Best iPad Alternatives: These Tablets Beat Apple In 2026

Apple’s iPads are great, but they’re not the only game in town. For every iPad model, there’s at least one Android or Windows tablet that either matches it or beats it in the areas that actually matter to you. We review pretty much every tablet that gets released, and we’ve lined up the best alternatives for every iPad in Apple’s 2026 lineup, from the standard iPad all the way up to the iPad Pro.

Best iPad Alternatives: A Quick Overview

Here’s a quick rundown of our picks. Scroll down for the full breakdown.

• Best Standard iPad Alternative for Pen Users: Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite (on Amazon)* A laminated display, an included S Pen, and Samsung Notes. The best pick for handwriting and drawing at this price.
• Best Standard iPad Alternative for Media and Gaming: OnePlus Pad Go 2 (on Amazon)* A 12.1-inch 120Hz display at 900 nits, four speakers, and clean software for around $399.
• Best iPad Mini Alternative: Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 (on Amazon)* A 165Hz display, no jelly scrolling, and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The only real premium 8-inch Android tablet.
• Best iPad Air Alternative: OnePlus Pad 3 (on Amazon)* Flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite performance at a lower price than the iPad Air. Fantastic value.
• Best iPad Pro Alternative (Android): Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 (on Amazon)* An AMOLED display at 1,600 nits, Dimensity 9400+, 12.75 hours of battery life, and the S Pen in the box.
• Best iPad Pro Alternative with a Massive Screen: Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra (on Amazon)* A 14.6-inch AMOLED, over 14 hours of battery life, and the same flagship package as the S11.
• Best iPad Pro Alternative (Windows): Microsoft Surface Pro 11 (on Amazon)* Full Windows 11 on ARM with an OLED option, 120Hz, and the Snapdragon X Elite.
• Best Compact iPad Pro Alternative (Windows): Microsoft Surface Pro 12 (on Amazon)* A smaller 12-inch Windows tablet with a fanless Snapdragon X Plus and a more portable design.

All Our Picks In Detail

Let’s check out all of those options in more detail.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite: Best Standard iPad Alternative for Pen Users

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite is our top pick as a standard iPad alternative if you care about handwriting or drawing, and the reason is simple. It comes with an S Pen included in the box, and the pen works almost as well as on Samsung’s flagship tablets. There’s no noticeable lag, it’s pressure sensitive, and it snaps magnetically to the side of the tablet so you can just grab it and go. Samsung Notes is still the best handwriting app on Android, and it’s exclusive to Samsung devices. The standard iPad, on the other hand, doesn’t even support the Apple Pencil Pro, which makes the S10 Lite a much better buy if a pen is important to you.

The 10.9-inch LCD is laminated, which means there’s no air gap between the glass and the display panel. It looks like you’re writing directly on the screen. The standard iPad’s display isn’t laminated, so when you write with the Apple Pencil it can look like the pen tip isn’t quite touching the surface. Side by side, the S10 Lite just feels nicer for notes and sketches.

Samsung also sells a really solid keyboard cover with a decent touchpad, which turns the S10 Lite into a perfectly capable little work machine for school, university, or light productivity. The Exynos 1380 isn’t the fastest chip around, so if you’re specifically after a gaming tablet, you should look further down this list. But for notes, browsing, streaming, and Office work, performance is fine.

Battery life comes in at 8 hours in our YouTube test at max brightness. You also get Android 16 with One UI, IP rating, and a full 7 years of updates. At its price, the S10 Lite is genuinely hard to beat for anyone who wants a pen.

Display	10.9″ LCD | 2112 x 1320 | 90Hz | 600 nits | laminated
Processor	Exynos 1380 | 6-8GB RAM | 128-256GB
Stylus	S Pen included
Connectivity	USB-C 2.0 | microSD | Wi-Fi 6
Software	Android 16 with One UI | 7 years of updates
Battery	8 hours (our test)
Our Score	7/10

Read our full review: Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite Review

OnePlus Pad Go 2: Best Standard iPad Alternative for Media and Gaming

If you don’t need a stylus and mostly want a tablet for watching movies, browsing, and light gaming, the OnePlus Pad Go 2 is a much better value than the standard iPad. For around $399 you get a 12.1-inch LCD with a 2800 by 1980 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and up to 900 nits peak brightness. That’s a sharper, bigger, and brighter display than you get on the standard iPad, and for way less money. Colors are vibrant, viewing angles are wide, and watching Netflix or YouTube on this thing is genuinely a great experience.

