted the packaging and what was included with the tablet, then timed how long it took to set up the tablet and how easy or difficult it was.
- Design: We evaluated each tablet’s size, shape, thinness and weight, noting how comfortable they were to hold, what positions they worked best in, and if we felt they needed stands, keyboards or other accessories. We also noted their portability and convenience on the go.
- Display: We used measuring apps to get an idea of the color accuracy and brightness of the tablet displays and measured the brightness and dimness of the displays in a normal room, in direct sunlight and in a darkened room. We played graphics-intensive video games and 4K HDR video when possible to get a sense of the sharpness, accuracy and performance of the screens. We also noted how easy it was to clean the screens and how they looked with fingerprints or at angles.
- Battery Life: We timed how long it took to fully drain the battery on each tested tablet, starting from 100% capacity, with mixed usage, including web browsing, watching videos, short gaming sessions, video conferencing and productivity. When possible, we repeated the test with only video playback. We also timed how long it took to recharge each tablet from empty to full.
- Camera and speakers: We took photos and video using front and rear cameras in different lighting conditions. We also listened to varied media, including music, video and podcasts, to test speaker quality at different volumes.
- Apps and OS: We used each tablet for a wide variety of activities, from web browsing and watching videos to performance-pushing apps like games and video editing. We noted the speed of each tablet’s system, the ease of use of their OSes, the availability of popular apps and the overall usefulness of each tablet for productivity, gaming, entertainment and other activities.
Display quality
A tablet is basically all display. It’s what you look at and what you interact with, so a great display goes a long way to making a great tablet.
Display type
Tablet displays are typically either LCD or OLED screens. LCD screens have come a long way from their beginnings, with the best ones, such as the LED-backlit “Super Retina” displays on Apple’s iPad and iPad Air, offering outstandingly sharp and vivid images. OLED screens, however, are widely recognized as the best you can get, with each pixel being individually illuminated for true blacks, infinite contrast, accurate color and fast response times. OLEDs are more expensive, though, and the difference, while real, may not be significant enough for average users.
Our top picks: Display type
- The 13-inch Apple iPad Pro with M4’s OLED screen was astounding in person, surpassing any other display I’d ever seen on a portable device, including laptops and smartphones.
- The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+’s AMOLED display offered excellent sharpness, detail and color accuracy during testing.
- The Apple iPad Air with M2’s Super Retina LED-lit LCD display looked almost like an OLED to me when I tested the 13-inch model and felt responsive thanks to its fully laminated screen.
Screen size
Screen size can be a tradeoff when it comes to tablets. A bigger screen lets you sink into whatever you’re looking at, especially movies, TV shows or games. It also gives you more space to work with for productivity or creativity. But a bigger screen means a bigger tablet, which can be more difficult to hold up. Small tablets are easy to hold and are ideal for reading in bed, and can slip into a bag or backpack but can be less optimal for productivity.
Our top picks: Screen size
- The 13-inch Apple iPad Pro with M4 has the biggest screen among our picks, with plenty of space for media creation, side-by-side windows and multitasking.
- The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ boasts a 12-inch screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio that makes it particularly immersive when watching movies and TV shows in landscape orientation.
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The Amazon Fire 11 HD offers a roomy 11-inch screen with a video-friendly 5:3 aspect ratio.
Resolution
Resolution refers to how many pixels are on a given screen. As a rule of thumb, the higher the resolution, the sharper the images. There are several ways that tablets give their resolution, such as VGA, SVGA, UXGA, UHD and more, or pixel density (in ppi or pixels per inch). Note that it’s possible to have a small screen but a high resolution and vice versa.
Our top picks: Resolution
- The 13-inch Apple iPad Pro with M4 tops this category with 2752 by 2064 pixels and a density of 264 ppi.
- The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ is a close second with a resolution of 2800 by 1752 pixels and a leading pixel density of 266 ppi.
- The Amazon Fire Max 11 has an impressive 2000 by 1200 resolution we found noticeably sharp with an excellent 213 ppi pixel density.
Operating systems
Most tablets run one of four operating systems. Apple iPads run iPadOS, Microsoft Surface tablets run Windows and almost every other tablet runs either ChromeOS or a variety of Android, often with special user interfaces that differ by brand.
iPadOS
iPadOS is the operating system used by Apple’s iPads. It was spun off of iOS, Apple’s mobile operating system for iPhones, in 2019 to include features and optimizations for the bigger screens and hardware on iPads. Most notably, iPadOS supports multitasking, including multiple windows on iPad models with the right hardware. iPadOS is known for its smooth operation, consistent interface and wide variety of apps.
Android
Google’s Android, the world’s most popular mobile operating system, offers more customization and freedom than iPadOS. Many brands offer customized user interfaces or skins on top of Android to differentiate their products. Samsung tablets use OneUI on top of Android and have special features that work only with other Samsung devices.
