My primary iPad is the 13-inch iPad Pro M4; the tandem OLED panel is a delight to use, and the size means I can get a decent amount of work done on it. I dock it with the Magic Keyboard if I'm just browsing or reading a book, and connect it to a mechanical keyboard (the Keychron Q5 Pro) whenever I need to write a post or review.

As much as I like the sleekness of the iPad Pro M4, it is an absolute unit, and it isn't the most comfortable to hold. That's where the iPad mini comes in; it is much more manageable thanks to a smaller 8.3-inch panel, and it weighs nearly half the size of the iPad Pro M4. It doesn't cost anywhere as much, starting out at just $399.

Apple nailed the sizing of the iPad mini; it's great to hold and use, and the 8.3-inch panel is just about perfect for reading comics and ebooks. While I can get a similar-sized display on a foldable like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold or Honor Magic V3, they just don't have the same in-hand feel. The iPad mini feels better to use, and it has become my go-to comic reader over the course of the last month.

Coming in at 6.3mm, the iPad mini is thicker than the iPad Pro M4, but that works to its advantage — it's easier to hold the sides of the tablet. I'm using the sixth-gen model with the A15 Bionic that debuted back in 2021, and it still holds up pretty well. The 2024 iteration of the iPad mini has the same dimensions, panel, and battery, with the only difference being the switch to A17 Pro.

While it doesn't have an OLED, the LCD panel on the iPad mini has good colors, and it gets bright during outdoor use. It is excellent as a comic reader; the size is perfect, and the Panels app on iOS is just about the best around. The iPad mini is just as good for reading ebooks — I use KyBook and the Kindle app.

Reading on the iPad mini is just as good as an e-reader, even though the tablet is heavier at 293g — my Kobo Libra Colour comes in at 197g — it isn't uncomfortable to hold in the least. If anything, most of my reading in the last month was on the iPad mini.

I wasn't sure about the bezels on the side when I got started with the iPad mini, but they're not as distracting as I initially imagined. Similarly, the 60Hz panel isn't a limitation while reading, and most of the time, I didn't even notice any difference. It isn't quite as good with multimedia or productivity — the OLED-toting iPad Pro has a distinct advantage in this area — but for every other task, the iPad mini has proved to be the ideal tablet.

It's also great for travel; I usually take the Libra Colour to read ebooks and an iPad Air for writing or streaming content, and the iPad mini is good enough at either use case that I switched to it as the default choice. Having used all the iPad Air and iPad Pro models, I didn't think I'd enjoy the iPad mini quite as much, and in the last month, it got more usage than just about any other device in my home.

I'd like the next variant of the iPad mini to have an OLED panel — that would just make it that much more enticing — but as it stands, the current-gen model is plenty great in its own right. I'd even suggest getting the iPad mini 6 if you can get it on sale.

Apple showed everyone what it's been working on, and along with a new version of iOS for the iPhone, an updated macOS, and updates to Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro, was the new iPadOS 26.

It's what was expected, as this is the time of year when Apple typically updates all of its software. What I didn't expect to see was the transformation of the iPad from an entertainment device that could be used for more in a pinch, to an almost desktop-like interface that rivals Google's Chrome OS — and surpasses it in many ways.

There are a good many changes and new features. I'll be honest and say that I really don't care about most of them, probably because I'm not a big iPad user.

Of course, you have updates to Apple Intelligence, Apple's AI platform. Providing features like live translation is important on a phone, but not so much on a larger device that you aren't as apt to carry around everywhere.

The same goes for new gaming features and things like Apple's Genmoji or the addition of the Journal app. Good news for people who wanted this, but their inclusion doesn't make me want to rush out and start using them.

The most important iPadOS updates are coming

What did get me excited were the interface changes. Particularly, the new multi-windowing system, the new dock features, and a new set of background tasks APIs. This is what can make the iPad great: transform it from a glorified couch toy into a bona fide replacement for a light laptop.

In fact, while watching the show with my coworkers, I said, "The new iPad is now the best Chromebook." And I meant it. It's not built to look or act the same way as ChromeOS, but it's every bit as good. In some ways, it will be better.

The primary reason is the ability to perform more tasks in the background while also displaying more active elements simultaneously. Resizable windows aren't anything new and something we've even seen on Android tablets and Chromebooks for a while. But Apple will do it differently.

Maybe not better, though. What Apple has that Google doesn't is control. Google can give developers all the tools in the world to make an app's contents gracefully resize when the user changes the window geometry, but it can't force developers to use any of them. On the iPad, if you want your app to be in the iPad store, you do it Apple's way.

I hate this in theory. But it will bring a level of consistency and compatibility that Android can't match. Short of going back to the drawing board and making a full-fledged Microsoft Windows-style system, this is the answer, at least until something better comes along.

When you can see everything you're working on and have "stuff" working in the background thanks to the new APIs, you are more than a screen to watch videos on or play games.

To make all of this even better, changes to the dock and the Files app are also welcome. What Apple has done is make the iPad feel more like the MacBook Air than the iPhone, and thanks to its own silicon and development platform, it should work without a hitch.

Apple is tempting me to ditch my Chromebook

This is a big deal. Big enough to make me want to buy a new iPad and Magic Keyboard. I love my Chromebooks because they're light on resources, easy to carry around, have great battery life, and can do almost everything a "real" computer can do.

But you can't deny that Apple's MacBooks are even better when it comes to getting things done. My MacBook Pro triple boots macOS, Windows 10, and Debian Linux. I can do anything with it. It stays at home because it's big, heavy, and drinks electricity like water. A Chromebook can do almost as much without the drawbacks or the price tag of a new MacBook.

If Apple could package all this up in an affordable package and sell a $500 setup with this level of ability, I would buy one and then tell you to go out and buy one. Chromebook be damned.

After Apple recently announced its latest M4-powered series of MacBook Pro's, the company made another change that was unexpected. Every current MacBook in Apple's lineup now ships with 16GB of RAM as a base, an upgrade from the previous minimum of 8GB.

Originally, I was going to compare the MacBook Air to the current crop of Chromebooks until I realized that you can't get a new MacBook for less than $1,100. Meanwhile, the most expensive Chromebook is the new Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus, which is $400 cheaper. Yes, I know there are still a few HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebooks floating around, but those aren't as widely available and are clearly being phased out.

After some prodding in a meeting, I turned my attention to a comparison that does make sense: Chromebook vs. iPad.

Chromebook vs. iPad: Price

Currently, there are six different iPad models to choose from, starting with the iPad (10th generation) for $349 and going all the way up to the M4 12.9-inch iPad Pro for $1,299. Meanwhile, the cheapest Chromebook that's been released in 2024 is the HP Chromebook 14-inch, which retails for $249.

From there, we have a variety of options at different price points, and while the majority of them are laptops, there are a couple of tablets thrown into the mix. These include the likes of the ASUS Chromebook CM30, and more recently, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11.

While both of these are tablets, ASUS and Lenovo include a keyboard case in the box. In doing so, it removes any potential stress and additional cost for those who want a true 2-in-1 device. On the other hand, no matter what iPad you're considering, the only other thing that comes in the box is a charging cable.

Making matters worse for the iPad is that if you want to go with first-party accessories, Apple's Magic Keyboard Folio is priced at $249. Plus, if you want a stylus, tack on another $79, bringing the grand total to about $680.

That immediately puts the "cheapest" iPad in the same price bracket as the Galaxy Chromebook Plus and Chromebook Plus Spin 714. It is also almost $300 more expensive than the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11.

And we haven't even talked about the hardware or specs.

Chromebook vs. iPad: Hardware & Specs

So, what are you getting with the base model iPad for $349? It's powered by the A14 Bionic SoC, which debuted with the iPhone 12 and iPad Air in 2020. This is paired with 4GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage, and if you want to use it anywhere, there are Cellular options available.

I'm not going to sugarcoat anything here, but there's a good reason why Apple is able to "get away" with using a four-year-old processor without facing much backlash. Since Apple controls the entire "stack," it's able to better optimize the software and hardware, when it relies on older processors. This is also why Apple was able to maintain its position as a leader in the industry when it comes to providing software updates for longer than the competition.

As for Chromebooks, the aforementioned ASUS Chromebook CM30 is powered by the MediaTek Kompanio 520. It also sports 4GB of RAM and 64GB of non-upgradeable storage. But as I mentioned before, ASUS includes the detachable keyboard folio case in the box, which is already a huge benefit, even if you don't plan to use it all that much.

Performance is where things take a sharp turn. On Geekbench, the Kompanio 520 offers a single-core score of 510 and a multi-core score of 1532. Despite being four years old, the A12 Bionic achieved scores of 1590 and 4247, respectively. Let me put it this way: the cheapest iPad is closer to the Intel-powered Galaxy Chromebook Plus in terms of performance.

It's not even close; the iPad wins by a landslide here.

Chromebook vs. iPad: Software

Software is the key to everything, and this is where a sub-$300 Chromebook outshines even a $1300 iPad. With a Chromebook, you not only have access to the ever-growing world of web apps and extensions, but the Play Store is also just a click away. Not to mention that there's an even bigger repository of apps at your disposal if you feel comfortable enough to enable Linux support.

On an iPad, everything is powered by either the App Store or Safari, and there is just a little bit of wiggle room for anything else. While you can use Chrome or Firefox on an iPad, you won't find any extension support, and for whatever reason, web apps don't always feel as fluid as they do on a Chromebook.

While important, I'd argue that usability is even more important, especially when it comes to things like using more than one app at a time. The iPad is superb if you're trying to stay focused on one app, but it immediately begins to fall short when you want to toss another app into the mix.

"But what about Stage Manager?" You might be asking, and I'm glad you did. When enabled, it lets you use up to four different apps at the same time. Allowing you to resize and move them around with relative ease. There's even a slide-out "dock" of sorts, letting you basically work within different spaces that are comprised of different apps.

Technically another app can be used, provided that you can remember that the Slide Over is at your disposal or even how to use it. But it's cumbersome at best, and downright useless more often than not.

None of that is a problem with a Chromebook, as it works just like any other desktop operating system. The only difference comes when using either a ChromeOS tablet or a Chromebook with a convertible form factor. When doing so, it's more similar to using any Android tablet or iPad, with your app windows locked to a few different layouts.

However, I'd still argue that Google's implementation is still a bit better. Instead of trying to guess where to put app windows, you can just swipe down from the top of the screen and pick from a few different layouts. These include being able to put an app off to the side and slide it back into view.

Chromebooks are better and more versatile than ever

This might just sound like a puff piece for Chromebooks, and to a certain extent, it kind of is. But it's just because I feel as though we're finally moving away from the days of seeing a million different cheap Chromebooks that are underpowered or just bad. In years past, I would have likely recommended an iPad to just about anyone who asked, regardless of how they planned to use it.

However, the landscape has shifted quite dramatically for Chromebooks. For one, with Chromebook Plus, you know exactly what the minimum specs are, so there's no need to worry about compromising. Regardless of whether you want a tablet or a laptop, you have options to choose from, both of which are going to be either in-line or less expensive than what you would spend on an iPad.

Much to the chagrin of some of those in the Android space, Apple has largely been considered the "measuring stick" for both hardware and software. Arguments have been made that the likes of Xiaomi, Huawei, and Samsung, among others surpassed Apple in the hardware department long ago. 

The same can't be said about the software, despite Apple locking down iOS and iPadOS in the most frustrating ways. However, after seeing what's happened in 2024, I can't help but wonder if Apple lost its touch.

Over the past year, Apple has entered a new product category with the Vision Pro headset while releasing refreshes of practically every other device in its lineup. Plus, we're expecting at least one more announcement as rumors suggest Apple has an event planned this month to unveil new Macs and hopefully a refreshed iPad Mini.

Apple has proven that companies don't need to reinvent the hardware wheel when releasing a refreshed device. For instance, the only major differences between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro are a new "Camera Control" button and bezels that are ever-so-slightly slimmer than before. 

The majority of the focus from Apple's iPhone 16 event was showcasing the various AI-powered features slated to come to iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. There's just one problem though — none of the exciting features are actually available yet. So basically, Apple just took the same approach that we used to lambast other companies in that it announced features that won't actually be available at launch. 

Hardly any of these features were available with the final release of iOS 18, which arrived alongside the iPhone 16 series. Instead, it seems that Apple will be rolling out features in waves, starting with iOS 18.1. MacRumors laid out the rumors of when to expect features to arrive pretty well, and here's how things are looking:

If Apple sticks to this rumored timeline, it means that the company's latest device won't have all of the new features until it's already been on the market for six months. There's also the potential of even more frustration as you can't watch TV for more than an hour without seeing an iPhone commercial touting Apple Intelligence. 

Just a little bit of good old-fashioned deception because we know Apple doesn't want to miss out on the holiday shopping season. 

While delaying features isn't great, it's not as bad as what iPad Pro owners have had to endure. Apple introduced and released the M4-powered iPad Pro back in May 2024. This remains the only device in Apple's lineup to be powered by the M4 chip, which is likely to be rectified later in October. 

The problem is that iPadOS 18 was released in mid-September, and the update was removed for those with the M4 iPad Pro the next day. Some found that after installing the update, the iPad Pro would essentially be turned into a very expensive metal and glass brick. It wasn't until today (October 4) that Apple released iPadOS 18.0.1, which should include the fix for whatever the original issue was. 

That's more than two weeks without being able to use Apple's latest software with its more powerful (and expensive) iPad model. As someone who has an M4 iPad Pro, this has been one of the few times that I'm thankful to be on the "beta train," as I haven't come across any of those problems. 

Originally, I thought this was rather unprecedented for Apple, and then I remembered the iPhone 14 launch. This is when Apple made the move to eSIM only in the U.S., but the company had to rush out a day-one software update as many were unable to actually register an eSIM. So, I guess things have been out of whack for longer than I thought.

I'm not ignorant of what's happened in the Android space, but I would argue that at least Samsung and even Google have leapfrogged Apple when it comes to updates. Both companies announced a plethora of new AI features for its respective devices, and the majority of those features were available as soon as you could download the update. The most obvious exception to this is Zoom Enhance, a feature Google announced for the Pixel 8 Pro, but it didn't actually arrive until the Pixel 9 Pro. 

But as far as hardware goes, I think Apple's basically run out of ideas. First, the Action Button was added, and now we have a Camera Control button. Besides that, how much more does Apple think it can slim down the bezels and use that as a selling point? Oh, and I forgot that the non-Pro iPhones now have a rearranged camera module. Woo-hoo. 

While Apple is sticking to the slab design, almost every other Android phone maker is either working on or has released a foldable phone. Some, like Motorola, have stuck to the flip phone form factor, while the likes of Samsung, Xiaomi, and even Tecno have multiple foldable phone options. 

I have no doubt that Apple already has a foldable iPhone prototype, regardless of whether it flips or folds. The problem is that rumors indicate Apple continues to push back the release of a foldable device. Back in 2022, we pondered whether Apple was already waiting too long, and currently, the rumor mill points to 2027 as the year that we'll finally see Apple get into the game. 

We can only surmise that this is because Apple wants to do everything it can to avoid the backlash that other phone makers have seen with folding screens that break unexpectedly. Even in 2024, it's still a problem that occasionally crops up with new devices and is more common with older models. But at some point, when is Apple just going to take the leap?

Taking a leap is exactly what Apple did with the Vision Pro, its first foray into the world of VR headsets. Supposedly, this is meant to be Apple CEO Tim Cook's "legacy," and while that may be true, the current iteration is simply out of reach for many, especially at a time when you can walk into practically any big box store and walk out with a Meta Quest headset and don't need to sell a kidney to do so. 

The Vision Pro was always going to be quite expensive, not just because of the R&D that went into it but also because of the hardware and technology it packs. For reference, the Vision Pro features a per-eye resolution of 3660 x 3200, while the Meta Quest 3 is equipped with a per-eye resolution of 2064 x 2208. Plus, Apple relies on micro-OLED displays, whereas Meta's headset utilizes LCD displays. 

I know it's not really fair to compare a $500 headset with one that starts at $3,500. But that's part of the point that I'm trying to make, as Apple is already so far behind in its appeal to the general consumer that I don't know if future iterations will be able to capture the masses. 

The longer Apple waits to release a foldable phone, the more likely it will end up being far too expensive compared to the competition. I don't have a crystal ball, and we have no idea what the foldable phone market will look like three years from now. But it's 2024, and we already have tri-foldable phones with the Huawei Mate XT. Plus, companies have been working on phones with rollable displays, although I think those will be even less popular than the current crop of foldables. 

Part of me thinks that Apple is just coasting as much as it can. The company probably didn't expect to see the explosion in the popularity of AI, so the "brain trust" came up with ideas and announced them, even though they were nowhere near being ready for primetime. 

Another aspect is that Tim Cook has been CEO of Apple for more than 13 years, and there are rumblings that he may be eyeing retirement. With much of the focus being put on trying to leave a lasting impression in the form of a hardware release, I can't help but wonder if we won't see anything revolutionary again until after someone else takes up the mantle. 

As someone who spent time as an iPhone fanboy before pivoting to Android (and now dual-wielding), I'm just kind of disappointed. There are still some things I think an iPhone and iPad offer over their Android equivalents, but that list has never been smaller. 

It happened again. Apple set the trap, and I fell for it. Hook, line, and sinker. A month after introducing the latest iPad Pro, Apple gave us a long look at what will come to all of its latest “Pro” devices later this year. And what a disappointment it was. 

Along with the OLED display, the 2024 iPad Pro is the first Apple device to feature the company’s latest M-series of chips with the Apple M4. Not the MacBook Air, which kicked off this revolution back in 2020, or the Mac Studio, which has yet to be updated with an M3. 

There was also the all-new Apple Pencil Pro, which was another long-overdue addition to the lineup of iPad accessories. Throw in the updated Magic Keyboard Case with its aluminum palm rest, and it’s about as close to a touchscreen MacBook as you can get. 

In my mind, this made me believe that Apple had big plans for the next version of iPadOS 18, which was being announced at WWDC ‘24. So, I decided to pre-order the M4 iPad Pro, keeping my fingers crossed that things like Stage Manager would be improved.

What did we get? A calculator app. Yes, I’m aware that it’s not as simple as that, and some of the things that you can do are admittedly pretty neat. But it’s a calculator app. That was the big “fundamental” change to iPadOS. No, I’m not including the updated version of Siri and Apple Intelligence because nothing there is “iPad-only.” 

It’s been clear from the get-go that Stage Manager is an afterthought for Apple. While it offers a better way of multi-tasking than just relying on Split View, it’s nowhere near as robust, or useful, as Samsung DeX. 

For one, you’re still limited to using just four app windows at a time. “Who’s using more than four windows at once?” Well, I do. The apps that are always open when I’m on my computer are Chrome, Slack, Discord, Telegram, AirTable, and Obsidian. I also have a tendency to leave File Explorer open because my brain still can’t comprehend how to organize files on Windows. 

Now, I don’t need that many apps open at a single time, but it makes my life easier and explains my addiction to having as many displays around me as possible. Seriously, it’s a real problem that I’ll never shake. Admittedly, I don’t have all of those same apps open when using DeX on the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, but at least I could if I wanted to. That’s not the case with Stage Manager on the iPad Pro, and I doubt that it ever will be. 

So when it comes to productivity, I’m better off just closing my iPad and grabbing a Chromebook or the Tab S9 Ultra if I want to get stuff done. I’ll still argue that the iPad and iPhone have better (read: more polished) apps than Android, although that gap has been finally shrinking as of late. 

What I think really sticks in my craw, besides a CALCULATOR APP being the biggest addition to the iPad in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-four, is the cost. Don’t get me wrong, the OLED panel is beautiful and doesn’t suffer from any of the blooming issues we saw with the mini LED screens of the previous model. And the M4 is incredibly powerful, even in synthetic benchmarks. 

Many folks are talking about whether Qualcomm will be able to find lightning in a bottle with its Snapdragon X Elite and X Pro chips. I won’t be surprised if they fall short of the M4 in the iPad Pro. However, the difference is that the new Surface Pro is running the full version of Windows 11. The iPad Pro is stuck in this weird place of being a computer, but also not because iPadOS is a joke of an operating system. 

For years, I’ve hoped that Apple would do one of two things: release an iPad Pro running macOS or give us cellular connectivity in the MacBook Air. In 2024, we have neither of those things. Instead, Apple is set on tricking everyone into thinking that the iPad can do more than it really can. It’s clear that the “Reality Distortion Field” created by Steve Jobs is still alive and well, and I suspect it won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. 

I’m growing so tired of these companies releasing products with an incredible amount of unrealized potential. So if you were to ask me what the best tablet is if you wanted a laptop replacement, I’d tell you to get the Galaxy Tab S9 Plus. Why not the Ultra? Well, I like having options, and for whatever reason, the Tab S9 Plus is the only option of the trio that can be had with cellular connectivity. 

As just a tablet, the iPad and iPad Air are still great and should be on your radar, provided you only want to do “tablet-y” things. For anything else, just get a Chromebook or the Tab S9 Plus. You’ll save yourself a lot of headaches and even more money by pretending that the iPad Pro doesn’t even exist. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to figure out how to get rid of this thing and wipe the egg off of my face.

Despite offering a comfortable middle ground between phones and laptops, both Samsung and Apple saw a surprising decline in tablet sales in the first quarter of 2024, raising questions about the future of these devices, particularly while players in China, such as Huawei and Xiaomi, enjoy a healthy increase in tablet adoption.

In 2023, worldwide tablet shipments declined 17.4% year over year in the fourth quarter, the largest decline since 2016. For the calendar year 2023, tablet shipments totaled 128.5 million units worldwide, a decline of 20.5% compared to 2022 and the lowest annual volume since 2011.

"With no significant improvements to the economy and consumers allocating their money to things beyond consumer electronics, tablets may not be very high on the priority list," said Anuroopa Nataraj, senior research analyst with IDC's Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers. 

Recent numbers suggest that after over two years of decline, worldwide tablet shipments posted a year-over-year growth of 0.5% in the first quarter of 2024; even though this may seem small, the sales were about 30.8 million units, but it doesn't look good for Samsung and Apple.

Samsung vs. Apple vs. the world

Samsung saw a decline in tablet shipments this quarter, with around 6.7 million units sold—a decrease from the 7.1 million units sold in the same quarter of 2023. Research manager Jitesh Ubrani at IDC points out this could be due to the slower economy. "It's essentially due to a slowdown in consumer demand in the U.S. for tablets, especially the premium tier," Ubrani told me over email. "Beyond that, there's also been an uplift in PCs, which steals a share of wallet."

