Best 16 Tablets of 2024 (One Is Perfect For Your Use & Budget)

The tablet market shows no signs of slowing down, with a whole raft of devices released over the past couple of years. There’s so much choice right now that choosing a new tablet can be tricky, if not downright confusing. Where does anyone even start whittling down all the options? Well, that’s where our list of the best tablets of 2024 comes into the picture.

We’ve tested many tablets since we started in 2008, from high-end laptop replacement tablets to cheap, budget-friendly options. We’re in a prime position to help you decide on your next tablet purchase, no matter what you’re looking for. Let’s get started.

The Best Tablets of 2024: An Overview

• Best tablet overall: Apple iPad Pro 11” (on Amazon) and iPad Pro 12.9” (on Amazon). Apple’s flagship tablets rule the roost for tablets in 2024. They boast great processors, excellent displays, and that signature Apple fit and finish.
• Best Android tablets: Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 (on Amazon), S9+ (on Amazon), and S9 Ultra (on Amazon). Samsung’s latest high-end offerings have class-leading AMOLED screens, excellent Snapdragon CPUs, premium build quality, and the company’s signature S Pen support.
• Best Windows tablet: Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (on Amazon). Microsoft’s flagship tablet is a workhorse of a 13-inch device, with great mobile Intel CPUs and one of the most premium-feeling keyboards on the market right now.
• IPad Pro alternative: Apple iPad Air 5 (on Amazon). The iPad Air 5 may “only” have the previous-generation M1 CPU, but it still has enough power to run rings around everything except its bigger brothers.
• Best mid-range tablets: Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE (on Amazon) and S9 FE+ (on Amazon). Samsung successfully brings the premium Galaxy Tab S9 experience to the mid-range market without ruining the overall experience.
• Mid-range tablet with best performance: Apple iPad 10 (on Amazon). Apple’s mainstream iPad isn’t perfect, but its A14 Bionic CPU is easily the most powerful in its price bracket.
• Best value Apple tablet: Apple iPad 9 (on Amazon). The previous-generation iPad is a bit dated, but its low price and great CPU make it a worthwhile value option.
• Best value Android tablet: Xiaomi Pad 6 (on Amazon). Xiaomi’s Pad 6 is a brilliant example of how to offer a high-end experience at a mid-range price.
• Best value tablet with stylus: Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 2022 (on Amazon). Anyone seeking a great writing and note-taking experience on a budget has to check this tablet out.
• Best value tablet with great keyboard: Lenovo Tab P11 Gen 2 (on Amazon). Lenovo’s mid-range offering shows you can get a great typing experience for much less than $500.
• Best budget Android tablet: Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ (on Amazon). Global availability and solid hardware make this the budget Android tablet hard to beat in 2024.
• Best small tablet: Apple iPad Mini 6 (on Amazon). Apple’s iPad Mini 6 continues to remind us that “small” doesn’t have to mean “cheap” or “underpowered.”
• Best budget small tablet: Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 (on Amazon). Samsung’s newest budget tablet offers a lifeline to small tablet lovers who want a good tablet without too many serious compromises.
• Best small Windows tablet: Microsoft Surface Go 4 (on Amazon). Microsoft’s 10-inch tablet is a great office and productivity device that offers an alternative to cheap Windows tablets.
• Best cheap tablet: Amazon Fire HD 10 2023 (on Amazon). Amazon’s latest 10-inch tablet is an amazing deal—provided you can wait for Prime Day or Black Friday.
• Cheapest good tablet: Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus 2022 (on Amazon). Amazon’s $100 8-inch tablet is a surprisingly decent gaming tablet and worth considering if you’re on an ultra-tight budget.

Best Tablets Overall: Apple iPad Pro 11” and iPad Pro 12.9”

Apple’s flagship iPad Pro tablets are, if you ask us, the best tablets money can buy. Excellent CPUs and displays, paired with Apple’s typically high-quality fit and finish, make for an impressive tablet experience — provided you can afford it.