Windows
Windows on tablets is found on Microsoft’s own Surface tablet PCs and on convertible devices. When Surface tablets were first introduced, they used a special version of Windows called Windows RT, but Windows tablets now run the same Windows 10 or 11 as other PCs do. However, some desktop or laptop Windows applications may not work with Windows in tablet mode.
ChromeOS
ChromeOS, also from Google and based on its Chrome browser, can be found as the OS of many two-in-one convertible Chromebooks.
Our top picks: Operating systems
- The 13-inch Apple iPad Pro with M4 has the most screen area and processor power to take full advantage of iPadOS, including Stage Manager multitasking.
- The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ takes full advantage of Samsung’s DeX mode, which transforms the tablet into a desktop-like experience.
- The Amazon Fire Max 11 runs FireOS, Amazon’s flavor of Android that’s optimized to offer Amazon’s Prime Video service, Kindle ebooks and Alexa voice assistant.
Performance
A tablet, like other computing devices, relies on its processor, memory and storage to perform. The faster the processor, the more memory, and the more storage, the more powerful the tablet.
Processor
In general, the faster the processor, the better the experience. A fast processor doesn’t just make video and games enjoyable but also app opening, scrolling, photography and even typing smooth and enjoyable, while a slow processor can make just swiping through your app library a pain. You can tell a fast processor by its clock rate (in GHz), number of cores (four to eight is typical) and any discrete graphics cores (typically present).
The fastest tablet processors are Apple’s M-series and A-series chips and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors. Other processors include Samsung’s Exynos chips and processors from MediaTek. Microsoft Surface tablets use Intel chips.
Memory
Memory lets more apps stay open at once and allows for more complex apps to run, like drawing and painting software, photo and video editing apps, and intensive games. We’d say 4GB of memory is a good amount for a tablet to perform well. Most tablets have their memory integrated with their processors and can’t be upgraded.
Storage
A tablet needs storage for its apps and documents, even if you keep your documents in the cloud and stream music or video. The more storage you have, the more apps you can download, and when you don’t have a fast internet connection, you can rely on documents, videos and music stored on your tablet. Consider 32GB as a minimum for tablet storage. Many Android tablets let you use a MicroSD card to expand your storage beyond what’s built-in, while Apple iPads don’t.
Connectivity
Tablets connect to the Internet for setup, web browsing, streaming, installing apps and downloading books and other content. They also need to connect to accessories either wirelessly or via ports.
Wi-Fi
All tablets should have Wi-Fi. This lets you use them anywhere in your home or office, and anywhere there’s an accessible Wi-Fi network. A good tablet should be able to connect to both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi channels, and the best tablets support Wi-Fi 6 or later for the fastest and most efficient connections.
Cellular
A tablet with a cellular radio lets you connect to the Internet even when there’s no Wi-Fi network around. Most tablets with cellular connectivity support 4G, 4G LTE and even 5G speeds, but you have to pay extra for a data plan. Using the cellular connection also uses up more battery power; battery life can shorten by an hour in general on cellular versus Wi-Fi.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth lets tablets connect wirelessly to other electronics and accessories. Bluetooth can help a tablet connect to a game controller, a mouse or an external keyboard, or interface with a TV, headphones or wireless speakers. Look for tablets that support Bluetooth 5.0 and later for the best performance.
Ports
Tablets don’t have as many ports as laptops do. Apple iPads are notorious for having a single port, although their current USB-C ports can connect to a wider variety of devices and docks than their old Lightning ports. Android and Windows tablets may have one or two USB-C ports, while older devices may have micro-USB ports for charging. Non-Apple tablets also usually have a slot for MicroSD cards that act as expanded storage. It’s rare to find a tablet with a headphone jack, although some still do, such as the Amazon Fire 10 HD.
Cameras and audio
Tablets use cameras for video calls as well as taking photos and videos. The best tablets also offer stereo sound (or better) for watching shows, listening to music, calls and gaming.
Front and rear cameras
Tablets generally come with both a front-facing and rear-facing camera. The rear camera is used like those on smartphones to take photos or shoot video, while the front camera is used like those on laptops for taking video of yourself or holding a video chat or Zoom call.
There are a lot of factors that go into camera quality, like sensor size, focal length and computational processing, but a quick way is to look at the megapixels a camera can take. A minimum to consider would be 4 MP for the front camera and 8 MP for the rear.
Our top picks: Camera quality
- The 13-inch Apple iPad Pro with M4 offers 12 MP front and back cameras, but the front camera in particular offered interesting portrait and depth effects I found fun and useful, while the rear camera boasts “ProRes” 4K/30fps video recording.
- The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ is also capable of 4K/30fps video from its dual 8 MP ultrawide and 13 MP wide rear cameras plus 12 MP wide and ultrawide front cameras.