It's not for a lack of trying on Samsung's part. Last year, Samsung launched the Galaxy Tab A9, Galaxy Tab A9 Plus, Galaxy Tab S9 FE, and Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus in the last quarter of 2023, later introducing the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) in the first quarter of 2024. According to Samsung's Q4 earnings report, the company seeks to maintain sales momentum by expanding Galaxy AI to existing and new flagship products across foldable devices and tablets.

However, Samsung might face challenges keeping up with the premium range and the features that users may find appealing on iPads. Additionally, Ubrani says that even in the mid-lower tiers, Samsung faces competition from Amazon and TCL in the U.S.

"To turn things around, Samsung can resort to bundling, which they have done and continue to do with wearables today. Beyond that, enabling new use cases—which is one of the toughest things to do for tablets—or servicing niche audiences (e.g., What iPad Pro is doing) is likely the only other way out."

On the other hand, Apple has also seen a similar decline in iPad sales this quarter. Even though it's at the top of the list, Apple faced a bit of a lull last year as sales declined 8.5% year over year. Per IDC's report, Apple focused on clearing out inventory of older models before the expected launch of new models. However, it could still ship out 9.9 million units this quarter. Ubrani feels that Apple's recent refresh of the iPad Air and iPad Pro will go a long way and turn things around for the tablet business.

While Samsung and Apple may be at the top of the charts, Huawei held third place this quarter with impressive year-over-year growth of 43.6% and shipments of 2.9 million units. IDC interprets that the Chinese tech giant likely benefitted from the resurgence of its smartphone business and grew its market share by 2.8 basis points compared to last year.

Xiaomi also retained its spot in the top five, with a remarkable yearly growth of 92.6% and 1.8 million units in shipment. According to Ubrani, a few factors have helped the company boost tablet shipments.

"Xiaomi has been focusing on promotions, and most importantly, demand in Asia is recovering quicker than in the US. Asia also has lower penetration rates, so an uptick in demand is expected." The report stated that even outside China, its largest market, Xiaomi grew by triple digits across almost all regions where it ships.

How can these top players shake things up?

While Samsung and Apple continue to dominate the smartphone market, analysts suggest they have to start focusing on consumer spending habits and trends as they seem to be shifting.

One crucial area of improvement could be innovation, as year-on-year tablet upgrades mainly focus on hardware changes like faster processors, better screens (iPad Pro's OLED upgrade), or sleeker designs—but these may not be enough for customers to spend the extra money on tablets. 

These tech giants could explore software upgrades like implementing AI features that will address why tablets are bought in the first place—accessibility and ease of multitasking on the go. Integrating features like Galaxy AI into tablets could help benefit students, a demographic that could benefit from more accessible tablet options. This would provide a portable computing option with a smart assistant that summarizes lectures or helps them organize their day.

It's worth noting that this demographic focuses on value. With the surging prices of smartphones, consumers are likely more interested in spending less on a tablet or not buying one at all. This is where bundling and promotions come into play, as Ubrani pointed out, especially for families looking for cost-effective options for kids and teens.

Finally, the sheer number of tablet options available could lead to "decision paralysis." By considering users' needs and budgets, Samsung could benefit from simplifying its lineup while ensuring it continues to introduce unique features that make the choice less stressful. Nevertheless, it's clear that the current strategy isn't panning out, and Samsung may need to rethink its tablet strategy going forward if it wants to better compete with smaller brands.

When it comes to making a purchasing decision, tablets are a lot like Chromebooks. There are so many options to choose from, with many quick to jump at the cheapest one they can find. But, when you take it out of the box and start using it, it becomes immediately apparent that you made the wrong decision. 

As someone who has tested out dozens of tablets in 2023 alone, I've spent plenty of time with many of the best tablets. As we barrel toward the holiday season, I've rounded up four tablets that should be on your radar. And as an added bonus, all four of these are already on sale, if you don't want to wait around for Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

• Android Central deal hubs: Phones | Wearables | Tablets | TVs

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8

You might be surprised that I didn't suggest the Galaxy Tab S9 or the newer Galaxy Tab S9 FE. There's a very good reason for that and it's actually quite simple. Besides the improved AMOLED display and slightly faster processor, there's not much of a difference between the Tab S8 and Tab S9.

There's also the added benefit of being able to spend less, as not only does the Tab S9 have a higher retail price, but you're also unlikely to find it for as cheap as the Galaxy Tab S8. Besides that, you're still getting the best tablet experience that Android has to offer, and don't need to spring extra for a stylus as the S Pen is included.

Plus, you can rest easy knowing that there are still a few years of software updates left. By the time the bell tolls on the Tab S8, you'll more than likely be looking to upgrade to something new and shiny, anyway.

Google Pixel Tablet

The Pixel Tablet has turned into somewhat of a controversial conversation piece. There are those, like myself, who see this as a suitable (albeit more expensive) replacement for the Nest Hub Max. While others don't really see the point since you can't actually use the Charging Speaker Dock when the tablet is detached.

While I'm still holding out hope for a first-party keyboard and stylus, there are workarounds for this thanks to the USI 2.0 compatibility and excellent case options. Even still, the Tensor G2 is powerful enough for a lot of the things that you would want to do. Arguably the biggest selling point to me is that it's running Google's version of Android which is something I've been wanting for years.

I'm also a big fan of the fact that Google includes the aforementioned dock in the box. So if you thought that the Pixel Tablet was still priced too high, we're already seeing some pretty good deals pop up.

Amazon Fire Max 11

If you go back and look at my various Amazon reviews over the years, I haven't been so kind. Mainly, because I'm getting tired of ads showing up up everywhere and anywhere, with Amazon being a big culprit. That being said, the Fire Max 11 kind of bucks that trend for me, as long as you grab the "Without Lockscreen Ads" variant.

It's not the most powerful, and pretty much lines up with the Pixel Tablet in terms of overall performance. But Amazon managed to work up some magic with the Fire Max 11 to the point that I keep going to it when I'm not messing around with foldable phones.

But if there's one recommendation I can make, it's to get the Productivity Bundle. This includes both the keyboard and stylus, giving you much more versatility and flexibility as opposed to just grabbing the tablet by itself. I'm just still wishing that Amazon released a docking station like what we had with the Fire HD 8 Plus.

iPad (10th Generation)

What more do I really need to say about the iPad? Even though it's cheaper and Apple is still selling it, I wouldn't recommend the iPad (9th Generation) to anyone. It's probably going to be phased out of Apple's iPad lineup soon, and it just looks as dated as ever.

I really would've rather recommended the iPad Mini here, but that's over two years old and is overdue for a spec bump. There's also a jelly-scrolling issue with the display that is tough to get past, and there are rumors that Apple might switch to an OLED panel if it ever actually releases an updated iPad Mini.

Yes, you'll have to deal with setting up an Apple ID, and you won't get a stylus or keyboard case in the box. Even still, the iPad is simply one of the best tablets, bar none.

So, you’re trying to decide between the iPad Pro (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8. The decision seems easy: if you have an Apple iPhone, you’d get more out of an iPad Pro (2022), whereas if you use a Samsung Galaxy smartphone and you’re familiar with the interface, you’ll appreciate the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 more. But there are other things to consider beyond the seamless connection among devices from these two leading brands.

iPad Pro (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: The basics

First, let’s start with the basics, including how these two tablets look and the core specs in terms of storage, connectivity, and more. 

The iPad Pro (2022) is a premium tablet designed specifically for creative professionals, though anyone looking for the best option might want to grab this one even if they won’t be leveraging all the creativity features. It comes in two screen size options, 11-inch or 12.9-inch, and the screen is a Liquid Retina XDR LED backlist multi-touch display that boasts 2,388 x 1,668 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Along with the fingerprint-resistant and anti-reflective coating, the high contrast means you can use it comfortably both indoors and out. 

Available in either Space Grey or silver finishes and running iPadOS (which you can update to the latest iPadOS 17 once it becomes available in September 2023), you can choose from 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage. This is important because storage is not expandable, which means once the tablet is full, it’s full. You can use cloud storage, most notably iCloud, as a back-up. But if you plan to take tons of high-res photos, long videos, download plenty of apps, and more, you’ll want to invest in a version of this tablet with more storage. This, naturally, impacts the price considerably, so that’s something to keep in mind. 

As the first iPad to finally use USB-C charging, you can be confident that the iPad Pro (2022) will charge quickly using the included 20W charger. You’ll also find a Thunderbolt port for connecting an external display if you want to take your work or creative projects to the big screen. Convert it into a workstation by adding the Magic Keyboard, Smart Keyboard Folio, and even the Apple Pencil. But all these accessories are optional and expensive, so if you plan to use your tablet this way, you’ll have to tally it all up to come to a more realistic final price. 

The tablet is lightweight at just under 1.5 lbs., so chances are you will want to use it on the go. With those accessories, you could easily set up a mobile workstation at a local coffee shop and leave your laptop at home. If you opt for the Apple Pencil, you can enjoy the hover experience, holding it as high as 12mm from the display to trigger a response, ideal for very precise movements, something artists, in particular, will appreciate.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, meanwhile, runs on Android 12 but can be updated to Android 13. It will also receive up to four generations of software updates and at least five years of security support, which gives you peace-of-mind that the investment will last a long time. It comes in silver, Graphite, and the playful pink gold. Weighing just over a pound, making it slightly lighter than the iPad Pro (2022), this is also because it only comes with one screen option: 11 inches. The screen is LTPS and offers a quick 120Hz refresh rate as well. It’s also slightly higher in resolution at 2,560 x 1,600. 

Like the iPad Pro (2022), it can convert from tablet to laptop mode with the addition of an optional keyboard and using various software options that are available for it, including Microsoft 365. It also comes with a Samsung S Pen in the box, a nice added value for those who would use it. This might include taking notes in meetings or classes, sketching, or simply navigating through webpages and documents with ease. 

Along with the all-day battery life and USB-C charging, it comes with either 128GB or 256GB capacities, but you can expand this up to 1TB using an optional microSD memory card. Memory card media is pretty affordable nowadays. Nonetheless, only 256GB of on-board storage might not be enough for serious workers saving big files and downloading large apps that take up a lot of space.

iPad Pro (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: The specs

We’ll dive deeper into the processing power and performance of these two tablets, but first, let’s see how they compare on specs.

These two tablets, while operating on very different systems, offer similar specs. Let’s look further at them to compare.

iPad Pro (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: Performance and features

With both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the iPad Pro (2022) gives you access to plenty of apps from the Apple App Store. You can surf the web, watch HD videos, do word processing, access social media sites, and more. Multitasking is fluid on the tablet thanks to Apple’s M2 chip which affords quick operation and response times, good graphics performance, and top-notch efficiency. You can also upgrade to 16GB RAM for even faster performance. There’s a 5G option as well that you can connect to a cellular network with a plan, or you can use it on Wi-Fi alone (or via hotspot from your iPhone or other device.) For Wi-Fi, it supports Wi-Fi 6e. 

The iPad Pro (2022) comes loaded with iPadOS 16, but it is updateable to iPadOS 17 once available, which adds a host of new features. Out of the box, you’ll get features like Stage Manager for organizing apps, Center Stage to keep you in frame while video chatting via FaceTime, and more. With iPadOS 17, there are new features like being able to add widgets to the lock screen, support for Live Activities from sports scores to incoming food deliveries, full-width, editable PDFs, a new Health app redesigned specifically for the larger tablet screen, and more. 

There are desktop-class apps you can access with the iPad Pro (2022) as well, if you opt for the Magic Keyboard and Folio Cover. There are fun features, too, like Live Text and Visual Lookup as well as Freeform, which will be updated for better collaboration in iPadOS 17 as well. 

With a 12MP TrueDepth ultra-wide, 12MP wide, and 10 MP ultra-wide cameras, you can take amazing videos and photos from the iPad Pro (2022). For pros, you can even shoot ProRes, cinema-grade videos, or leverage Reference Mode in the 12.9-inch model for ensuring accurate color reproduction when editing on the device itself. 

If you have other compatible Apple devices, from the iPhone to the Apple Watch, MacBook, and Apple TV, you can seamlessly communicate among them, making the iPad a logical tablet to add to the ecosystem.

Running Android 12, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor with support for Wi-Fi 6e and a 5G option as well. With Microsoft 365 integration, you can use this tablet for productivity, propping it up with a keyboard case and working away as you would on a laptop. There’s also Samsung DeX, which further makes the desktop set-up a reality, mirroring your tablet’s display to a laptop or computer. With the S Pen in the box, you can further enjoy plenty of productivity tasks. 

Equipped with 8GB RAM, there’s a handy Quick Share feature that makes it easy to share files among compatible devices. Use features like converting handwriting to text, saving notes as shareable PDFs, PowerPoint, or Word files, and syncing notes across multiple Galaxy devices. This tablet, then, is the perfect companion for a Galaxy smartphone owner. 

Make video calls using Google Duo, and snap photos and videos using the 12MP front ultrawide camera, 13MP dual wide, and 6 MP ultrawide main cameras. With a four-month trial to YouTube Premium and three months of Spotify Premium, you can enjoy plenty of entertainment out of the box as well. 

While we haven’t reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, Android Central’s Michael L Hicks did review the step-up Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus model. It’s effectively the same tablet in a larger size with a higher-res screen and bigger battery, and he loved the S Pen usability, One UI 4, and overall look and feel, all of which are included in this model as well.

iPad Pro (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: Which should you buy?

The decision between the iPad Pro (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 really comes down to which camp you’re in. If you are an Apple device user, the iPad Pro (2022) is the logical tablet to add to the equation. If you use Android, particularly a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, you’ll find you can benefit a lot from adding the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 to the set-up. 

If you’re indifferent when it comes to the brand, simply looking for a tablet you’ll use separate from your other devices, it could go either way. The iPad Pro (2022) is better for creative types who will be shooting videos, taking photos, and editing everything from photos to videos, music, artistic creations, and more from the tablet itself. With all the useful Apple and third-party creative software you can download, it’s a creative type’s dream. 

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, on the other hand, is better for productivity, or rather will give you more bang for your buck in that department. Along with the inclusion of Microsoft 365, you also get the Samsung S Pen in the box. The keyboard case will only add a nominal additional cost as will an extra memory card if you find that 256GB is not enough. With the iPad Pro (2022), to get the same experience, you would have to pay more for a version with more storage and fork over money for the Apple Pencil and the Magic Keyboard and folio case, which aren’t cheap. But you do get the option for a larger screen if desired. 

You’ll enjoy both entertainment and productivity with both tablets, as long as you get the right accessories and software. The iPad Pro (2022) will afford a better overall experience if you opt for the highest-end option. If you aren’t going to do that, you would be better off looking into a step-down iPad option, like the standard iPad or iPad Air. But you’ll still get plenty out of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 if it fits better within your budget. 

If you find that both these tablets are too rich for your blood and more than you need, have a look at the best Android tablets and you might find a model better suited to you.

Pixel Tablet vs. iPad (10th Gen): How do they look?

When looking at the Pixel Tablet vs. iPad (10th Gen), the first big difference between these two tablets is how they look. Both are standard tablets with similarly sizeable screens, but the Pixel Tablet is designed to be used in different ways right out of the box. 

The Google Pixel Tablet has an 11-inch (technically 10.95-inch) LCD that boasts 2,560 x 1,600-pixel resolution and features an anti-smudge coating. Equipped with quad speakers, what sets it apart is that it ships with a speaker dock in the box. This dock can be positioned on a table, shelf, counter, or desk and plugs into the wall. Dock the tablet onto it magnetically and it not only charges it but also functions as a speaker. You can also then operate the tablet in Hub mode, effectively using it for smart home device control, as a digital photo frame, smart display, and more.  

In his review, Android Central's Andrew Myrick says he simply can't find reasons to stop using it. This is both when in hand as well as in the dock.

But keep in mind that the dock isn’t optional: you can’t buy the tablet without the dock, though you can buy second and third docks to place throughout the home, all working with the same unit. Considering the dock doesn’t appear to add to the price, however, this is a good thing. You’ll always be able to find a spot for it, and it makes for a simple way to charge (and a convenient speaker).

Another thing worth noting is that the only cable included is the one for the dock, though you can use other USB-C cables to charge the tablet on its own if you need to do it while out and about. The speaker itself, however, only works with the Pixel Tablet: you can’t connect it to other devices via Bluetooth to play music, which is a bummer. 

The tablet itself measures 10.2 x 6.7 x 0.3 inches and weighs 493 grams, making it slightly bigger and heavier than the iPad (10th Gen), but only by a hair, and it’s just as thin. It comes in Porcelain, Hazel, or Rose finishes, which are nice though a standard black would have been appreciated, especially with a matching dock that will likely find a permanent spot in the home. You can also opt for the protective case that has a metal ring on the back to use as a kickstand (it can still dock on the speaker with the case on). This is one of the most useful accessories for the Pixel Tablet that you can buy so far. 

It features the Google Tensor G2 chip for fast and seamless operation and multitasking. You get 128GB or 256GB of storage (there’s no microSD card slot but you do get a three-month trial to Google One storage) and while it doesn’t come with a stylus, this tablet works with both traditional capacitive touch styluses as well as the new, more feature-rich USI 2.0 styluses, allowing you to choose from among a variety of options, or even use one you already own.

As noted, the iPad (10th Gen) is about the same size with a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina screen with a 2,360 x 1,640-pixel resolution, which is in line with the Pixel Tablet. It measures 9.79 x 7.07 inches and is 0.28 inches thin, just like the Pixel Tablet. 

Not only does the iPad (10th Gen) come in a Cellular version as well if desired, but it also maintains the same weight for both the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular versions. If you often need to connect in rural areas where Wi-Fi can be spotty, you might prefer the Cellular version. (Though keep in mind that it’s simple to hotspot from your iPhone in a pinch and leverage the cellular data you have with that account as well. You can do the same with an Android phone and the Pixel Tablet). The iPad screen also has something called True Tone technology, designed to automatically match the display’s color and brightness with the room you’re in. 

In terms of finishes, the iPad (10th Gen) doesn’t come in standard black either, though you get more traditional color options like silver and blue along with funkier ones like pink and yellow. With Apple favorite features like Touch ID and face unlock, it’s easy to log into favorite apps. 

With the Apple iPad (10th Gen), you get iPadOS and either 64GB or 256GB of storage, the latter of which will cost much more. There’s no option to expand storage except with using the cloud either so it’s worthwhile to fork over the extra dough for the 256GB model. 

The Apple iPad doesn’t ship with any accessories but there are many available for it. Most notable are the Magic Keyboard Folio and Apple Pencil, both of which can increase productivity and creativity, allowing you to use the device in laptop or notebook style.

Pixel Tablet vs. iPad (10th Gen): Looking at the specs

Before I get further into how these two tablets operate, let’s look at how they compare on paper when it comes to the specs.

Pixel Tablet vs. iPad (10th Gen): Usability and key features

Beyond the looks and the bare-bones specs, how do these two tablets actually work? 

The Google Pixel Tablet is the latest device in the company’s line to be powered by its Google Tensor G2 chip, which ensures blazing-fast operation, multitasking, and more. Combined with the 8GB RAM, you can expect to use this device equally as a smart home hub and an on-the-go mobile computer. But it’s more for smart home and entertainment than productivity because there’s no keyboard case for it yet. 

Connecting via Wi-Fi (no cellular option), it has a special Hub Mode when docked that turns it into a smart display. You can manipulate the screen without unlocking it to control smart home devices, display a slideshow of images, and more. You can also summon Google Assistant, make video calls, or even watch TV using the Google TV widget. It has Chromecast built-in which is a nice touch. This setup screams multi-user use, and indeed, you can set up multiple user profiles on the tablet so your personal information can still be kept private while other members of the family can access their own as well. 

The tablet features the redesigned Google Home app, it should be noted, which allows for a more personalized and organized view of your connected devices. The cameras, meanwhile, aren’t quite as good as the iPad (10th Gen) ones at 8MP in front and 8MP in the rear. You also can’t capture 4K videos, only 1,080p, albeit still at 30 frames-per-second. The cameras do have some of Google’s most compelling photography features, however, like Magic Eraser to remove distracting people or items from the background of photos, Photo Unblur, Long Exposure, Night Shot, and more. 

You can use Nearby Share to share content among Pixel devices as well as other Android phones and laptops, and download a wide selection of apps to the device from the Google Play store. It also comes with three months of YouTube Premium access.

Powered by Apple’s A14 Bionic chip, the iPad (10th Gen) is quick and intuitive, able to keep up with all your most demanding tasks. This is despite only having 4GB of RAM, half that of the Google Pixel Tablet. In addition to Wi-Fi 6, you can also connect via a cellular network, as noted, and use it with the latest iPadOS 16. 

While you can use this tablet with the Apple Pencil, as noted, it’s limited to only the first-gen model, which is a disappointing realization. The second-gen version adds more premium features, like a Lightning charger and the neat hover motion. Compared to the Pixel Tablet, which works with just about any stylus, including the newest USI 2.0 models, this might sway you in the direction of the Pixel model. 

As noted, you can also invest in the Magic Keyboard Folio to transform the Apple iPad (10th Gen) into a full-fledged laptop-style device for productivity, whether that’s working from home, while traveling, or at the local coffee shop. It has features that will also appeal to workers, like Center Stage in the camera that keeps you in the frame at all times, and the ultra-wide front-facing camera with a 12MP sensor. This is combined with the 12MP wide back camera as well, along with cool photo features like Panoramic, Burst Mode, Live Photos, and more. 

Entertainment-wise, it has all the features you’d expect from the iPad along with the ability to download tons of apps, from streaming TV and music to games and more. Plus, you can connect to other devices, like Apple TV, using AirPlay or screen mirroring. 

You’ll get up to 10 hours of battery life, which is enough to last a full workday. However, some users have reported that it’s slow to charge, so keep that in mind.

Pixel Tablet vs. iPad (10th Gen): Security and privacy

Security and privacy are of the utmost concern nowadays, and this is something people want to know about before investing their hard-earned money into a new device, like a tablet. 

The Pixel Tablet comes with Titan M2 security along with anti-phishing and anti-malware protection. You can also be confident that you’ll receive a minimum of five years of security updates for the tablet, ensuring that bug fixes, security patches, and other critical updates will continue to be sent to it for many years to come. 

There are also automatic security checks with the Pixel Tablet, camera and mic toggles, and fingerprint unlock. 

With fingerprint unlock and Face ID, the iPad (10th Gen) is no slouch when it comes to security either. There are built-in security and privacy features to prevent anyone from accessing your data, both locally on the device and in iCloud. You can also remotely lock the device should it be lost or stolen.

