Best Buy New Tablets
Fortunately, we can help you find the right tablet because we review the best from all the major manufacturers every year. We put these devices to the test, both in our lab and the real world, and we've come to a few key conclusions about the best tablets out there. Amazon tablets are generally great for kids and anyone on a tight budget, for example, while Apple's iPads are best for students and creative pros. That's especially true now that an M2 chip powers Apple's latest iPad Pro.
best buy new tablets
Thanks to the addition of M1, the iPad Air 2022 is almost on par with the iPad Pro. That isn't to say the Air is now a Pro replacement, but the gap in power is considerably smaller. This, along with the iPad Air's relatively affordable starting price, could make this model more compelling than the iPad Pro for budget-minded shoppers who still want the best iPad their money can buy.
Overall, the latest iPad Air is an almost perfect tablet. While there's still some room for improvement, it's hard to put this sleek, powerful slate down. This is arguably the best tablet for most people, and one of the best iPads to boot.
The Galaxy Tab S8 is good at a lot of things, but it's best at being a premium Android tablet. You can use it to get work done in a pinch, but in my experience it's best enjoyed as a speedy all-purpose device for making work and play a bit more enjoyable. On the couch its great for gaming or reading comics, and at work it's nice to have as a note-keeping device or secondary display, especially if you go to the trouble of investing in the Galaxy ecosystem and making your workspace DeX-friendly.
And just like Apple's pricier tablets, the Galaxy Tab A7 charges over USB-C, so you can continue to cut non-reversible microUSB cables out of your life. And while it's not as fast as the iPad and its screen isn't as bright, neither is a serious problem at this price. Especially when Samsung gives you true Android with the Google Play app store, and not the watered-down Amazon Fire tablet experience.
Take almost everything we know and love about the iPad Air, but shrink it down to a size and weight that's super-easy to use with just one hand and you have the iPad mini 6 (2021), which may be the iPad you've been waiting for. It has the Apple Pencil 2 support with the flat-edged design, the much-smaller bezels and nearly everything else we love about an iPad. Currently, Amazon has the market cornered on sub-10-inch tablets with the pricing of its Fire slates, but the new iPad mini gives quality-focused folks an alternative worth investing in.
If you're a writer who loves pen and paper, you know that the iPad and its Apple Pencil don't really feel right. That's where the reMarkable tablets have jumped into the fray, offering a real-feeling writing experience, with a unique screen technology that uses digital paper and the Marker stylus, which feels more authentic when you press its nib against the screen. The reMarkable 2, however, is a much more seductive device, now measuring a sleek 0.2 inches and ditching its plastic frame for a sleeker metallic chassis.
Android folks have a wider set of options, but since Android apps aren't thriving on tablets as much as anyone would hope, this is a good time to consider all of your options. Yes the Galaxy Tab S6 has a fantastic screen and Android apps, but isn't Windows 10 a more capable platform? If you're nodding your head "yes," then the Surface Go 2 is the best tablet for you. That all being said, if you've got a big enough family, and you're all living in the Amazon Prime ecosystem, go for the Fire 7 if you're trying to fit to a budget, and the Fire HD 10 if you are tired of devices that don't have USB-C.
Many of today's best tablets are powerful enough to be excellent laptop alternatives. And those that aren't as powerful are still very capable of seeing you through general work-related tasks like sending out emails and typing up important documents or lighter creative workloads like drawing and design, thanks to their stylus support.
Whether you're looking for one of the best iPads or one of the best Android tablets, you'll get a lot out of that tablet you're getting. And, because these devices give you all the benefits of a touchscreen without making you pay a premium for the feature, you've got a portable that's extremely versatile but not as expensive as, say, some of the best 2-in-1 laptops.
Of course, it would be unwise to simply go out and get the priciest model you can afford. The iPad Pro, for example, might the the most powerful iPadOS-powered device, but it might be that what you need is an iPad Air, which means you'll be saving money and getting exactly the tablet that's ideal for you. Or, it might be that all you really need is one of the best cheap tablets.
The list is updated regularly, thanks to new tablets coming out all the time, so check back often to see what's changed. This may also be the time to pick up one of the best power banks too, to keep you juiced up all day long.
This is one of the best tablets we've tested, and the iPad Pro and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra only beat it in a few ways, like with their bigger screens, extra storage space and high-res displays. But if you don't have the money to stretch for those two premium tabs, this mid-range alternative could be great for you.
