There are a lot of considerations to be made when looking for the best Android tablet. For one, you likely want to know the reason for picking up a tablet, especially if you already have a laptop or other portable device. From there, you'll want to know the different features you want, such as what accessories are included in the box, the quality of the display, and whether the battery can last you at least a full day.
And unlike the Apple iPad market, which is limited to just one company, Android tablets come in all different shapes and sizes for all different walks of life. There are the Fire tablets that lack the Play Store but are cheap and offer a gateway to the Alexa ecosystem. Then, there are options from the likes of Lenovo that combine decent specs with better hardware for an incredible combination.
Choosing the best Android tablet is simple: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series has no rivals for the throne. All three Tab S8s offer blazing speeds, gorgeous visuals, rich audio, durable batteries, and feature-rich software; they’re also too expensive and massive for many buyers. For work, school, casual use, or limited budgets, we’ve gathered all of the best Android tablet options available.
It's easy to find the best Android tablet to pick up today
The most important things to have in a full-sized Android tablet are a great screen, loudspeakers, robust build quality, and software that makes use of the extra screen size. That's what makes the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ well worth the extra cash for power users — it has a combination of everything.
Its spec sheet leaves little to be desired, with the cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, 8GB of RAM, a microSD slot for expandable storage, and durable battery life. Since it's a Samsung product, you're getting a best-in-class display — coming in at 12.4 inches with an ultra-smooth 120Hz refresh rate — and a fantastic aluminum build.
You also get extras like excellent quad speakers, in-display fingerprint sensor, and an S Pen stylus included in the box that attaches to the tablet's back or top. Plus, you can attach a keyboard cover to get some work done and then jump into the DeX desktop-style interface for a more laptop-like experience.
Most importantly, Samsung’s new One UI 4 software makes multitasking on the Tab S8+ remarkably easy. You simply drag your favorite apps from the pinned taskbar onto the display, and the UI automatically splits them into resizable windows or squeezes them into compact pop-up windows. That’s why you’ll enjoy the Tab S8 Plus’ extra display space, whereas the Tab S8 display can’t fit as much information at once.
If you want a massive, do-everything Android tablet and you're willing to spend the money, there's nowhere else to go but the Galaxy Tab S8+. Your only real question is whether the smaller Tab S8 fits your needs better.
The Galaxy Tab S8 is Samsung's entry-level flagship offering in the tablet space, with a comfortable size and powerful specs. It's built on the same tenets as the Tab S8+ but takes small, strategic cuts back to be more affordable — and that makes it all the more enticing.
You get a manageable 11-inch LCD, which feels dramatically better for handheld use than the S8+, and still features a 120Hz refresh rate and the same 8GB of RAM and high-quality quad speakers, plus an extra 100 nits of brightness (up to 600). Even though you get a smaller battery, the downgrade from AMOLED to LCD adds a couple of extra hours, so it should easily last two days of casual use.
While the Tab S8 has slightly higher S Pen latency than the S8+ (6.2ms vs 2.8ms), it’s still faster than the 9ms with the S7 series. Samsung also switched the fingerprint sensor to the power button, but some people prefer that to in-display, so it isn’t a major downgrade, either. The only true downside is the loss of AMOLED, but at least you still get a 120Hz refresh rate and WQXGA resolution. It’s still an excellent display.
The entire body has a sleek aluminum design that feels extremely high-end and *impossibly* thin and light, at just a quarter-inch thick and 1.1 pounds. That makes it great for media consumption and handheld use in ways that even the Tab S8+ isn't. But you can still attach a hardware keyboard and jump into DeX desktop mode to get some serious work done just as well.
Samsung’s first Ultra tablet doesn’t pull any punches, especially if you’re willing to spend a little extra. The standard Tab S8 Ultra has the same performance quality as the smaller models, but you can upgrade to 12GB or 16GB to power demanding Android apps and games like Adobe Lightroom or Genshin Impact.
At 14.6 inches and 1.6 pounds, the Tab S8 Ultra belongs on your desk. Combined with the impressive 90% screen-to-body ratio, the display size makes it the champion for fitting multiple full-sized apps at once; and you can buy a backlit keyboard cover with a trackpad, converting it into a modular laptop.
The downside of its design is that the Tab S8 Ultra’s tiny bezels leave you no room to hold it without accidental touches, while also exposing a notch that you’ll have to learn to ignore. You essentially have to use it docked, and the official keyboard cover ships separately and costs a healthy amount. Combined with the RAM upgrade, a fully-specced and accessorized Ultra will cost you about the same as a premium laptop.