Pixel Tablet vs. iPad (10th Gen): Which should you buy?

This makes the iPad more of a personal tablet while the Pixel Tablet is more likely one that you’ll share among the family. Indeed, Android Central’s Michael Hicks spoke to a Google engineer at Google I/O who referred to the Pixel Tablet as being for “casual productivity.”  It docks when you’re at home and everyone can use it for whatever task they need, whether it’s controlling the lights, casting something to the big screen, listening to music, or asking for a calendar update. If someone wants to take it with them, they can continue to use it as a standard tablet

It’s a tough decision when deciding between the Pixel Tablet vs. iPad (10th Gen). If you have other Apple devices, like an iPhone, Apple TV, MacBook computer, and Apple Watch, you might want to stick with the iPad to stay within that ecosystem. You might feel the same for the Pixel Tablet if you own a Chromebook, Pixel phone, Google Home, and Chromecast devices. 

But if you’re indifferent and open to both, using both platforms around the house and on the go, (or willing to do so) it’s a matter of which device is better suited to you and which has features you’d prefer. The iPad (10th Gen) is more of a mobile tablet and computer hybrid, but that is only if you invest in the Magic Keyboard Folio. The Google Pixel Tablet is more of a tablet smart speaker/smart home device hybrid, and this is right out of the box with the included speaker dock.

If you think the family-style tablet will fit your lifestyle, the Pixel Tablet is the better option. If you’re looking for a tablet to use on your own, the iPad (10th Gen) is a more personal, on-the-go option. It will also take better, higher-resolution photos and you’ll look better when making video calls with clients or family. 

With pricing being similar for both when opting for the 256GB version, the fact that you get the speaker dock with the Google Pixel Tablet is tremendous added value, especially since you can purchase additional docks to place in different rooms throughout the home. 

Bottom line: for a tablet the whole family can and will use for entertainment, light productivity, and smart home control, go with the Pixel Tablet. For something that’s just for you for productivity, entertainment, and creativity, the iPad (10th Gen) is the better option.

When you think about buying a Chromebook, what price range do you think is “acceptable?” Probably anywhere between $300 and $500 — maybe a bit more depending on what sales are going on at any given time. 

Now ask yourself the same question if you’re in the market for a tablet. Did that number just shoot up?

Let's say you have $1,000 burning a hole in your pocket, and you’re trying to decide between a tablet, a Chromebook, or maybe another laptop. Clearly, this kind of budget lands you in the “premium” market; but in terms of tablets, you might be a bit more limited than you think.

For $899 (before taxes), that’s enough to get you an 11-inch iPad Pro with 256GB of storage. Pretty good, as the iPad Pro is largely considered to be the best premium tablet. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8+, with its larger 12.4-inch display and the same amount of storage, retails for $979. 

We’re not here to talk about why the iPad Pro is better (or worse) than the Galaxy Tab S8+. Whichever you pick, it's hard to just pick one up and go on your merry way. Samsung includes an S Pen in the box, removing the additional cost that Apple forces you to pay if you want to pair an Apple Pencil with an iPad Pro. In either case, you probably won't leave the store without a case and keyboard, which are pretty important if you’re looking for a portable work machine. 

Even on the Windows side of the world, Microsoft’s Surface Pro 9 barely squeaks under the $1,000 price point but is ultimately completely different than the iPad Pro or Tab S8+. It’s running a desktop operating system, powered by an Intel chip, and has replaceable storage. But again, that necessitates you adding more money to the budget. 

Making the case for a $1,000 Chromebook

All of this brings us to Chromebooks. Over the past couple of years, we’ve been seeing Chromebooks released with higher price tags. While “premium” Chromebooks are still few and far between, they do exist. The most recent of which is the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook, and before that was the Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition. Both of these are priced at $999, the same as the Surface Pro 9. 

So why would I rather spend $1,000 on a Chromebook than a tablet? Well, the Surface notwithstanding, it’s because of everything else that these laptops and ChromeOS have to offer. I can download all of the same apps as I could on the Galaxy Tab, and many of the same ones as the iPad Pro. 

And for the apps that aren’t available on the Play Store, that’s where Linux comes into play. Admittedly, installing Linux apps isn’t for everyone, but it is possible on a Chromebook. Plus, Progressive Web Apps are reaching the point where they are even better than an app that you would just install from the Play Store anyways. 

So let’s circle back to those tablets. The iPad Pro with Apple’s Magic Keyboard results in an out-the-door cost of $1,198. Add the Apple Pencil into the mix, and that’s another $129. Meanwhile, the Tab S8+ is slightly more palatable, as it’s priced at $1,138 when paired with Samsung’s Book Cover Keyboard. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, Samsung includes the S Pen in the box, so you won’t need to spend anything else.

But for $999, you can get the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook, with its 14-inch display, powered by Intel’s Core i5-1235U with onboard Iris Xe graphics. This also includes 16GB of RAM, which is more than enough for ChromeOS even while gaming, and 256GB of storage. Oh, and there’s no need to worry about finding a keyboard or case because it already has that built-in. 

Framework’s Chromebook is also priced at $999 but takes a completely different approach to the market. It has less RAM than the Dragonfly Pro, but a slightly-upgraded processor (Core i5-1240P), and the same amount of storage. The real appeal of the Framework is modularity and repairability, thanks to the four expansion cards that are included. Not to mention that you should be able to upgrade the Mainboard in the future whenever the Intel 12th Gen chip gets a bit long in the tooth. 

There’s an argument to be made that tablets are more versatile, but they are still companion devices. They're meant to be used alongside your existing computing setup, and in many cases, extend or improve the overall experience. 

Chromebooks, on the other hand, are computing devices. You don’t need to worry about grabbing a keyboard or case, and you’ll be able to do more than what you could on an iPad Pro or Galaxy Tab S8+. And the biggest benefit? They’ll be supported until 2030, whereas the same can’t be said for any other tablet on the market, regardless of how much you pay.

iPad Pro (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra: What they look like

Both the iPad Pro (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra are premium tablets made for creative professionals and those who will make use of all the goodies they provide. When it comes to looks, they share both similarities and differences. 

The iPad Pro (2022) comes with either an 11-inch or 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR LED-backlit multi-touch display with a generous 2,388 x 1,668 resolution. It offers high contrast and a fingerprint-resistant and anti-reflective coating so you can use it comfortably in all types of scenarios, including indoors and out. 

The tablet comes in Space Grey or silver and with 128, 256, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage capacity. There’s no option to expand beyond this, however, unless you use the cloud. This is the first iPad to use USB-C charging, a bonus for those who want to have it back up and running will a full battery quickly: it uses a 20W charger. There’s also a Thunderbolt port for connecting an external display. 

Weighing at under 1.5 lbs., you can use the iPad Pro (2022) in tablet mode or add the optional Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio to transform it into a compact laptop. Use the next-gen Apple Pencil, meanwhile, for more creative tasks, like jotting down notes, sketching, drawing, and more. The Pencil, which is sold separately, offers a new hover experience so you can hold it as high as 12mm from the display and it will still trigger a response. This allows for very precise movements, perfect for artists.

Available in just one finish, Graphite, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a much larger 14-inch screen, which some might prefer. Though this means it’s also less compact, rivaling a compact laptop more than a tablet. With that said, it’s still only 1.6 lbs. so you aren’t gaining much in weight. It’s also surprisingly slightly thinner and shorter in length than the iPad Pro (2022). 

The WQXGA+ Super AMOLED screen offers a 2,960 x 1,848 resolution, which is higher than that of the Apple iPad Pro (2022), so you might find it brighter and crisper. Indeed in his Galaxy Tabl S8 Ultra review, Android Central’s Andrew Myrick describes the screen as “incredible to see.” It also boasts an Armor Aluminum casing that protects the tablet against bumps and drops, making it an ultra-durable tablet. 

You’ll only get 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB built-in storage but the tablet does accept optional microSD memory cards for expanding storage up to 1TB. Keep this in mind when considering total cost if you think you’ll need more than 256GB. 

Like with the Apple iPad Pro (2022), you can connect the optional 2-in-1 Book Cover Keyboard to use it like a laptop (the trackpad isn’t so easy to use when on your lap, however, Myrick found). You can also leverage Samsung DeX for a seamless second-screen experience. The cover has a kickstand that allows for positioning the tablet at different angles, whether you’re on a Zoom call, watching a movie, or going over a spreadsheet. 

The big difference here is that not only does the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra work with the Samsung S Pen, but it also comes with one in the box. There’s even a neat spot at the back of the tablet where you can store the ultra-low-latency Pen and charge it. Myrick found that the Pen rivals the Apple Pencil, describing the act of using it as being “as fluid as writing on a piece of paper with a gel pen.”

iPad Pro (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra: Let’s break down the specs

Before getting into how these two devices function, let’s look at how they compare in terms of specs.

These two tablets share a lot of similarities and specs are close in many respects. But they function much differently from one another thanks to the distinct operating systems and each will be best suited to a particular type of user.

iPad Pro (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra: The nitty-gritty operations

When it comes down to it, what people want to know is how can you use these two tablets and what sets them apart. Both naturally include all the typical features you’d want in a tablet, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, access to various apps for everything from web surfing to watching videos, word processing, and more. But each has some additional distinct features. 

The Apple iPad Pro (2022) will be able to keep up with all your most intensive tasks, including multi-tasking with numerous ones at the same time, for both work and play. You can sketch, edit photos and videos, handle word processing, stream high-def videos, and more. 

It processes all this information fluidly thanks to an M2 chip that offers ultra-fast operation, quick response times, great graphics performance, and amazing efficiency. With the 5G option, you can connect to a cellular network provider when you aren’t nearby a public or private Wi-Fi network, though this requires a separate 5G plan. If you want to download large files while on Wi-Fi, the iPad Pro (2022) does support Wi-Fi 6e for speedy operation. 

Running iPadOS 16, you can enjoy premium features like Stage Manager to organize apps and windows for easier navigation. There are also features like Center Stage that you’ll appreciate when video chatting with family members or in virtual meetings for work or school, keeping you front and center, even as you move around the room. 

Use it as a computer leveraging the desktop-class apps. But you will have to invest in the Magic Keyboard and Folio Cover to get the full laptop experience. If you want to do things like take notes or sketch while in tablet mode, you’ll also find value in getting the Apple Pencil, which is also a separate purchase. It offers, as noted, the new hover experience, which is already supported by numerous third-party apps. It also works with neat apps like Scribble for converting handwriting into text.

There are fun features with the Apple iPad Pro (2022) as well, including Live Text and Visual Look Up with photos and videos, as well as Freeform, a new app that allows you to collaborate with others on a flexible canvas. 

There is the largest 2TB option for maximizing storage, though it will cost a pretty penny. Once you max that out, your only other option is Apple iCloud or another cloud-based service, which will add to the bottom line cost. Otherwise, you’d have to offload content to a separate drive or computer. 

On the creative end, the Apple iPad Pro (2022) has tons of great features. You can take great photos and videos using the 12MP TrueDepth camera with ultra-wide, 12MP wide, and 10 MP ultra-wide cameras. Professionals will appreciate ProRes video for taking cinema-grade videos as well as Reference Mode (only available in the 12.9-inch model) which will ensure you get the most accurate color reproduction when working with photos and videos, which are easy to edit on the tablet. 

Of course, the Apple iPad Pro (2022) works seamlessly within the Apple ecosystem so you can collaborate and sync information across devices like an Apple iPhone, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and more.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra runs on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 octa-core processor, making it snappy and quick as well. There’s a 5G option with an optional cellular plan or you can stick with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. 

Running Android OS 12 (up to Android 13), it also has One UI 4.1 that makes it easy to access apps across all compatible Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets. There are lots of cool creative features as well. With Samsung Notes, for example, you can jot down ideas and drawings and turn handwriting into text. The tablet comes with a six-month trial to Clip Studio Paint, which you can use for drawing with a natural brush feel, choosing among various brush options. With the S Pen, which is included, you can use LumaFusion to edit videos and other cinematic projects. 

With dual front cameras including ultra-wide and wide at 13MP and 6MP, respectively along with dual 12MP selfie cameras, you’ll get great videos and photos. Auto Framing keeps you in focus when you are in the middle of a video call while the Dual Front Camera automatically zooms out to include new friends in a call once they start speaking. This also works when shooting dance videos, recording, and automatically zooming in to keep the focus on you while giving step-by-step instructions, a must-have feature for TikTokers.

Use Google Duo to chat with up to 31 friends, enjoying features like the three-mic noise reduction technology. You can also collaborate using Jamboard, Google’s interactive whiteboard. Use the multi-window option to divide the screen as needed when completing any tasks. Thanks to the extra screen real estate, Myrick was blown away by how comfortably he could work with side-by-side windows. 

For entertainment, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra comes with a four-month trial to YouTube Premium. With Auto Switch, you can automatically pair and switch audio to compatible Galaxy Buds true wireless earbuds.  Smart Switch, meanwhile, makes it simple to transfer data over from an old tablet. You can game with it, too. Just keep in mind that since this is a tablet running tablet apps, some don’t make the best use of the laptop-like large 14-inch screen.

iPad Pro (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra: Which should you buy?

The decision really comes down to what ecosystem you live in and what specific model you want. The Apple iPad Pro (2022) is a no-brainer option of the two if you own an Apple iPhone and other iOS devices. However, this isn’t to say this is the best iPad model for you. If you wouldn’t make use of all the creative features, you might be better off opting for a step-down iPad model. 

When it comes to the Samsung Galaxy Tab Ultra S8, the same thing goes. If you’re familiar with the Android ecosystem, especially if you own a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, this will be the better option of the two, more seamlessly fitting into your tech lifestyle. But there are other Samsung Galaxy Tab models that are more affordable and might better meet your needs if you aren’t going to make use of all the creative features this one has to offer. 

If you aren’t tied to either ecosystem, both tablets are good options for productivity and professional creativity. If you work remotely often enough that you need a separate device but your needs aren’t so great that you require an actual laptop, both these tablets are a nice alternative. However, in both cases, especially with all the added accessories (particularly with the Apple iPad Pro (2022)), you may end up spending just as much as you would for a traditional laptop for the entire productivity set-up. 

The advantage here with both is the portability and the ability to use them as tablets first and laptops only if and when you want to do so. Both offer generous storage options but the price skyrockets when you consider the 2TB Apple iPad Pro (2022) or the 512GB Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra with a memory card. But consider that with the nominal price of memory cards these days, you can grab a few and swap as needed if you really require more storage for that tablet.

Bottom line: When deciding between the Apple iPad Pro (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, Apple users should go for the Apple iPad Pro (2022) or a more affordable model depending on their needs. Samsung users go for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra or a more affordable model depending on their needs. Creative types, work out the overall cost when factoring in all the accessories you want or might eventually need down the line to determine which model will

Both these tablets are workhorses, so if you’re looking for something simple to use at home and on the go to watch movies, read the news, surf the web, edit the odd photo, video, or document, and even get some work done, you could probably make do with more affordable options among the best tablets. 

If you are going to be handling serious photo and video editing, both will do a good job with features like ProRes Video and Reference mode with the Apple iPad Pro (2022) and LumaFusion with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. With sketching, both will offer a tremendous experience but the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra offers the benefit of the Samsung S Pen in the box. 

Neither really makes sense unless you’re seriously working with photos, videos, and other artistic and creative files, gaming, or multitasking the majority of the time and require all its processing power. Indeed, in his review, Myrick called the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra “the best Android tablet that you shouldn’t buy.” 

If you are looking for portability and premium functionality and you aren’t dead-set on a tablet, consider one of the best Samsung laptops instead, many of which aren’t as expensive. Or, look for another iPad model with step-down features you’re willing to sacrifice for a lower price.

When it comes to choosing a tablet, most people will opt first for their preferred operating system, be it Android or iOS. But for some, a tablet is a tablet, separate from their computer and smartphone and they could go either way. In this case, both the iPad (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE are great options. And if you aren’t partial to one OS or the other, you might be trying to decide which one would be better suited for you, or even for family use. Here, we’ll delve deep into both, comparing and contrasting them to help you make the right choice.

iPad (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE: On the outside

When it comes to your electronic devices, looks do matter. Both these tablets are attractive for taking with you on the go. Apple, of course, has a reputation for stellar design, and indeed, the iPad (2022) is sleek and stunning. Measuring 9.79 x 7.07 inches in size and ultra-thin at just 0.28 inches, it is also lightweight at just over a pound (that includes both the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular versions). 

Equipped with a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display that boasts a 2,360 x 1,640-pixel resolution and an impressive 500 nits of brightness along with True Tone technology. The latter will match the display’s color and brightness to the room so you always get a pleasant viewing experience. 

Available in silver, pink, blue, and yellow with an all-screen design, it comes in both traditional and funky color options to suit personal tastes. The Touch ID button is now on the top of the iPad so it’s seemingly easier to unlock the device, log into your favorite apps, use Apple Pay, and more. 

Running iPadOS, the iPad (2022) comes with 64GB or 256GB of storage, with a big jump in price between the two and no option in between. Considering you can’t add storage via microSD card to the iPad, you’ll want to opt for the larger version, which means paying a lot more. There’s always iCloud cloud storage or external storage devices, but it’s best to get more than you think you need, which makes the iPad (2022) an expensive proposition if you skip right to the 256GB model. 

Of course, you may want to add various accessories to the experience, like the Apple Pencil (it only supports the first-gen original so you won’t get the features that come with the latest one) and the new Magic Keyboard Folio.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE, released in 2021, has a 12.4-inch screen making it physically larger at 11.21 x 7.28 inches; but it’s actually slightly thinner at 0.25 inches thin. It is also, however, heavier, at 1.34 lbs. It, too, comes in both a Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular option. The TFT LCD screen is slightly higher-res at 2,560 x 1,600 pixels. 

Color options are equally a mix of classic and fun with Mystic black, Mystic silver, Mystic green, and Mystic pink. In his review, Android Central’s Michael Hicks recommends against the Mystic black, noting that it smudges easily. 

For storage, you get 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB, each with increasing RAM, but there’s also a microSDHC memory card slot so you can expand storage even further if desired. For content creators, this could be the deal-breaker. 

Like the iPad (2022), the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE works with various accessories to increase productivity, including folio keyboard cases and the Samsung S Pen stylus. Most important, however, is that it comes with the S Pen in the box, an added plus that should be considered in the price, too. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE runs on Android 11 but is upgradeable to Android 13.

iPad (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE: Looking at the specs

Before I get further into how these two tablets operate, let’s look at how they compare on paper when it comes to the specs.

There are many similarities between these two tablets, but some notable differences as well that could sway you towards one or the other if you’re on the fence.

iPad (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 GE: At work and at play

The iPad (2022) and Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE are both suitable tablets for work and entertainment. But let’s see how they stack up. 

The iPad (2022) is powered by Apple’s A14 Bionic chip, which is ultra-fast and powerful, so you likely won’t have any issues with it keeping up with what you need to do, whether it’s multitasking with multiple programs for work, creating content, streaming videos, and more. There’s no denying this is one of the best chips around. 

It boasts Wi-Fi 6 with the cellular model adding 5G connectivity as well. iPadOS 16 is loaded on the device, the latest version of the mobile OS. However, as noted, this iPad oddly only supports the first-generation Apple Pencil. This means you can’t take advantage of the premium features that come with the second-gen Pencil like Lightning charging and hover. 

With USB-C to support various accessories, it also works with the Magic Keyboard Folio to enhance productivity on the go or even at home or the office. It has an ultra-wide front-facing camera uniquely positioned along the landscape edge with a 12MP sensor and 122° field-of-view.

What users who are making video calls and attending video meetings will appreciate most with the iPad (2022) is the Center Stage feature that pans and zooms to keep the subject in the center of the frame at all times. Meanwhile, there’s also an upgraded 12MP wide back camera that can capture 4K videos at up to 240 frames-per-second in slo-mo, ideal for content creators. 

The rated about 10 hours of battery life for the tablet is good, but not great. And some have reported slow charging as well. That makes this tablet best for use when you are by a power source or can bring along a portable charger if you need to keep it going for a full workday and beyond.

When it comes to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE, the “FE” denotes “Fan Edition.” It’s designed to be a more affordable version of the popular S7 tablet while maintaining some of the most popular features that fans enjoy. it’s bigger and heavier which makes it more conducive for us as a laptop replacement, especially when used with accessories like the Book Cover Keyboard and the Samsung S Pen. As noted, the Samsung S Pen is included with the tablet, which is a big bonus for those who plan to use it. With the Apple iPad (2022), you’d need to buy the Apple Pencil separately, which further adds to the cost. 

Powered by an octa-core processor, you can upgrade, as noted in the specs, to a model with as much as 8GB RAM (note you can only upgrade the Wi-Fi-only version in storage and RAM). So, with the top-line model, you’ll get ultra-fast processing power. However, this does come at a price. And in his review, Hicks believes that if you are going to spend that much, you’re better off paying a bit more to get the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7. Keep in mind, however, that it has a smaller 11-inch screen. 

With about 12-13 hours of battery life, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE will last significantly longer than the iPad (2022): just a few hours can make a big difference for someone using it for productivity on the go. In his review, Hicks says the tablet will easily last all day, even with heavy use. 

As with the iPad (2022), the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE offers both a Wi-Fi only and a Wi-Fi + Cellular version with access to 5G. 

Camera-wise, the Galaxy S7 FE has an 8MP rear camera with autofocus and 5MP front camera which puts it behind the iPad (2022) in this respect. You’ll still be able to get decent photos and look great on a video call but not quite as crisp as with the iPad. Speaking of which, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE has a feature similar to Apple’s Center Stage: when the tablet is held or positioned in landscape mode, the subject will be kept in the center of the screen.

Apple iPad (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE: What else to consider

Now that you have the basics covered, what else is worth considering when trying to decide between these two tablets? 

The Apple iPad (2022) has some exciting features that come as part of iPadOS 16. This includes the ability to edit or unsend messages, recover recently deleted messages; Freeform for collaborating with others in one place; shared iCloud libraries; tabbed groups when web surfing in Safari; scheduling messages in Mail; Live Text and Visual Lookup for lifting the subject from an image and removing the background (it’s a really cool feature!) 

For the first time for an iPad, this model is also made using 100% recycled gold in the plating of multiple printed circuit boards. It is also the first iPad to be made with recycled copper in the foil of the main logic board. 

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE has neat options for business professionals who multitask, like Multi-Active Window for opening three apps at once, App Pair for saving and launching favorite pairs of websites at the same time using just a single click, and Second Screen if you want to use the tablet as a second display with a computer. With Samsung DeX compatibility, this process is even easier. You’ll also get apps like Samsung Notes. 

