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According to recent data, Apple still has the highest global market share for tablets, and all its iPads are among the best tablets. Until recently, the often-discounted 10th-gen iPad (2022) was at the top of this best list, but now that 11th-gen iPad (2025) has been released, it takes the top spot, followed by the new iPad Air M3. But there are many other good tablets I've tested, including several appealing Android tablets featured on this list. I've also selected some budget tablets for those looking for an affordable option. They're good for consuming media or playing casual games but don't quite qualify as a professional productivity tool or true laptop replacement. With Amazon's Big Spring Sale underway, many of the below picks are seeing significant savings.
Best tablets of 2025
- Affordable
- 128GB storage included on base model
- Solid front video camera
- More powerful A16 processor
- No support for Apple Intelligence
- Won't work with newer Pencil Pro or Pencil 2 stylus
- Accessories still too expensive
Apple has finally updated updated its entry-level iPad. While it only got the Apple A16 chip found in iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15, not one of Apple's more powerful M-Series chips -- that's a performance bump from the A14 processor in the 10th-gen iPad. Just as importantly, the base version of the iPad 11th-gen comes with 128GB of storage instead of 64GB (hallelujah!). Alas, this new basic iPad doesn't get you Apple Intelligence (the chip doesn't support it), and it still works only with the simple USB-C Pencil or the first-gen Pencil (with a USB-C-to-Lightning adapter), not the Pencil Pro. But those shortcomings aside, the 11th-gen iPad remains arguably the best iPad value, especially when it inevitably is discounted to less than $300. Read our full review.
Estimated battery: Up to 10 hours
Chip: Apple A16
Display: 10.9-inch, 2,360x1,640 pixels, Liquid Retina (LCD)
Stylus support: USB-C Pencil, Apple Pencil 1
Storage options: 128GB/256GB/512GB
Weight: 1.05 pounds/477 grams
- Upgraded M3 processor
- Price hasn't increased
- New, less expensive Magic Keyboard option
- Lacks faster refresh rate display of Pro line
- Still doesn't have OLED screen
- Configs can get expensive fast
CNET reviewer Scott Stein has this to say about the iPad Air M3, which was released in 2025 and is equipped with an upgraded M3 processor: "A year ago, I called the iPad Air 'the iPad Pro you should buy.' So, obviously, my feelings remain unchanged with the Air getting a performance bump with the M3 chip. As nice as the fancier M4 iPad Pro might be, spending an extra $400 for it now that it's also a year old seems like a lot to ask. The iPad Air may be a bit thicker and lack Face ID… and lidar on the back… and an M4 chip… and an OLED display… but what the Air does have is very good performance, and still works with the Pencil Pro." Read our full review.
Estimated battery: Up to 10 hours
Chip: Apple M3
Display: 11-inch, 2360x1640 pixels, or 13-inch, 2,732x2,048 pixels, both Liquid Retina (LCD)
Stylus support: USB-C Apple Pencil, Apple Pencil Pro
Storage options: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB
Weight: 1.01 pounds/460 grams (11-inch), 1.36 pounds/616 grams (13-inch)
- Sleek, slim design
- Impressive display and performance
- S-Pen included
- Memory expansion slot
- New AI features
- Pricey
Essentially the Android equivalent to Apple's iPad Pro, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 line no longer includes a smaller 11-inch model, just the S10 Plus, which has a 12.4-inch display and the S10 Ultra, which has a gigantic 14.6-inch display that's a little too large for my tablet tastes. Both have a microSD slot for expanding the storage by up to 1.5TB. And both bundle in Samsung’s S Pen.
Samsung's also moved from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processor to a MediaTek Dimensity 9300 Plus processor. Some people thought Samsung would use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor for these tablets since the Tab S9s ran on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, but MediaTek has bumped Qualcomm out for the S10 line. Samsung says the new processor gives you an 18% bump in CPU speed, a 28% increase in GPU processing power and a 14% increase in NPU speeds compared to the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra’s processor. The speed gains are slightly less for the S10 Plus.
NPU stands for neural processing unit, which is what helps process the tablet’s AI features. And since everything seems to be about AI these days, having faster and more responsive AI features is one of the key things Samsung is highlighting about these tablets. There are a few other small upgrades. The AMOLED displays are exactly the same as the previous models, except they’re now equipped with anti-reflective technology that helps reduce glare. Otherwise, the displays have the same pixel density with a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz. The S10 Ultra has a 2,960x1,848-pixel resolution, while the S10 Plus is 2,800x1,752 pixels. The Galaxy Tab S10 Plus (or Tab S10 Ultra if you'd like to go big) remains the best Android tablet you can buy. It's certainly pricey, but Samsung offers some decent trade-in deals, especially as we get closer to the arrival of the next-gen Galaxy Tab S11.
