Looking to buy a tablet? The right tablet for you should fit the way you browse the web, watch shows, get work done and travel — and then go a step beyond. The best tablets today can be bargain devices for binge-watching shows and powerhouses for getting work done on the go, and this guide will help you find the tablet that suits you.
Whether you want a versatile iPad, a straightforward Android tablet, a mini-machine made for gaming or a focused device for note-taking, the best choice depends on the apps, accessories and screen size you will make the most of. We here at Tom's Guide have been reviewing tablets since Apple's first iPad, with years of hands-on testing to find out what makes a good tablet.
Right now, we recommend the iPad Air M4 as the best tablet for most, with its amazing performance and lightweight, portable design. But if you prefer Android, you'll want to check out the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 or massive Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra.
There's more tablet to come, as we're expecting an all-new OLED iPad mini and an entry-level iPad soon. In the meantime, you'll find our expert advice on the best tablets worth buying today right here.
Over six years ago, I was happily writing up articles and reviews on my iPad Air with a Magic Keyboard to build my career in tech, and my passion for tablets has stuck. These have always been my trusty digital companions for working while travelling or simply catching up with shows on long-haul flights, and the power these slates pack these days is outstanding. So, with my team of tablet experts, I'm here to help you find a tablet that suits your needs with our top recommendations.
The best tablets you can buy right now
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The best tablet overall
Was it really a surprise? The iPad Air M4 now takes the top spot as the best tablet for most, even if the only real upgrades here are improved performance, 12GB RAM and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity. But the real win here is that it's all for the same price as its M3 predecessor.
It brings over everything we adored about Apple's previous Air tablets, from its gorgeous 11- and 13-inch Liquid Retina displays with bright, crisp visuals and colors to its just under 10-hour battery life. That also means the same lightweight, portable design that's comfortable to hold for hours on end.
But the might of its M4 chip delivers greater performance, and it's wild to think that it nearly matches a full-on MacBook Air. That means it can breeze through multitasking and some heavy-duty tasks, like video editing and AAA gaming (for what's available on iPadOS).
With the upgraded 12GB memory and faster connectivity with Wi-Fi 7, the iPad Air M4 now stands as the tablet for most. All that for the same price? Even better. If you already have an M3 iPad Air, or even an M2, and only use tablets to browse the web, use apps and watch shows, the performance they offer is already way more than enough, so it won't be worth the upgrade. And it's a shame we're still not seeing Face ID and a more affordable Magic Keyboard.
Still, for most people looking for a tablet that can handle it all, and for the same price, the iPad Air M4 stands triumphant.
- Read our full iPad Air M4 review
The best budget tablet
To be frank, the Apple iPad 11 (2025) is not the cheapest tablet you can find. There are plenty of cheaper tablets out there, mostly running Android, but the latest model of Apple's flagship tablet is the best budget option for the amount that it offers.
Like the iPad Air M4, the physical design is familiar, just a little lighter and with a more entry-level chip powering the whole thing. It'll handle daily tasks with ease, but if you're into video editing or gaming, it might struggle a bit.
The main advantage it has over cheaper Android tablets is Apple's ecosystem: a well-stocked App Store, better battery life and excellent parental controls, which is a huge plus if you're thinking of this as a family tablet.
And despite being several hundred dollars less than some other iPad models, our testing showed that the entry-level iPad actually has a slightly brighter screen than the iPad mini 7 and lasts longer on a full charge than either the iPad Air M4 or the iPad mini 7. So while the hardware isn't as powerful, it never really feels that way.
The display isn't as vivid or immersive as you'd find on a tablet with an OLED screen, but for a daily driver that won't break the bank, I think it's absolutely a compromise worth taking.
- Read our full Apple iPad 11 review
The best Android tablet
The Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 is the Android tablet made for buyers who want their entertainment to sound as good as it looks, nailing exactly what most would want an Android tablet for. It has an actual JBL 9-speaker system that fills a room, so much so that our reviewer, Tony, couldn't get enough of the punchy and rich hard rock and metal tracks. We even awarded it the best tablet in our Tom’s Guide Computing Awards of 2026.