If that’s a problem, you could settle for the base 8GB version and a third-party option and save hundreds of dollars easily. Even with “just” that memory, you’re still getting excellent performance and a massive slab for gaming, streaming, and working. You merely have to accept that it’s not at all portable.
Following in the footsteps of its immensely popular Galaxy S20 FE smartphones, Samsung decided to offer up a Fan Edition version of its best Android tablet in the form of the Galaxy Tab S7 FE. Like the phone, this tablet variant brings bright colors, a gorgeous screen, and impressive battery life at a lower price point than the other S7 tablets.
The Tab S7 FE offers a big 12.4-inch display, perfect for watching Netflix marathons or sketching out your next great idea. Thanks to the included S Pen, you'll be able to write, color, or draw to your heart's content without having to spend extra on the accessory. Its large size makes it well-suited for DeX mode if you want to browse several apps while it sits on your desk. And the S7 FE features a large 10,090mAh battery that should last up to 13 hours of use — likely two full days of casual use.
In exchange for its lower price, the S7 FE makes some downgrades compared to the S7. Its Snapdragon 750G chipset and 4GB of base RAM fall short in performance, it only sports dual speakers instead of quad, and it only hits 60Hz instead of 120Hz. Despite these downgrades, we found it performed respectably in our tests, and you can always upgrade your RAM and still have it cost less than the S7 for more display space.
The tablet is available in attractive colors, including Mystic Black, Mystic Pink, Mystic Green, and Mystic Silver.
The best Android tablet for most people tends to come from Samsung or Amazon, but don't sleep on Lenovo, which makes a series of stock Android tablets for premium and budget shoppers. Our favorite pick is the Lenovo Tab P11 Plus, which offers a slight step up in specs over the Samsung A series and Amazon Fire tablets, without costing too much more.
Its 2K display and 400 nits look sufficiently vivid compared to most HD or FHD tablets. The stereo audio gives you rich sound regardless of how you hold it, while most budget tabs only point the audio in one direction. The MediaTek Helio G90T CPU is a few years out of date, but features surprisingly solid performance comparable to the Galaxy Tab S7 FE, especially if you spring for the RAM upgrade. And the battery life is much longer than most cheap tablets.
Lenovo’s stock Android software isn’t anything special compared to Samsung’s One UI software, but it does give you some unique features for streaming: A Google TV Entertainment Space that organizes your favorite shows across all your logged-in streaming services and the new Kids Space software catered to younger users. Plus, it’ll receive Android 12L sometime this year, which should offer a software upgrade similar to One UI 4.
If you're looking to buy a tablet for the first time and don't have any stringent needs, the Galaxy Tab A series is an excellent option for a fraction of the Tab S7+'s cost. While you won't be blown away by its specs or features, the Tab A still manages to offer a metal body. And unlike Amazon's Fire Tablets, it has a fully-functional version of Android with Google services like the Play Store, so you can download any apps you want.
The Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is a great option for those in the market looking for an entry-level tablet that offers a traditional Android experience. The smaller display and overall design make the Tab A7 Lite extremely portable and comfortable to hold in one hand while still being large enough to consume media from streaming services like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, and Disney+.
The Amazon Fire HD 10 is one of those deals that's almost too good to pass up if you're after a device with a large screen and a smaller price tag. It's simply the best big Android tablet for doing the basics, from watching movies and TV shows, to browsing and playing casual games.
What makes this deal even better is that the 2021 edition comes with a Productivity Bundle option, which includes a custom Bluetooth keyboard and a 12-month subscription to Microsoft Office 365 Personal edition. With a bump in RAM from 2GB to 3GB and the new hardware and software options, the package is compelling for those who want a secondary productivity machine. Amazon also released a Fire HD 10 Plus version, which features 4GB of RAM, wireless charging capabilities with a wireless charging dock accessory, and comes in a stately slate color.
This device won't replace a desktop or laptop computer, but it is the perfect portable productivity machine for students on the go. With a steady keyboard and Microsoft apps, it's great to take notes in class or do a little research in the library. Plus, it is much lighter than a traditional laptop or larger tablet.
The big caveat to keep in mind with an Amazon Fire Tablet is that you don't get the Google Play Store or Google's great apps and services. Instead, you'll rely on the Amazon App Store, which has a dramatically more limited app selection. But for this price, that's an OK trade-off for most people.
The Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 falls on the higher end of the tablet spectrum, offering an alternative to the Galaxy Tab series. With a Snapdragon 870 chipset and 8GB of RAM, the Yoga Tab 13 will respond to your Google Assistant commands or navigate through menus with no lag.
Its built-in kickstand helps it naturally stand up on a desk without buying an expensive accessory case. Thanks to the stand and its micro-HDMI port, it works naturally as a monitor for your computer or other devices without taking up much room on your desk. Or, if you do prefer to hold it, the Yoga Tab 13 has soft Alcantara fabric on its back that makes it incredibly comfortable to prop in your arms.
Thanks to its Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, plus its 2K resolution and 400 nits of brightness, the Yoga Tab 13 looks stunning when streaming your favorite films and shows. It has a special Google TV Entertainment Space that organizes your favorite shows across all your logged-in streaming services. Plus, Google's new Kids Space software makes it more child-friendly. There's even an Ambient mode where it works as a smart display. Its software versatility gives the Yoga Tab 13 plenty of uses.
Amazon also makes the best super-inexpensive Android tablet available, the Fire HD 8. The latest version delivers an 8-inch HD display, comes with 32GB of storage and 2GB of RAM, a 30% faster processor, and it finally charges with USB-C.
It still comes in various neat colors, keeping things interesting for kids and adults alike. You can spend a little more to get 64GB of storage for apps and video and also opt to pay a little more to remove Amazon's "Special Offers" lock screen ads.
Like the Fire HD 10, it doesn't have the Google Play Store or Google apps. But you're even more likely to look past that when you're spending this little on a tablet. So this is an excellent choice for media consumption, browsing, or handing to your kids.
Amazon expanded its Kids edition Fire Tablets in 2021, adding a Pro tier for older children ages 6 to 12 and keeping its standard Kids Edition Tablet options with content and features appropriate for children ages 3 to 7.
The latest and greatest of these devices is Fire HD 10 Kids Pro, which is filled with the best hardware and software you could ask for as a parent. Amazon took its top big tablet, loaded it with parental controls, kid-specific content for older children, and wrapped it in a durable and functional case. While the screen size could be difficult for some, the provided case includes a kickstand for viewing.
The 1080p display provides solid colors and clarity for content. The HD 10 Kids Pro also has the same awesome dual-speaker setup as the grown-up version. However, when you'd like to limit the noise, there's a standard headphone jack.
Since this is a kids' edition from Amazon, it gets a free year of Amazon's Kids+ service. This provides parental controls for you and over 20,000 age-specific titles for your kids. Not only that, but the tablet also gets two years of "worry-free" guarantee — if the tablet breaks, Amazon will replace it. That could be the most important feature of all.
If you have younger kids, probably 3-7 years old, the Fire 7 Kids Edition is an excellent buy for your family. It still features age-appropriate content but is specifically geared toward a much younger audience.
The Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet is much smaller and more manageable for children to hold, but it still retains the fun and colorful protective cases with kickstands. The screen isn't as sharp, and it only has a mono speaker, but I doubt your little ones will mind those details that much. The bigger concern is the shorter seven-hour battery life. You probably don't want your kids on the screen for seven hours at a time, but it does mean you'll need to remember to charge it more frequently.
Like the larger Pro devices, this tablet comes with a year of Amazon Kids+ service, so you don't have to worry about what they're watching or how rough they are on their tablet.
How to choose
There are a lot of factors that go into deciding whether the best Android tablet is right for you. Price is likely the most important factor, but that also ties into the value of a tablet. For example, just because the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is the most expensive Android tablet doesn't necessarily mean that it's the absolute best. There are plenty of great tablets that will work for your needs but won't break the bank.
Size is another important factor, but this also depends on what it is that you're trying to accomplish by purchasing a new tablet. If you just want a lightweight media consumption device that's not your laptop, then devices larger than 10 inches might not be right for you. But if you are planning to get some work done away from your desk or the office, then a tablet with a larger screen will be the better fit.
With those two factors taken into consideration, you'll want to look at other features such as battery life, screen resolution, camera quality, and design. There's also the question of the "intangibles." Does the tablet include a stylus? Is there a detachable keyboard available? Is that included? What about cases? Are case options limited to first-party options, or are there a bunch of third-party solutions to pick from? These are all questions we consider when performing our reviews, along with determining which Android tablet is "the best."