Inside sits the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Ultra with 8GB of RAM. For everyday stuff like Chrome, YouTube, Gmail, Netflix, and Office apps, it runs perfectly smoothly, and multitasking holds up fine. Gaming is where it falls behind a proper flagship. It can handle casual titles and lighter 3D games without any issues, but don’t expect Fortnite or Call of Duty to run at high settings. For a media tablet at this price, that tradeoff is completely fair.

The four speakers are a pleasant surprise and sound noticeably better than anything else in this price range. The build is solid with a metal frame, software is clean with barely any bloatware, and OnePlus promises 3 major Android updates plus 5 years of security patches. Battery life is 7 hours in our YouTube loop, which is decent. There’s no keyboard cover and USB is only 2.0 without display output, but again, at this price, nothing else gives you this much screen and this much brightness.

Display	12.1″ LCD | 2800 x 1980 | 120Hz | 900 nits peak
Processor	MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Ultra | 8GB RAM | 128-256GB
Stylus	OnePlus Stylo (sold separately)
Features	USB-C 2.0 | Optional 5G | 4 speakers
Software	Android with OxygenOS | 3 OS updates, 5 years security
Battery	7 hours (our test)
Our Score	7/10

Read our full review: OnePlus Pad Go 2 Review

Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3: Best iPad Mini Alternative

If you want a small, premium tablet but don’t want an iPad Mini, the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 is basically your only high-end Android option. Almost every other manufacturer in the 8-inch segment is chasing the budget market, so the fact that Lenovo put a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 into an 8.8-inch device makes this one pretty unique. And in a few key areas, it actually beats the iPad Mini.

The 2.5K IPS display runs at 165Hz, which is almost three times the iPad Mini’s 60Hz. Scrolling is silky smooth, and games look significantly better in motion. The iPad Mini also suffers from a well-documented jelly scrolling issue where one side of the screen refreshes slightly faster than the other. The Legion Tab has none of that. Add in a 500 nit brightness, deep blacks for an LCD, and the high pixel density, and it’s a really nice panel to use daily.

Gaming performance is where this tablet really shines. Call of Duty runs at a steady 80 FPS with bypass charging enabled, and Fortnite hits around 90 FPS. Lenovo built a proper game assistant that lets you monitor FPS, temperature, and CPU usage in real time, plus a bypass charging mode that feeds power straight to the motherboard so the battery stays cool during long sessions. Battery life is 8.5 hours in our test, which is significantly better than the iPad Mini’s 5.5 hours.

Build quality is great with a full-metal body and two USB-C ports, one of which supports external monitors. The speakers are loud and support Dolby Atmos. Where the iPad Mini still wins is the pen. Lenovo’s optional stylus is just okay, with an unreliable button and occasional lag, while the Apple Pencil Pro on the iPad Mini is the best small-tablet stylus experience you can buy. For everything else, especially gaming, media, and raw performance, the Legion Tab Gen 3 is the better pick.

Display	8.8″ IPS | 2560 x 1600 | 165Hz | ~500 nits
Processor	Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | 12GB RAM | 256GB
Stylus	Lenovo Tab Pen Plus (sold separately)
Connectivity	2x USB-C (one with DP) | Wi-Fi 7 | Bluetooth 5.1
Software	Android with ZUI 16 | 3 years OS updates
Battery	8.5 hours (our test)
Our Score	9/10

Read our full review: Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 Review

OnePlus Pad 3: Best iPad Air Alternative

The OnePlus Pad 3 is the first tablet outside of China to launch with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, currently the fastest chip available on Android. In CPU performance, it basically matches the iPad Air M3, and in GPU tests it leaves every other Android tablet in the dust. But the headline is the price. At around $700 it’s noticeably cheaper than a similarly configured iPad Air, and once you add the keyboard and stylus, the gap gets even bigger.

The 13.2-inch LCD hits 900 nits, which is actually brighter than Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. The 144Hz refresh rate keeps everything smooth, and the 7:5 aspect ratio is fantastic for productivity and split-screen multitasking. It’s not OLED, so you don’t get the deep blacks and infinite contrast of an iPad Pro, but at this price, the display is excellent. The eight speakers deliver balanced, loud sound that’s competitive with tablets costing hundreds more.

Gaming is another strong point. Fortnite runs at a stable 90 FPS on max settings, and even Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile runs smoothly without overheating. The tablet holds up really well under sustained load, with an 83 percent stability score in 3DMark, which means it won’t throttle as badly as many competitors during long gaming sessions. Battery life is 9.65 hours in our test, and OnePlus promises updates until 2031.