Visuals are no afterthought, either. The sharp 12-inch 2.5K (2560 x 1600) screen delivers crisp images and lively colors, so whether you're catching up on YouTube or scrolling through photos, everything pops. Watching movies and shows is impressive, too, and the high resolution means your streaming and video calls look clear even in everyday lighting.
It also really shines in battery life and hands-free binge-watching. The Tab Plus Gen 2 lasted a full 16 hours, which is more than enough for a long flight. Plus, the 360-degree rotatable kickstand is a smart touch, letting you prop it up for movies or rotate upright for reading, making binge sessions and video chats more comfortable.
With its MediaTek Dimensity 7400 chip and 8GB of RAM, performance isn’t up to productivity tasks or heavy multitasking, and while the Tab Plus Gen 2's audio outshines the Motorola MotoPad or even the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra for watching shows, it can be awkward to hold thanks to the massive speaker attached to it.
Ultimately, if you want an Android tablet that nails sound and screen for entertainment and travel, the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 is the Android tablet I’d reach for first.
- Read our full Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 review
The best budget Android tablet
Under $250 for a very capable tablet? It doesn't get much more budget than this. The Motorola MotoPad (2026) is the iPad alternative to get if you care about practical essentials, like its smooth, high-resolution (2560 x 1600) 11-inch display bursting with color, lightweight, one-pound design and long-lasting battery life.
Think of it as the budget machine made to stream your shows. Not only will you get formidable specs for the price, but its crisp LCD panel and strong quad-speaker system make it a reliable streaming companion for binging your way through Netflix shows or YouTube videos on the couch or on the go.
Speaking of, when it comes to battery life, the MotoPad delivers real-world endurance that’s more than enough for daily use. In our testing, we saw 10 hours and 31 minutes of web browsing on Wi-Fi, which is enough to handle a full workday or a long flight without needing a charger. That kind of staying power makes the MotoPad a smart pick if you’re watching your spending but still want to get things done.
Choosing the MotoPad also means trading some performance and ecosystem polish for savings. The MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chip is fine for web browsing, email and video, but don’t expect the snappy multitasking or creative muscle you’d get from Apple's iPad. And while the MotoPad is cheaper than most, it can't match the smoothness of iPadOS. For casual tasks, the MotoPad holds up, but if gaming is a priority, you’ll want to look elsewhere.
If you want a lightweight, affordable tablet for streaming, reading or getting through a day on the go, the MotoPad fits the bill. It's no powerhouse, but for the price, it’s made for buyers who want to keep things simple and mobile.
- Read our full Motorola MotoPad (2026) review
The best gaming tablet
The RedMagic Astra 2 takes the compact, premium design of an iPad mini and smashes it together with the might of one of the best gaming handhelds, making it not just the best gaming tablet around, but also a premium Android tablet worth getting.
With its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip and a 185Hz OLED display built for demanding games and apps, the Astra 2 is more like a tablet-sized console that can play the latest titles on Android and beyond in crisp, super-smooth detail. If you need a tablet that can handle heavy-duty gaming, including emulated PC games on Steam (really!), this is the Android device for you.
Other specs back up that promise. You get up to 16GB of DDR5X RAM and 512GB of storage, with gaming sessions holding steady at 120 fps on top-tier titles like Genshin Impact, Zenless Zone Zero and Fortnite. Our reviewer, Anthony, used the Astra 2 daily for two months, including travel and marathon gaming sessions, and never encountered lag or overheating. PC game emulation via the Game Hub app also worked well, with games such as Portal 2 running at 60 fps without any hiccups.
There are a couple of improvements we'd like to see, such as the dual USB-C ports being welcome but poorly placed (especially for mobile controllers) and not being the same (one is a 3.2 Gen 2 port with DisplayPort out, the other is just USB 2.0). Plus, the OS can feel clunky compared to iPadOS or just Android.
