Best overall: Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
The two most important things to have in a full-size Android tablet are a great screen and software that uses every inch of it. That's what makes the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 the best Android tablet.
An amazing screen from Samsung is no surprise. The 9.7-inch 2048x1536 Super AMOLED on the Tab S3 carries on the tradition, and it's simply the best display on a tablet. Android and Samsung mesh to provide a great software experience and the new S Pen and its 4096-level pressure sensitivity makes taking notes or producing digital artwork a breeze.
Bottom line: The Galaxy Tab S3 is the best tablet Samsung has ever made, as well as the best Android tablet you can buy.
One more thing: The internal hardware is also top notch and will keep up with everything you would want to do.
Why the Galaxy Tab S3 is the best
In 2018, a tablet is no longer just a bigger version of a phone. They have to pull extra duty and be a media player, a book reader, a web browser, and a work tool without any complaints or complications. Some tablets are great at some of these things, but the Tabs S3 is great at all of them.
Working, whether it's on a presentation for your boss or a paper for your professor, is very different on a tablet than it is on a more conventional computer. Apps are designed to be more simple and easy to use with a touch screen, while omitting many of the battery-hungry features you would find in their desktop counterparts. The biggest hurdle has always been finding a way to organize the things you're doing on your screen while you're doing them. Samsung has had this figured out for a while and with the debut of native features with Android Nougat, you'll be able to run your apps just how you like to run them.
The S Pen takes things over the top. A tablet with a wonderful screen, a custom-fit keyboard and cover, and powerful hardware is made better with a fully capable digital pen. The excellent Wacom integration makes taking notes or using photoshop a fluid and enjoyable experience that you won't find with any other tablet on the market.
Best smaller tablet: Samsung Galaxy Tab S2
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is an 8-inch tablet that would have been the best tablet you can buy last year. It's the predecessor to our top pick, and shares features like an incredible screen, great battery life and plenty of power.
The Tab S2 may be a year old, but it's still a great tablet if you're looking for one in the 8-inch category. And the price won't make you cringe — you can pick up a Tab 2 for under $300.
Bottom line: If you want something super thin and ultra-light, the Tab S2 is the best.
One more thing: The Tab S2 also has a fingerprint sensor!
Best on a budget: Amazon Fire HD 10
The Amazon Fire HD 10 isn't going to blow you away with speeds and feeds — that's not why it exists. Instead, it's simply the best budget tablet for doing many things, from watching movies and TV shows to playing mindless games. Best of all, at under $150, you can hand it to your kids and not worry about it.
Bottom line: The Fire HD 10 is one of the best values in technology products you'll find.
One more thing: Did we mention that it's under $150?
For the enthusiast: Google Pixelbook
Google, like Microsoft, thinks a two-in-one is the way to go and no longer makes an Android tablet device. Instead, the Pixelbook is just as slim and just as light as an average 10-inch tablet but also has the benefit of a desktop web browser because its software is both Android and Chrome OS. It's on our list because the hardware is amazing.
Enthusiasts will love the Pixelbook because it offers current generation PC hardware, Android, and Chrome in one sleek package.
Bottom line: Google has left the traditional tablet form factor to other companies and its all-in-one Pixelbook is a great enthusiast's tablet.
One more thing: Because this is a Chrome OS hardware product, it comes with six years of software support from Google..
Conclusion
Like most things, there is no one Android tablet that's right for everyone. That's one of the big reasons Google was able to break Apple's dominance in mobile computing — it offers a choice for just about everyone. Whether you want the stylish look and thin profile of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 or the sort-of-tablet Pixelbook — or anything in between — there's a tablet that will work for you.
Our pick with the Galaxy Tab S3 is tough to beat. Great construction, an awesome screen, and Samsung's unique S Pen experience put it at the top of our list.
Best overall: Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
The two most important things to have in a full-size Android tablet are a great screen and software that uses every inch of it. That's what makes the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 the best Android tablet.
An amazing screen from Samsung is no surprise. The 9.7-inch 2048x1536 Super AMOLED on the Tab S3 carrys on the tradition, and it's simply the best display on a tablet. Android and Samsung mesh to provide a great software experience and the new S Pen and its 4096-level pressure sensitivity makes taking notes or producing digital artwork a breeze.
Bottom line: The Galaxy Tab S3 is the best tablet Samsung has ever made, as well as the best Android tablet you can buy.
One more thing: The internal hardware is also top notch and will keep up with everything you would want to do.
Update, May 2018: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is still the best Android tablet you can buy right now.