The Galaxy Tab S7 FE also comes with a six-month trial to both Clip Studio Paint and Canva. These apps will appeal to creative types. Use the free Noteshelf app, meanwhile, to take colorful notes using the included S Pen. There’s also unlimited access to Samsung TV Plus, which offers more than 160 channels. Additionally, the tablet comes with a YouTube Premium trial.

Apple iPad (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE: Which should you buy?

Still on the fence? It’s a tough decision between the Apple iPad (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE. If you own a Galaxy smartphone and you are familiar with the user interface and the Android ecosystem, you should stick with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE. Not only is it more affordable, but you’ll also be able to expand storage as needed and you’ll get solid performance from this tablet. 

If you are an iPhone, MacBook, or other Apple device owner, the Apple iPad (2022) might be worth the extra money for the seamless experience it offers across these multiple devices. Even though it will cost a bit more — especially if you opt for the 256GB version, which I’d recommend — you’ll enjoy the ultra-fast processor, stunning screen, and all the Apple features you already know and love. 

Keep in mind that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is larger and heavier, so if you’re really looking for something as lightweight and portable as possible, the iPad (2022) might better fit the bill. But both are still under a pound-and-a-half. And you get the S Pen with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE, which is an added benefit. The Apple Pencil not only has to be purchased separately, and the accessories, overall, tend to be more expensive. 

Both have great features for creatives and can function like computers with added accessories. If you plan to use them this way, you need to factor in those extra costs. But if you end up going to the highest-end version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE, this might suggest you’re ready for something more feature-rich and should consider the Galaxy Tab S7 instead or, if you’re amenable to Android tablets from other brands, considering some of the other best Android tablets on the market from brands like Lenovo and Amazon. 

Bottom line: if you’re in the Apple ecosystem, stick with the Apple iPad (2022): even if it will cost more in the long run, it will be worth it. If you’re a Samsung Galaxy phone user, opt for the Galaxy Tab S7 FE, which will again offer a nice, seamless experience. 

If you’re undecided, you might be better off trying the Samsung Galaxy S7 FE and seeing if it meets your needs. It’s not a massive investment, especially since pricing has been reduced since it launched back in 2021. If you have kids, you can hand it off to them and grab an iPad a year or so down the line if you think you might like it better. But with the price of the iPad (2022) itself along with the cost of the accessories like the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard Folio if you want to use it as a laptop, you should be certain it’s what you want before forking over that much dough for one.

Outside of cheap Amazon Fire tablets, most people turn to Apple's iPads or Samsung's Galaxy Tabs for a quality tablet experience; they're speedy and reliable, and they have software tools like Stage Manager and DeX mode if you want to use them as portable laptops. But you shouldn't sleep on Chrome OS tablets, which give you the same portability and access to mobile apps and streaming, but packaged with software that's specifically designed for productivity. 

So while the iPad vs. Galaxy Tab S8 tablet showdown is the one most people pay attention to, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 absolutely should be included in this conversation, as it's one of the best Chromebooks available today. But should you actually buy one over the new and revamped iPad? We'll help you decide which will be more useful for your daily life, both for work and play.

iPad (2022) vs Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3: Design, display, and accessories

It took ten generations of devices, but the Apple iPad (2022) left behind the thick, uneven bezels and physical home button of past iPads. It looks and feels very similar to an iPad Air, and while that change corresponds to a slightly higher price, it's one most Apple users will accept for a design that looks less old-fashioned. 

Best of all, the iPad switches to a USB-C port, though at just 480Mbps data transfer speed, it's a far cry from the 5Gbps speeds that the Duet 3's two USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 ports offer. It also means that the $99 Apple Pencil (1st Gen), which was designed for a Lightning port, requires a USB-C-to-Lightning dongle to charge. Apple could've made the iPad compatible with the $129 2nd-Gen model with USB-C charging, but stuck with the older pencil to target frugal shoppers.

With the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3, you get a very standard tablet design, with similarly-sized bezels to the iPad. It weighs about 1.4oz more and measures just 0.8mm thicker despite having the same display size, which could make it slightly less comfortable to hold for long periods. 

Inverting the iPad's stylus issue, the Duet 3 only works with USI 2.0 pens, which weren't available for sale when the tablet launched. That new standard wasn't available for purchase when the Duet 3 originally launched, but you can buy the Lenovo Digital Pen 2 for $35 now. 

The Duet 3 comes with a detachable keyboard that connects via magnetic POGO pins, plus a magnetic fabric kickstand cover. Lenovo apparently improved the magnets for the Duet 3 compared to the original Duet, and our reviewer appreciated how easy it was to attach these accessories when switching from casual streaming to on-desk work. As for the typing experience, he said he "absolutely loves typing" on the keyboard, which comes with a full set of function keys and trackpad.

For comparison, Apple sells the Magic Keyboard Folio as a separate $200 accessory. It has a two-piece design with both keyboard and trackpad, so you don't have to attach both at once (similar to Lenovo's design), and the keyboard also has function keys and a trackpad. iMore's reviewer praised the keyboard, saying the "keys travel well and don't feel mushy at all," but did note that the accessory is just "too damn expensive."

In terms of your visual experience, the iPad 2022 has the leg up with its 2360x1640 resolution, hitting 264 pixels per inch (PPI) to the Duet 3's 213ppi and 500 nits of brightness to the Duet 3's 400 nits. Both tablets hit just 60Hz for their refresh rates. 

At 2000x1200, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 has the best visual quality of the Duet lineup, beating the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 and proving a "joy to use" for streaming according to our reviewer. But even with a 2K screen, it can't quite live up to the iPad with its True Tone display. 

Of course, Luke Filipowicz at iMore did note some issues with the iPad's display design. It lacks an anti-reflective coating or laminate, which means it makes a hollow sound when you tap on the display that you don't hear with the iPad Pro. But if these were the only cost-cutting measures Apple had to make, they're not difficult trade-offs to accept. 

iPad (2022) vs Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3: Hardware and battery life

Whichever tablet you choose between the Apple iPad and Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3, you'll have to accept some compromises. The iPad is much improved from the 2021 version, but it's still a lesser product than the iPad Air and iPad Pro. And while most Chromebooks are designed to be affordable, the Chromebook Duet 3's hardware is tailored to the budget-conscious and portable. For something more powerful, you'd have to accept using a heavier Chromebook in tablet mode. 

Below, we've rounded up all the info on how these two tablets compare to one another. 

64GB isn't enough storage for most people, but iPad buyers will have to spend an extra $150 to upgrade to 256 GB. That gives the Duet 3 an edge since it starts at 128GB; it also apparently has a 256GB model, though it doesn't appear to be on sale at the moment. The benefit of the iPad is that it comes with SSD storage instead of eMMC, which is generally slower; you can see Windows Central's eMMC vs. SSD guide for more info. Neither tablet has a microSD card slot. 

Lenovo's tablet has serviceable cameras that'll work in a pinch, though the 5MP selfie camera is disappointing for making video calls with coworkers or family. On that front, the iPad is the better choice with its 12MP ultrawide camera and Center Stage tech, which keeps your face in focus automatically. And while I'm not sure how often people take photos with their tablets, the new 12MP rear camera helps the iPad "take some lovely photos when the lighting conditions are right," according to iMore.

Apple gave its 10th-gen iPad newer Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, but just the one USB-C port with the aforementioned slow data transfer and just 20W charging. That, combined with a battery that'll last "about 8-10 hours if you're heavily using it nonstop," means you'll have to charge it fairly often and it'll take awhile to recharge it.

One small note: only the iPad (2022) has the option for cellular connectivity, though that, too, will cost you an extra $150. Augmenting your "affordable" iPad will start to add up if you're not careful!

As a combo laptop-tablet, the Duet 3 got two USB-C ports, both of which charge at a higher 45W speed. It's rated to last 12 hours per charge and consistently hits that mark in our experience (unlike the iPad, which can't typically hit its 10-hour mark with any reliability).

Lastly, neither tablet will win any awards for audio quality. Both do at least have dual stereo speakers, but many of the best tablets have quad speakers rated for Dolby Atmos soundtracks. You won't get the power or fidelity you might want here; in particular, the Duet 3 can't have the speaker quality you might get in a traditional laptop because, well, it can't fit speakers that size in tablet form!

iPad (2022) vs Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3: Performance

What makes the higher-end iPads so compelling is that they use Apple's M1 laptop chip, offering laptop-quality performance instead of mobile flagship performance. But unlike the iPad Air M1, the iPad (2022) uses the same A14 Bionic chip found in the iPhone 12. That, paired with its alleged 4GB of RAM, makes the iPad very fast compared to most budget tablets running on a Snapdragon chip, though not overwhelmingly so.

In practice, our colleague Luke Filipowicz at iMore said the 10th-Gen iPad "seemed to handle everything I threw at it relatively easily, with no discernible dip in performance as I played several graphics-heavy games, sketched in my favorite drawing apps, surfed the web with many tabs open, and did some really extensive photo editing." The tablet does run hotter than the M1-powered iPad Air with demanding use, but otherwise will be more than enough for "90% of iPad users."

With the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3, you get the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2, another system-on-a-chip rather than a traditional laptop chip. Our reviewer Andrew Myrick received the 4GB version to test, rather than the 8GB version that costs $60 more. While he found that "switching between apps, responding to messages, or just hanging out resulted in an enjoyable experience," he did find that the chip "started to really struggle" when gaming or performing more demanding tasks. 

Considering the 8GB/128GB Duet 3 costs slightly less than the 64GB iPad 2022, that's the model we'd recommend buying if you do choose the Chrome OS tablet. According to the Future Labs team, Lenovo's 8GB tablet hits 625/1731 in Geekbench 5 testing, while the iPad easily wins at 1580/4040. That's a pretty substantial gap, but benchmarks only tell part of the story; the software backing that performance matters, too.

iPad (2022) vs Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3: Software

Even if the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 is far slower than the iPad for certain tasks, you have to take into account the fact that iPadOS isn't necessarily designed for productivity. Especially on the base iPad, which won't support Stage Manager like the M1 iPads. 

Stage Manager is a revamped multitasking tool for iPads that makes it easier to use multiple apps at once on your screen, as well as to extend your iPad display by connecting it to an external monitor. While this may sound promising, it's notoriously buggy, to the point that our Tablets Editor Andrew Myrick decided he was done with the iPad until Apple fixed the software. So in theory, you might be fine with Apple not including Stage Manager on the iPad; but if Apple does fix its issues, you will miss out on the multitasking tools that Chrome and Android tablets offer.

Meanwhile, the Duet 3 has ChromeOS, which works in tablet form but was designed for productivity and laptops. It provides "a bit more oomph than Android tablets," according to our reviewer, and it's especially natural to use the Duet 3 with the included keyboard with trackpad. 

iPad (2022) vs Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3: Which should you buy?

Purely on specifications, the Apple iPad is superior to the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3. It runs demanding apps and games faster, has superior cameras, and sports a gorgeous display. The problem is that Apple nickel-and-dimes you for things that the Duet 3 gives you out of the box. If you upgrade to 256GB of storage and pay for a keyboard and stylus, the iPad will suddenly cost you at least $400 more than the Duet 3. 

So if you want a casual streaming and browsing tablet and don't need any accessories, the iPad is the clear choice. But if you're planning on using it as both a streaming device and a secondary work device, the Duet 3 is the better option. Instead, you should consider the Duet 3 vs. Duet 5, since the latter gives you a larger OLED display, quad speakers, and an even better battery for close to the same price; it's just not as portable.

Unlike previous entry-level iPads, the Apple iPad (2022) is the first to eschew the "budget" label and offer a more mid-tier experience for a higher price. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, on the other hand, is definitely a high-end tablet only beaten by the larger Tab S8+ and S8 Ultra. 

The 10th-generation iPad is better than ever before, but are its upgrades enough to catch up to the Tab S8? Or to reverse the question, does the Galaxy Tab S8 have enough upside to justify its much higher cost? Let's break down the iPad (2022) vs. the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 to help you decide.

iPad (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: Design and display

The Apple iPad (2022) finally removed the thick, ugly bezels and physical home button that have defined the lineup since its beginning, helping its display jump from 10.2 to 10.9 inches. Although it's still stuck at a 60Hz refresh rate, it does have True Tone to match the display's colors to the light of the room, and the Liquid Retina LCD has a solid 264 pixels per inch (ppi).

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 has an 11-inch LCD display and ~2.5% extra screen-to-body ratio, with just a few extra ppi at 274. In other words, its bezels are slightly thinner, but they're visually very similar, with both tablets hitting a max brightness of about 500 nits. Where the Galaxy Tab S8 clearly comes ahead is in its 120Hz refresh rate for a much smoother scrolling experience.

Both tablets work with a stylus. The Galaxy Tab S8 comes with an S Pen that attaches to the back of the tablet magnetically to charge it, and it has an impressively low 6.2ms latency between your input and the reaction on screen. It has plenty of useful tools, like an Air Command shortcut menu when you hover over the Tab S8 display, or the option to write notes that convert automatically into text.

The iPad 10th Gen supports the Apple Pencil (1st Gen) instead of the more modern 2nd Gen but doesn't come with one out of the box. Apple is probably hoping long-time iPad owners will still have this older model and can use that instead of buying the $129 Apple Pencil (2nd Gen). But the 1st Gen model lacks the newer Pencil's double-tap and hover tools, and it charges via Lightning port; because the iPad (2022) has a USB-C port, that means you'll have to buy a $9 dongle to charge your stylus on your tablet, and hope that you don't lose it.

Overall, we find the Galaxy Tab S8 to have an attractive look on both the back and front. Compared to the hefty Galaxy Tab S8+ and massive Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, the Galaxy Tab S8 is the only model that's even close to portable, though its 1.1lb. weight isn't exactly feathery. 

At 6.3mm thick with a scratch-resistant aluminum build, the Tab S8 is comfortable to hold; and it has Gorilla Glass 5 protection for the display, though you may want to invest in a screen protector if that isn't enough.

The Apple iPad (2022) looks a lot like the iPad Air 5 thanks to its redesign, though it's thicker at 7mm. It weighs 22g less than the Tab S8, though, and the extra thickness might make it easier to grip for long periods.

Although the display has a fingerprint-resistant coating, the screen isn't laminated, which our colleagues at iMore noted causes a "familiar hollow sound when you tap on the screen." It also has some kind of scratch resistance, though you'll likely want a screen protector here as well since it doesn't have Ceramic Shield glass like the iPhone series.

Lastly, the iPad has more vibrant color options if you prefer something other than boring black or silver; the Galaxy Tab S8 has a muted Pink Gold color compared to the iPad's hot pink and doesn't have a blue or yellow finish.

iPad (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: Hardware

Because Samsung designed the Galaxy Tab S8 as an upper-tier tablet and Apple designed the iPad (2022) as a mid-level tablet, the former naturally beats the latter when it comes to certain hardware decisions. 

The iPad has an absurdly low 64GB of storage by default, with no expandable storage, and the 256GB upgrade raises the price by $150 to $600 — just $100 less than the Tab S8. So the tablet's value really depends on whether you can make do with so little space. The Galaxy Tab S8, meanwhile, starts at 128GB with a slot for an extra TB of storage with a microSD card. 

For battery life, the iPad (2022) will last about 10 hours per charge, or likely less if you're using demanding applications. For comparison, the Galaxy Tab S8 is more likely to last 12-14 hours, despite the more demanding 120Hz display. Plus, the Galaxy Tab S8 will recharge twice as fast, hitting just under 50% in 30 minutes while the iPad (2022) would be stuck at about 25% at that time.

Both devices have a face unlock feature, but only the Galaxy Tab S8 has a fingerprint sensor in the side power button. On the other hand, only Apple has a 5G upgrade option for the iPad if you want to stream or work on the go. Of course, 5G + 256GB storage will take the price up to $750, making it less affordable. 

Both tablets have comparable cameras, including a selfie camera software feature that zooms in and follows your face during video calls (Samsung Auto Framing and Apple Center Stage). But the Galaxy Tab S8 is slightly more future-proofed with Wi-Fi 6E support, and it'll give you better audio quality with quad Dolby Atmos-tuned speakers over the iPad's dual stereo speakers. 

The Galaxy Tab S8 technically has double the RAM as the iPad (2022) (according to MacRumors, since Apple doesn't publicize its memory), and uses the same chip found in the iPhone 12 and iPad Air 4 released in 2020. Compared to that, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 was the 2022 flagship chip found in the Galaxy S22 series. So you'd think all of that gives Samsung an edge, but you have to take Apple's CPU superiority into account.

In practice, you can see from the Future Labs benchmarks below that the iPad (2022) actually wallops the Galaxy Tab S8 in pure processing power, although the Tab S8 does take advantage of its extra RAM to take the lead somewhat for demanding graphical applications:

You can't put too much stock in benchmarks, but it's been clear for years that the Apple Bionic chips stand head and shoulders above the Snapdragon series in CPU performance, so even budget or mid-range Apple tech beats flagship Android tech for speed. But the low RAM does make a difference for gaming, with Samsung winning the day here (though not by much).

iPad (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: Software

This will be the most subjective portion of the Apple vs. Samsung comparison since Apple fans will likely prefer iPadOS and Android users will choose Android 13 and its One UI 5 skin. Both ecosystems have their differences, though both tablets will have nearly all of the same third-party apps.

The biggest appeal to the Galaxy Tab S8 is DeX Mode. This tool swaps the UI from the traditional Android format to a more desktop-like experience, with the assumption that you'll connect a compatible keyboard and mouse. In DeX Mode, you can open multiple apps side-by-side and resize them as you please, making it easy to multitask. Your 8GB of RAM really helps here, though you have more room for multitasking on larger Samsung tablets like the Plus and Ultra. 

Apple took a somewhat similar approach with the latest iPadOS 16, introducing a desktop-lite experience called Stage Manager. But our resident iPad fan has found the UI extremely buggy, and doesn't like how it restricts apps to a grid, and claims that he is done with the iPad until Stage Manager is fixed and is more competitive with Samsung DeX. 

iPad (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: Which should you buy?

Operating under the assumption that almost no one will buy a 64GB tablet, the iPad (2022) saves you just $100, which isn't so big a difference when you're buying a productivity or daily-use tablet for both streaming and note-taking. If you just want a pretty display for watching Netflix, you could make do with the 64GB iPad, or more likely just downgrade to a cheaper tablet instead.

The Galaxy Tab S8 offers a superior display, comes with an S Pen out of the box, lasts longer per charge and takes less time to jump back to 100%, has superior audio quality, and has better anti-reflection coating for outdoor use. The Apple iPad (2022) is slightly lighter to hold, will open apps and browse the web significantly faster thanks to the A14 Bionic, and has a far more popular system in iPadOS than the Android tablet interface — though that has certainly improved in the last year. 

The fact is, we consider the Galaxy Tab S8 the second-best Android tablet behind the Tab S8+, and iMore calls the iPad (2022) the second-best iPad behind the iPad Air. Both of these tablets are excellent in their own way. The question simply becomes which device ecosystem you're more comfortable with and whether you're willing to compromise on the areas where the Galaxy Tab S8 beats the iPad, and vice versa.

Over the past few months, one could say that I've become a bit more soured on the current state of tech. On one hand, we finally got the Pixel Watch that we've been hoping for, foldable phones are still mind-boggling, and smartphone cameras have never been better. But on the other, I can't help but feel like some companies are "losing their way," so to speak.

Between the podcast and some of my other editorials, I've spoken about my affinity for things like the iPhone, Apple Watch, and the transition to Apple Silicon in the Mac. I'm someone who has feet firmly planted in multiple ecosystems, comprised of Windows, Mac, ChromeOS, Android, and iOS, and I'm even starting to dabble around with Linux (through VMs, for now.) This also extends to tablets, as my beloved iPad Pro used to be something I would carry with me anywhere and everywhere.

Over time, I've started to notice that instead of bringing the M1iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard, I'm more content to just make sure I have the Galaxy Z Fold 4. This way, I'm prepared to handle anything that might need my attention for work. Even with the cramped screen (compared to the iPad Pro,) the Fold 4 has proved to be more than enough.

iPadOS 16 was supposed to save the day

The problem is that unless you're someone who works in one, maybe two apps at a time, iPadOS just isn't conducive to being the tool that it should be. I've quietly been in the camp that Apple needs to revamp iPadOS to bridge the gap between "a big iPhone" and the Mac.

So needless to say, when iPadOS 16 was first introduced at WWDC '22, my excitement for the iPad was reinvigorated. Instead of using apps in split-screen, with a third available through "Slide Over," Stage Manager looked to be the multitasking overhaul that I've been wanting. As is the case with pretty much every new beta software that arrives, I immediately jumped on the first iPadOS 16 developer beta.

With Stage Manager, instead of using two apps side-by-side, you could have four different "floating" app windows open at any given time. You can even group different apps together, creating different workspaces, not so different from using different "desktops" on the best Chromebooks. Apple even brought true external display support, allowing you to have a total of eight apps open across both the iPad's built-in screen and whatever monitor you plugged it into.

Unfortunately, the execution was less than ideal. If you ignore the various bugs that iPadOS 16 has introduced, such as the inability to easily add another app or window, Stage Manager has still proven to be quite cumbersome. Each app on the screen can be resized, but there are undefined and predetermined "grids." And while it's technically possible to go for a 4x4 layout, more often than not, you're still going to be dealing with overlapping windows in some form or fashion.

If you instead focus on the bugs, there have been countless issues with iPadOS 16, with some positing that Apple should nix the idea altogether, and go back to the drawing board. Apple has spent too much time, money, and resources to give up on Stage Manager, so now, we just have to wait and hope that things are "fixed" in a way that we expect to see from Apple.

Apple should look to Samsung for guidance

As my needs as a writer and editor have grown, the further I've moved away from using the iPad as a regular content creation device. There are others in the Apple space, namely Federico Viticci of MacStories and Christopher Lawley, who have been (and still are) able to basically make their iPads do whatever they want.

But instead of giving myself a constant headache, and slowing down my entire workflow, I've taken a different approach from the two individuals mentioned. There have been a couple of different devices that have replaced my beloved iPad Pro for getting work done, while I wait to see what Apple is going to do.

You'll probably notice that I review quite a few of the best Chromebooks, along with a few Android tablets here and there. And that's where my focus has been instead of trying to make my device do something that it can't. ChromeOS has evolved to the point where it's not "just for classrooms anymore," while one of the best Android tablets, in particular, continues to spark joy in me.