Both iPad Pros have Apple’s M2 CPU under the hood. This octa-core CPU is a laptop-grade unit that performs exceptionally, easily outpacing every other tablet CPU out there. Whether gaming or productivity, the M2 is a tremendous CPU that’ll handle anything you throw at it. Apple offers 8GB and 16GB RAM options for both iPad models, with storage ranging from 128GB to an unequaled 2TB. Neither iPad Pro model has microSD card slots, so you’ll want to go for as much storage as you can afford here.

The biggest difference between the two iPad Pro models is the display. The iPad Pro 11” has an 11-inch Liquid Retina IPS LCD that runs at 2388 x 1668 and 120Hz. It has HDR10 and Dolby Vision support, plus an above-average 600-nit maximum brightness. It’s a great screen, but the one on the iPad Pro 12.9” trumps it easily. The larger iPad Pro has a 12.9-inch, 2732 x 2048 Liquid Retina XDR display. This uses mini-LEDs and full-array local dimming (FALD) to offer OLED-like contrast and a fantastic 1600-nit peak brightness. HDR10 and Dolby Vision support are also present, of course.

Read: You Should Worry About OLED Burn-In If You Do This

Both models support Apple’s excellent Apple Pencil 2, one of the best active styluses on the market. Apple has great software support for the Pencil 2, including a hover gesture that’s useful in apps like Procreate. You also get excellent keyboard covers for both iPad Pros, including premium trackpad-equipped options. They cost a pretty penny but can help turn your iPad Pro into a genuine laptop replacement.

Combine all of this hardware excellence with Apple’s long-term software support, and you get tablets that sit at the top of the tablet world. There are certainly ways to improve the iPad Pros—genuine OLED displays would be an easy upgrade—but, for now, the Apple iPad Pro 11” and iPad Pro 12.9” are the best tablets out there. But considering they start at around $800, that’s the least you’d expect from these devices.

Read: Our Apple iPad Pro 2022 review

Best Android Tablets: Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, S9+, and S9 Ultra

Samsung’s latest Galaxy Tab devices take the fight to Apple with top-tier hardware, premium materials, and class-leading OLED displays all around. If you’re an Android fan shopping at the high end, these are the tablets to get.

Samsung opted for Snapdragon’s latest flagship CPU, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, to power all its Tab S9 devices. It’s an excellent CPU, with performance that’s noticeably improved over previous Snapdragon processors. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is fast enough for gaming, productivity, and creative work. It doesn’t have the raw power of Apple’s M2 CPU, but only the most dedicated power users will notice the gap in real-world situations.

RAM and storage options differ between the three devices. The base Tab S9 comes in 8GB/128GB and 12GB/256GB variants, while the Tab S9+ has 12GB of RAM paired with 256GB or 512GB of storage. The Tab S9 Ultra has the most options: 12GB/256GB, 12GB/512GB, 12GB/1TB, and 16GB/1TB.

Like the Apple iPad Pro, the main difference between the three Tab S9 variants is screen sizes. The Galaxy Tab S9 has an 11-inch, 2560 x 1600 display. The Tab S9+ runs a larger 12.4-inch display with a correspondingly higher 2800 x 1752 resolution. The largest of the bunch, the 14.6-inch Tab S9 Ultra, has a 2960 x 1848 display.

All Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 tablets have Dynamic AMOLED 2X screens that run at 120Hz and boast HDR10+ certification. These screens are fantastic, with saturated colors, great contrast, and enough brightness for outdoor use. These are some of the best tablet displays available and well worth the cost of entry.

Samsung includes an S Pen with all three Tab S9s, and it’s as good as it’s always been. Samsung’s Notes app is still great, and all the OS-level conveniences, such as annotations and Air Commands, are present and accounted for. Each Tab S9 gets two keyboard covers: the trackpad-equipped Book Cover Keyboard and the Book Cover Keyboard Slim. All three tablets are also IP68 certified.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, S9+, and S9 Ultra are class-leading Android tablets that blow away anything the competition offers. They don’t come cheap, but Android fans looking for the best of the best need not look elsewhere.

Read: Our Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 tablets review

Best Windows Tablet: Microsoft Surface Pro 9

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 9 is the company’s flagship tablet, competing directly with the Apple iPad Pro in the productivity stakes. With its laptop-grade Intel CPUs and generous RAM and storage allocations, the Surface Pro 9 is easily the best Windows tablet on the market.