Estimated battery: 16 hours based on mixed usage
Chip: MediaTek Dimensity 9300 Plus processor
Display: 12.4-inch, 2,800x1,752 resolution (266 ppi), or 14.6-inch, 2,960x1,848 resolution (239 ppi), both AMOLED
Stylus support: S Pen support (S Pen included)
Storage options: 256GB/512GB with microSD expansion slot
Weight: 1.3 pounds/571 grams (12.4-inch), 1.6 pounds/718 grams (14.6-inch)
- iPad-like feel with smooth aluminum case
- Sharp 10.95-inch display
- Relatively zippy processor
- Included speaker dock sounds great
- Good front video camera
- Price ramps up for cases and more storage
- No keyboard or stylus case options
Google's versatile, dockable Pixel Tablet doubles as a home hub and a speaker dock-enabled assistant, and its multitasking features work great. You'll have to find your own stylus and keyboard options, but Google has otherwise served up a good family iPad alternative for anyone in the Android ecosystem. A relatively zippy Google Tensor G2 processor, a good front camera for video chats, a crisp display (16:10 aspect ratio) and a clean Google Android software experience make this one of our favorite Android options. Google's currently offering the tablet for $299 without the dock now, but that dock is one of our favorite parts of the tablet.
Estimated battery: Up to 12 hours based on mixed usage
Chip: Google Tensor G2
Display: 11-inch, 2,560x1,600 resolution (276 ppi)
Stylus support: None
Storage options: 128GB/256GB
Weight: 1.1 pounds/493 grams
I liked OnePlus' original Pad tablet, which remains on sale, but the Pad 2 has a larger, brighter display (it's an IPS LCD, not OLED) that's a tad sharper. It's also equipped with an upgraded Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which offers a bump in performance from the Mediatek Dimension 9000 processor found in the Pad (it's not a huge performance bump, but a bump, nonetheless).
With its strong performance and excellent display -- it's one of the few Android tablets with a 7:5 aspect ratio -- the OnePlus Pad 2 feels like a premium tablet but has more of a midrange price, so it's a good value. We also like that OnePlus throws in its Folio Case 2 or Stylus 2 for free when you buy it directly from OnePlus. A smart keyboard case is available for around $120.
Estimated battery: Up to 12 hours
Chip: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Qualcomm Adreno GPU
Display: 12.1-inch, 3,000x2,120 resolution (303 ppi)
Stylus support: OnePlus Stylo 2 (not included)
Storage options: 256GB
Weight: 1.2 pounds/548 grams
- Sharper display and better performance than Fire HD 8
- Very good value when discounted
- Lots of free content from Prime members
- Costs $20 extra to remove ads
In 2023, Amazon introduced a slightly lighter and 25% faster Fire HD 10. It comes in a few different versions, including a standard version with a list price of $140 with 32GB of storage along with the Fire HD 10 Kids (intended for children aged 3 to 7) and Fire HD 10 Kids Pro (targeted at 6- to 12-year-olds). Aside from its larger 10.1-inch display compared to the Fire HD's 8-inch display, this model's screen is sharper, with a pixel density of 224 pixels per inch, which is the best for any Amazon tablet, including the flagship Fire 11 Max.
The non-Pro model has a Disney theme option. As with all Fire Kids tablets, these are bundled with padded cases, a 12-month subscription to the Amazon Kids Plus service, which offers kid-friendly apps and content, and an included two-year free replacement policy should the tablet get damaged. Battery life is rated at up to 13 hours of battery life. The Fire HD 10 is arguably the best budget tablet value when it goes on sale, which it often does.
Estimated battery: Up to 13 hours
Chip: 2GHz Arm processor (eight-core)
Display: 10.1-inch, 1,920x1,200 pixels (224 ppi)
Stylus support: None
Storage options: 32GB/64GB
Weight: 1 pound/465 grams
- Compatible with Apple Intelligence
- Works with Apple Pencil Pro
- More storage in the base model
- No new design changes
- Front camera placement isn't on landscape edge
- Can't multitask to external monitors
CNET's iPad reviewer Scott Stein says the updated iPad Mini has everything he'd like to see in Apple's next-generation entry-level iPad, which may arrive in early 2025: It has a newer A17 Pro chip that supports Apple Intelligence, it works with the Pencil Pro stylus and now it has 128GB of storage in its base $499 model. The Mini hasn't changed its basic looks, although this tablet got a total facelift in 2021. It's a great small tablet, but I'm a little worried that its non-M-series processor may leave it out of "pro" type features down the road. It already can't run extra apps on an external monitor like M-series iPads can.
