The best Android tablets are more than just personal computers. With their slim form factor and lack of a built-in keyboard, they allow for far more variety and customisation over traditional laptops or desktop PCs. Tablets can act as supplement work devices, cheap and portable computers for students, handy Netflix displays or sketching slabs for creatives at any point in their professional career.
I’m guilty of carrying a tablet around the house and streaming TV shows while I carry out different chores. The compact screen still amazes me every day. Although not every tablet is cheaper than every laptop, the lack of hardware generally makes a tablet a more affordable purchase.
Apple iPads are often the go-to tablet purchase for many shoppers, but there’s a whole host of Android tablet alternatives that can compete with the iPad’s specs and functionality. From Microsoft and Samsung to Lenovo and Amazon, there’s a thriving ecosystem of Android tablets, and I’ve brought together my top picks that a prospective Android tablet shopper should keep in mind.
How I picked the best Android tablets
When picking these suggestions, I drew on the advice of another technology reporter, Stephen Warwick, a News Editor for iMore, cited later in this guide — while also using my expertise as a gadget tester for TechRadar, Tech Advisor and Trusted Reviews. When choosing individual models, I kept the below criteria in mind:
- Value: The elephant in the tablet market is Apple, which dominates with 30-50% of tablet sales worldwide each year (via Statista). Android tablets are almost always better value per dollar, in my opinion, though I’ve narrowed down which models offer the best bang for your buck.
- Multipurpose: Tablets have much of the functionality of a laptop, slimmed down into a more mobile-friendly interface and portable form factor. When choosing tablets, I focused on models that could serve a variety of different purposes, whether drawing, studying, working or streaming.
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The best Android tablets
OnePlus Pad
- Very sharp resolution
- Competitive price
- Limited processor
- $100 stylus add-on
OnePlus is a brand known for their smartphones but they surprised many with the launch of the OnePlus Pad — a tablet with a sharper resolution than the iPad Pro at the competitive price of just $399. The OnePlus Pad comes with a roomy 11.6-inch display, fast charging speeds and 12 hours of battery life. It also has a decent processor that can handle most tasks as long as you aren’t doing anything too intensive, you likely shouldn’t notice. Stephen Warwick, a gadget reporter at iMore says that “The OnePlus Pad is a great Android tablet that looks a lot like an iPad, is very reasonably priced, and has a fantastic display. It’s also very thin and light, too.”
Operating system: Android | Dimensions: 11.14 x 8.46 x 2.05 in. | Weight: 1.2 lbs | Screen: 11.6 inches, 2800 x 2000 resolution | Storage options: 128GB | Battery life: Up to 12 hours | Ports: USB-C | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3
Google Pixel tablet
- Optional speaker stand
- Smart home features
- Bezels are a little thick
For a tablet running the Google-developed Android OS, look no further than the Google Pixel Tablet. This 2023 model comes with an 11-inch 2560x1600 pixel screen, and doubles as a smart display: it’s available with an optional charging speaker dock that holds up the tablet at a convenient viewing angle, and comes with a host of smart home controls alongside a full suite of Android apps — ideal if you’re rocking any Google Nest devices in your home. It also has a rating of 4.5 stars on Amazon across 600+ reviews.
Operating system: Android | Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.7 x 0.3 in. | Weight: 1.1 (without stand), 3.5 lbs (with stand) | Screen: 11 inches, 2560x1600 resolution | Storage options: 128GB, 256GB | Battery life: Up to 11 hours | Ports: USB-C | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth
Amazon Fire HD 8
- Long battery life
- Compact design
- Offers parental controls
- Ad-supported lockscreen
- Extended subscription for kids
Amazon’s range of Fire tablets technically uses an adapted version of Android called Fire OS — but we felt the Fire HD 8 warranted a mention in this guide based on its incredible value. With an 8-inch screen and HD (720p) resolution, it’s larger than the average smartphone, with more space to enjoy videos, games and apps as you see fit. You shouldn’t expect high performance — there’s a reason it only costs $150 — but a 13-hour battery life and host of streaming apps (Netflix, Disney, Prime Video, etc) gives you lots to do and plenty of time to do it. The main Fire HD 8 model has 4.5 out of 5 stars across 5,500 user reviews on Amazon.
Operating system: Fire OS 8 | Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.4 x 0.7 in. | Weight: 0.69 lbs | Screen: 7 inches, 1280 x 800 resolution | Storage options: 32GB, 64GB (up to 1TB) | Battery life: 13 hours | Ports: USB-C, headphone jack | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3
Amazon Fire 8 Kids Pro
- Easy parental controls
- Full HD resolution
- Dolby Atmos audio
- Extended subscription for kids
If you’re looking for a great child-appropriate tablet, look no further than the Amazon Fire 8 Kids Pro (ages 6-12). Amazon’s Fire range features heavily in our best tablets for kids guide, and for good reason, packing in Full HD resolution and a pair of stereo speakers, with support for more immersive Dolby Atmos sound — alongside age-appropriate entertainment through the Amazon Kids+ subscription program. This specific model has 4.5 out of 5 stars across 7,000 user reviews on Amazon and is currently $69.99 for Amazon Prime members.
