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Best Tablets in 2023

By Luna Thorton · Jun 23, 2022

Tablets are yet another great device for productivity, staying connected with loved ones, gaming, and other hobbies. With features between those of a smartphone and a laptop, advancements in technology make for faster, more efficient tablets with better screen resolution, capacity, and more. With a range of brands, sizes, models, and reviews, you’re bound to find the perfect tablet that suits all of your needs. That's why we've put together this list of eight popular tablets from reputable brands to help you decide on your next tablet.
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Best tablet overall

Apple 10.2 Ipad 2021

Apple iPad

Display 10.2 inches
Dimensions 9.80 x 6.80 x 0.29 inches
Capacity 64GB - 256GB
Chip A13 Bionic
Camera and video 8MP back camera, 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage
Features Siri assistant
Accessories Apple pencil
Color Space grey, silver

Best Android tablet

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8

Display 11 inches
Dimensions 0.20 x 6.50 x 1.20 inches
Capacity 128GB
Chip Qualcomm Snapdragon 8
Camera and video 12MP front-facing camera, 13MP + 6MP rear-facing cameras with 4K resolution
Accessories S Pen
Color Silver, graphite, pink gold

Best budget tablet

Amazon Fire 7 Tablet

Amazon Fire 7

Display 7 inches
Dimensions 7.6 x 4.5 x 0.4 inches
Capacity 16GB - 32GB
Chip Quad-core 2.0 GHz
Camera and video 2 MP front and rear-facing cameras, 720p HD video recording
Features Alexa assistant
Color Black, plum, sage, twiglight blue
Accessories N/A

Product available at:




Great for media consumption

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8

Display 10.5 inches
Dimensions 0.30 x 9.70 x 6.40 inches
Capacity 32GB - 128GB
Chip Cortex-A75 + Cortex-A55 dual-core
Camera and video 5MP front-facing camera, 8MP rear-facing cameras with FHD video resolution
Features Sa
Color Silver, grey, pink gold
Accessories N/A

Best performance

Apple Ipad Pro 11

Apple iPad Pro

Display 11 inches
Dimensions 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.23 Inches
Capacity 128GB
Chip Apple M1 Chip
Camera and video 12MP Wide and 10MP Ultra Wide rear cameras, 12 megapixels front with a f/2.4 aperture
Features Siri assistant
Accessories Apple pencil, magic keyboard, smart keyboard
Color Space grey, silver

Best tablet for gaming

Lenovo Tab P12 Pro

Lenovo Tab P12 Pro

Display 12.6"
Dimensions 0.22 x 11.25 x 7.27 inches
Capacity 256GB
Chip 8-core Processor
Camera and video 8MP fixed-focus front camera, 13MP auto-focus + 5MP wide-angle rear camera
Features Lenovo Project Unity
Accessories Lenovo pro folio, Lenovo Keyboard pack
Color Grey

Best options for kids

Amazon Fire Hd 8 Kids Edition

Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition

Display 8 inches
Dimensions 9.2 x 7.2 x 1.0 inches
Capacity 32GB
Chip Quad-core 2.0 GHz
Camera and video 2 MP front and rear-facing cameras, 720p HD video recording
Features Bluetooth headset
Color Blue, pink, purple
Accessories N/A

Product available at:



Best small screened tablet

2021 Apple Ipad Mini

iPad Mini

Display 8.3 inches
Dimensions 7.69 x 5.30 x 0.25 inches
Capacity 64GB - 256GB
Chip A15 Bionic
Camera and video 12MP wide back camera, 12MP ultra wide front camera with Center Stage
Features Siri assistant
Accessories Apple pencil, magic keyboard, smart keyboard
Color Space grey, pink, purple, starlight

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8 of the Best Tablets in 2023

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For people who are looking for a versatile tablet with incredible value, the Apple iPad is a top choice. As a 9th-generation tablet, it was released in 2021; it’s a great model for users of any age wanting to use it for a variety of media. Dazzling image quality with an impressive 10.2-inch display has True Tone for more natural-appearing color. With your Apple iPad purchase, you'll receive a lightning connector and a lithium-ion battery.