Read: Top 3 Best Windows Tablets You Can Buy Today | 2024 Edition

Microsoft sells two versions of the Surface Pro 9: one with Intel CPUs and the other with ARM processors. We recommend the former, as the Intel CPUs let you run all Windows programs natively. You get two Intel CPUs to choose from: the Core i5-1245U and Core i7-1265U. These are both 10-core CPUs; the only notable difference is the boost clock speeds (4.40GHz vs. 4.80GHz). The SSD-based storage starts at 128GB and maxes out at 1TB, paired with 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB of RAM.

The Surface Pro 9 has a 13-inch PixelSense display with a 3:2 aspect ratio. The screen is reasonably sharp at 2880 X 1920 and has a dynamic refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The aspect ratio and decent sharpness make it a solid enough option for productivity, and we found the color accuracy and contrast to be quite good, too. 

The Surface Pro 9 works with several keyboards, all of which are great. You can use the Surface Pro Keyboard, Surface Pro Signature Keyboard, Surface Pro X Keyboard, and Surface Pro X Signature Keyboard. We tested the Surface Pro Signature Keyboard and thought it was excellent. It offers a great typing experience with a comfortable layout and a high-quality glass trackpad. The Signature Keyboard also feels very premium, thanks to its Alcantara finish. There are also a lot of Surface Pro 9 accessories available, so you can set it up to handle whatever you need.

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 9 isn’t cheap, but the total package more than justifies the price. Get one of the two Intel CPUs available, and you have a sleek, premium-feeling convertible tablet that’ll do a fantastic job whether you want to touch or type.

Read: Our Microsoft Surface Pro 9 review

IPad Pro Alternative: Apple iPad Air 5

Apple’s iPad Air sits just below the flagship iPad Pros in Apple’s product stack. It offers still-amazing CPU performance with cutbacks that make it more of a “mainstream” tablet than the flagship models.

The iPad Air 5 has Apple’s M1 CPU under the hood, the predecessor to the M2 CPU in the iPad Pros. Despite that, it’s still a flagship-tier processor that outperforms everything else on the market. Gaming and productivity shouldn’t pose any issues to the iPad Air. Apple pairs the M1 CPU with 8GB of RAM and 64GB or 256GB of non-expandable storage.

Read: Ultimate iPad RAM Guide: Do You Need More?

Display-wise, you get a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina IPS display running at 2360 x 1640. It’s a bright, sharp screen with an adequate maximum brightness of 500 nits. It only runs at 60Hz and lacks HDR certifications, but it’s still a solid display that most users will be more than happy with.

The Apple iPad Air 5 supports the Apple Pencil 2, offering a great writing experience comparable to the iPad Pros. You don’t have the hover gesture of the iPad Pro, but all the other functionality is present and accounted for. There is a minor downside in the form of the 60Hz refresh rate, which makes writing feel slightly less responsive than the iPad Pro’s 120Hz display. However, it’s still a class-leading stylus experience that only Samsung can compete with.

Read: How To Connect The Apple Pencil To Your iPad

Overall, Apple’s iPad Air 5 is a great tablet for those who want a ton of CPU performance but can’t justify an iPad Pro. Sure, its display is starting to feel outdated in a world of high-refresh-rate units, but the rest is still impressive.

Read: Our Apple iPad Air 5 review

Best Mid-Range Tablets: Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE and S9 FE+

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S9 tablets are excellent, but not everyone can afford to spend that much on an Android tablet. That’s where the Galaxy Tab S9 FE and S9 FE+ come into play, offering a similarly premium experience with reasonable hardware cut-backs to bring the price down.

Like the full-fat Galaxy Tab S9 tablets, Samsung used the same CPU on both models to ensure performance parity. However, this time it’s the in-house Exynos 1380, paired with a maximum of 8GB (S9 FE) or 12GB of RAM (S9 FE+). The CPU is the weakest part of the Tab S9 FE tablets; while it’s not a bad CPU, the Exynos isn’t anything special. It’s perfect for daily use, but we had to reduce settings in games like Fortnite to achieve stable performance.