Estimated battery: Up to 10 hours
Chip: A17 Pro
Display: 8.3-inch, 2,266x1,488 pixels, Liquid Retina (LCD)
Stylus support: USB-C Apple Pencil, Apple Pencil Pro
Storage options: 128GB/256GB/512GB
Weight: 0.7 pound/293 grams
- Fairly affordable
- Decent display and performance
- Great sound from integrated JBL speakers
- Built-in kickstand
- Case is included
- Tablet is thicker than a lot of tablets
Lenovo bills its Android-based Tab Plus as a "premium entertainment tablet," it mostly lives up to that description though we could debate how premium it really is. While its MediaTek Helio G99 processor delivers pretty middle-of-the-road performance, it was zippy enough. Its 11.5-inch 2K LCD (2,000x1,200 pixels) essentially provides 1080p resolution, though its 90Hz refresh rate helps create a smoother image and overall, the display seems like a small step-up up from the screens you get with many budget Android tablets. All that said, the Tab Plus' standout feature is its sound. Equipped with JBL speakers, this tablet produces bigger -- and better -- sound than most of the tablets I've tested.
The built-in speakers add some girth to the tablet, which also has a retractable kickstand, so it's a bit chunky. Battery life is solid at around 12 hours, and I appreciate the included carrying case. The case is a little cheap-looking and feeling, but it is protective. The Tab Plus is a good value, especially when discounted, if you're looking for a tablet to consume media.
Estimated battery: Up to 12 hours
Chip: MediaTek Helio G99 (2.20 GHz )
Display: 8.3-inch, 2,266x1,488 pixels, Liquid Retina (LCD)
Stylus support: Tab Pen Plus (not included)
Storage options: 128GB/256GB with expansion microSD card slot
Weight: 1.4 pounds/650 grams
- Inexpensive, especially when discounted
- Compact and lightweight
- Improved performance from 2022 model
- Lots of free content from Prime members
- Display is only OK
- Costs $20 extra to remove ads
Amazon continues to make the best inexpensive tablets for media consumption. The Fire HD 8 is the middle of the lineup, hitting a sweet spot for price and performance. The 2024 version is a slight refresh from the 2022 model and includes a performance boost thanks to an upgraded six-core, 2GHz Arm processor and 3GB of RAM (up from 2GB). The step-up model with 64GB of memory instead of 32GB is equipped with 4GB of RAM.
While its 1,280x800 pixel display isn't terribly sharp and remains a weak point, the Fire HD 8 is a good low-cost option for streaming video, reading ebooks and web browsing. The key is to wait to pick it up when it's discounted, which it often is, selling for $65 or less.
Estimated battery: Up to 13 hours
Chip: 2GHz Arm processor (six-core)
Display: 8-inch, 1,280x800 pixels (189 ppi)
Stylus support: Tab Pen Plus (not included)
Storage options: 32GB/64GB
Weight: 0.7 pounds/337 grams
- Excellent OLED display
- Very good battery life
- Class-leading NPU performance, for now
- Finally, mainstream-Intel-comparable performance
- Nice kickstand
- Mixed graphics performance
- Optional Pen and keyboard can get expensive
- Can get hot while plugged in or intense usage
- 16GB is not enough RAM (32GB preferred)
Two items help make the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 our favorite two-in-one detachable Windows tablet: Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Elite X processor and an excellent OLED display (a more affordable version of the Surface Pro 11 is available with an LCD). The Arm-based CPU delivers competitive performance and far fewer compatibility issues for mainstream use than previous Windows-on-Arm efforts. And it helps the Surface Pro 11 deliver a long battery life. The 13-inch OLED display supplies a crisp 2.8K resolution along with P3 calibration and real HDR capability. It's the best Surface Pro I’ve seen in a while, but you still have to pay extra for a keyboard and stylus. We also recommend getting 32GB of RAM instead of the 16GB in the base model.