The OnePlus Stylo 2 pen costs extra and works well in the preinstalled Notes app, though it can be a bit hit or miss in third-party apps like OneNote. The keyboard cover has good keys and a function row, but the magnetic connection to the tablet is weak and that gets annoying fast. Still, for the combination of price, performance, display, and speakers, the OnePlus Pad 3 is one of the best value flagship tablets on the market right now and a genuinely compelling iPad Air alternative.

Display	13.2″ LCD | 3392 x 2400 | 144Hz | 900 nits
Processor	Snapdragon 8 Elite | 12GB RAM | 256GB
Stylus	OnePlus Stylo 2 (sold separately)
Connectivity	USB-C 3.2 with DP | Wi-Fi 7
Software	Android updates until 2028, security until 2031
Battery	9.65 hours (our test)
Our Score	9/10

Read our full review: OnePlus Pad 3 Review

Samsung Galaxy Tab S11: Best iPad Pro Alternative

If you want the absolute best Android tablet experience, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 is the most convincing alternative to the iPad Pro 11-inch. The headline is the display. It’s an 11-inch AMOLED with 1,600 nits peak brightness, which matches the iPad Pro M5. Colors are vibrant, blacks are true black, and the 120Hz refresh rate is silky smooth. Compared to every LCD tablet on this list, the difference is night and day.

Inside you get the MediaTek Dimensity 9400+, currently the fastest Android chip available. Performance is flagship level across the board, and even demanding games like Fortnite run at up to 120 FPS. But where Samsung really pulls ahead is battery life. In our standardized YouTube loop at max brightness, the Tab S11 lasted 12.75 hours, which beats every single iPad we’ve tested by a significant margin. The iPad Pro M5, for reference, doesn’t come close.

The S Pen is included in the box and honestly, for handwritten notes, it might be the best stylus experience on any tablet. Samsung Notes is still the most feature-rich note-taking app on any platform, the pen never needs charging, and the writing experience is just great. You also get USB-C 3.2 with external monitor output, IP68 water and dust resistance, Samsung DeX desktop mode, and 7 years of updates. The only area where the iPad Pro still pulls clearly ahead is the app ecosystem. Procreate, Final Cut Pro, and Logic Pro are iPad exclusives, and Photoshop is more mature on iPadOS. If you prefer Android and value battery life and the S Pen, the Tab S11 is the best alternative you can buy.

Display	11″ AMOLED | 2560 x 1600 | 120Hz | 1600 nits
Processor	MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ | 12-16GB RAM | 256GB-1TB
Stylus	S Pen included
Features	IP68 | USB-C 3.2 | microSD | Samsung DeX | External monitor
Software	Android with One UI | 7 years of updates
Battery	12.75 hours (our test)
Our Score	10/10

Read our full review: Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Review

Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra: Best iPad Pro Alternative with a Massive Screen

If the regular Tab S11 isn’t big enough for you, the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra steps things up with a massive 14.6-inch AMOLED display. It’s basically the same flagship package as the Tab S11, just blown up to a much bigger size, and it’s the most convincing alternative to the iPad Pro 13-inch. The screen is stunning. At 1,600 nits peak brightness, 120Hz, and a huge 14.6-inch footprint, it’s perfect for movies, split-screen multitasking, and spreading out documents when you’re working.

Performance is identical to the regular Tab S11, thanks to the same Dimensity 9400+ chip. Everything flies, Fortnite runs at up to 120 FPS, and multitasking is completely effortless. But the Ultra has one unique advantage over both the regular S11 and any iPad: battery life. We measured 14.2 hours in our YouTube test at max brightness, which is genuinely absurd for a tablet this size. The iPad Pro 13-inch simply can’t keep up.

You still get the S Pen in the box, IP68, Samsung DeX, USB-C 3.2 with external monitor support, and 7 years of updates. The keyboard cover is excellent and turns this into a proper laptop replacement for a lot of tasks. The only tradeoffs are the size, which is obviously a lot to carry around, and the price, which gets close to iPad Pro territory at the top configurations. But for the biggest Android tablet you can buy with a display this good and battery life this long, nothing else gets close.