Both models come with 128GB or 256GB of storage, which is expandable via a microSD card slot. An S Pen is included, like on the higher-end Tab S9 tablets, and it works just as well here: Samsung Notes is present, as are all the extra features Samsung bakes into One UI. The S9 FE and S9 FE+ use the same keyboard covers as their respective Tab S9 models, offering the same high-quality typing experience.

Of course, the CPU isn’t the only downgrade from the flagship Tab S9. Samsung opted for conventional IPS LCDs on the 10.9-inch Tab S9 FE and 12.4-inch Tab S9 FE+. These run at 2304 x 1440 and 2560 x 1600, respectively, with 90Hz refresh rates. The screens can’t compare with the flagship AMOLEDs, but they’re sharp, bright, and have decent contrast: good enough for a mid-range tablet.

On the plus side, the Tab S9 FE and S9 FE+ feel as premium as the flagship Samsung tablets, and that’s the main selling point of both. They may not have the raw performance of Samsung’s $800+ tablets, but they’re still excellent to use and will satisfy all but the pickiest tablet users.

Read: Our Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE and S9 FE+ review

Mid-Range Tablet With Best Performance: Apple iPad 10

If you’re trying to get the best possible CPU performance for your money in the mid-range segment, there’s only one tablet for you: the Apple iPad 10. It’s far from a perfect tablet, but gamers and anyone who needs a lot of CPU grunt will likely find a lot to love about it.

Let’s start with the best part of the Apple iPad 10: the A14 Bionic CPU. This 6-core CPU is still a monster capable of easily handling almost any tablet task. In synthetic and real-world tests, it handily outperforms anything else in the mid-range CPU segment. Gaming, for example, is silky smooth, with the Apple iPad 10 capable of running games like PUBG Mobile and Apex Legends at their highest settings without breaking a sweat. 

Sure, the iPad 10 may only have 4GB of RAM, but iPadOS’ excellent memory management ensures that the iPad 10 makes great use of this 4GB. Unfortunately, storage is the principal bugbear. The $450 base version has 64GB of RAM, which feels a bit low for the price. Unfortunately, upgrading to 256GB costs an extra $150, stretching the limits of what we’d call a “mid-range” price.

Another issue is the display. While the 10.9-inch, 2360 x 1640 Liquid Retina IPS screen is sharp and looks great, Apple still uses a non-laminated construction for the iPad 10. This construction leaves a noticeable air gap between the LCD and the glass, which feels old-fashioned in 2024. Is it a deal-breaker? No, not really, but it certainly isn’t great compared to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE’s screen. The iPad 10 also has jelly scrolling issues in landscape mode, which might prove annoying for some users.

Another issue is Apple Pencil compatibility. As the iPad 10 has a USB-C port, you’ll have to use an awkward USB C-to-Lightning adapter to use the Apple Pencil 1. You could bypass this by opting for the Apple Pencil USB-C, but that means giving up pressure sensitivity. Not ideal, either.

Our recommendation? Forget the Pencil. Stick to gaming and entertainment on the iPad 10, taking advantage of that excellent CPU while minimizing its weaknesses.

Read: Our Apple iPad 10 review

Best Value Apple Tablet: Apple iPad 9

Apple’s 9th-generation iPad is getting old now, but its relatively low price makes it a compelling option if you want to get into the Apple ecosystem without spending too much money. It’s also a great performer for the price, so it’s worth considering if you want a great-value gaming tablet.

The 2021 iPad runs a 6-core A13 Bionic CPU with 3GB of RAM and 64GB or 256GB of storage. It’s a modest setup by Apple’s standards but still capable compared to Android tablets in this price range. The A13 Bionic outperforms CPUs like the Exynos 1380 in the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE, with games like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty running perfectly at max settings in our tests.

The 10.2-inch, 2160 x 1620 Retina IPS screen on the Apple iPad 9 is bright, sharp, and looks great. However, it has a non-laminated construction, which results in an air gap between the LCD and glass. While it doesn’t ruin the experience, it makes the iPad 9 feel dated, especially with its thick bezels and generally outdated design language. Sadly, these combine to make the iPad 9 feel less premium than you might assume, given the Apple branding.