If Apple really wants to fix iPadOS and bring true multitasking capabilities to its users, it needs to look no further than Samsung. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, with its massive laptop-like screen, can transform from a boring Android tablet into a usable portable workstation thanks to Samsung DeX. Freely-adjustable app windows and a desktop interface that is essentially the same as macOS or Windows is just what the doctor ordered.

Samsung DeX is not perfect, by any means, as some apps still won't work at all, until you go back to the "normal" interface. It's miles ahead of what the iPad is capable of, even if Apple's silicon continues to be incredibly powerful.

There's still hope, but I'm done waiting

What good is the best processor in a mobile device, if its true potential can't be realized because of software limitations? That's where we're at with the iPad, and it's why I'm done waiting for Apple to figure it out.

I've been a proponent and a fan of the iPad ever since Steve Jobs took the stage and debuted it back in 2010. There have been times when the iPad has grown stagnant, only for a major redesign or screen improvement to kick things back into gear.

However, seeing that the M2 iPad Pro was introduced through a press release, bringing with it no new or exciting changes, except for more promises to be broken, it's just time to move on. I'll still be keeping an eye on what iPadOS has to offer, but my iPad Pro is now just being relegated to acting as another screen for my MacBook Pro.

If you care about Android tablets, Samsung is the only game in town. The South Korean manufacturer has been single-handedly propping up this category for some time now, introducing custom features to One UI like a split notification shade and split-screen multitasking with the ability to use three apps side-by-side to fully utilize the tablet form factor.

It had to do these things because Google's attitude toward tablets has been lackadaisical at best over the last five years. But that's changing; Google rolled out Android 12L with tablet-focused features, and it is launching the Pixel Tablet next year — its first in eight years.

While Google is starting to pay much-needed attention to Android tablets, there are many areas where it falls short of the segment leader: the iPad. Apple has built iPadOS into the best tablet operating system around, and if Google wants to challenge the iPad's dominance, it needs to learn from the best. 

iPadOS has an unbeatable app ecosystem

The biggest differentiator for iPadOS is the app selection. For instance, Procreate is a phenomenal tool for digital illustration, and it is better than any equivalent Android has to offer. In a similar vein, you get LumaFusion for video editing, Pixelmator for image editing, and Notability for note-taking. Even Photoshop is limited to the iPad, and while Adobe has a few standalone apps on Android, the full-fledged Photoshop client isn't available for Android tablets.

And of course, if you're like me and dabble in music production, iPadOS is the go-to choice. There's an exhaustive selection of synths, drum machines, and digital audio workstations on the App Store, and they work incredibly well on the iPad Air. 

If you're interested in getting things done on a tablet, there's so much more on offer with iPadOS that you just don't get on Android. And that's a problem Google needs to fix; one way to do that is to incentivize developers to port apps to Android — LumaFusion is already working on Android and Chrome OS apps, and I want to see other iPad mainstays make their way over to Android.

At the end of the day, a large-screen device is only as good as the apps it offers. And in this area, iPadOS has an overwhelming lead.

iPadOS is much more stable

The entry-level iPad costs $329, and while the design hasn't changed in nearly a decade, it is more stable during day-to-day use than the best Android tablets. Of course, Apple's vertical integration allows it to have much better control over the software, but it's immediately evident just how much more reliable iPadOS is over Android tablets.

Now, this isn't as big as an issue when talking about Android vs. iOS; I easily switch between 50 Android phones over the course of a year and barring a few instances where a device is on pre-release software and has a lot of bugs, I don't see any stability issues with Android phones. 

But that's not the case with Android tablets. Whether it's poor optimization by manufacturers or inherent issues with scaling, using an Android tablet feels like it's on beta software.

iPadOS leads the way for software updates

There's no question that iPads get more updates than their Android rivals, and while we're seeing things change for the better — with Samsung leading the charge with four guaranteed OS updates — most Android tablets aren't even getting two platform updates.

But that's not the biggest issue; a more immediate problem for Android tablets is how long it takes to get software updates after they're released by Google. We needn't look beyond Xiaomi's Mi Pad 5 — the tablet launched nine months ago with Android 11, and it's yet to make the switch to Android 12.

With Google introducing Android 12L at the start of the year with tablet-focused changes, Xiaomi mentioned that it will roll out the 12L build directly to the tablet instead of Android 12. But as we head to the end of Q2, the Mi Pad 5 continues to be on Android 11, with no timeline of when it will make the move to Android 12L.

Similarly, the Realme Pad launched last year with Android 11, and the tablet will get just one version update to Android 12 — and that too because of user backlash after Realme revealed that it wasn't planning on delivering any platform updates. 

While it's great that Samsung is now offering four updates to its flagship tablets, even the entry-level iPad will pick up five OS platform updates, and that's not the case for budget Android tablets.

iPadOS has outstanding first-party apps

Alongside an exhaustive selection of apps on the App Store, iPadOS offers meaningful first-party apps tailored to take full advantage of the iPad form factor. And the best part is that they continually get new features. 

Safari added the ability to use extensions in iPadOS 15; and FaceTime, Photos, and Mail are getting a lot of useful features in the upcoming iPadOS 16, recently announced at WWDC22. Spotlight is a fast way to find anything on your iPad and Universal Control offers a seamless way to copy content and use the same keyboard and mouse between a Mac and iPad.

iPadOS 16 gets a new multitasking feature that makes it easier to resize and manage windows, called Stage Manager. The feature lets you resize the app you're using into a floating window, and you can see background apps along the left edge of the screen, and can easily switch between them.

For its part, Samsung does a good job with first-party apps on its tablets, but Google hasn't done well on this front with its own services. That's meant to change with Android 13, so let's see if Google actually follows through.

Google needs to show it cares about Android tablets

At the end of the day, Apple did a brilliant job building out a connected ecosystem of devices, and it did an equally great job tailoring the software for each category. While iOS isn't significantly better than Android — iOS 16 is getting a lot of features Android has had for years — iPadOS and watchOS are unrivaled in what they offer. Google is now trying to address those shortcomings; Wear OS got a major overhaul last year, and Android 12L fixes long-standing issues with Android tablets.

But as has been clear for so long with Google, its well-intentioned strategy falls short when it comes to actual execution. Android smartwatch users will have to wait until later this year to get the Wear OS 3 release, and it doesn't look like most eligible Android tablets will get the Android 12L release soon.

As outlined above, the problem is more than just updates; Google has to show that it can deliver a tablet-focused operating system that can hold its own against iPadOS. And it needs to do so fast. Until then, if you need a tablet, the iPad continues to be the default choice. 

Apple's WWDC 2022 event took off on June 6 with a bevy of announcements highlighting the company's upcoming software updates. Of course, iOS 16 was on full display, with many new features coming to the iPhone later this year. Many features may look familiar, particularly if you're an Android user.

That said, given what you saw during the WWDC 2022 keynote, does iOS 16 tempt you to switch to the dark side?

It's hard not to compare iOS and Android whenever Apple announces a new software update, and that was the case for many with the iOS 16 announcements. It's often a battle of who launched it first and who did it better. In fact, we've already outlined how iOS 16 "stole" features from Android, from the new lock screen widgets to improvements to various apps that mirror some of Google's apps.

Plus, improvements in WatchOS 9 and iPadOS 16 appear to further solidify Apple's lead when it comes to smartwatches and tablets. Particularly with iPadOS 16, which is getting a massive boost in multitasking while Android tries to figure out how to do tablets right.

Of course, while Apple may sometimes launch new features years after they arrive on the best Android phones, they are arguably much more polished when they do launch on iOS. That said, it's hard not to notice the added customization in iOS, and how it appears to put it closer to Android in terms of function.

Now, it's a matter of deciding whether the changes are enough to warrant switching away from Green Bubble Android and joining the Blue Bubble iOS team. Let us know what you think about the upcoming changes coming to iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and Apple's other OSes and whether or not they're starting to look tempting.

Please drop a comment on our Facebook and Twitter accounts and let us know your thoughts!

Some never thought this day would come. Apple is finally starting to transform the iPad from a blown-up version of the iPhone to a potential laptop replacement. It has nothing to do with the new Lock Screen, or the ability to edit and unsend texts from the Messages app. It doesn’t even have anything to do with the different features that Apple is "stealing" from Android. But it does have something to do with Stage Manager and proper multitasking on the iPad.

Patience is a virtue

Until iPadOS 16, you have been limited by the number of apps that can be used on your iPad at any given time. Two apps could be used in split-view, and then Apple threw in “SlideOver,” which allows you to have a carousel of apps hidden off to the side. But this isn’t really true multitasking, and despite attempts to improve the experience with iPadOS 15 (i.e. adding a few buttons at the top), it still wasn’t exactly an intuitive experience.

But then Stage Manager took the proverbial stage at WWDC ‘22. The Keynote itself felt like it was just dragging on forever, but Apple saved the iPadOS 16 announcement until the very end. It came after the iOS 16 unveiling, after the M2 introduction with an all-new MacBook Air, and after that really cool-looking CarPlay concept that won’t be available for anyone unless you’ve got some deep pockets. The whole experience was just... different.

For years, the iPad Pro users have been begging Apple to take off the kid's gloves. This was further amplified following Apple’s implementation of the M1 chip in the 2021 iPad Pro series. Apple did the most logical thing that we expected; it put its new desktop-class CPU, complete with all of the power and efficiency improvements, into its most powerful iPad. There was a collective gasp, as we held our breath to see if Apple was finally going to bring multiple app windows, ”Pro” apps like Final Cut, or anything else that would take us away from having a big iPhone with more power.

Before WWDC ‘22, if you were to look around at the various iPad-focused YouTube channels and creators, like Federico Viticci at MacStories, Christopher Lawley, or Fernando Silva, the general sentiment has been that it was time for Apple to make a change with the iPad Pro. All three of the creators I’ve mentioned have made the switch to the Mac in some form or fashion recently, and it’s partly due to the fact that macOS is just a more flexible platform. Apple hand-cuffed its users, alienating the iPad Pro faithful for years, leaving us wondering whether a real change was ever going to happen.

The waiting game finally paid off.

Stage Manager isn’t what we expected

Stage Manager is the first step in that change. So what is this new feature that has so many people excited? Simply put, it’s a revamped multitasking experience for iPadOS 16 (and macOS Ventura), complete with the ability to use up to four app windows on your screen at the same time. These app windows can be grouped together, allowing to get rid of the dual-app split-screen mode that has been around for far too long.

But Stage Manager also unlocks a vastly-improved experience when connecting your iPad to an external monitor. As the feature has only just become available via the first iPadOS 16 Developer Beta, there are still some quirks about it. Resizing app windows is not a fluid experience; you can’t open multiple instances of the same app, and moving apps between groups can be a real pain. But it’s Developer Beta 1, and Apple should be able to get these quirks fixed ahead of the final release sometime this fall.

Stage Manager isn't what I had in mind when I envisioned app windows on the iPad. But this is where Apple excels, at least most of the time. The company took an idea and transformed it into something that it can market the hell out of, while also giving its faithful fanbase a new feature that it's been wanting for years.

Gate-keeping at its finest

Whenever there are new and (relatively) ground-breaking new features from Apple, there always seems to be a catch. And that sentiment rings truer than ever with Stage Manager on iPadOS 16.

For whatever reason, and of course Apple didn't explain why, Stage Manager is limited to three iPad models:

• 2022 iPad Air
• 2021 11-inch iPad Pro
• 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro

What do those three iPads have in common? M1. As it currently stands, these are the only options you have if you want to be able to use Stage Manager. It's likely been done in an effort to force those with older iPad models to upgrade. There are many who are still using the 2018 iPad Pro line, simply because there weren't enough differences with the 2021 versions to warrant an upgrade.

Sure, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro uses a Mini-LED display as opposed to the Liquid Retina panel. But that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things, as it only means that your iPad won't last as long. And the 11-inch version sticks with the same panel as its predecessor, so there's even less of a need to upgrade that version.

For as much praise as Apple gets for its continued software support when it comes to older devices, this is not a great look. Locking software features behind new hardware isn't a new practice. Regardless of what platform it happens on, it's always dejecting to see.

So why the excitement?

Personally, I wasn't sure that this was ever going to actually come. I was ready to give up the idea of using my iPad as a more-portable work machine compared to my 2021 MacBook Pro. There was even a part of me that toyed around with the idea of getting rid of my iPad Pro for good.

But that's not going to happen now. For those who have a compatible iPad model, iPadOS 16 unlocks the true potential of what's possible with the M1 chip in an iPad. You can plug it into an external monitor, while continuing to use the excellent Magic Keyboard.

A total of eight windows can be open at the same time, and Apple even introduced RAM Swap, which utilizes the ultra-fast onboard storage to speed up the experience. Of course, this is a feature we've been seeing implemented on many of the best Android phones, but it definitely comes as a surprise to see Apple borrow this too.

Can Stage Manager and the iPad finally compete with Samsung DeX?

So is Apple really planning on cannibalizing sales of its brand-new M2-powered MacBook Air? Not in the slightest. That's likely part of the reason why Stage Manager is available on the Mac with macOS Ventura. It provides feature-parity in the space, as opposed to only making it available to specific devices.

In the time that I've spent with the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, I've come to realize that Samsung DeX is the closest we're going to get to a laptop replacement on Android. DeX has been around since the Galaxy S8, and continues to be iterated upon with every major software release.

Samsung has a massive head start with multi-window multitasking on tablets, but there's room for improvement. Some apps still won't open when using them in DeX mode, which forces you to go back to the "normal" view and can bring your productivity to a crawl.

It's too early to tell whether Apple will be able to gain any ground against Samsung. Developer Beta 1 is just that: An early beta, and developers haven't had any time to update their apps to support the floating and resizable windows. We'll be sure to dive deeper into Stage Manager vs Samsung DeX in the coming months, but we're just excited for more competition in the space.

If you're looking to pick up a tablet, an iPad has always been the go-to recommendation. With Google fumbling its tablet strategy and most device makers pulling out of the category, there just weren't many Android tablets that could measure up to the iPad.

Samsung was the outlier here; its Galaxy Tab S series continues to be the only decent option if you want a high-end Android tablet, and while Samsung added a lot of custom features to scale One UI to a tablet layout, it couldn't do much about third-party apps.

This situation is finally changing, as Google has once again signified interest in tablets. Android 12L gives much-needed attention to tablets, and Google is even making its own Pixel Tablet — although that isn't launching until 2023. In the meantime, the likes of OPPO, Xiaomi, and other Chinese brands are introducing new tablets to cater to the budget and mid-range tiers, and of course Samsung continues to make the best Android tablets.

That said, the shadow of the iPad looms large in this segment, and this year's iPad Air in particular is a strong showing. Apple didn't change too much against the iPad Air 2020, but it didn't have to — that was already one of the best overall tablets available, and by updating the internals with the insanely powerful M1 and adding 5G connectivity, the iPad Air M1 is differentiated enough that it can stand on its own.

Yes, Android tablets are about to get much better. But if you want something right now, the iPad Air M1 is already great.

Apple iPad Air M1: Availability

Apple launched the iPad Air M1 on March 8, and the tablet is now available globally. It is sold in two variants — Wi-Fi and Cellular — and available in two storage sizes. The base 64GB model with Wi-Fi starts off at $599, and the 256GB model retails for $749. If you need cellular connectivity, you'll need to pay $749 for the 64GB model and $899 for the 256GB version.

Here's the breakdown of the variants and what they cost around the world:

• iPad Air M1 (64GB/Wi-Fi): $599 / £569 / €679 / ₹54,900
• iPad Air M1 (256GB/Wi-Fi): $749 / £719 / €849 / ₹68,900
• iPad Air M1 (64GB/Wi-Fi + Cellular): $749 / £719 / €849 / ₹68,900
• iPad Air M1 (256GB/Wi-Fi + Cellular): $899 / £869 / €1,019 / ₹82,900

For context, the 11-inch iPad Pro starts off at $799 for the 128GB version, so the iPad Air M1 costs $200 less while featuring the same M1 silicon. Of course, you miss out on a few features, but we'll get to that further below.

Apple iPad Air M1: Design and screen

Visually, there's no difference between the iPad Air M1 and its predecessor, the iPad Air 2020. Both tablets have the same design aesthetic with flat sides, which is similar to what you'll find on the iPad Pro as well. Touch ID is baked into the power button, and with a weight of 1.02 pounds (462 grams), it isn't too heavy or unwieldy in daily use — even with a case.

On that note, as the physical dimensions (247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm) aren't different between the iPad Air M1 and its predecessor, you'll be able to use cases designed for the iPad Air 2020 here. 

I was able to slot in the Magic Keyboard that I got with the iPad Air 2020 and use it with the M1 model without any issues whatsoever. Apple introduced new folio cases with the iPad Air M1, but you can save some cash and just pick up cases made for the iPad Air 2020.

As for colors, there are five options this time: Grey, Blue, Pink, Starlight, and Purple. Although the design itself hasn't changed, the iPad Air M1 feels just as premium as the iPad Pro. The aluminum chassis is great to hold, and the thin bezels around the screen maximize screen real estate. Touch ID does a good job with authentication, and while it isn't as seamless as Face ID, it is fast and reliable.

The screen is also unchanged here, and you get the same 10.9-inch IPS LCD panel as the iPad Air 2020. It has True Tone tech, P3 color gamut, and an anti-glare coating that's useful for when you're outdoors, and like its predecessor, it is limited to 60Hz. Like the iPhone 13 series, the 120Hz option is limited to the Pro models, and that isn't likely to change anytime soon.

That said, the Liquid Retina LCD panel has vibrant colors and excellent contrast levels, and it holds up very well in daily use. I would have liked to see 120Hz here, but that would have cannibalized the iPad Pro, so it's understandable why that feature isn't available here. 

Apple iPad Air M1: Performance

The biggest upgrade for the iPad Air M1 comes in the form of internal hardware. While its predecessor featured the A14 Bionic, the latest-gen iPad Air is powered by the octa-core M1, and it unlocks a whole new level of power. 

That isn't to say that the A14 Bionic is outdated or doesn't pass muster in 2022 — far from it. It's just that the M1 has much more headroom for the future. As for what it's like right now, I didn't see any issues in the two months I used it. 

This is the same design that powers the MacBook Air, and whether it's running video editing utilities or music production software, the M1 did not break a sweat. 

With the iPad Air also running M1 silicon, it is on an equal footing with the iPad Pro in this particular area. Another feature that made its way to the tablet is the 12MP selfie camera that automatically switches viewing angles, so you're always in the center of the frame during FaceTime or Zoom calls.

That said, the Pro model has a few differentiating factors, including the 120Hz refresh I mentioned above. You also get better cameras and a Lidar camera at the back, better onboard sound, Face ID, and a Thunderbolt 4 connector. While the iPad Air also has a USB-C port, it's a standard USB 3.1 Gen2 connector without Thunderbolt.

Elsewhere, you get the same Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity as the iPad Air 2020, and I didn't have any issues connecting to my home Wi-Fi and getting a reliable signal. 

If you're interested in the cellular model, you'll be glad to know that the iPad Air M1 has 5G connectivity, but like the iPhone SE 2022, it is limited to Sub-6 bands and not the faster mmWave bands like the iPhone 13. 

Battery size is also identical between generations, and I managed to get roughly the same amount of battery longevity as the iPad Air 2020. 

As for accessories, the Magic Keyboard is absurdly costly, but it is a wonderful addition if you're looking for a keyboard accessory for the iPad Air. It securely holds the tablet, the keys have decent travel, and the smooth hinge allows you to tilt the iPad Air to a comfortable position.

In a similar vein, the Apple Pencil is great if you want to use the iPad Air for digital sketching, painting, or just doodling. Powerful utilities like Procreate let you unlock the full potential of the stylus, but if you're like me and want to use it for something a little more fun, Lake is a digital coloring app that is highly engaging. 

Apple iPad Air M1: Software

iPadOS 14 introduced a lot of meaningful additions like hand-written note recognition and dynamic widgets. The iPadOS 15 builds on that with App Library, Focus mode, and a new Notification Center that shows relevant notifications over the course of the day. A new multitasking menu easily lets you switch to Split View or a Slide Over floating window. 

I used the iPad Air M1 for over two months now, and like its predecessor, it is inherently versatile. We got an exercise bike earlier this year, and as it doesn't have a screen of its own, I slotted in the iPad Air M1 to play guided workouts and connect to the bike over Bluetooth. The iPad Air is also a fantastic device for browsing, and I use it most of the time to read longform articles and scroll through Reddit.

Thanks to stereo sound, it holds up particularly well for playing videos. It gets sufficiently loud that I don't usually connect a Bluetooth speaker while streaming YouTube or football games, and the stereo speakers also make a difference while gaming.

On that note, I only used the folio case when streaming videos, and the rest of the time, I used the iPad Air without any case. It didn't take any tumble in the two months I used it, but I didn't notice any scratches or other signs of wear on the product, and I use it a lot over the course of the day.

My favorite use case for the iPad Air M1 is music production. iPadOS has an extensive library of apps tailored for music production, and the iPad is particularly useful as a portable device for creating ideas on the go. 

With the switch to M1 silicon, the iPad Air handles intensive DAW (digital audio workstation) utilities like the Korg Gadget without breaking a sweat. Combine that with the fact that you'll find plenty of synth instruments, drum machines, grooveboxes, and other plugins on the App Store, and the iPad becomes a powerful machine for music production.

Finally, the iPad Air M1 will pick up five years of platform updates as standard. So even if you don't intend to use the same iPad for that long, it should hold its value better. 

Apple iPad Air M1: The competition

If you don't care about 5G connectivity and the beefier internal hardware, the iPad Air 2020 is still a stellar choice in 2022. It has the same design, screen, and battery, and connects to the same set of accessories. The A14 Bionic has a lot to offer, so even if you're looking to play demanding games or use it for image editing, it has plenty to offer. 

Need a larger screen or an OLED panel? You'll need to take a look at the iPad Pro. The 12.9-inch variant has a gorgeous OLED screen that goes up to 120Hz, and it has all the extras you don't get with the iPad Air M1. 

Apple iPad Air M1: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if:

• You want an iPad with the best price-to-performance figures.
• You need an iPad with a premium design and thin bezels.
• You want 5G connectivity.
• You need a tablet with an extensive app ecosystem.

You shouldn't buy this if:

• You want an iPad with a 120Hz screen.
• You need an OLED panel.

With the move to M1 silicon, the iPad Air becomes the best deal in Apple's tablet portfolio. You're getting the same level of performance as the iPad Pro for $200 less, and while it misses out on Face ID, quad speakers, Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, and a Lidar camera, those aren't huge omissions. The only difference I see between the two models that would make me want to upgrade is the 120Hz option on the Pro.