Otherwise, the RedMagic Astra 2 is easily our best pick for gamers who prioritize speed, frame rates and screen smoothness above all else. For amazing performance in a very portable design, along with a gorgeous 9-inch OLED display, this one is hard to beat.
- Read our full RedMagic Astra 2 review
The best Samsung tablet
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra puts Android tablets back in the conversation for anyone who wants a true big-screen experience for movies and apps. Its 14.6-inch OLED display is simply enormous, and with our lab tests measuring HDR brightness at nearly 1,000 nits, watching anything on this screen is a treat no matter where you are.
Under the hood, the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 processor and 12GB of RAM mean Android runs smoothly, even with multiple apps or browser tabs open. In practice, we rarely saw slowdowns or stutters. That said, as our reviewer Tony puts it, this isn’t a laptop replacement, but it’s more than capable for everyday productivity: web browsing, messaging, Office apps and plenty of streaming. If your digital life revolves around Google services and Android apps, setup and syncing are seamless.
We measured battery life at 11 hours and 31 minutes, which is strong for a tablet of this size boasting a dazzling OLED display. Despite its size, the tablet is thin and sturdy, making it easy to travel around with and take out.
Still, the Tab S12 Ultra comes at a premium price, and while Samsung's DeX Mode is improved, it won’t fool anyone who needs a real desktop workflow. What's more, the Ultra’s size means it’s less comfortable to hold for hours. Ultimately, I’d recommend the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra to anyone after the big-screen tablet experience, and it's Samsung's best tablet to date.
- Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra review
The best tablet for note-taking
The ReMarkable Paper Pro looks like one of the best Kindle e-readers, but it comfortably finds its place as one of the best tablets, thanks to its interactive e-paper display. It's not a tablet like the rest here, but it knows its strengths — reading, writing, sketching and note-taking.
If that's what you need, there's probably no better option. The display is designed to replicate the feel of pen on paper, which is very different from writing on a tablet like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus, where the stylus-on-glass feel is a bit slipperier.
Of course, while it excels at some things, there are compromises. E-paper displays take longer to change or refresh, in their power-saving Etch-a-Sketch kind of way. But to compensate, the tablet has more than 4,000 levels of pressure sensitivity, which is why you get such a 'real' experience when writing or drawing on the screen.
Although I've included it here, I'd probably think of the Paper Pro more like a digital notebook; great for quick reminders, sketches, notes and reading, but it's not a laptop-style device like the Surface Pro 11 or an entertainment tablet like the iPad.
So long as you know that going in, and don't expect it to come with all those features, it really excels, especially when you pair the color display with the keyboard cover. If you think it's a bit on the pricey side for what's on offer, the ReMarkable Paper Pro Move is very similar, but a third less in a smaller, more portable form.
- Read our full ReMarkable Paper Pro review
The best tablet for power users
The iPad Pro M5 is currently the most powerful (and most expensive) tablet in Apple's lineup. If you want a portable device for entertainment, it's probably overkill, but for a mobile-first laptop replacement, it's excellent.
It managed to last almost 13 hours between charges in our tests, which is in part thanks to the efficiency of the M5 chip, currently one of the most powerful in Apple's roster. That's also why you get near-instantaneous feedback on the tablet when you touch the display, open an app or give a command.
The OLED display does look incredible, making it ideal for watching movies and editing videos or photos, with either the 11-inch or 13-inch version of the tablet. And if you want to use the iPad Pro in direct sunlight, you can upgrade the display with a glass coating to reduce reflections.
Where the iPad Pro M5 comes a bit unstuck is the price. The configuration we tested would set you back $2,000, more than many of the best MacBooks. If the laptop alternative is more expensive than the iPad, it's hard to explain why you should buy the iPad over a MacBook.
Of course, the main reason you would is that it's what you want. After all, the key to any of these devices is to choose something that you find easy and fun to use. Otherwise, your powerful tablet will end up in a drawer somewhere, and that'd be a shame when the iPad Pro M5 has a lot to offer for power users.