Read: Setting Up A New iPad: Very Easy Step-By-Step Guide

That said, the iPad 9 has it where it counts, and the performance is excellent for a sub-$350 tablet (at least, in its 64GB guise). Apple is still rolling out iPadOS updates for the iPad 9, too, so it still has a lot of life in it. So, while it may not feel as special as its higher-end siblings, the Apple iPad 9’s performance and longevity mean it’s still a great-value tablet option in 2024.

Read: Our Apple iPad 9 review

Best Value Android Tablet: Xiaomi Pad 6

Xiaomi’s Pad 6 has to rank as one of the most compelling value buys in the Android tablet market in 2024. It combines a great screen, sleek design, and capable hardware in a package that costs around $350 in the US. What’s not to love? As it turns out, very little.

The Pad 6 has a lot going for it, but let’s start with the display. Xiaomi didn’t skimp here, opting for an 11-inch 2880 x 1800 IPS LCD running at 144Hz and boasting HDR10 and Dolby Vision certification. It’s a very sharp screen as far as mid-range tablets go, with its roughly 309 PPI ensuring that text and icons are crisp and legible no matter how picky you are. The Pad 6’s screen is also slightly brighter than most of the competition, maxing out at 550 nits instead of 500 nits.

CPU-wise, we get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 CPU alongside 6GB or 8GB of RAM. The Snapdragon 870 used to be a flagship CPU, and it still packs a decent punch, considering the Pad 6’s price. Gaming was perfectly smooth in our testing, and we managed to run PUBG Mobile at UltraHD settings without too many issues. It may lag behind newer CPUs in synthetic benchmarks but it’s still competitive in real-world scenarios.

Xiaomi sells the Pad 6 in 6GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB variants. Both have fixed storage, which is a minor downside. While we appreciate that Xiaomi’s going for an Apple-style aesthetic with the Pad 6’s aluminum body and minimalistic port selection, we would have loved to see it break away ever so slightly by including a microSD slot.

The Pad 6 supports Xiaomi’s 2nd-generation Pen, which is a solid stylus that works well on the Pad 6. The software experience isn’t entirely on par with Apple or Samsung, but the pen itself is good quality. There’s also a keyboard cover, although it’s nothing too special. We wouldn’t recommend the Pad 6 if you plan to type a lot.

Unless you need a great keyboard, the Xiaomi Pad 6 is a home run for anyone interested in an Android tablet in the $350-and-below price bracket. It shows you can get a high-quality tablet with a great display and few significant compromises without breaking the bank.

Read: Our Xiaomi Pad 6 review

Best Value Tablet With Stylus: Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 2022

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 2022 takes the S Pen experience of Samsung’s higher-end tablets and brings it down to the lower midrange. Thus, it offers excellent value for users who want a tablet primarily for writing and note-taking and don’t mind sacrificing some raw performance.

The Tab S6 Lite 2022 has a Samsung S Pen in the box, and it does what you expect. Samsung’s excellent Notes app allows you to write, annotate PDFs, draw, and convert handwriting to text. Air Commands let you take screenshots and annotate them quickly, while the S Pen to Text feature lets you fill up standard typed forms with handwriting instead. It’s a great pen experience that outclasses most tablets in the Tab S6 Lite’s price bracket.

Unfortunately, the writing experience doesn’t feel as good as on the higher-end Samsung tablets, primarily because of the screen. The Tab S6 Lite 2022’s 10.4-inch, 2000 x 1200 TFT LCD runs at 60Hz, so writing will feel a bit “slow.” It’s not ruinous, but you will notice it if you compare it to a tablet with a 90Hz or higher refresh rate.

The Tab S6 Lite 2022’s CPU performance isn’t anything to shout about, either. You get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G or 732G, both of which are decent but unexceptional CPUs. They do a decent job with daily tasks and light productivity, but games like Fortnite will struggle here. RAM and storage are standard for the price bracket, with 4GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of expandable storage.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite isn’t necessarily an outstanding tablet, especially not in 2024. However, Samsung’s Notes app and One UI’s excellent S Pen integration, combined with the fact that Samsung includes an S Pen in the box, make it a prime candidate for dedicated pen users on a budget.