But if you don't care about that, the iPad Air M1 is the default choice if you're interested in buying a new tablet in 2022. It costs $270 more than the regular iPad, but you're getting an extensive set of features here, including USB-C charging, stereo sound, a more vibrant screen, and a sleeker design with thinner bezels. And of course, the fact that it's running the M1 alone makes the iPad Air worth the recommendation.

We may be an Android site, but we like to dabble in Apple products now and then. After all, it's nice to see what's happening on the other side to gain some added perspective. This year's WWDC 2022 event will allow us to do just that, as we expect some exciting updates to Apple's software.

With WWDC 2022 just around the corner, we want to know if our readers will be tuning in to the event.

There have been quite a few rumors about what to expect at WWDC 2022. The latest — and perhaps one of the biggest — has to do with iPadOS 16. While the iPad has been in a league of its own as a tablet, it's said that the upcoming update would make the device function more like a laptop and less like a blown-up version of a smartphone OS. This would include better multitasking and resizable app windows, potentially inching the iPad closer to Surface Pro territory.

Google has recently put more focus and effort into the tablet experience on the best Android tablets, so it'll be interesting to see how the two competing operating systems evolve this year.

The rumor mill also expects Apple to tease its rumored realityOS, as the company reportedly preps an AR/VR headset. Analysts think it might be too early for a reveal, but the AR/VR space is starting to really heat up, so it may be in Apple's interest to tease something at WWDC 2022.

Of course, we expect plenty of updates to iOS 16 for current and upcoming iPhones, and we'll likely hear about macOS 13, watchOS 9, and probably tvOS 16. We might even get a new MacBook Air decked out with an M-series chip.

The WWDC 2022 keynote starts on June 6 at 1 p.m. ET. Drop a comment on our Facebook and Twitter accounts and let us know if you'll tune in and what you're excited to hear about at the event!

Much like the smartphone market, the tablet market is largely dominated by Samsung and Apple. This holds true regardless of whether you're looking for an entry-level option, or if you want the most powerful tablet to replace your laptop. If that's the case, then you'll need to see how the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra holds up against the iPad Pro. 

While Apple has a smaller iPad Pro, with an 11-inch Liquid Retina display, this comparison mainly focuses on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Not only is it the largest tablet that Apple makes, but it also offers more of a direct comparison with Samsung's Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra compared to its smaller counterpart.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra vs. iPad Pro (2021): Hardware, design, and display

If you’re looking for the most impressive hardware outside of smartphones, then you can’t go wrong with either the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra or the iPad Pro (2021). Sleek, aluminum chassis house incredible displays, along with a few extra goodies to help improve your tablet experience regardless of what platform you find yourself wanting or using.

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is the largest tablet in Samsung’s lineup, coming in with a jaw-dropping 14.6-inch AMOLED display. It also offers a variable 120Hz refresh rate to go along with the 2960x1848 resolution, resulting in a beautiful media consumption and content creation device. It’s a bit unwieldy to hold, but that’s to be expected from a device that is larger than many of the best Chromebooks and laptops.

As for the iPad Pro (2021), Apple is sticking with its recent trend of offering the device in two different sizes; with an 11-inch model to go along with the 12.9-inch variant. The smaller of the two is no slouch, but relies on an LCD display panel that can’t quite match up to the AMOLED panel used on Samsung’s tablet. However, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro introduced Apple’s first Mini-LED display, while maintaining the same ProMotion 120Hz technology that was just integrated into the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max.

By using Mini-LED, Apple’s larger iPad Pro is able to provide a more enjoyable experience when it comes to viewing HDR content, even if it’s barely edged out by Samsung’s bright and vibrant OLED panel. Apple also gains an edge here in the refresh rate segment, as it seems that iPadOS is just better optimized for 120Hz refresh rates. That’s not to say that Samsung’s implementation is bad by any means, but if you were to use both of these tablets, the UI feels a bit more fluid on the iPad.

All three of the tablets we’re looking at here offer a single USB-C port for charging, four stereo speakers, and optional cellular connectivity configurations. Samsung gains an edge as it uses Bluetooth 5.2, while both iPad Pro models are still using Bluetooth 5.0. We also have magnetic connectors across all three models, which makes it easy to magnetically attach the various first-party accessories that are available.

Apple took things even further, as those USB-C ports found on the bottom of the iPad Pro models offer DisplayPort compatibility courtesy of Thunderbolt 4, as opposed to the USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 offered by the Tab S8 Ultra. The end result is that the iPad Pro (2021) is now capable of transfer speeds of up to 70MB/s, vastly outperforming the 10MB/s speeds of Samsung’s tablet.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra vs. iPad Pro (2021): Cameras

It might be a bit weird to separate cameras into its own section, but that’s for a good reason. For years, iPad Pro fans have been waiting for the day that Apple moves the selfie camera into the long edge of the display. Most of the time, we use our tablets in landscape mode anyways, but the camera has remained at the “top” of the screen when holding the iPad vertically.

Samsung finally deleted all of the memes to join the notch crowd with the Tab S8 Ultra. This tiny notch protrudes ever-so-slightly from the bezel, in order to house a 12MP wide-angle lens and a 12MP ultra-wide sensor. While both iPad Pro models sport a single 12MP lens, they are limited to just 1080p, whereas Samsung is making use of a 4K lens. This results in better image quality for the Tab S8 Ultra, which is important in a world where not everyone is back at the office just yet.

There’s a saying from Pablo Picasso: “Good artists copy, great artists steal.” And when it comes to the Tab S8 Ultra, it’s a bit of both when it comes to the implementation of Auto Framing. This feature aims to ensure that you remain in the center of the frame, even if you’re moving around. But the end result is much less impressive than you might have hoped, as the camera just tries to over-correct. Even the slightest movement seems to trigger the Auto Framing feature, which could make your counterparts on a video call feel like they’re on a ship at sea.

Apple’s implementation of a similar feature made its debut alongside the 2021 iPad Pro and is known as Center Stage. It too aims to keep you centered in the frame, but uses the single ultra-wide camera to “pan out” in the event that you move further away from the camera, or if someone else enters the frame.

We found that while this feature could be rather useful and downright helpful, Apple’s Center Stage just slightly edges ahead. When on video calls, the iPad Pro doesn’t move around too much and doesn’t try to over-correct in the event that you’re just sitting at the desk and reach over to grab a drink. Hopefully, Samsung can tweak the Auto Framing functionality via future software updates, but we’ll have to just wait it out to see.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra vs. iPad Pro (2021): Performance

Just like comparing the Galaxy S22 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Max, comparing the performance of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra vs iPad Pro (2021) is a power-to-power comparison. Samsung makes use of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, which is at the helm for many of the best Android phones. But Apple took a different approach with the 2021 iPad Pro, as it now uses the same in-house M1 chip that has taken the laptop and desktop markets by storm.

Paired with the Tab S8 Ultra, there are three different RAM and storage configurations to choose from. The base model is equipped with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage, while the 12GB and 16GB versions are available with either 256GB or 512GB of storage. While the iPad Pro may top out with a 2TB option, Samsung gains a big advantage here, as there’s actually a microSD card slot built into the frame of the Tab S8 Ultra.

On the iPad Pro side of things, Apple is also using 8GB of RAM for its base 128GB configuration. You can also upgrade to 256GB or 512GB of storage with the 8GB model, but Apple finally offers the iPad Pro with 16GB of RAM. However, you’ll need to spring for the 1TB or 2TB storage models in order to enjoy it. Oh, and there’s no middle ground with Apple, as it’s just 8GB or 16GB.

So Apple packed its new desktop-class SoC into its most powerful tablet, how does that translate? In terms of benchmarks, it’s pretty darn impressive, with the iPad Pro generating a 1675 single-core score and 6960 multi-core score on Geekbench. As for the Tab S8 Ultra and its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Geekbench tests resulted in an 1160 single-core score and a 3288 multi-core score. So it would seem as though the Tab S8 Ultra just falls flat, right?

Well, that’s the thing with Apple’s M1 chip compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 — it comes down to software.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra vs. iPad Pro (2021): Software

This is the biggest “bugaboo” when it comes to the iPad Pro. For a device that is so powerful and sleek, while being packed with internals that rival and outperform some of the best computers, iPadOS just isn’t enough anymore. Apple has stuck with the archaic one (or two) window approach, allowing you to only work with up to two apps in split-screen mode.

The interface that you get with Android on the Tab S8 Ultra isn’t much better, but with Samsung DeX, you can transform the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra into a multi-tasking powerhouse. Most apps can be used in windows, and you’ll find a desktop experience similar to what you would on a traditional laptop. All the while being extremely portable, sporting an incredible display, and all the bells and whistles you could want. 

Sure, you can’t go the Linux on Chromebook route and install Linux apps on your Android tablet. But pretty much all of the best Android apps are on board here, so you can split-screen, use multiple windows, and pretty much do anything else that you set your mind to.

All the while, the iPad Pro remains an incredibly powerful tablet that continues to be hampered by the software experience. And we aren’t talking about the app selection or choices, as Apple’s App Store arguably offers some of the best apps that we have ever seen. But being limited in the functionality of a “Pro” device really hampers what you can do on a day-to-day basis.

This gets taken a step further when it comes to connecting any of these tablets to a monitor. Samsung’s DeX Mode takes over, allowing you to plug in the tablet, just like you would a laptop, in order to get the same desktop-like experience on an even bigger screen.

Meanwhile, the iPad Pro and its Thunderbolt 4 port is just an over-powered single-app solution. There are workarounds thanks to apps like ShiftScreen, but that comes with a slight learning curve, and you might not have even heard of it before.

Perhaps this all changes with iPadOS 16, but that just becomes a case of “don’t buy something for its potential, buy it for what it can do.” And honestly, the Tab S8 Ultra offers a much more versatile software experience.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra vs. iPad Pro (2021): Accessories

In most comparisons, there really wouldn’t be much of a discussion, but there are two big reasons why we’re adding it here. You won’t find an included charger in either of these boxes, leaving only the tablet, some regulatory paperwork, and a charging cable. But Samsung also includes the S Pen in the box, which has again been updated for the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra.

This new S Pen can magnetically attach to the glass window on the back of the tablet, which will simultaneously charge the stylus when you’re not using it. Samsung also improved latency, bringing the S Pen down to an incredible 2.8ms, which is a massive improvement over the 9ms of latency found with the Galaxy Tab S7 and S7 Plus.

As we all know by now, Apple also offers a stylus for the iPad in the form of the Apple Pencil. This pen also magnetically attaches to the iPad Pro, while charging it at the same time. But instead of being somewhat awkwardly placed on the back of the tablet, the Apple Pencil is housed on the top of the tablet (when in landscape view). This makes it easier to grab when you need to sign a document or want to jot down some notes, as opposed to reaching behind the tablet to grab it.

When it comes to latency for the Apple Pencil, the company’s second-gen Pencil launched with 20ms latency, which was fine back in when it was released. But after the update to iPadOS 13, this was reduced to 9ms, matching the same latency we saw with the S Pen from the Galaxy Note 20. It was rather impressive to see Apple lower the latency just through software, but it might finally be time for an updated version to arrive with even lower latency.

While Samsung gets a lot of praise for including the S Pen in the box, there’s something else to be said about its Keyboard Cover. Neither Apple nor Samsung includes these in the box, and both the Magic Keyboard for iPad and Book Cover Keyboard for the Tab S8 Ultra are priced at $350.

If you want to go outside of the first-party accessories, you’ll find two very different stories. Looking for the best Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra keyboards will result in a bunch of random third-party solutions that don’t really match the design aesthetic that Samsung has created and cultivated. Very few, if any of the options are appealing at all, so you might find yourself just slapping a folio case on the tablet and using a Bluetooth keyboard like Logitech’s MX Keys Mini.

On the other hand, not only is the Magic Keyboard a more practical and enjoyable solution, but there are also quite a few solid third-party keyboard case solutions available. The first that comes to mind is Brydge’s MAX+ Keyboard Case with trackpad, while Logitech has also released comparable options like the Logitech Combo Touch case.

It’s really a shame that we don’t have more reliable and frankly better, third-party accessory options for the best Android tablet. That’s not to say you won’t find something suitable, but Samsung’s own Book Cover Keyboard is really only a great solution if you plan on working on a desk or at a table. The “lap-ability” is subpar, to say the least, and just isn’t an enjoyable experience. The keyboard portion just flexes too much, and actually registers trackpad clicks if you press too hard on one side or the other.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra vs. iPad Pro (2021): There's no wrong choice

There’s a lot that goes into picking the best tablet, and even more to consider if you’re looking for a laptop replacement. Both the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra and iPad Pro (2021) are capable of solving the same problem of wanting a more portable and powerful “computer” compared to using a laptop. There’s more than enough power under the hood for each of these tablets, so you’ll be able to get most, if not all, of your work done from wherever you are.

While it’s easy to sit here and say that the iPad Pro is the obvious choice from a performance and accessory standpoint, the software experience can really make or break everything. Samsung’s implementation of DeX, combined with the ability to actually plug in your tablet to a larger monitor and use it as you would expect, gives the Tab S8 Ultra the edge here.

Outside of that, the iPad Pro is easily the best choice, as apps are better optimized for iPadOS, and there are multi-tasking features to take advantage of, albeit coupled with a learning curve. And while there’s hope that iPadOS 16 could change things for the future, the real software advantage comes in the way of support. Apple’s M1 chip will be around for years to come, and that means the iPad Pro will be supported along the way.

Ever since Google I/O 2022 concluded, I’ve had plenty of thoughts to share in terms of what’s to come from the Google campus. But there’s something that you should know and it’s that I primarily use an iPhone and Apple Watch on a daily basis. I’m one of those people who truly believe in the Apple ecosystem, and it actually just makes my job easier. 

Being able to hand things off between my Mac and iPhone or iPad is just sublime, while the Apple Watch remains my favorite smartwatch — at least for the time being. As I explained before, there’s a big reason why the Pixel Tablet was my favorite announcement made during the Google I/O 2022 keynote. 

Google finally seems to be kicking things into gear with its “Better Together” plans. And if the plan succeeds, I could end up relegating my Apple hardware to “backup gear.” 

Better Together

I’m not going to re-hash everything that I’ve already touched on, but Google seems to be making the right moves in an effort to create the cohesive Android-powered ecosystem we’ve been longing for. The Pixel 6a solves the need for an excellent budget phone, and as long as the Tensor 2 is as good as the original, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro will satisfy the mid-range and budget markets. 

Android 13 Beta 2 introduces some long-overdue changes to the interface of apps on tablets, and we hope to see this make waves throughout the developer community. And despite the fact that the Pixel Tablet won’t be available until next year, we should still be able to enjoy these changes this fall with some of the best Android tablets. 

Then there’s the Pixel Watch, and it’s really here where I feel that my continued use of Apple products may halt. Everything that Google showed off on stage at I/O 2022 reaffirmed my desire to have a Google-created smartwatch. Even after reports surfaced that it would be using a comically-outdated processor, I’m still holding onto hope. 

It all hinges on the watch

For me, the determining factor of whether I leave Apple’s walled garden behind hinges on the Pixel Watch. I’m not expecting Google to break the mold completely, but from what we’ve seen from the promotional videos and different images, that’s what Google is trying to do. 

From a design perspective, the Pixel Watch looks like it will be a masterpiece. It perfectly blends aluminum with glass, without looking too big and bulky once it’s on your wrist. I’m not the biggest fan of the first-party watch bands, but it’s still a unique take and I’m sure adapters will arrive allowing us to use pretty much whatever other bands we want to. Plus, Google is likely to offer up a slew of fun watch band colors to pick from. 

Moving onto the health and fitness features, I think I’m most excited about Google’s new Health Connect APIs. This was created in partnership with Samsung to make it easier than ever to access your health data, regardless of what app or service you are using. For years, trying to sync Fitbit data with Google Fit has been a pain, and that’s just one example. There are workarounds, but they can be too cumbersome and I would prefer to have an implementation that “just works.” And Health Connect could be just the ticket.

This is extremely important because of the deep Fitbit integration that appears to be built into this “unique” version of Wear OS. There was even a Fitbit complication that was shown off, so it would only make sense for Google to create a tool to sync your data across different services. Recently, Google began making it possible to link your Fitbit and Google Fit data with Assistant in order to show you activity metrics on the Nest Hub. It may seem like a small step, but it’s much more important than you think.

I want to believe

For one reason or another, I prefer to use one ecosystem of devices at a time. My iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and MacBook Pro all work seamlessly together. The same can be said for the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, my beloved Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, and custom-built Windows PC. 

But I continue finding myself wanting to use my Pixel 6 Pro more and more. And while I have a Fitbit Sense paired to it, along with the best Chromebooks, that’s only solving part of the puzzle. The Sense, while a fantastic smartwatch, feels out of place. Phone Hub works great on my Chromebook and is getting even better, but it doesn’t quite offer the same functionality as using the Your Phone app with my Z Fold 3. 

I want to believe that Google has finally reached the point where it’s coordinating all of its focus and efforts into providing a cohesive and seamless ecosystem. All of the pieces appear to be falling into place, and as long as the Pixel 7 and Pixel Watch deliver on that promise, it might actually be the first time in a long time that I take my SIM out of the iPhone 13 Pro Max and start using Android all of the time.

There are a lot of “ifs” and “maybes” here, so I’ll throw another “but” into the equation. Everything that Google is showing and telling us looks good on paper, BUT, if the execution doesn’t match up, then we’re right back at square one. And that likely won’t be good for the Pixel ecosystem of devices. 

When it comes to choosing the right tablet for you, it can be a tough decision. There are so many great options at a myriad of price points and with tons of features. When considering the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 vs. iPad Air 5, both are great tablets that have a lot of similarities, including being around the same size and price point.

If you have narrowed the decision to one of these two newer models, it will come down to the features, functions, and small differences that could sway your decision toward one or the other.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 vs. iPad Air 5: They've got the looks

First and foremost, let's consider how these two tablets compare when it comes to pure aesthetics. Unsurprisingly, both are stylish and gorgeous tablets that you'll be just as proud to take to the office as you would to use them at home.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 comes in silver, pink gold, or graphite, with a different color to suit every type of user and preference. It's also lightweight at just over a pound. It has lovely, rounded edges for its 11-inch LTPS screen that offers a speedy 120Hz refresh rate, which will come in handy if you're streaming movies, sports, or playing intense video games.

What's great about the Samsung Galaxy S8 for productivity is that it can convert from a tablet to a portable PC with the addition of an optional keyboard along with other software and features we'll get into later. As a bonus, it even comes with the Samsung S Pen for sketching, navigating through web pages, jotting down notes, and more.

The iPad Air 5 is no slouch in the looks department either. After all, Apple is known for delivering stunning aesthetics in all of its products across the board and the new Air is no exception. Equipped with a comparable 10.9-inch Liquid Retina screen as well, it adds an LED backlight with IPS technology, True Tone that automatically adjusts white balance to the surrounding light so you get a natural viewing experience at all times, and the P3 wide color gamut for accurate color reproduction. The screen also has an anti-reflective coating. A great convenience feature is a Touch ID button at the top which makes it simple to unlock the device using your fingerprint as well as seamlessly sign into apps and make secure payments via Apple Pay.

Both sport all-day battery life though the iPad Air's battery is slightly larger, thus technically has more capacity. Though actual usage will vary depending on how you use each and for what purpose. Both also provide access to their respective app stores for downloading tons of apps for productivity, fun, creativity, time-wasting, and more. Both are also powered by USB-C for super-fast transfer speeds.

Before jumping into the nitty-gritty features of each, let's take a glance at the specs.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 vs. iPad Air 5: How they stack up in features

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 runs on the Android 12 OS with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and supports Wi-Fi 6e with an enabled and compatible router. It stands out thanks to integration with Microsoft 365, which makes it simple to create, drag, and drop content from the tablet to a laptop or computer. With Samsung DeX, you can also get the true desktop experience, mirroring the display of the tablet to a laptop or computer. As noted, you can attach the optional keyboard for the full computing experience on the go. Use the included Samsung S Pen for simple note-taking, sketching, and more.

The iPad Air 5, by comparison, runs on iPadOS 15, which adds some compelling productivity features like Quick Note (quickly call up a notepad at any time to jot down notes, save links, and add text and images from Safari), SharePlay (for watching movies and videos together via FaceTime), and Live Text (copy, share, lookup, or translate text the tablet recognizes). 

It runs on the Apple M1 chip 8-core CPU, which makes it blazing fast: Apple says this processor is 60 percent faster than the previous generation iPad Air, making multitasking and running graphics-intensive games a dream. It, too, works with both the Apple Magic Keyboard and 2nd Gen Apple Pencil, but both need to be purchased separately and don't come cheap. So, if you plan to opt for either or both, you need to factor that into the overall cost as well. If you don't think you'll need these add-ons, though, the iPad actually works out to be the cheaper option of the two.

If you're all in on the Apple ecosystem, you can also mirror the iPad's display to a compatible MacBook or iMac using Apple's Sidecar feature, as well as Apple AirPlay to cast video or audio to an Apple TV or smart TV with AirPlay 2.

In addition to supporting Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, you also have the option to opt for a 5G version so you can connect to a wireless cellular network when public Wi-Fi isn't available, secure, or reliable. This is a huge plus for remote workers and road warriors.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 comes with 8GB RAM and either 128GB or 256GB capacities, but you can extend this through an optional microSD card up to 1TB in size. You'll want to create and store lots on this tablet as well since it has a handy Quick Share feature that makes it simple to instantly share files among devices. It can even convert handwriting to text and allows you to save notes as shareable PDFs, PPTs, or Word document files. You can easily sync notes across multiple devices.

With the iPad Air 5, you also get 8GB RAM but capacity options are limited to just 64GB or 256GB without the option for expanding beyond using the cloud. If you plan to store tons of content locally, this could be a hindrance. Or, you'll need to fork over extra dough for the 256GB version.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 vs. iPad Air 5: Video calls, creativity, cameras, and more

Complementing the screen of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 are quad Dolby Atmos speakers and surround sound via four stereo speakers that are tuned by AKG, a respected brand in the audio business. This is great for playing music, watching movies, or video calls, which are supported through Google Duo integration. With Google Duo, you can also add camera filters, background blur, and more. Calls are crisp and clear thanks to the three mics with noise cancellation.

Audibly, the iPad Air has landscape stereo speakers. Apple has a stand-out feature called Center Stage that could be a game-changer for video calls: it's used to make sure you are always kept in the center of the frame, even as you move, while talking with friends, family, co-workers, or clients. This is complemented by dual mics.