How we test
Along with the questions and factors that we outlined above, when it comes to reviewing and testing these devices, we try to take into account every other possible detail. For example, we look at the build quality and durability of different tablets that come across our desks, short of doing actual bend tests.
Because we'll be looking at these screens for long periods of time, we want to know the same things as you, including if you can actually see the tablet under direct sunlight. How does the latest Netflix hit look, and what about HDR or Dolby Atmos compatibility? Speakers are another big thing with tablets since you shouldn't always have to reach for a pair of headphones if you're watching a movie.
And circling back, there are the aforementioned "intangibles" to consider, such as determining whether you can actually use a tablet as a laptop replacement of sorts, depending on the model. Plus, there's the whole question of battery life, as you don't want to end up with a tablet that can't even make it through the latest Marvel movie without needing some juice. All of these factors play an important role in making our final determination and providing a score for the review.
Which of the best Android tablets should you buy?
Picking a quality Android tablet typically boils down to either Samsung or Amazon models. Samsung dominates the premium and mid-range tablet market while competing with Amazon via its cheaper, budget A-models. So when weighing the best Android tablet for you, specifically, start with Samsung unless you don't have much money to spend.
In terms of the “best” without regard to money, it’s a toss-up between the three Tab S8 models. The 11-inch Galaxy Tab S8 is the best mainstream pick, coming in lighter, brighter, and more affordable than its larger siblings while sporting the same flagship Snapdragon chip. It even has the longest battery life of the bunch at about 15 hours.
Then again, you might want to consider the Galaxy Tab S8+ instead. You’ll trade in the S8’s basic LCD panel for a 12.4-inch AMOLED, giving you richer colors, deeper blacks, and more screen space for fitting in multiple apps at once. It also has shorter S Pen latency at just 2.8ms, so short that you’ll feel like you’re writing on actual paper. Though more expensive and less comfortable to hold, the Tab S8+ display justifies the upgrade.
The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra measures a massive 14.6 inches and 1.6 pounds with tiny bezels, making it wholly unsuitable for casual streaming in bed, but perfect as a laptop replacement using Samsung DeX mode. It’s the Android equivalent of the iPad Pro, with the price and power to match. If you want an Android tablet with more than 8GB of RAM, this is your best (and only) choice.
Dropping into the mid-range category, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE provides the same display size and battery as the S8+ for about half the price, if you can stomach some performance downgrades.
But for true affordability and value, you’ll want to look at Amazon’s catalog, starting with Amazon's Fire HD 8. The specs are nothing to write home about, but performance is surprisingly good, and you get a great media consumption device for a highly competitive price. The only catch? The Fire HD 8 runs Amazon's Fire OS rather than a more typical Android build, meaning you'll need to download apps from Amazon's app store rather than Google's.
Is getting a tablet worth it?
This is a question only you can really answer, but a better question might be "what do I want or need a tablet for?" If you're looking to replace an aging laptop with a tablet, there aren't as many options available, and instead you might be better suited with a great Chromebook.
Determining what it is that you're planning on using the tablet for is the first step of the equation. Because if you don't have an actual use-case for the device, then it'll likely end up just gathering dust.
But the great thing about tablets, regardless of the price, is that they can solve a lot of different problems and come in a bunch of different software flavors. If you're entrenched in the Amazon Alexa ecosystem, then a Fire tablet might be better suited for your needs. Google's Pixel tablet is coming in 2023, which is expected to provide a "stock" Android experience that the tablet market hasn't seen in years, so that might be something to consider as well.
What is the difference between Cellular and Wi-Fi tablets
Most of the time, there are no major differences when purchasing a tablet with cellular service compared to a Wi-Fi version. In some instances, there might be a slight weight difference, along with the addition of a SIM card slot, but the overall design and functionality will remain the same.
Instead, the difference between these tablets comes down to whether you want to have an "always-connected" device, or if you're fine relying on Wi-Fi connections. The former allows you to have a constant internet connection but comes at the cost of an additional line of data (read: higher monthly bill). Cellular tablets also have a tendency to suffer a bit in the battery life department since they're always trying to find a suitable network connection.
As for Wi-Fi tablets, you might not think that there's much of a cost to consider, but something to keep in mind is when you want to use the tablet and aren't within range of a Wi-Fi network. In that case, you'll need to use your phone's built-in portable hotspot, but that's not a feature immediately available on every cell phone plan. Going this route will also result in your phone's battery draining much quicker than normal, along with potentially eating up your mobile data allotment.