Display	14.6″ AMOLED | 2960 x 1848 | 120Hz | 1600 nits
Processor	MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ | 12-16GB RAM | 256GB-1TB
Stylus	S Pen included
Features	IP68 | USB-C 3.2 | microSD | Samsung DeX | External monitor
Software	Android with One UI | 7 years of updates
Battery	14.2 hours (our test)
Our Score	9/10

Read our full review: Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra Review

Microsoft Surface Pro 11: Best iPad Pro Alternative for Windows

If you specifically need Windows, the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is the best iPad Pro alternative you can buy. It’s a 13-inch tablet with a Snapdragon X Elite or X Plus chip and runs full Windows 11 on ARM. You get the option of an LCD display or a 13-inch OLED, and we strongly recommend the OLED version. It supports 120Hz, hits around 600 nits typical brightness with up to 900 nits in HDR, and the contrast and color accuracy are excellent. Side by side with the iPad Pro M5, the OLED Surface looks genuinely great.

Performance is the real selling point. Unlike iPadOS, Windows 11 runs real desktop software. Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Blender all run natively on ARM, and compatibility has improved a lot over the past year. Clip Studio Paint runs through emulation and works really well for digital artists. A few things like Adobe Illustrator are still in beta, and gaming is very limited on ARM, so you’ll want to check specific app compatibility before buying if you rely on niche software.

The Surface Slim Pen 2 is excellent and the Type Cover keyboard is probably the best keyboard on any tablet, though both are sold separately, which pushes the total price well past what you’d pay for a Samsung or OnePlus tablet with everything bundled. The built-in kickstand is a nice touch neither Apple nor Samsung match. If your work depends on real Windows software and you want a tablet form factor, this is the clear pick over an iPad Pro.

Display	13″ OLED option | 2880 x 1920 | 120Hz | up to 900 nits HDR
Processor	Snapdragon X Elite or X Plus
Stylus	Surface Slim Pen 2 (sold separately)
Features	Windows 11 on ARM | Kickstand | USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 | Wi-Fi 7
Keyboard	Surface Pro Type Cover (sold separately)
Our Score	8/10

Read our full review: Microsoft Surface Pro 11 Review

Microsoft Surface Pro 12: Best Compact iPad Pro Alternative for Windows

The Surface Pro 12 is the smaller, more portable sibling in Microsoft’s Surface Pro lineup and works great as a compact iPad Pro alternative for Windows users. It’s a 12-inch fanless tablet with a Snapdragon X Plus chip, and it feels much more like a traditional tablet than its bigger brother. The display is a 12-inch LCD at 2196 by 1464 with a 90Hz refresh rate, which isn’t as impressive as the Pro 11’s OLED option but is perfectly fine for everyday work.

For a fanless ARM tablet, performance is surprisingly capable. Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and Office all run smoothly, and for typical productivity work you probably won’t notice that you’re on ARM at all. Demanding creative workloads are better suited to the bigger Surface Pro 11 with its faster X Elite chip, but for writing, web, email, and light editing, the Pro 12 handles it all without breaking a sweat. Battery life came in at 9.65 hours in our test, which beats a lot of the competition.

Like its bigger brother, the Surface Pro 12 has a built-in kickstand, a sold-separately Slim Pen and Type Cover, and full Windows 11 on ARM. If you want the Windows experience but don’t need the biggest, most powerful Surface, the Pro 12 is a great compact alternative to the iPad Pro 11-inch and is often noticeably cheaper. Just keep in mind that the accessories add up, same as with any Surface.

Display	12″ LCD | 2196 x 1464 | 90Hz | ~400 nits
Processor	Snapdragon X Plus (fanless)
Stylus	Surface Slim Pen 2 (sold separately)
Features	Windows 11 on ARM | Kickstand | USB-C | Wi-Fi 7
Keyboard	Surface Pro Type Cover (sold separately)
Battery	9.65 hours (our test)
Our Score	8/10

Read our full review: Microsoft Surface Pro 12 Review

Which iPad Alternative Should You Get?

If you’re shopping for a standard iPad alternative and you care about the pen, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite is the clear pick thanks to its laminated display and included S Pen. If you’d rather save money and get the biggest, brightest screen for media and browsing, the OnePlus Pad Go 2 at around $250 is hard to beat. For a small, premium tablet, the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 is the best iPad Mini alternative, with a 165Hz display, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and significantly better battery life. The OnePlus Pad 3 is our pick as the best iPad Air alternative, with flagship performance at a lower price.

For iPad Pro alternatives, you’ve got options depending on your OS. If you want Android, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 and S11 Ultra deliver stunning AMOLED displays, incredible battery life, and the S Pen in the box. The Ultra is the one to get if you want the biggest possible screen. If you need real Windows software, the Surface Pro 11 with the OLED option is the best choice, and the Surface Pro 12 is the smaller, cheaper way into the Windows tablet world. If Samsung is your brand of choice, check out our best Samsung tablets guide for a deeper dive into Samsung’s entire lineup.