FAQs

The Apple iPad is extremely versatile for those seeking to use it for a variety of media. The 10-hour battery life applies for surfing the web, watching videos, or listening to music. Plus, it can be used with the Smart Keyboard, any Bluetooth keyboard, or the 1st-Generation Apple Pencil.

The best functions of the Apple iPad include Touch ID, AppleCare, Apple Pay. Additional features worth mentioning are the display, camera, video, storage capacity, light weight, and large screen size. With your purchase, you will also receive a lithium-ion battery and standard lightning connector for a reasonable price. 

The Apple iPad comes with the option to purchase AppleCare, either for a monthly or two-year subscription. AppleCare covers accidental damage and offers excellent customer service. You can obtain information on Apple’s two-year limited warranty from customer service. Although it’s easy to use straight out of the box, you should first read the warranty information.

Pros & Cons

Advantages
  • Compatible with Smart Keyboard, Bluetooth keyboards, and Apple Pencil
  • Fast Wi-Fi with 4G LTE
  • High-definition resolution and camera
  • Touch ID
Disadvantage
  • No low-power mode available
Android lovers and college students alike will enjoy this tablet for home and work productivity purposes. Clear, deep, and balanced quality combines with an AMOLED display, allowing for vivid images. The tablet also features an ultrawide dual front camera for taking high-quality photos. The S8 features a lightweight design and is made of durable aluminum, which helps prevent scratches and other damages. It's extremely fast to charge, and it lasts all day while using only 5-10% of battery life an hour. With your Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, you get an S Pen, two lithium-ion batteries, a data cable, and an ejection pin. This tablet is great for creatives looking for a device to conveniently edit photos and videos.

FAQs

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 has excellent image and video quality, expandable memory of up to 1TB with a microSD card, and a PC-like experience with Samsung DeX and Microsoft 365 integration. It also features 6E Wi-Fi for quick connectivity, 4K video quality, and all-day battery life allowing for multi-tasking.

The best functions of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 are its Wi-Fi and PC-like experience. Samsung DeX allows you to access files, apps, and multiple tabs from the tablet on your computer screen, and you can also use Microsoft 365 apps. You get 3x faster internet than the previous Wi-Fi 5 (IEEE 802.11ac) so that you won’t have any interference from other connected devices at home.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 comes with a two-year manufacturer’s warranty for the tablet itself, which differs from the standard one-year warranty on all other Samsung products. It does not apply to accessories. Instead, batteries and Samsung headphones and earphones have a 12-month warranty, while charger adapters have a six-month warranty.

Pros & Cons

Advantages
  • Battery-efficient tablet runs all day with a charge of 45W
  • Compatible with Bluetooth, S Pen, keyboards, etc.
  • PC experience with Microsoft 365 integration and Samsung DeX
  • Huge 11-inch LCD screen with 4K 30fps or 1080/60fps and 120Hz refresh rate
  • Wi-Fi 6E
  • Expandable memory with microSD card of up to 1TB

 

Disadvantage
  • Fast charger not included
  • Lagging issues with DeX mode
Starting with the base Amazon Fire tablet, the Amazon Fire 7 is an amazing update at an affordable price. It's easy to use for all ages, and Alexa makes for hands-free operation, including turning the tablet on and off. Amazon Kids (FreeTime) is free with an optional Amazon Kids+ (FreeTime Unlimited) subscription. The 7-10-hour battery life is ENERGY STAR-certified while you can expand the memory up to 512GB with a microSD card. With your Amazon Fire 7 purchase, you'll receive a lithium-ion battery and a charging cable.

