On the lookout for the best tablet on the market right now? Well we’re here to help with this handy guide covering everything from budget tablets for kids all the way to to powerful tablets that have specs to rival flagship laptops.
The best tablets serve as a great midway point between laptops and smartphones, offering the power and larger screen size of the former with the portability of the latter. This hybrid approach has led to immense popularity of tablets, most notably the iPad range from Apple which is as synonymous with the word tablet as Nintendo is with video games consoles.
Apple isn’t the only game in town though, and other tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon and Samsung all offer a range of tablets to suit just about every audience. The most expensive of these devices offer high resolution screens, powerful hardware and premium build quality, but they come with a hefty price tag attached.
For more budget conscious users, there are cheap tablets available from most of the big names, such as Amazon’s Fire tablets which are perfect for casual users and kids. And then in the middle sit things like the standard iPad, which can be picked up for around $350 and makes an excellent first tablet. There are also dedicated e-readers for the book lovers among you. These specialized tablets, like the Amazon Kindle series, use E Ink screens to simulate book pages but can’t be used to watch videos or browse the web.
Operating system is another thing to think about. If you’re all aboard the Apple ecosystem and already own an iPhone, then an Apple iPad would be the best tablet for you. But if you prefer Windows or Android devices, we’d recommend checking out what Microsoft, Amazon and Samsung have to offer.
1. iPad Pro: Best tablet overall
It was almost inevitable that an iPad would top our best tablets list when you consider how synonymous with tablets the Apple tablet range has become, but we’re as surprised as you to see the iPad Pro beat out it’s smaller cousin. While previous models have struggled to find an identity, this iPad Pro 2018 has finally figured out what it is - the best tablet in the world.
A combination of powerful hardware led by Apple’s A12X Bionic chip and the usual stunning design and build quality of the iPad Pro put it ahead of the crowd. Available with either an 11” or 12.9” screen, both offer excellent visual quality. Combine that with the iPad Pro’s best-in-class speakers and you have the perfect little Netflix or Disney Plus watching machine.
As with all Apple products, it’s still mighty expensive though. A top-end iPad Pro will set you back $999, which will buy you a decent mid-range laptop or even a 2-in-1. Still, if you can afford the entry cost, this is the best tablet in 2020.
- Read our iPad Pro review.
2. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6: Best Android tablet
Nipping right at Apple's heels, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 takes our second place spot. It's not quite as good as the iPad Pro is our humble opinion, but this is easily the best Android tablet available now.
Unsurprisingly, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 has a lot in common with its main rival. It has excellent performance thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor and generous 6 to 8 GB of RAM. With 128 GB and 256 GB storage options available, it has plenty of room for storing photos, movies, and games too.
The screen is a thing of beauty too, with an impressive 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution which makes it ideal for watching movies on. The battery life is excellent too, with around 14 hours of usage being quoted. Obviously, it depends what you're doing, but that's still good numbers.
But while it isn't quite iPad pro levels of expensive, it's not cheap either with price starting at $549. Is it worth it? We think so.
- Read our Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 review.
3. iPad 2019: Best budget tablet
The iPad 2019 is the latest revision of the classic iPad, which was undoubtedly the device that kicked off the trend and sent tablet popularity into the stratosphere. But how does it stack up against the new kids on the block? Very well, we're happy to report.
This is the seventh-generation of the iPad, and Apple have become exceedingly good at making them by now. Powered by the A10 Fusion chip and 3 GB of RAM, the iPad 2019 offers excellent performance for it's price range and can easily handle multiple tabs or programs running at once without freezing up. The 10.2-inch Retina display screen looks great too, so it's perfect for watching a bit of TV or a movie on Netflix.
It also comes with an impressive 10-hour battery life, so it should last you all day without needing to be charged unless you're really pushing it. The camera is a bit average, but that's to be expected on a budget model. And with prices starting at just $329, this really is a budget model that offers exceptional value for money.
- Read our iPad 2019 review.
4. Microsoft Surface Pro 7: Best Premium Tablet
Microsoft’s Surface brand has been known for its innovation, so it’s a shame to say that the Surface Pro 7 is nothing more than an incremental upgrade on the previous model. Fortunately though, it’s still a great tablet in its own right, even if it isn’t the groundbreaking step forward that we were hoping for.
With price starting at $799 and climbing up to over $2000, the Surface Pro 7 isn’t cheap but you get a lot of bang for your buck with powerful hardware configurations and impressive build quality. The screen sits in limbo somewhere between QHD and full 4K resolution, but that’s more than good enough for a tablet of this size.
The battery life is the only real disappointment, as tests from numerous outlets and user reviews have shown that it just doesn’t live up to the 10.5 hours of use Microsoft claims it can manage. That and the conspicuous lack of a Thunderbolt port mean stop this otherwise excellent, if somewhat safe, tablet from climbing higher in our rankings.
- Read our Microsoft Surface Pro 7 review.
5. Kindle Oasis: Best e-Reader
The Kindle Oasis is one for the bibliophiles out there, the book lovers who don't care about watching Amazon Prime Video or listening to Spotify. They want to read books all day, every day. If that sounds like you, the you're in for a treat.
Unlike most tablets which use a standard LCD or OLED screen, the Kindle Oasis uses Amazon's patented E Ink display to simulate the appearance of words written on paper. This means less glare and eye-strain for you when you're reading your favorite books. The Kindle Oasis also has another unique design feature - a bump on the rear of the tablet that makes it easier to grip and hold for long periods of time. This is a bit of a "love it or hate it" addition though, so we'd recommend trying one out before buying if you're unsure.
Considering that it's just an e-reader and doesn't offer the same flexibility as a regular tablet, the Kindle Oasis is mighty expensive though, with price staring at $250. As a result, this is a specialist product, but it's excellent at what it does.
- Read our Kindle Oasis (2019 model) review
6. Amazon Fire HD 10: Best cheap Android tablet
Alongside their revolutionary Kindle lineup, Amazon also has a great range of budget tablets headed up by the Amazon Fire HD 10. The 2019 revision of this cheap-and-cheerful tablet didn’t bring any sweeping changes to the formula, but it still remains the best budget Android tablet option out there.
Considering the entry price starts at only $150, you get a surprisingly decent bit of kit with the Amazon Fire HD 10. The screen is a 10" full HD panel which is great for watching movies or playing games on and while the 2GHz octa-core processor and 2 GB of RAM aren’t going to shatter your mind, they’re good enough for basic browsing, video streaming and a bit of light gaming.
As part of Amazon’s ecosystem though, the Amazon Fire HD 10 is constantly pestering you to sign up to its services with lockscreen ads unless you pay extra. It’s a decent budget option though and we think it’s a perfect tablet for entertaining the kids without breaking the bank.
- Read our Amazon Fire HD 10 review