Read: Our Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 2022 review

Best Value Tablet With Great Keyboard: Lenovo Tab P11 Gen 2

When it comes to tablets, a great typing experience is often the preserve of pricey tablets with similarly pricey keyboard covers. But Lenovo’s Tab P11 Gen 2 bucks that trend, pairing a solid mid-range tablet with an above-average keyboard in a combo that won’t break the bank. Budget-conscious writers of the world, rejoice!

But before we get to the keyboard, let’s cover Tab P11 Gen 2’s essentials. Lenovo’s mid-range tablet has a MediaTek Helio G99 CPU and is available in 4GB/64GB, 4GB/128GB, and 6GB/128GB guises, all with expandable storage. The screen is an 11.5-inch IPS that runs at 2000 x 1200 and sports a relatively uncommon 5:3 aspect ratio. None of this hardware is necessarily exceptional, but it’s all more than adequate for the sub-$300 price this tablet is often available for.

The Lenovo Tab P11 Gen 2’s keyboard stands out because it’s the closest you’ll get to a genuinely full-featured, laptop-style keyboard in this price range. The keyboard cover, which comes in two parts, takes advantage of the P11 Gen 2’s 11.5-inch dimensions to offer a reasonably roomy layout and a trackpad, the latter of which isn’t very common on more affordable keyboard covers. It feels a bit cheap, but it types well; we were perfectly happy writing extensively on it.

If you only have around $300 to spend on a tablet with a keyboard, this is the only one you should consider. Lenovo’s Tab P11 Gen 2 would be a good tablet anyway, given its decent price and solid hardware. However, its great keyboard cover makes it a no-brainer for typists on a budget.

Read: Our Lenovo Tab P11 Gen 2 review

Best Budget Android Tablet: Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+

The budget Android tablet market is saturated, with many brands and tablets vying for your attention. However, Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab A9+ is our favorite. It pairs a solid hardware and software experience with a competitive price and global availability (which isn’t always true with many budget brands).

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A9+ is an 11-inch tablet with a 1920 x 1200 TFT LCD running at 90Hz. While 90Hz displays in the budget space aren’t as uncommon as they used to be, we’re still glad to see a high-refresh-rate screen here. CPU-wise, we have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 paired with 4GB or 8GB of RAM, depending on the chosen storage option. The 4GB model has 64GB of RAM, while the 8GB version has 128GB of storage. As with all of its tablets, Samsung includes a microSD card slot for extra storage if necessary.

The Galaxy Tab A9+’s hardware won’t necessarily excite, but it’s solid enough to compete with tablets in the $300 price range. That’s impressive, considering Tab A9+ is available for just over $200. Another welcome trait of the Tab A9+ is Samsung’s promise of 4 years of security updates and 3 Android OS updates.

Unfortunately, Samsung removed S Pen support on the Galaxy Tab A9+. It’s uncertain whether this is to keep costs down or a cynical marketing ploy to push stylus users to the pricier Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 2022, but it’s a shame either way. On the plus side, Samsung’s DeX is present on the Tab A9+, so you can connect a keyboard and mouse to get a desktop-like experience.

Overall, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A9+ is the budget tablet to beat in our books. For around $200, you get a solid tablet that gets all the basics right. Sure, S Pen support would have been great, but anyone buying on a budget likely won’t be too concerned about that.

Read: Our Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ review

Best Small Tablet: Apple iPad Mini 6

Apple’s iPad Mini shows that small tablets don’t also have to be low-power, budget units. It’s one of the few high-end tablets in the 8-inch size, packing a great processor, solid display, and an overall premium experience into a small package.

The iPad Mini 6 has Apple’s A15 Bionic CPU, the fastest non-M-series CPU you can get in an Apple tablet. So you’re getting more performance than on the iPad 10 and iPad 9 here, with the iPad Mini possessing enough CPU grunt for maxed-out gaming sessions, image editing in Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom, and even video editing in LumaFusion. It’s a great CPU, and getting it in this small tablet is outstanding. 4GB of RAM and 64GB or 256GB of non-expandable storage round out the vital internals.