You can take photos and videos with both, too. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 has a 12MP front ultrawide camera, 13MP dual wide, and 6 MP ultrawide main cameras, and can capture 4K video with HDR. By comparison, the iPad Air has a 12MP ultrawide front camera (the one that features Center Stage) and a 12MP back camera that can capture 4K videos with Smart HDR as well as scan documents that you can then mark up using the optional Apple Pencil. This allows you to shoot and edit seamlessly, all from the same device.

Further, when it comes to creativity and entertainment, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 comes with a four-month trial subscription to YouTube Premium and three months of Spotify Premium access. It works flawlessly with a pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds 2, making it easy to switch among devices if you go from listening en route, for example, to listening from the tablet, or want to switch from your Galaxy phone to the tablet.

The iPad Air works seamlessly with other Apple products, too, like AirPods, iPhones, Apple TV, and more. It also works with SketchUp, a 3D modeling software for unleashing your creative side, which could be a game-changer for architects, interior designers, video game designers, and other professionals (note: SketchUp isn't yet available but coming soon). Apple's 16-core neural engine that uses machine learning makes it easy to edit photos in Adobe Lightroom. This can help you really make your photos pop. 

With SharePlay, you can easily watch movies and TV shows together with friends while on FaceTime; your devices nicely sync up so that you're watching all of the action live, together. The Live Text feature, meanwhile, turns any text on a website, in a photo, or other content (like a phone number, e-mail address, or directions) into an actionable item so you can instantly tap and switch to the appropriate app to make a call, navigate to a destination, and more.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 vs. iPad Air 5: Which one is right for you?

There are a few marked differences between these two tablets that might sway you toward one or the other. If you're looking for a work companion, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, which Android Central's Michael L. Hicks called a "multitasking powerhouse" in his review, is the way to go thanks to the Microsoft 365 integration, included S Pen, Google Duo, ability to attach an optional keyboard, and other convenient ways of sharing content among devices. You can work while you're on the beach, from a local coffee shop, or seamlessly shift between home and the office. It's still a great tablet for fun and entertainment, but it's business users who will get the most out of it.

For a more creative experience, if you love to take and manipulate photos, watch videos with friends, play games, and more, the iPad Air 5 is a great option. Similarly, it's also productive for work thanks to features like the neural engine, fast operation, Quick Note for jotting down thoughts, FaceTime with Center Stage, and overall processing power. But if you're really looking for a tablet that will double as an on-the-go computer as well, you'll need to tack on the price of the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil, too. Comparatively though, you could get more storage with the Galaxy Tab S8 — by opting for the 256GB version of each, you would be paying hundreds more for the iPad Air 5, and there's no option to bump up local storage with an optional memory card.

With that said, if you tend to work on the go a lot, the iPad Air 5's 5G capabilities might make it more appealing so you don't have to search for Wi-Fi networks wherever you go. However, keep in mind that the 5G service from a cellular services provider will be an extra cost.

The bottom line is: For work, especially if you use a Microsoft-based computer, go with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8. For play or creativity, or if you own other Apple devices like an iPhone, opt for the iPad Air.

Last week, I argued that Samsung has a mid-range tablet problem, as it lacks a proper middle-tier competitor to the new iPad Air below the Galaxy Tab S8. Based on the iPad Air 5 reviews pouring in, including a glowing one from Luke Filipowicz at our sibling site iMore, Apple's new tablet has lived up to lofty expectations in its affordable, killer performance. It's basically the iPad Pro Lite.

And as Luke pointed out in his review, if you "like colors," you'll prefer the iPad Air to the more expensive Pro. 

"I love the purple colorway on the Air, and it is so much more fun to look at than just some big black or silver boxes that the base iPad and iPad Pro models offer," he explained.

Apple often sells vividly colorful tech, with the iPad Air 5's non-gray colors — pink, purple, blue, and starlight — as a perfect example. But it has a "No fun allowed" policy towards designing most of its premium devices. One that Samsung arguably shares.

Apparently, if you offer a MacBook Pro or iPad Pro in any color besides Silver or Space Gray, professionals will revolt en masse and decide they're not businesslike enough for work? I've never understood the logic, but the strategy only makes the iPad Air more appealing.

Samsung followed in Apple's footsteps by only releasing the laptop-replacing Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra in one color, Graphite. In theory, as a desk-only tablet that's constantly attached to a book cover, the back color doesn't matter so much. 

As for the other Galaxy Tab S8 and Galaxy Tab S8+ colors, Pink Gold and Silver, Samsung designers obviously picked them for their serious professionalism. They're understated, near-white tints that make minimal impact. And while you will use them with a keyboard cover, they're also designed for portable use. Especially the base Tab S8.

Not much has changed since the 2020 Tab S7, which also launched in three colors: Mystic Black, Mystic Silver, and Mystic Bronze. And quite honestly, the Bronze S7 looks remarkably similar to the Pink Gold S8 if you put them side by side. Samsung only added some real color to the Tab S7 lineup when it released a beautiful Mythic Navy variant about half a year later. 

Following that line of thought, I'm waiting impatiently for Samsung to release more colors for its Galaxy Tab S8 lineup. Samsung has a history of following in Apple designers' footsteps — look at the iPhone 13-esque Galaxy S22 phones and the Tab S8 Ultra notch, most recently — but I believe it should emulate the vibrant iPad Air template, not the businesslike Pro template.

Samsung knows how to incorporate color into its designs properly, but it does so with its Galaxy phones, not its tablets. Across all three S22 phones, you'll find variants in Green, Cream, Sky Blue, Violet, Pink Gold, Graphite, Red, and Burgundy. The Galaxy Tab S8 would look gorgeous in Green or Burgundy, at least in my opinion. Instead, you get near-black, light gray, and pink lemonade.

So I don't understand why tablets don't get the same love and care when it comes to colors. Even Samsung's budget tablets like the A8 and A7 have the same static color options: gray, silver, and some gold/pink option. Only the Galaxy Tab S7 FE has launched with a fourth color (Mythic Green) in recent memory.

I find it ironic because while about 9 in 10 people use a phone case, I suspect more people use their tablets uncovered, making its color more relevant. And yet, in most cases, brands will offer a few color options at most, one of which is always black.

Striking colors make an expensive device feel less impersonal and more tailored to your tastes. Even if Samsung makes them limited-stock, samsung.com exclusives like it does with its Galaxy S phones, I've no doubt they would sell. Tab S8 preorders doubled Tab S7 preorders, and even if they're the best Android tablets around, I can't be the only one craving more variety.

Soon I'll have to return the Galaxy Tab S8+ that Samsung lent me for my review, and I'm strongly considering shelling out my own money on a new one at that point. But I'm also holding out hope Samsung will release it in better colors first.

Anyone who read my Galaxy Tab S8+ review, or any Tab S8 reviews, will probably object to my headline. Samsung's new tablet series is excellent, coupling fast performance with a beautiful thin-bezel display and 120Hz refresh rate. Samsung upgraded its flagship tablets exactly as it should have, including making One UI less of a downgrade compared to iPadOS; and the Tab S8 only costs $100 more than the iPad Air.

So what's the problem? It's that any Samsung offerings under $700 drop off a cliff in terms of performance. The actual price rival to the 10.9-inch, $600 iPad Air with M1 is the 12.4-inch, $600 Galaxy Tab S7 FE with the Snapdragon 750G and 6GB of RAM. 

Comparing a laptop-rated chip against a budget mobile chip from 2020 is about as fair as racing a Bugatti against a VW Beetle in Forza Horizon 5.

Dropping even further, you have the $500 iPad Mini, the speedy 8.3-inch tablet with the same Bionic SoC as the iPhone 13. Unless you count the underpowered Galaxy Tab A7 Lite or the expensive Z Fold 3 that's about 8 inches unfolded — and I certainly don't — Samsung has no proper Mini alternatives.

The Galaxy Tab S8 holds its own against the iPad Pro, for now. But I don't see how its Tab A or Tab FE lineups can survive this new Air with M1 development, given Samsung's willful disregard for the mid-range market. 

It's all about the silicon

Our long-time Android phones reviewer Harish Jonnalagadda regularly stacks Apple products against the competition. And he lavished praise on the previous iPad Air (2020) for the A14 Bionic's blazing speeds, among many other positives. Now, Apple claims the new iPad Air 5 with the 8-core M1 chip will have a 60% increase in CPU performance and 100% GPU improvement.

Android fans don't like talking about this, but iPhones with Bionic chips already run laps around the competition unless you're using a RAM-heavy phone like the Galaxy S22 Ultra. 

With the M1-backed iPad Air, you're getting a throttled version of the power you'd see in a MacBook — or even the iPad Pro, which likely has more RAM — but even a throttled Air will likely wallop a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 tablet in performance and obliterate anything below that.

Apple's choice to cast Intel aside and develop its own silicon has paid huge dividends, as it brought MacOS and iPadOS products closer together. Now, any future advancements made to the MacBook Pro lineup, like the rumored M2 chip, will eventually benefit most iPads beyond the entry-level models. 

Imagine an iPad Mini with an M1 chip, or a future iPad Air with the M1 Pro. How can we expect Samsung Tabs running outdated, mid-range Qualcomm hardware to compete with that down the line?

It could even be easier to develop creative iPadOS software because it'll run on the same hardware found on productivity-focused MacBooks. Meanwhile, most app developers still neglect Android tablets.

Unless something changes, Samsung will continue to rely on Qualcomm instead of going all-in on Exynos, which some of my colleagues have suggested. 

In a perfect world without a neverending chip shortage, maybe Samsung could develop enough Exynos SoCs to take complete charge of stocking its own tablets, and take the Apple route of optimizing One UI to its silicon. But given Samsung has to sell tens of millions of Galaxy S phones every year as well as tablets, it'll never happen.

The other solution would be to start relying on actual laptop-quality hardware. Intel would happily take the business and power Samsung tablets in addition to its Galaxy Chromebooks. But because of the disconnect between Android and Chrome OS, Samsung would have a major headache on its hands converting its software to new hardware. 

Until Google closes that gap, Samsung has no hardware path to compete with Apple on its own terms.

Samsung's small and mid-range Tabs need to get better

I'm not going to pine for Samsung to match Apple for performance when it isn't a fair ask, given all the above evidence. But I am going to criticize Samsung for focusing on either expensive or bargain-bin tablets.

Samsung's one mid-range tablet, the Tab S7 "Fan Edition," measures in at 12.4-inches with a 2560x1600 resolution and 10,090mAh battery, nearly matching the S8+ in many areas. The South Korean company decided that its fans would rather compromise on performance than on the size of the display to get a lower price.

Below that, you'll have to choose an old, underpowered Galaxy Tab S6 Lite or the new 10.5-inch Tab A8 with the unproven Unisoc T618 chip and just 3-4GB of RAM. They compete against cheap Amazon Fire tablets, not Apple's.

If Samsung would release an 8- or 10-inch tablet with Tab S8-quality speeds for a lower price, that would attract a much larger audience in my mind. Even if it can't match the iPad Air 5 in speed, Samsung can bust out its multitasking software made popular on its foldables and push its Tab Minis as more versatile than Apple's.

Right now, thrifty students or people who want a streaming-and-browsing-in-bed device with M1 speeds won't look twice at Samsung's offerings. No matter how great the Tab S8s are, they're primarily desk tablets that you won't want to hold for too long. 

Samsung offers the best Android tablets of any brand by far. But unless Samsung wants to cede the mid-range market to Apple entirely and keep its tablets limited to die-hard Android users, it will give us a Tab S8 Mini or competitively downgraded Tab S8 FE by next year.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is the obvious choice if you live within the Android ecosystem, offering a compelling tablet experience from one of the best brands in the business. It's the perfect productivity tool, particularly for a Galaxy smartphone owner, that can be used for work, plus some play during downtime.

iPad Air (2020)

For those who live within the Apple ecosystem and are on a budget, the iPad Air (2020) is a decently priced entry into the premium tablet market that you can expand over time with the addition of other optional accessories, like the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil.

Just like in the smartphone world, with tablets, it's often a debate between Samsung Galaxy and Apple iPad. When looking at the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE vs. iPad Air (2020), it might be easy to assume that newer is better and the former model makes the most sense. But that isn't always the case. The 2020 version of the iPad Air is still a solid, feature-rich, premium tablet that can measure up. In fact, we even named it the best Apple tablet for students.

With that said, which one you buy truly depends on which ecosystem you like best. If you own other Apple devices at home, like Apple TV, iPhone, or an Apple Watch, there's a lot of seamless connectivity you can enjoy among them all. The same goes for Samsung and its devices that work perfectly with the Galaxy Tabs, like its smart TVs, Galaxy phones, and more.

However, if you aren't really tied to either ecosystem, choosing between these two can be difficult. To help break things down, let's look at how they compare to core specs.

There are some pretty noticeable differences between these two tablets, including the physical size and the screen resolution, processors, battery life, and more. So let's dig deeper into how they compare.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE vs. iPad Air (2020): Physical appearance

These two tablets look pretty different from one another. While the iPad Air is slightly slimmer — a key feature of the Air line — it is bigger, despite boasting a screen almost 2 inches smaller. Samsung packs a lot of screen into a smaller footprint, giving you more viewing area for sketching, surfing websites, watching movies, and more. With that said, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE is significantly heavier than the iPad Air (2020) and a tad thicker, so if you're looking for something with maximum portability, this could be a deciding factor.

Both have pretty high-resolution screens, but again, when it comes down to the specs, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE has the iPad Air (2020) beat with slightly higher figures.

You can get either tablet in basic colors like silver and black for the Galaxy, gray for the iPad. But each also comes in some unique additional finishes like green and pink with the Galaxy and Rose Gold, green, or Sky Blue with the iPad. So if you like the tablet to show off your style, you might love having options for both of these. Though chances are you'll use a protective case anyway.

Speaking of which, both work with the brand's own specially designed covers and accessories for a laptop-like experience. For example, the Galaxy works with the Book Cover Keyboard and the Apple with the Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio or Smart Folio Covers. Keep in mind, however, that while both work with the respective styli technology — the Galaxy with the Samsung S Pen and the Apple with the Apple Pencil, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE comes with the S Pen in the box whereas with Apple, you have to buy the Pencil separately. This should be factored into the overall cost if you plan to use it for productivity purposes that require or could benefit from a feature-rich stylus.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE vs. iPad Air (2020): Power and specs

The Galaxy Tab S7 FE is powered by an octa-core processor while the iPad uses Apple's A14 Bionic chip and a Hexa-core processor, which will presumably result in a faster and more robust performance in the latter, particularly for gaming, 4K videos, art creation, and other intensive activities. But it will all depend on what you're doing. Both offer pretty powerful processing with 4GB RAM that's nothing to sneeze at when it comes down to it.

The Tab S7 FE's battery runs for up to 13 hours per charge, while the iPad Air (2020) is only rated up to 10 hours (nine if you're using cellular connectivity). It's the difference between completing a day's work or enjoying a few movies without having to plug in. Three hours is a lot of time.

Connectivity-wise, both offer cellular connectivity options, but the Wi-Fi + Cellular option of the iPad Air (2020) costs significantly more than the Wi-Fi-only version. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE, meanwhile, will presumably only come in one version with cellular connectivity (though with both, a carrier subscription is also required). What's more, the Tab S7 FE offers LTE and 5G, whereas the older-model iPad includes LTE and 3G connectivity, though also Wi-Fi 6, which is an ultra-fast technology. If you don't plan to use a cellular connection and can just hotspot to your phone or use a public Wi-Fi network while on the go, this won't matter, and the iPad Air (2020) without cellular connectivity might be the better-value purchase. But if you do want cellular connectivity, you may be better off going the Galaxy route.

Both also offer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. But keep in mind that this version of the iPad Air does away with the 3.5mm headphone jack, which means you'll have to use wired headphones with a Lightning connector, get a Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter to plug in (this means you can't charge the tablet and listen via headphones at the same time), or use wireless headphones. Wireless is the trend these days anyway. Nonetheless, sometimes it's nice to have the backup option of a 3.5mm headphone jack, and only the Galaxy Tab S7 FE has one between the two.

Storage-wise, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE comes with 64GB or 128GB of storage, while the iPad Air (2020) comes in either 64GB or 256GB. That's a big jump, but the reason is that you cannot expand the storage in an iPad, whereas you can buy an optional microSD memory card and expand the storage of the Galaxy Tab S7 FE to up to 1TB. Of course, Apple users might prefer the cloud anyway, particularly Apple's iCloud service. But if you want to store and access your files locally and have a lot of large files, even 256GB might not be enough.

Both have pretty decent cameras. The S7 FE has an 8MP rear with autofocus and a 5MP front camera for selfies and video calls, while the iPad Air has a 12MP rear camera and a 7MP front FaceTime camera. A neat feature of the Galaxy tablet ensures you're kept in the center-screen if the tablet is turned to landscape orientation, ensuring video calls always look great. It has three microphones around the display as well. Both have dual speakers though the Galaxy also includes support for Dolby Atmos to enjoy immersive listening experiences.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE vs. iPad Air (2020): Other considerations before choosing

Both of these tablets are designed for productivity and creative use, so you will likely want to invest in accessories for them, like a keyboard and stylus (as noted, the Galaxy already comes with the S Pen, which is a big bonus).

For business types, there are a lot of bonuses with the Tab S7 FE, including Multi-Active Window that lets you open three apps at once. Then, there's App Pair for saving and launching your favorite pairs of apps together in one click. Second Screen is nifty for using the tablet as a secondary display with a PC and Samsung DeX compatibility. Samsung Notes is also included.

For creative types, the S7 FE comes with a six-month trial to Clip Studio Paint and Canva, as well as free Noteshelf for taking colorful notes with the S Pen, unlimited access to Samsung TV Plus, and its 160+ channels, and a free trial of YouTube Premium.

Of course, the iPad Air (2020) works seamlessly with other Apple devices and those that feature technologies like AirPlay, so you could easily mirror content from the tablet to the big screen, sync up with your phone or Apple TV. It also has the Scribble to iPad feature, which lets you handwrite in any text field. There are also note-taking options and smart selection that can distinguish handwriting from drawings, so you can easily select, cut, and paste as you work. It even has a cool shape recognition feature and a data detector to recognize phone numbers, dates, addresses, and web links.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE vs. iPad Air (2020): Which should you buy?

When looking at the Galaxy Tab S7 FE vs. iPad Air (2020), both of these tablets offer great value for money, and the decision is evident if you already exist within the Samsung Galaxy or Apple camps. But if you're on the fence, it can be a tough choice.

Both have features that will work beautifully for productivity and creative types. However, you might appreciate the larger screen size of the Galaxy model (keep in mind that it also comes with additional weight even though it is slightly smaller dimensions). Both work with tons of accessories, but the inclusion of the S Pen in the box with the Galaxy S7 FE is a massive bonus if you plan to use a stylus. Unfortunately, the Apple Pencil doesn't come cheap.

If you plan to save a lot of files and don't like using cloud storage, the Galaxy S7 FE might be the better option since you can expand local storage to up to 1TB via a microSD card.

Battery life could be a dealbreaker, though, and the Galaxy S7 FE can last up to three hours longer than the iPad Air (2020), which is essential for frequent travelers or those who will want to use it on the go when they can't always get to a power outlet to recharge.

Also important for travelers are the connectivity options: With a 5G option, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE might make more sense if you would use it. However, if you wouldn't, both offer powerful Wi-Fi and processors to keep you connected and moving quickly to get all your tasks done. If you want to keep using wired headphones, though, don't forget that the iPad Air (2020) does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack.

What you need to know

• Google is updating several of its apps for better iOS/iPadOS 15 compatibility.
• Google apps will take better advantage of Apple's Focus Mode.
• Users will be able to jump straight into YouTube Music from Spotlight search.

Right on the heels of Apple releasing iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 to the masses, Google is updating several of its apps to take better advantage of the iPhone and iPad's capabilities.

One of the "bigger" updates comes to iPadOS 15, with the launch of new, larger widgets for Google Photos and YouTube Music. With the new widgets, users will be able to highlight their photos and jump straight into their Memories. With YouTube Music, iPad users will have a view of albums and playlists to easily access tunes from the home screen.

The new widgets will arrive in the coming weeks.

Another update coming to YouTube Music, which users can try out now, is the ability to jump into the app from the Spotlight search function. For example, when searching for a song or artist, users might see a YouTube Music icon in the thumbnail, allowing you to go directly to that artist's page.

Lastly, Google highlights how its apps play better with the Focus Mode on iOS. It's similar to a feature of the same name found on many of the best Android phones that filters out notifications based on what you're doing.

Google's apps will now cooperate better with Focus mode on iOS.

Google says that integration with Focus mode will arrive "in the coming weeks" across its apps, including Gmail, Meet, Tasks, Maps, and Home.

The new iOS 15 updates mirror Google's own Android 12 app enhancements, with many Google apps receiving new widgets and updated looks to match the company's new Material You design language.

Preorders for the iPhone 13 have finally arrived, with people scrambling to get their hands on the latest and greatest from Apple. It wasn't exactly smooth sailing, though, with many facing errors when trying to order with their Apple Card, Apple Pay, or through iUP upgrade flow.

Not only that, but many orders are now expected to arrive in mid-October.

Despite the errors, many people were still able to process their orders for the new phone. And while our viewership mainly consists of Android fans, we know there are plenty of readers who use Apple products. In fact, some Android Central staff are fans of devices like the iPad Pro (2021), and we want to know if you've preordered any of Apple's new products.

The iPhone 13 isn't much of a significant change from the well-received iPhone 12. Still, it brings an upgraded A15 Bionic chip, improved cameras with better video capabilities, low-light capture, and a 20% smaller notch. The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max received some display upgrades thanks to the new variable refresh rate panel that can transition between 10Hz and 120Hz depending on the content displayed. It's a feature that has appeared on some of the best Android phones, so it's nice to see Apple stepping up.

Buyers can also look forward to more storage, starting at 128GB for the same price as last year's models, which is a nice change.

The new iPads are also available for preorder, including the redesigned iPad Mini, more like a small iPad Pro. It features the upgraded chip, Apple Pencil support and has transitioned to USB-C instead of Lighting.

Lastly, while the new Apple Watch Series 7 was announced earlier this week, rumored production issues mean interested buyers won't be able to get their hands on the wearable until later this fall. Sad face.

Comment below and let us know what you preordered and why or why you decided not to. Of course, you could just wait for the Google Pixel 6.