- Read our full iPad Pro M5 review
Also tested
Not every device we test can be "The Best" tablet. But many come close. If you're after some more options, these are the tablets that didn't quite make the cut, but I still think these are good options if you need them.
Best Tablet: Frequently Asked Questions
Should I buy an iPad or an Android tablet?
Choose an iPad if you already use Apple devices and want the most powerful tablets on the market.
Choose Android if you prefer Google services like its Google Play Store, use an Android phone or want a different balance of price and features.
The iPad Air M4 is our best all-round option, with strong performance for work, creative tasks and games. But if you don't want to pay a premium and only plan to use the tablet for watching shows, browsing the web and playing some games, then the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2. That said, a Samsung tablet like the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra makes more sense for Samsung phone owners, especially if a bundled S Pen matters to you.
Can a tablet replace a laptop?
This depends. A tablet can replace a laptop for browsing, streaming, email, video calls, note-taking and light document work, but it is not the best choice for everyone. Add a keyboard and you can do more writing, yet app limitations, file management and multitasking can still make sustained work harder than on a conventional laptop.
The iPad Pro M5 is a powerful mobile-first option, especially with iPadOS 27 adding windows that give it a laptop-like experience. But it can become expensive once accessories are included. We've tried replacing a MacBook with an iPad Pro for a month, and while it's impressive what it can do, it doesn't replace the proper laptop experience.
What tablet screen size should I buy?
An 11-inch tablet is the best compromise for most people as it's portable enough to hold comfortably while still giving you useful room for video, reading and split-screen work. It suits commuting, travel and casual everyday use better than a large model that is harder to hold one-handed.
That said, a 13-inch tablet and beyond is great if you're looking for a larger canvas for drawing, note-taking, multitasking films or keyboard work. For something more compact, an 8- or 9-inch tablet like the iPad mini or RedMagic Astra 2 is great for portability.
Is an e-paper tablet worth it for note-taking?
An e-paper tablet is worth it for note-taking if you mainly want a focused, paper-like device for writing, sketching, reading and organizing documents rather than a full entertainment or work computer. The ReMarkable Paper Pro is our pick for dedicated note-taking because its display is designed to feel closer to pen on paper than stylus-on-glass. It's not great for watching shows or using apps, though, so keep this in mind when deciding what tablet you actually want.
How to choose the best tablet for you
Ultimately, choosing the best tablet is going to come down to what devices you already own. Use a lot of Apple products? Then you'll want an iPad. Samsung phone owner? Stick with a Galaxy tablet. Prefer Android over iPadOS? Choose the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 or the Motorola MotoPad for affordability.
If you travel or you're away from power outlets a lot, battery life will be key. But if you want to game, then performance is your biggest concern. There are devices that sit comfortably in the middle (like the iPad Air M4), but you'll also find powerhouses like the RedMagic Astra 2.
Many people like tablets because they're a useful second device for car journeys or entertaining kids. In that case, you want to be sure the tablet you're choosing has good parental controls so you can lock down the device in the way you feel comfortable with.
How we test the best tablets
We put every tablet we review through a raft of custom tests, looking at power consumption, performance and battery life. The process differs slightly between operating systems, but we aim for consistency to make it easier for you to compare models and brands.
Plus, since manufacturers love to talk about how vivid the new display on their latest tablet is, we actually check that. We use professional-grade colorimeters to measure how bright the screen can get on every tablet we test, as well as how well it displays colors in the sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamuts.
Once the technical tests are complete, we start using them just as you would. We browse the internet, check emails, play games and watch movies and YouTube videos. It's one thing to see how they perform in ideal conditions, but we want to know what you really get in everyday usage.
At a minimum, we put them through their paces like this for a week to get a realistic sense of how they perform and feel day-to-day. Where we can, we keep hold of the tablets even after our review is published so that we can get some long-term testing notes to update our reviews and buying guides, like this one.