Apple bumped up the iPad Mini’s dimensions for the 2021 model, going with an 8.3-inch, 2266 x 1488 Liquid Retina IPS display instead of the 7.9-inch screen of earlier models. It’s a solid display with typically great colors and sharpness, hobbled slightly by a jelly scrolling issue in portrait mode that some may find disorienting. 

The Apple iPad Mini 6 supports the Apple Pencil 2, and it works as well here as it does on the iPad Air and iPad Pro. The writing experience on the iPad Mini is excellent, with great OS-level integration and good handwriting recognition. Our only complaint is the 60Hz refresh rate, which stops writing from feeling as smooth as the 120Hz of the iPad Pro. But it’s a minor complaint.

Apple’s iPad Mini continues to fly the flag for high-quality small tablets in a market that seems to focus on 11-inch units and up. While we appreciate that 8-inch tablets aren’t for everyone, those who need something compact—whether as a travel tablet or simply due to personal preference—will surely enjoy the Apple iPad Mini 6.

Read: Our Apple iPad Mini 6 review

Best Budget Small Tablet: Samsung Galaxy Tab A9

While we really like the Apple iPad Mini 6, we understand that not everyone can afford to spend that much. So, what’s one to do if you just want something small and aren’t too fussed about performance or a premium experience? Enter the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9.

Samsung’s new budget tablet is larger than the iPad Mini, sporting an 8.7-inch TFT with a much lower 1340 x 800 resolution. It’s not a very dense display, and we found that the individual pixels were visible during daily use. However, this isn’t unexpected in this price bracket, and it’s a trait you’ll have to live with. Otherwise, it’s a decent display with OK colors, Widevine L1 certification, and a fully laminated construction.

Samsung opted for a MediaTek Helio G99 CPU for the Galaxy Tab A9, giving it an edge over many other budget small tablets with lower-end MediaTek CPUs. Don’t get us wrong: the Helio G99 isn’t a high-end CPU. Still, it’s a decent CPU that lets you play PUBG Mobile and even Genshin Impact with reasonable performance. You can choose between 4GB or 8GB of RAM with 64GB or 128GB of expandable storage.

Like its bigger brother, the Galaxy Tab A9+, Samsung removed S Pen support from the Tab A9. On the plus side, the Tab A9 shares the same update policy as its bigger brother. You get 4 years of security patches and 3 Android OS updates. That gives it an edge over other cheap 8-inch tablets, some of which may not even receive one major update (looking at you, Alldocube iPlay50).

If you prefer a small tablet but can’t stretch to the Apple iPad Mini 6’s price, then the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 is the way to go. It gets the essentials right and is sure to satisfy—provided you keep its affordable price in mind.

Read: Our Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 review

Best Small Windows Tablet: Microsoft Surface Go 4

Most of the best Windows tablets are 12- or 13-inch units, leaving those of you who want a more conventional tablet form factor out in the cold. That’s where the Microsoft Surface Go 4 comes into the picture, providing a convertible Windows 11 experience in a smaller 10-inch size.

Of course, a smaller size comes with some compromises. This becomes apparent when you look under the hood and spot the Intel N200 CPU and 8GB of RAM. The hardware makes it evident that this isn’t a tablet for gaming or heavy-duty creative work. That said, it’s still capable enough for daily use and office-centric productivity. I mean, we used the first-gen Surface Go for 12 straight days and were shocked at how much we got done.

The Microsoft Surface Go 4 has a 10.5-inch PixelSense display with a 3:2 aspect ratio, running at 1920 x 1080 and 60Hz. The display is enjoyable enough, with sharp text, accurate colors, good brightness, and wide viewing angles. It’s not an amazing display, but it’s more than good enough for a productivity-focused office tablet.

Microsoft has opted to retain compatibility with the Type Cover keyboard, which Surface owners will be familiar with. That’s a good decision in our books: Not only is the Type Cover a great keyboard even now, but it also means that long-term Surface users who already own one won’t need to buy a new keyboard just to use the Go 4.

Another welcome aspect of the Microsoft Surface Go 4 is its repairability. While Microsoft didn’t design it expressly for end-user repair, it has ensured that office IT departments can quickly replace several parts of the Surface Go 4 and minimize downtime. These include the display, battery, back cover, cameras, and speakers.