FAQs

The Amazon Fire 7 is a great tablet option for those on a budget. It’s versatile enough to be used by anyone in the family, and it’s energy-efficient. You can use Zoom, Outlook, OneNote, as well as your social media favorite apps like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. You can also create art designs, play games, read Kindle books, and watch TV on Hulu or Netflix while downloading apps from Amazon’s AppStore.

The Amazon Fire 7’s best functions are Alexa, the variety of apps you can use, and its multimedia functionality. With Alexa, you can use voice commands to play music, ask for a weather update or the answer to a question, play a video or a podcast, set a timer, order items, or operate many smart home gadgets.

The Amazon Fire 7 has a 90-day limited warranty, which applies to both the device as well as accessories. Under this warranty, you can receive a free repair or replacement of the device or an accessory if there is any defect in the construction or malfunction of the product.

Pros & Cons

Advantages
  • Hands-free operation with Alexa
  • Great budget option
  • Amazon AppStore and free Amazon Kids
  • Up to 512GB memory with microSD card
Disadvantage
  • Underwhelming display 
  • Black color makes it easier to misplace
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 features a large display with small bezels to allow you to immerse yourself in what you view on the screen. It comes in a range of colors, has Dolby speakers, in addition to great power and storage capabilities. For users who use a lot of media and have important files to save and transfer, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is a worthy purchase. You can expand the memory up to 1TB with a microSD card. With your Samsung Galaxy Tab 8 purchase, you'll receive a lithium-ion battery and a charging cable. You will also get a free 2-month subscription to YouTube Premium.

FAQs

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is a powerful tablet that can run a variety of media and allows you to quickly and easily transfer files between devices. It has a long-lasting battery that runs for hours on a single charge. Plus, Samsung Kids allows you to control what your children can and cannot view on the tablet for safe and functional usage. 

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8’s best functions are mostly unique to Samsung or the tablet itself. Smart Switch allows for super-fast file transfer in just three steps. You can also connect between your different Samsung devices, like your smartphone, to easily pick up where you left off in apps or other functions. There is free access to Samsung TV Plus.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 has a full standard 2-year limited warranty. The device, batteries, and other accessories are all covered for up to one year from the date of purchase, assuming proper usage of the product. There are walk-in, mobile, and mail-in service options for free repair or replacement service under warranty.

Pros & Cons

Advantages
  • Smart Switch for easy file transfer
  • Samsung Kids for child-friendly content
  • Free access to Samsung TV Plus
  • Two months of YouTube Premium
Disadvantage
  • Must add Samsung account to phone for Wi-Fi calls and texts on tablet
The Apple iPad Pro is excellent for anyone who wants to make the most out of one tablet with regard to memory capacity, processing power, and visual and audio performance. 4K video recording is the highest quality on the market while the 12MP Wide camera and 10MP Ultra Wide camera with Smart HDR allow for large, intuitive, high-quality photo capturing at any fps. With your Apple iPad Pro purchase, you'll receive a lithium-ion battery and a charging cable.

FAQs

The Apple iPad Pro is a tablet solution for those who want to invest in a tablet with excellent performance. It is also great for versatile, everyday use, as it has an all-day battery life from a single charge, and many of its features are not only unique to the tablet itself but also to many Apple products.

True Tone gives natural-appearing color. Face ID is for greater security. ProMotion allows for a 120Hz refresh rate for seamless function, and P3 gives richer greens and reds. Its LiDAR scanner allows for the ultimate viewing experience, by increasing the iPad’s depth-sensing capabilities. Plus, its four speakers and five microphones offer highly sensitive, accurate audio.

The Apple iPad Pro comes with a standard-level Apple Limited Warranty, which covers the tablet and Apple-branded accessories up to one year from the date of purchase. There’s an iPad express replacement, iPad service and repair, battery service options, as well as optional AppleCare+ insurance for extending coverage. You also get 90 days of free technical support after purchase.