Operating system: Fire OS 8 | Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.4 x 0.7 in. | Weight: 0.94 lbs | Screen: 7 inches, 1280 x 800 resolution | Storage options: 32GB (up to 1TB) | Battery life: 13 hours | Ports: USB-C, headphone jack | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
- Large 1.46-inch screen
- Great for multitasking
- Expensive
- Less compact than some tablets
If price is no object, consider the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, with a set of features as extensive as its name. This high-end Android tablet is an excellent drawing companion, with an expansive screen, 2.5K resolution and a responsive S Pen stylus that comes included in the retail price. But it’s also a powerful productivity tool, with 12-16GB RAM for fast multitasking across a full suite of Android apps. It even comes with IP68 water and dust resistance — and Samsung’s high-end S9 tablet range has a 4.6 Amazon rating across 1,500 reviews.
Operating system: Android | Dimensions: 8.2 x 12.9 x 0.2 in. | Weight: 1.6 lbs | Screen: 14.6 inches, 2560x1600 resolution | Storage options: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Battery life: Up to 10 hours | Ports: USB-C | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3
Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+
- Bright screen
- Good resolution
- Limited storage
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ is a great budget choice for simple, everyday tasks. It sports a roomy 11-inch LCD screen with Full HD resolution and a slim profile that nonetheless manages to fit in a USB-C port and headphone jack. You’re a little constrained on storage with the base 64GB model but you can upgrade to the 128GB model. This is a solid all-round tablet for price-conscious shoppers that does the basics well. This model has a 4.6 Amazon rating across 2,600 reviews.
Operating system: Android | Dimensions: 10.12 x 6.64 x 0.27 in. | Weight: 1.06 lbs | Screen: 11 inches, 1920x1200 resolution | Storage options: 64GB, 128GB | Battery life: Not listed (estimated 7-8 hours) | Ports: USB-C, headphone jack | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1
How to shop for the best Android tablets
Price
The wide range of Android models available means there’s a price point for everyone, no matter what their budget. Warwick, says “There are far more Android tablets on the market compared to iPads, so the pricing is much more varied. You can get an Android tablet for as little as $400, or spend well over $1,000 on something more potent.”
Accessories
While some shoppers will be happy with a basic tablet, others may want some additional hardware. Shockproof cases can be helpful if you’re regularly carrying your tablet outdoors, while some cases even include built-in keyboards for a more formal work setup.
Styluses are also common accessories for tablets: do make sure to check if a certain tablet model comes with a specific stylus, or if there’s a recommended drawing pen for that manufacturer’s range. For some tablets, an add-on stylus can cost up to $100, on top of the tablet price.
Frequently asked questions
It depends, Apple iPads are generally seen as the premium tablet option, though a basic $350 iPad can be a lot cheaper in practice than a high-end Microsoft Surface tablet. There’s also a huge range of Android tablet manufacturers each with their own models, prices and specifications.
Warwick tells us that “The hardware that powers Android and Apple tablets, such as the displays, processor and more, are broadly very similar these days. Most regular users wouldn't notice the difference. The key differences come in the software.”
He adds that “Android is a much more open platform with fewer restrictions on the types of apps you can download and where you get them from. Apple's iPadOS platform is a much more closed system. However, Apple's iPad boasts unparalleled integration with the rest of the Apple ecosystem, so you get amazing synchronization with iPhone, Mac, Apple TV and AirPods. This can make storing passwords, editing documents and more a breeze.”
If you have a particularly large smartphone, it’s possible that you don’t need a tablet, though there are specific use cases for both devices. A tablet leans closer to a mobile operating system than it does a desktop OS, with a host of apps for streaming, drawing, working and more – but with a larger, higher-resolution screen that lets you see more at a glance. A tablet is much better for watching TV shows, sketching and creating, typing up documents or even hosting video calls and work meetings. While many tablets are Wi-Fi only devices, some do allow for SIM cards, enabling you to access mobile data services (5G, etc) on the go, or make and receive calls the way you would with a smartphone.
If laptops are the convenient, portable iteration of the desktop PC, then tablets are the next evolution of that. They are slimmer, lighter and more streamlined than a traditional clamshell laptop. A tablet combines the functionality of a more extensive computer with an all-screen form factor inspired by mobile devices. However, you may need a dedicated tablet stand, case or keyboard accessory to use a tablet as effectively as a laptop, especially for work purposes, but it’s still a handy portable device.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Stephen Warwick is the News Editor for iMore, where he covers the latest breaking news regarding all of Apple’s products and services, both hardware and software.
Why trust NBC Select?
I've worked as a gadget reporter since 2017, covering the latest developments in consumer hardware, from TVs and headphones to smart speakers and VR headsets. I previously worked as the News & Features Editor at TechRadar and now freelance for NBC Select, IGN and The Independent.
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