- The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE gave me sharp, detailed photographs I particularly appreciated in comparison with other tested tablets.
Speakers
Speakers on tablets range from the minimal to the impressive, especially considering the restrictions of thinness. Some top tablets offer four or more speakers arranged around the edge of the display for three-dimensional or surround audio effects.
Our top picks: Speakers
- I found the audio from the four speakers of the 13-inch Apple iPad Pro with M4 to be immersive and spacious even for music listening, especially if placed in landscape orientation on a stand.
- The same could be said of the four speakers, tuned by Samsung’s famed AKG subsidiary, on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+, with surprising performance despite the thinness of the tablet.
- Our tester liked the loudness and quality of the Amazon Fire Max 11’s audio while video chatting or watching content in outdoor environments, especially for the price.
Other considerations
Convertible design
Two-in-one laptops, also called convertible laptops, are computers that can transform from a laptop computer with keyboard to a touch-screen tablet. These are versatile machines for business and students, with the usability of a physical keyboard and plenty of ports, but are thicker and heavier than tablets.
Kid-friendliness
Tablets made for kids usually have brighter colors, more rounded corners and edges, and are made of lower-cost, more durable components. Some models are not much more than glorified toys, however, and are best suited for small children. Older kids would probably be better off with a lower-cost tablet that offers full functionality (with parental controls).
Stylus and keyboards
A good stylus allows you to draw, paint, sketch, handwrite and interact with tablet apps more precisely than you can with your fingers. Some tablets, notably Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S-series, come with a stylus, while others, such as the Apple iPad or many Microsoft Surface tablets, need to have a stylus purchased separately.
A physical keyboard is a huge improvement over the on-screen keyboard of any tablet. If you want to do any serious productivity on your tablet, you should look for a physical keyboard to go with it. Some tablets have cases that integrate keyboards, but all tablets with Bluetooth should be able to connect to any wireless keyboard, and keyboards with USB-C cables can also be plugged into tablets with a USB-C port.
Multitasking
Tablets used to focus literally on one app at a time, and most of them still do. They can have multiple apps active at once, but you can interact with only the one taking up the screen. Multitasking in tablets lets you interact with multiple apps at the same time.
Personally, I’ve found that tablets with dedicated multiple-window modes, like Samsung’s DeX or Apple’s Stage Manager, are better at productivity, such as writing documents while researching in a browser and viewing a video, than doing the same activities in apps that occupy the whole screen. An external keyboard and pointing device like a mouse or trackpad also greatly help with multitasking and can turn a powerful tablet into a laptop replacement.
Tablet tips
- Get a case or stand. We found in our testing that tablets, especially larger ones, can be hard to hold up over long periods of time, and laying them flat can make your neck hurt. A stand lifts them off your table or lap and gives better access to their front camera and speakers.
- Think about how much memory and storage you need before you buy. Tablet memory isn’t usually upgradeable, and some tablets, like Apple iPads, don’t make it possible to upgrade storage. Get the maximum of each your budget allows.
- People don’t upgrade their tablets often. Compared to smartphones, people replace their tablets less frequently. The best reason to replace an undamaged tablet is if it’s no longer capable of running the latest version of its operating system.
FAQ
Q. How long do tablet batteries usually last?
A. The best tablets offer around 10 hours on a single charge. How long you can use the tablet before needing to recharge depends on what you’re doing. In standby mode, most tablets can last a few days. Streaming content runs the battery down fairly quickly. Multitasking for work is likely to draw the most energy.
Q. Should I buy a screen protector for my tablet?
A. In the early days of tablets, screens were prone to scratches, which made screen protectors vital. Since then, the glass used in tablet screens has gotten stronger and more scratch-resistant, although it's definitely not scratch-proof.
With some basic precautions and the right case, your screen will likely only face minimal scratches. If you’ll be frequently traveling with your tablet, though, you may want to invest in some extra protection.
Q. Can I send text messages from a tablet?
A. Tablets can be great for sending messages, but it depends on the type of message. Standard text messages (SMS) typically require a cellular data connection, which most tablets don't have. However, many popular messaging apps like WhatsApp and Apple Messages send messages over the internet (like Wi-Fi) and work perfectly on tablets. So, you can chat with friends and family through these apps on your tablet, but sending traditional SMS messages might be limited.
Our expertise
Jmar Gambol has been writing for BestReviews since 2021. He personally tested six tablets for this buying guide and uses a tablet in daily life, mostly as a secondary device. His first tablet was either the original iPad, the HP PalmPilot or, depending on your definition, the Fisher-Price Speak ‘n’ Spell.
Tech reporter Charlie Fripp also contributed reporting to this story. He has focused on reviewing all kinds of tablets, from the smallest to the fastest and the most secure. He’s held, poked, prodded, touched and pushed buttons on tablets and mobile phones for the last 20 years and has pretty much seen it all.