Pros & Cons

Advantages
  • Large 11-inch LCD display with True Tone, ProMotion, and P3
  • Four speakers and five microphones for high-quality audio
  • All-day battery life
  • 4K video recording, 12MP Wide camera, and 10MP Ultra Wide camera
Disadvantage
  • Only a minor upgrade from the last tablet
For avid gamers, the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro is a winner. It features an AMOLED screen, allowing for an excellent display for gaming, watching movies, editing videos, and even drawing. A 120Hz refresh rate makes for seamless gaming while the display of up to 600 nits allows you to use it outside. You can either use the touch screen to control your tablet or the included pen. With your Lenovo Tab P12 Pro purchase, you'll receive a lithium-ion battery, charging cable, and Lenovo Precision Pen 3.

FAQs

The Lenovo Tab P12 Pro is for the person who enjoys playing games on their tablet. The 12.6-inch screen is one of the largest tablet sizes available, and the sound system makes for immersive gaming audio. Plus, it’s excellent for video, audio, work, and serving as a wireless second screen for your computer.

The Lenovo Tab P12 Pro’s best functions are the display and the sound system. AMOLED is a new display technology that is a type of more energy-efficient OLED, and the resolution is 2K (2560 x 1600) touch screen with Dolby Vision™. The JBL® quad-speaker system features Dolby Atmos® and Lenovo Premium Audio.

The Lenovo Tab P12 Pro has a standard base one-year mail-in warranty. It applies to the tablet as well as the pen and other accessories from the date of purchase. You only need the MT and serial number, so a receipt is not necessary to get free repair or replacement while your product is still under warranty.

Pros & Cons

Advantages
  • Touch screen with included pen
  • JBL® quad-speaker system
  • Dolby Vision™ and 120Hz refresh rate
  • Up to 600 nits of brightness
Disadvantage
  • 2K resolution is not as clear or sharp as 4K
If you're looking for a totally child-friendly tablet, check out the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition. One year of Amazon Kids+ (FreeTime Unlimited) is included, which offers a range of educational, child-friendly books, videos, games, and apps. You can also download other popular apps your child may enjoy, like Netflix or other streaming services. Although the Kids Edition does not offer much storage, you can purchase a microSD card for up to 1 TB of additional storage if needed. With your Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition purchase, you'll receive a lithium-ion battery, charging cable, power adapter, and a kid-proof case.

FAQs

The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is a tablet made specifically for children. It has an 8-inch HD display, which is the perfect size for children’s enjoyment. Parental controls allow for security over content from Netflix and other apps. Plus, it has Amazon Kids+ for exclusive children’s media from a variety of sources.

The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition’s best function is Amazon Kids+, also known as FreeTime Unlimited. The kid-friendly subscription for educational and entertaining content offers more than 20,000 games, apps, books, Audible books, videos, and educational content from PBS Kids, Nickelodeon, Disney, and more. The tablet includes one year free for new subscribers. Another top function is the 12-hour battery life.

The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition has a two-year standard limited warranty starting from the date of purchase. It is a worry-free guarantee that offers free replacement for broken tablets as well as free repair in the event of a defect in materials and workmanship or a malfunction in the device.

Pros & Cons

Advantages
  • 8-inch display for children
  • Parental controls
  • 1 year of Amazon Kids+
  • 12-hour battery life
Disadvantage
  • Parental control is by monthly subscription only
  • Minimal storage space for additional apps
The iPad Mini is small, making it extremely light and portable, yet highly functional at the same time. It features the A15 Bionic chip, which provides excellent power for such a small device. The 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display offers a type of LCD high-resolution input and its narrow borders allow for a great viewing experience, despite its small screen size. The iPad Mini also features stereo speakers, resulting in excellent audio quality. You can use the tablet with the 2nd-generation Apple Pencil or any Bluetooth keyboard for adaptability. With your iPad Mini purchase, you'll receive a lithium-ion battery and charging cable.