Want high speed internet? A version of the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus also comes with 5G connectivity, and you'll get the Samsung S Pen stylus in the box for free. Android isn't as good as iPadOS is on tablets, but if you want an Android alternative to an iPad this could be it.
When choosing a tablet, the first thing you'll need to decide is how much you want to do with it. Will it be an extra device for entertainment and productivity, or will it replace a laptop as a main computing device? Today's tablets can certainly handle all of the tasks of a basic laptop. Then you'll need to decide on your price range, because tablets can range from cheap budget devices to very expensive cutting edge portables, far more expensive than the laptops they replace. Finally, it would be helpful to choose between an Apple iPad OS tablet and an Android device, based on the services and software you prefer.
Alex joined as TechRadar's Senior Phones Editor in June 2022, but brings over a decade's worth of experience to the role, with an expertise in smartphones, tablets and wearables. He's covered keynotes hosted by the biggest brands and attended the launches for some of the most influential mobile products of the last few years. His experience was amassed at some of the most reputable consumer technology publications out there, including GSMArena, TechAdvisor and Trusted Reviews. Alex is currently holding out hope for the Pixel Watch's success and is excited for the advancements coming to the world of foldable phones in the near future.","contributorText":"With contributions from","contributors":["name":"Michelle Rae Uy","role":"Computing Reviews and Buying Guides Editor","link":"href":"https:\/\/www.techradar.com\/author\/michelle-rae-uy"]}; var triggerHydrate = function() window.sliceComponents.authorBio.hydrate(data, componentContainer); var triggerScriptLoadThenHydrate = function() if (window.sliceComponents.authorBio === undefined) var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = ' -9-5/authorBio.js'; script.async = true; script.id = 'vanilla-slice-authorBio-component-script'; script.onload = () => window.sliceComponents.authorBio = authorBio; triggerHydrate(); ; document.head.append(script); else triggerHydrate(); if (window.lazyObserveElement) window.lazyObserveElement(componentContainer, triggerScriptLoadThenHydrate, 1500); else console.log('Could not lazy load slice JS for authorBio') } }).catch(err => console.log('Hydration Script has failed for authorBio Slice', err)); }).catch(err => console.log('Externals script failed to load', err));Alex Walker-ToddSocial Links NavigationSenior Phones EditorAlex joined as TechRadar's Senior Phones Editor in June 2022, but brings over a decade's worth of experience to the role, with an expertise in smartphones, tablets and wearables. He's covered keynotes hosted by the biggest brands and attended the launches for some of the most influential mobile products of the last few years. His experience was amassed at some of the most reputable consumer technology publications out there, including GSMArena, TechAdvisor and Trusted Reviews. Alex is currently holding out hope for the Pixel Watch's success and is excited for the advancements coming to the world of foldable phones in the near future.
Even with the addition of the 10th-generation iPad, we still think the ninth-generation iPad (8/10, WIRED Recommends) from 2021 is the best iPad for most people. It's the most affordable (and has dipped as low as $250). It has the same shape and size as its predecessors, so all current accessories will work, including the first-generation Apple Pencil and Apple's Smart Keyboard. It retains the classic Home button with Touch ID plus thick borders around the 10.2-inch screen.
The A13 Bionic chip, which debuted on the iPhone 11, makes it one of the most powerful tablets for the price, and there are other welcome upgrades, like 64 GB of storage and True Tone, which adjusts the color temperature of the display to match the ambient lighting to look more natural. The real highlight is the front camera, which is 12 megapixels and supports Center Stage, the iPad Pro feature that moves the camera around during video calls so you always stay in the frame. (The camera placement is still a bit awkward.) It's worth highlighting that this iPad doesn't have a fully laminated display. That means there's an air gap between the screen and the glass, which can make interactions with the Apple Pencil feel a smidge imprecise.
Apple's iPad Pro tablets (7/10, WIRED Review) are the largest it offers. There are two sizes: 11 inches and 12.9 inches. The latter is in a class of its own. You just can't find many other large slates, and the size is especially nice if you plan to make it your canvas with the Apple Pencil. Even more distinctive is the display. The 12.9-incher is the only iPad to use Apple's mini LED display backlighting technology. It's still LCD, but it adds thousands more LEDs to illuminate the screen in zones, delivering better contrast, dynamic range, and higher brightness. It's an excellent display. 041b061a72