Read: How to Use a Windows Tablet (Everything You Need To Know)

That said, there’s much to like about the Microsoft Surface Go 4, even if you’re not a business user. Sure, it’s not all that powerful, but the great keyboard and solid display make the Surface Go 4 a compelling alternative to Windows laptops—and one of the few available in the 10-inch form factor.

Read: Our Microsoft Surface Go 4 review

Best Cheap Tablet: Amazon Fire HD 10 2023

Amazon’s Fire HD 10 2023 is a decent budget 10-inch tablet and Alexa-capable smart display with one major plus in its favor: its pricing. It’s perhaps not the greatest deal ever at its $150 MSRP, but you can get one for less than $100 if you’re willing to wait for Black Friday or Prime Day. That makes it a very compelling cheap Android tablet, provided you’re OK with some of the compromises you’ll have to live with.

The Fire HD 10 is a 10.1-inch tablet with a 1900 x 1200, 60Hz IPS screen. It’s a decent enough example, with acceptable colors, decent contrast, and Widevine L1 certification for playing HD web content. Under the hood, the Fire HD 10 2023 has a MediaTek MT8186A CPU with 3GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of storage. Thankfully, Amazon included a microSD card slot on the Fire 10 2023, so you can add more storage if necessary.

Interestingly, Amazon opted to add USI 2 pen support on this latest edition of the Amazon Fire HD 10. USI 2 pens don’t quite function as well as the Apple Pencil or Samsung S Pen, but it’s a nice value-add on a budget tablet. We didn’t think the pen support was good enough for serious writing, but it could be handy for casually jotting down notes.

Like all of Amazon’s Fire tablets, the Fire HD 10 2023 runs Fire OS, Amazon’s in-house Android adaptation. While it generally behaves similarly to Android, Fire OS doesn’t ship with any Google apps pre-installed. Yes, that includes the Google Play Store. It’s pretty easy to sideload the Play Store onto the tablet if necessary, so we don’t consider it a significant issue. Still, those who don’t want to tinker should check out other tablets.

Going by specs alone, the Amazon Fire HD 10 2023 would be nothing more than a decent but unexceptional tablet. While that is still broadly true, the fact that you can get one for around $80 on sale slightly changes the situation. At that price, the Fire HD 10 2023 is a great way to get a dual-purpose tablet and smart display for very little money.

Read: Our Amazon Fire HD 10 2023 review

Cheapest Good Tablet: Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus 2022

Cheap tablets are a dime a dozen, but buying the unbranded ones can be a shot in the dark, with little way to truly know what you’re getting. But fret not if you’re on an ultra-tight budget, as Amazon’s Fire HD 8 Plus 2022 is perfectly usable and comes in at an MSRP of just over $100.

You should expect budget hardware all around at that price, and that’s precisely what you get. The Fire HD 8 Plus 2022 runs a 6-core MediaTek MT8169A CPU with 3GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of expandable storage. It’s not a particularly powerful tablet, but you can play games such as PUBG Mobile, Asphalt 9, and World of Tanks on the Amazon tablet. You will have to live with reduced graphics settings, but they are playable. 

The 8-inch IPS display isn’t anything special, with poor brightness and a non-laminated construction. The 1200 x 800 resolution may seem slightly low, but it’s perfectly acceptable on an 8-inch display. Not amazing, admittedly, but it’s fine. We’re not sure that 8 inches is large enough to work as a smart display, but you can use it as such thanks to the Amazon tablet’s Alexa integration.

Like its bigger brother, the Fire HD 10 2023, the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus 2022 runs Amazon’s Fire OS fork of Android. This means you don’t have Google apps or the Google Play Store by default. Sideloading the Play Store isn’t too hard, thankfully, and you shouldn’t have too many issues.

While we’d generally recommend stretching your budget slightly and going for the Amazon Fire HD 10 2023 at the very least, the Fire HD 8 Plus 2022 is a valid choice if you really can’t afford anything more. It’s not going to impress hardcore tablet fans, but it’s perfectly workable as a cheap gaming tablet or an entry-level device for a younger family member.

Read: Our Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus 2022 review