Estimated battery: Up to 13 hours
Chip: Snapdragon X Elite
Display: 13-inch 2,880x1,920 OLED (267 ppi)
Stylus support: Yes (not included)
Storage options: 1TB
Weight: 2 pounds/895 grams
- Versatile design
- Great battery life
- Improved pen performance
- Camera privacy shutter
- Spill-resistant keyboard cover included
- Tricky to use on your lap
- Rear cover magnets could be stronger
The 11-inch Lenovo Chromebook Duet is a pen-enabled ChromeOS tablet with a detachable keyboard. It's one of the bestselling Chromebooks of all time, according to Google's John Maletis, vice president of ChromeOS product, engineering and UX. That doesn't surprise me in the slightest, considering its versatility and because of what you get for its $350 starting price (and it's regularly available for less). It's an excellent option for an inexpensive basic laptop for travel and at home. As your main computer, its performance and size may be too limiting. This is a smart choice if you're looking for something for pure mobility or as a secondary device.
Estimated battery: Up to 12 hours
Chip: 2.6GHz MediaTek Kompanio 838
Display: 11-inch 1,920x1,200 touch LCD
Stylus support: Yes (not included)
Storage options: 128GB
Weight: 1.1 pounds/508 grams
How we test tablets
Tablets are, effectively, computers. We benchmark tablets against common performance and graphics metrics and run battery life tests for video playback. But we also look at what tablets can do that make them personal or fun. Playing games, trying out art apps, having video chats, watching movies and exploring how well multitasking works all factor in. Benchmarks are only one small part of the review story.
CNET also looks at our deep collective history and experience with tablets and computers in general. Our editors have decades of knowledge across Google, Microsoft, Apple and Amazon ecosystems, and we look at the value and performance of tablets against what laptops and other PCs can provide too.
Factors to consider when buying a tablet
Tablets are portable computers that have great usability while being less complicated than a traditional computer. The best tablet is the one that's versatile enough for all kinds of use cases from home, school or work. While finding the best tablet for you isn't hard, knowing where to start can be overwhelming, and that's where CNET's testing and reviews can help. We've picked out the best of the best, and these tablets can do it all, including checking email, managing finances, testing your art skills or casually browsing YouTube and watching videos.
Price, in that regard, is a huge factor. Most people we know consider tablets a secondary computer purchase or as a device for kids. Value matters for tablets more than maybe any other product category for that reason. Some tablets are more premium, which may be worth it if you value a more future-proof device, better OLED displays or faster chips.
You can't discuss tablets without talking about Apple. The iPad Pro and Air models just got big hardware upgrades, with the expensive Pro introducing OLED displays and a new M4 chip for the first time, along with an improved Pencil Pro. But keep in mind that Apple devices have their own app ecosystem and lean on Apple services. iPads are more versatile than ever, but they're still not the same, app or OS-wise, as Macs.
While the iPad is the king of the segment, Android tablets have made a comeback over the last couple of years. The Google Pixel Tablet and One Plus Pad 2 are excellent midrange options that are good for family or home use (Pixel Tablet) or as a personal mini laptop (OnePlus Pad 2). Meanwhile, Samsung's Galaxy Tab S10 tablets" target="_self, which feature a slim design and excellent AMOLED displays, are a top premium Android tablet option.
In the value segment, Amazon's Fire tablets are still the best tablet option for cheap and kid-friendly models. If you're looking for something good for productivity and entertainment, an affordable Chromebook blurs the line between a laptop and a tablet.
Tablet FAQs
What's the difference between Apple's iPads?
For the most part, Apple's iPads differ in terms of price, display quality and chip performance. Higher-end models also work with different Apple Pencil Pro styluses. All iPads run iPadOS similarly, and they all are capable of multitasking. All current models have USB-C ports too. The entry-level iPad is our versatile top pick, but the Air and Pro models add M-series chips that can add more multitasking with connected monitors and work with a few pro-level Apple apps. The new Pro iPads add even faster M4 chips, step-up OLED displays with better brightness and contrast and refresh rates, and are a bit thinner and lighter. If you care about Apple's Pencil stylus, the Air and Pro work with a new Pencil Pro that adds rotational and squeeze gestures. However, they're not compatible with the older Pencil 2.
What's the best time to buy a tablet?
Unlike phones, tablets can arrive at random times of the year. Apple releases iPads erratically, although entry-level models tend to come in March or April. Samsung usually has new tablets in August, with ongoing discounts and trade-in options to help bring the final price down. Holiday sales and Prime Day sales are always worth waiting for, but remember that many sales tend to spring up again and again.