FAQs

The iPad Mini has the advantage of a small screen with great image quality. It is also lightweight, making it portable and easy to handle. It has features that are unique to the tablet as well as some features that are common to many Apple products. Touch ID is used for security authentication and Apple purchases.

The iPad Mini’s best functions are the 12MP cameras, 4K video resolution, Center Stage, True Tone, and wide color. True Tone allows for more natural-appearing colors while wide color offers more richly saturated colors. The 12MP front and back cameras are excellent and feature Center Stage, which automatically adjusts to center on you while you move around during a video call.

The iPad Mini comes with a standard-level Apple Limited Warranty, which covers the tablet and Apple-branded accessories up to one year from the date of purchase. There’s an iPad express replacement, iPad service and repair, and battery service options as well as optional AppleCare+ insurance for extending coverage. You also get 90 days of free technical support.

Pros & Cons

Advantages
  • 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone and wide color
  • 12MP front camera with Center Stage and HDR3l
  • 12MP back camera with True Tone flash
  • 4K video resolution
Disadvantage
  • Jelly scrolling display issue where one side slightly lags in motion

List of all Best Tablets in 2023 for your needs

Product Date Price Shop
Apple iPad 06/2022 $ 309.00 Buy
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 06/2022 $ 569.99 Buy
Amazon Fire 7 06/2022 $ 49.99 Buy
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 06/2022 $ 229.99 Buy
Apple iPad Pro 06/2022 $ 739.00 Buy
Lenovo Tab P12 Pro 06/2022 $ 469.99 Buy
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition 06/2022 $ 69.99 Buy
iPad Mini 06/2022 $ 399.99 Buy

Tablet basics

A tablet is a touch screen electronic device, similar to a smartphone, but often larger, and it may or may not support cellular network access. It is also known as a tablet computer or portable computer since it has a processor, memory, storage capacity, and a mobile operating system. It has a rechargeable battery. The tablet has a thin, flat rectangular shape and typically comes in black or grey colors, but some models offer multiple colors. Cases or covers are available as additional accessories that are not usually included.

After Apple released the iPad in 2010, the name “iPad” became almost synonymous with the word “tablet.” Samsung’s Galaxy Tab soon followed, and later, Amazon’s Kindle Fire, and Barnes & Noble’s NOOK. Other announcements were the BlackBerry Playbook, the HP Touchpad, and Ubuntu Touch. Tablets have since become increasingly popular for school, work, and recreation. Today, the market for tablets is about equally split between Apple and Android.

Like personal computers, tablets can do many of the same functions. However, they lack some input/output abilities. The touch screen is sensitive to touch from the finger as well as a digital pen or stylus instead of a mouse and touchpad or keyboard that computers have. The slate and the booklet are two types of tablets that use a virtual keyboard. Many tablets can be used with Bluetooth keyboards to convert them into miniature laptops.

Tablets are larger and harder to misplace than smartphones. Their large screen size makes them better for reading, gaming, composing music, designing art, and watching videos. They’re also better than smartphones for using and managing various apps, achieving high productivity, and having better specs and longer battery life. But they’re also smaller, less expensive, and more portable than laptops. Children and adults both use tablets for watching their favorite videos, playing games, and conveniently reading e-books. Businessmen and other working people find it great for Zoom video calls, sharing photos, and displaying one-on-one presentations.

Types of tablets

To better understand the variety of tablets, it is important to learn about the different types of tablets.

Slate tablets

The slate tablet is the most common style. It is meant to be small and thin and starts at 6-inch screen size. iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Sony XPeria Tablet, Microsoft Surface, and Amazon Kindle Fire are all examples of slate-style tablets.

Mini tablets

Mini tablets are smaller and more lightweight than slate-style tablets. They typically have a 7-8-inch screen size. Amazon Kindle Fire, Barnes & Noble NOOK, Samsung Galaxy Tab, and Google Nexus all have mini tablets. They are identical in operation but with lower specifications. Later models feature higher screen resolutions and more features than their predecessors while boasting the same small size.

Phablet

The phablet comes from a portmanteau of “phone” and “tablet.” It is a cross between a smartphone and a tablet, having a touch-screen smartphone but with a screen size larger than 5 inches. Their screen sizes range from 5.3-7 inches.

Hybrid tablet

A 2-in-1 PC is also called a hybrid tablet. It has features of both tablets and laptop computers. With a detachable keyboard, it can convert to a small laptop or revert back to a tablet. It also usually has a virtual keyboard.

Convertible tablet

A convertible tablet has a concealable physical keyboard while a detachable or hybrid tablet has a detachable physical keyboard. Both have a display that rotates 180 degrees and can be folded. A convertible tablet can also allow for natural handwriting with a digital pen or stylus.

Gaming tablet

For gamers, there are gaming tablets. It is a modification of a regular tablet with the addition of D-pad buttons and thumb sticks. Native OS games and emulator games can run on it. The Nintendo Switch and the Nvidia Shield Tablet are examples of gaming tablets. A gaming tablet can also stream PC games, usually with a high-end video card.

Business tablet

For B2B (Business to Business) transactions, the customized business tablet is a specialized tablet computer with unique hardware and software. One common type is a table ordering tablet, which allows customers to order food in casual restaurant chains. Presto and Ziosk are the two most common customized business tablet brands

Tablet features

Each tablet has features depending on its construction. When looking for a tablet, you need to consider features such as screen size, weight, display, resolution, refresh rate, cameras, and brightness.

  • Screen size: This is important for your comfort and visibility level depending on what you intend to use the tablet for. Reading, watching videos, video calling, creating art, presentations, and gaming are different activities to consider for screen size.
  • Weight: Tablet weight, along with the size, matters for portability. Some people want to be able to bring their tablets to work, school, on public transportation, etc., especially if they are lightweight. If you plan on bringing your tablet on the go with you, be sure if can easily slip a tablet into a handbag or backpack. While lightweight makes for easier use, they often come at a higher cost.
  • Screen type: Many tablets have an LCD screen. LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display, and it is a type of flat display. Liquid crystals are combined with a reflector or backlight for polarization, which produces monochromatic or color images. Another type of display is AMOLED, which stands for Active Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diodes. It is a type of OLED display that is more energy-efficient, has a lower cost, and features a higher resolution than traditional OLED. It uses a thin film that has electroluminescent material made of organic compounds. Electricity activates the materials, which act as switches for each individual pixel.
  • Resolution: The tablet’s resolution tells you about its image quality. 2K (2560 x 1600 pixels) is fairly common while 4K (3840 × 2160 pixels for consumer media and 4096 × 2160 pixels for the movie projection industry) is the highest resolution on the market today.
  • Refresh rate: The refresh rate tells you the number of frames per second the display can handle with content. It is important when considering activities where lagging becomes a disturbance or an issue, such as gaming, and smoothness is necessary. A refresh rate of 120Hz can handle 120fps. Although 144Hz is also available, it is the most modern and not as common. If a film is typically at 24fps and a game is at 60fps, then a 120Hz will not make much difference. Because it uses more battery, the refresh rate typically allows the option to lower it to 60Hz or 90Hz. Some manufacturers have devices with refresh rates that automatically adjust to the content you’re using.
  • Camera pixel: Camera pixels matter in terms of photo capturing and video quality. The higher the MP, the more pixels can fit into an image. The downsides are, however, that it creates larger file sizes and it does not work as well in low-light conditions. On the other hand, it is more forgiving to use if you are standing too far back from your subject.
  • Brightness: Brightness is important for comfort in reading but also the ability to use the tablet in bright light conditions. Laptops and monitors are used indoors, so they have 200-600 nits, with 200 being on the low end and 400 being above average.

 

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Last updated on Jun 23, 2022