I've been an Android user since the first day the first Android phone became available, and I've been through many different devices. Of course, like many of you all, I've also owned and used iPhones, BlackBerrys, Windows phones, and all the rest of the "cool" tech because I just love cool tech.

I'm also very much a small phone guy because one of the most important things to me is how easy it is to carry something that basically lives inside my pocket. One of the reasons the Galaxy S21 is one of the best Android phones is because it's not gigantic, for example. The only time I wish my phone were bigger is when I want to veg out and just consume.

That's where tablets shine. Watching videos or playing games on something with a much larger screen is just better, ya know? Yes, I can use my phone and do those same things, and I won't try to say it's a bad experience because it's not. It's just not as good. I've been thinking about getting a smaller tablet to try it again, and Apple might just have shown me what I want in the 2021 iPad Mini.

No, I'm not some sort of "traitor" to the Android ecosystem because I owe zero allegiance to any tech company. I like the way Android works better than iOS does, but that's just me, and plenty of people feel differently. But I don't run out and buy a thing because some tech company made it. Every company needs to work for my dollars. And since Google is unwilling to remake the Nexus 7 with great new specs, I don't have a "favorite" tablet brand.

I want a tablet for all the wrong reasons, according to the companies that make them. I have no desire to replace my PC or Chromebook with a Pro tablet. I'm not going to replace my phone with a cellular tablet just because it can make calls and get messages. I like the phone and Chromebook I use, and don't see how a tablet can replace either.

But the right tablet can tempt me, so long as it's on the smaller side. I have a Pixel Slate here if I wanted to use a ginormous heavy tablet, and because it has a desktop browser, it's going to be better at doing many of the things I want a tablet to do. It needs to be plenty powerful enough to play HD video without sputtering and have Wi-Fi that's strong enough to keep up. A few cool games are a plus, too. My tablet would be just for fun and not at all for work.

I've thought about foldables here, too. Something like the Galaxy Z Fold 3 could work, but I'm not yet sold on how the phone side of things play out. Maybe in a couple of years, but now I think I would end up spending twice as much on a device that I would only use as a tablet. Not an ideal situation for my wallet.

I basically ignored all the talk about how artists and professionals love the iPad Mini, but what I did pay attention to has me thinking it might be the one. The power is there — forget all the XX% faster marketing stuff, but I've seen enough from Apple to know the Bionic SoC platform is going to handle things. The size is right, and even the $500 price tag isn't insane like many other Apple devices are.

Mostly though, it's the ecosystem. Yes, that word gets tossed around a lot, and sometimes my brain goes numb after hearing it, but this is one place where everything can work great for me. All of Google's services work well on iOS, so I know I'll have the experience I want from Google Photos or YouTube, and Apple does a great job at filling in the rest.

Yeah, Apple's walled garden sucks. Ask anyone who wants to play Fortnite on a new iPad Mini about that if you want another opinion, and I'm not a fan of a company trying to tell me what I can do with something I paid money to buy. But I can't deny that Apple has its shit together when it comes to tablet apps, and chances are I would find a few I would want to install. Google could learn a lot here.

I think an iPad Mini would complement my Android phone and my other tech in the right ways. I'm not rushing out to preorder one just yet, and I'll wait to read some reviews before I whip out the plastic. I'd also recommend any Android or Chrome user as interested in the iPad Mini as I am to do the same thing.

I've talked to a lot of you guys who use an iPad along with your Android phones, and I think I get it now. I'm not going to write it off just because it's from that fruit company. It might be what a lot of Android folks just like me are looking for.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+

For Android users, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ is a solid tablet to consider. It offers plenty of appealing features for both work and play, including the superior S Pen, the ultra-fast octa-core processor, gorgeous screen, long battery life, and quad speakers. While it's pretty expensive, it's a fully-featured, premium tablet with a large enough screen to use at home or on the go.

iPad Pro (2021)

Like other Apple products, the iPad Pro works seamlessly with other Apple devices, making perfect sense if you live within the Apple ecosystem. If not, however, you can still enjoy plenty of the benefits the tablet has to offer, including gorgeous design, sleek optional Magic Keyboard, Apple Pencil, and superior augmented reality (AR) app experience.

When it comes down to it, whether you buy the Samsung Galaxy S7+ or the Apple iPad Pro might depend on what ecosystem you live in. However, if you aren't tied to either, it's a close race. In terms of specs, they are almost dead even, but Samsung's fantastic S Pen experience makes the Galaxy Tab S7+ a great option for productivity. In contrast, the Apple iPad Pro, true to the brand, is great for more creative types thanks to features like the TrueDepth camera and neural-engine and LiDAR scanner for superior augmented reality (AR) experiences. That isn't to say, of course, that you can't be productive on an iPad Pro nor get creative on a Galaxy S7+.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ vs. Apple iPad Pro (2021): Head-to-head specs

The Samsung Galaxy S7+ and Apple iPad Pro have generous-sized high-resolution screens and work with optional keyboards and their own styli — the S Pen and Apple Pencil, respectively. They both offer ultra-fast processing, great integrated camera experiences, and Bluetooth connectivity.

But let's run down the key specs to see how they compare at a bare-bones level.

Looking at the specs alone, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ is the more portable of the two. It has smaller overall dimensions and is more lightweight than the iPad Pro. The iPad Pro has more built-in storage, with up to 2TB of storage space, but keep in mind that you can expand the Galaxy Tab S7+ to up to this much with an optional microSD card only if you need to versus paying upfront for storage you might not use. You also get several hours more of rated battery life with the Samsung model.

The Galaxy Tab S7+ is definitely the better option for using on the go, whereas the iPad Pro is light and small enough to take with you. Still, it might be more comfortable to use at home, especially with the delightful optional Magic Keyboard attachment.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ vs. Apple iPad Pro (2021): The look

Both tablets have impressive, bright, responsive displays along with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. The Galaxy Tab S7+ screen offers HDR10+ support for the entire NTSC color range and eye care certification. The iPad Pro's Liquid Retina edge-to-edge display is almost all screen, with TrueTone P3 wide color gamut support along with support for HDR10 and Dolby Vision.

Both come in cool color options and work seamlessly with optional keyboard attachments and their respective styli. Neither, however, has a 3.5mm headphone jack, which means you'll have to use wireless headphones or a USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter if you want to listen with wired headphones.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ vs. Apple iPad Pro (2021): Getting things done

From a productivity perspective, both tablets have nice, large screens, though Apple's 12.9-inch iPad Pro might be far too big for some, especially if you're opting for a tablet for the sake of portability. And some might find the 12.4-inch Galaxy Tab S7+ too big to be truly portable but too small to rival a full laptop.

The larger size of the iPad Pro, however, does give it a nice advantage when you want to get work done, especially when paired with the Magic Keyboard, which connects to it magnetically. This essentially turns the iPad Pro into a laptop. You get backlit keys, a click-anywhere trackpad, and multi-touch gestures. The trackpad for iPadOS makes the cursor contextual, so it will turn into whatever tool you need based on where it is placed on the screen. You can also adjust the angle of the keyboard.

But you can get really productive with the Galaxy Tab S7+, either with an optional Bluetooth keyboard or by using the best part about this tablet: the Samsung S Pen. While the Apple Pencil lets you do cool stuff with the iPad Pro, the Samsung S Pen just works really, really well. You can use mark-up files in Samsung Notes, write on PDFs, export content to Office, convert handwriting, and more. It's important to note that you can also use the Apple Pencil with the iPad Pro to take notes in the Notes app, mark up documents, and draw, create, and more. And it charges while magnetically attached to the iPad. Both pens are low-latency.

You get a lot more battery life out of the Galaxy Tab S7+, which is rated at up to 14 hours per charge and offers fast charging. You'll only get up to 10 hours of use per charge with the iPad Pro, but it features fast charging, too. Both charge via USB-C.

It's easy to sync files between the Galaxy Tab S7+ and your phone, and you can do the same with the iPad Pro and other Apple devices. And with both, you can multitask with ease thanks to the super-fast processors: Apple's M1 chip is blazing fast.

However, the Galaxy Tab S7+ is the king of productivity here. You can use its smart home dashboard to manage connected smart appliances and even answer phone calls from your tablet using the auto hotspot feature. It also has Samsung DeX desktop interface, even though some users have found it to be finicky at times.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ vs. Apple iPad Pro (2021): Capturing memories

Both Samsung and Apple have been upping their games for photography, and these two tablets are no exception.

The Galaxy Tab S7+ has an 8MP front camera for selfies, video calls, and more, along with a 13MP rear camera and 5MP camera with auto-focus, flash, and the ability to shoot up to 4K videos at 30FPS. Apple loaded a ton of photo features into the iPad Pro, including not only great front and rear cameras for chatting via FaceTime, taking Portrait selfies, and more, but also features like auto-focus, smart HDR, and auto image stabilization. You can record up to 4K videos with this camera at up to 60FPS, along with slow-motion and time-lapse videos. The eight-core graphics processor Is ideal for editing 4K videos, 3D designs, and AR applications.

Speaking of AR, what sets the iPad Pro apart here is the neural engine for on-device machine learning and the LiDAR scanner that enhance the experience with next-generation AR apps. You can view them realistically, complete with adjusting the view to place AR images in front or behind real-world objects.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ vs. Apple iPad Pro (2021): Which is best?

When considering everything, you might find better value with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+. You can grab one for less money (when compared to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro) and enjoy considerably longer rated battery life and an unbeatable experience with the Samsung S Pen, which comes in the box - no need to buy one separately like with the Apple Pencil. There's a reason why the Galaxy Tab S7+ remains one of the best Android tablets on the market right now.

That said, if you're looking for a mobile laptop replacement, especially for creative tasks like sketching, drawing, and taking notes, Apple's iPad Pro is a worthy competitor. However, if this is the case, you'll almost definitely also want to invest in the Magic Keyboard, at which point you're paying as much for a MacBook Air anyway.

Both offer compelling productivity features, but those with more creative sensibilities and fans of Apple will naturally gravitate to the iPad Pro. But for an all-around great tablet for both productivity and fun, you can't go wrong with the Galaxy Tab S7+.

While we're just two months away from Apple's WWDC event, Cupertino held a special Spring showcase to feature new products and upgrades. The aptly-named Spring Loaded event saw the launch of products that have long been rumored, as well as some updated hardware featuring Apple's powerful M1 chip.

We may like to focus on the best Android phones here, but these events are always fun to watch for tech enthusiasts, and it's a good chance to see what the other side is up to. So here's a roundup of the things that Apple announced at its Spring Loaded event.

Apple TV

One of the best streaming devices is getting even better thanks to Apple's A12 Bionic chip. With the upgraded chip, the new Apple TV 4K can now display 4K HDR content at high frame rates, which can boost not only movies and shows but also gaming with Apple Arcade. The device also features a cool trick that uses the camera, proximity sensor, and light sensor to adjust the TV's color balance.

There's also a newly designed remote that features a directional pad with gesture support for scrolling or scrubbing, a side-mounted Siri toggle, and a power button for your TV.

The new Apple TV 4K will be available for preorder on April 30 and will start at $179 for the 32GB model or $199 for the 64GB model. Devices are expected to ship in late May.

There's also a season 2 trailer for Ted Lasso, which premiers June 23.

M1 iMac

Apple introduced a redesigned iMac that features its powerful M1 chip for 85% faster performance. Thanks to the new SoC, Apple condensed the internals to give the iMac smaller, quieter fans while squeezing in a 4.5K retina display and 6 Dolby Atmos speakers. The iMac is also equipped with an upgraded 1080p ultrawide Facetime HD camera that can track your movements and even pan in or out. The new iMac starts at $1299 and will be available to preorder on April 30, with expected shipping at the end of May.

Apple also introduces new Magic Keyboards with a dedicated emoji key and built-in TouchID for secure profile switching.

M1 iPad Pro

The new Apple iPad Pro may not look very different, but they're getting a speed huge speed boost thanks to M1. The chip brings 50% more performance and 75% more CPU performance, plus up to 2TB of faster internal storage. There's now Thunderbolt support for high-speed connections and external 6K displays, as well as 5G connectivity with mmWave. The new 12MP ultrawide front-facing camera has a 122° FOV with Center Stage, which uses machine learning to keep you in the shot while you move around, kind of like the new Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen).

The biggest change to the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro is Apple's use of Mini LED. Apple stuffed over 10,000 LEDs into the display with over 2500 local dimming zones. This represents a shift from the OLED displays that are currently used in iPhones. The benefits of Mini LED include similar image and color quality to OLED but much cheaper to produce. The new iPads will start at $799 for the 11-inch model and $1099 for the 12.9-inch. Both will be available for preorder on April 30 and ship towards the end of May.

AirTag

After being rumored for quite some time, Apple has finally released the AirTag as an alternative to the best Bluetooth trackers on the market. Similar to how Samsung's Galaxy SmartTag+ functions, Apple AirTag will use Ultra Wideband technology with the iPhone's Find My feature to provide on-screen guides to lead you to your tag. And the AirTags can be customized with key rings and loops.

Individual AirTags will be up for preorder on April 23 and available on April 30 for $29 or $99 for a 4-pack.

iPhone, Apple Podcast, Apple Card

The only update for the iPhone is a stylish new Purple color that will be available for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini. The new color will be available for preorder on April 23. Apple Podcast has also received a redesign and will launch in 170 regions next month with support for subscriptions. And lastly, Apple is now allowing spouses and partners to merge credit lines with the Apple Card so both can reep the benefits of better credit. And with Apple Card Family, kids 13 and up can use the Apple Card with set spending limits.

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If you're looking for the best Android tablets, you will have to pick up something made by Samsung. The South Korean manufacturer is the only brand continuing to release Android tablets with any regular cadence, with Amazon catering to the budget segment with its Fire HD series that runs a forked version of Android.

Android tablets showed a lot of promise three years ago, with the likes of Xiaomi, ASUS, and Lenovo releasing a slate of models. But Google hasn't paid much attention to this category, and recent Android versions don't include any tablet-focused features. The move has soured other manufacturers to the form factor, and Samsung had to come up with workarounds to optimize apps for the tablet form factor.

While Google has effectively given up on the tablet segment, that isn't true of Apple. The iPad continues to be the default choice in the tablet category, and Apple introduced iPadOS last year with features tailored for large screen sizes. The OS picked up trackpad integration this year, paving the way for the iPad as a productivity workhorse.

I've always wanted to use an iPad because of the plethora of music production apps on iOS. I occasionally dabble in making music, and iOS has drum machines and synth plugins that are just not available on Android. So when the iPad Air 2020 came out a few months ago, and I got the chance to try it out, I was immediately excited.

The iPad Air is the middle child in Apple's tablet portfolio, and the 2020 model picks up a lot of features from the iPad Pro. It has a similar design with thin bezels, the latest A14 Bionic chipset, a vibrant screen, and exciting color options. I've used the iPad Air for just under two months now, and in that time, it has gotten more usage than my phone.

Apple iPad Air 2020 Design

From a design point of view, the iPad Air is nearly indistinguishable from the iPad Pro. The tablet has the same rounded-off edges, metal frame, and thin bezels. Coming in at 6.1mm and weighing 458g, it is relatively thin and light for a tablet. For context, the regular iPad with the 10.2-inch screen weighs 490g and is 7.5mm thick.

The aluminum chassis and the trim bezels make the iPad Air stand out from its predecessor. But the best addition with the tablet is the Touch ID module that's now housed in the power button at the top. Apple switched to Face ID with the iPad Pro, and the base iPad still has a home button below the screen that houses the Touch ID module.

So this is the first time we're seeing Touch ID baked into the power button on an iPad. Of course, Android manufacturers have been doing this for some time now, with the likes of the POCO F2 Pro featuring a side-mounted fingerprint reader that's built into the power button.

The Touch ID module makes it hassle-free to unlock the iPad Air, and like Android phones, all you need to do is put your finger on the sensor for just under a second. Touch ID is used for authentication and purchases on the App Store, and it is a welcome addition on the iPad Air.

There's a single 12MP camera at the back, a 7MP shooter at the front, and you'll find the volume rocker on the right side. The iPad Air has two speakers — down from the four you'd find on the iPad Pro — and the audio quality itself is astonishingly loud and detailed; I didn't have any issues when streaming videos on the device.

You'll find the charging port at the bottom, and in a refreshing change, the iPad Air has USB-C charging. The feature was previously limited to the iPad Pro, so it is good to see that the iPad Air also works with the universal charging format. If you already have USB-C chargers in your home, you should be able to use them with the iPad Air without any issues.

Finally, the iPad Air is available in exciting pastel colors. There's the standard Space Gray, Silver, and Rose Gold, and this year sees the introduction of Green and Blue. I got the blue model, and I like the finish quite a lot. Unlike the deep hues of the iPhone 12, the iPad colors are much more muted; but they look elegant nonetheless.

Apple iPad Air 2020 Display

Because of the shift to a new design with thinner bezels, the iPad Air features a larger 10.9-inch screen in the same form factor as its predecessor, which had a 10.2-inch screen. The panel itself has True Tone tech, P3 color gamut, full-screen lamination, and an anti-reflective coating — just like the iPad Pro.

The tablet uses a Liquid Retina LCD panel with a resolution of 2360 x 1640, and it has vibrant colors and excellent contrast levels. The only difference from the iPad Pro is that there's no 120Hz refresh rate here, with the tablet instead featuring a regular 60Hz screen.

I would normally have an issue with this — I use a phone with a 120Hz screen and a 144Hz monitor for work — but it wasn't a big deal on the iPad Air. iPadOS is very well optimized and fluid, and I didn't feel like I was missing out in this area. Of course, I haven't used an iPad with the 120Hz ProMotion panel, so I don't really have a frame of reference in this particular area.

But for my use case — which involves reading long-form articles and streaming videos — the 60Hz screen on the iPad Air proved to be perfectly adequate.

Apple iPad Air 2020 Performance

The iPad Air is the first Apple product powered by its latest 5nm A14 Bionic chipset. It is a six-core design with two performance-focused Firestorm cores and four Icestorm cores that kick in for most day-to-day tasks.

The result is a huge 40% increase in performance from the A12 Bionic that powered the 2019 model of the iPad Air. The node shift to 5nm allowed Apple to cram more transistors into the A14, and it ends up outmatching even the iPad Pro in single-core scores.

Essentially, all of this boils down to incredible performance in day-to-day use. The iPad Air obviously holds its own for mundane tasks like browsing the web or scrolling through social media, and it also handles demanding games without breaking a sweat.

It has more than enough power for multi-tasking, and when it comes to performance, you should not run into any issues whatsoever. There's no lag or sluggishness regardless of whatever I threw at the iPad Air, and it is great to see this level of performance from what is basically a really large phone.

The iPad Air is available in four configurations: the base 64GB Wi-Fi model costs $599, and you can pick up a 256GB variant for $720. You'll find the same storage options for the Wi-Fi + Cellular variant, and here you'll have to pay $720 for the 64GB model and $879 for the 256GB version.

The Wi-Fi + Cellular variant has a SIM card slot, and it also works with an eSIM provided your carrier offers the feature. You will need a dedicated data plan if you're picking up the cellular model, but if you see yourself using the iPad Air for on-the-go productivity, it makes sense to go this route.

I've barely taken any photos with a phone — let alone a tablet — in 2020, but if you're interested in this particular area, the iPad Air has a 12MP camera at the back that takes decent enough shots. I have no frame of reference for camera quality on tablets, but I can confidently say that the 7MP front camera is great for video calls.

It is a far sight better than the camera that you'll find on most MacBooks, but my main issue with the camera is the orientation — it is located at the top when the tablet is in portrait mode, so when you turn it over, it's off to one side. Barring that shortcoming, it is a decent enough option and one that should make its way to MacBooks.

As for connectivity, the iPad Air comes with a Wi-Fi 6 modem, and you get Bluetooth 5.0. I didn't run into any connectivity issues and routinely saw over 400Mbit over Wi-Fi on a Gigabit plan.

The iPad Air has a 28.6Wh battery, and it averaged over eight hours of screen-on-time between charges. That's strictly average, and I would have liked to see better battery figures from the tablet. That said, the fact that it charges at 20W over USB-C makes things that much more convenient. It's great to see the iPad Air also get USB-C charging because it enables you to connect a USB-C hub and add accessories like a keyboard and mouse to the tablet.

Magic Keyboard

At $300, the Magic Keyboard costs half as much as the iPad Air itself, but after using it for nearly two months, I feel that the cost is justified. The keyboard case connects to the iPad Air via the Smart Connector magnetic pins at the back, and the hinged design lets you set up the ideal viewing angle.

The best part about the keyboard is the trackpad — using an iPad with a trackpad is a game-changer, and it made a huge difference in my daily use. The iPad Air is the ideal form factor for browsing the web, and using a trackpad was just easier when going through my news feed.

The keys are excellent for what you're getting here; they're backlit and have decent travel, and I wrote a decent number of posts entirely on the iPad Air over the last two months just because it was a delight to use the keyboard.

If there's just one accessory you pick up for the iPad Air, it should be the Magic Keyboard. But if you're reticent to plonk down $300 on a keyboard case, you'll find plenty of alternatives — our sister site iMore has rounded up the best iPad Air keyboard cases.

Apple Pencil

The iPad Air 2020 works with the second-gen Apple Pencil, and the stylus magnetically attaches to the side of the tablet. It charges wirelessly when it's attached to the tablet, so I didn't have to worry about charging the stylus on its own. My wife uses a 2018 iPad Pro with the first-gen Apple Pencil, and that particular stylus needs to be plugged into a Lightning port to charge.

Other than the hassle-free charging, the second-gen Apple Pencil has much better latency, and I used it more than I thought I would for taking notes and annotating documents.

Apple iPad Air 2020 Software

The biggest differentiator for the iPad is the software. As I stated in the introduction, Android tablets have languished over the last three years, while Apple solidified its dominance in this category.

The iPad Air runs iPadOS 14 out of the box. It comes with a ton of tablet-focused tweaks, including hand-written note recognition, dynamic widgets, tweaks to the sidebar design for stock apps, a new floating search window, and new privacy tools.

The feature I ended up using the most was Scribble. It basically lets you write with the Apple Pencil and translate any hand-written words into text. The feature works in any text field, and it was astonishingly good at converting everything from numbers, names, and addresses to typed text.

You can also scratch out words to erase them and circle them to select the text — and it all works effortlessly. There's Smart Selection as well, which lets you select handwritten words pretty much the same way as typed text. Scribble is one of those features that you have to use to understand just how good it is, and it does make a difference if you like using the Apple Pencil to take notes.

One of the main reasons I was looking forward to using an iPad was music production. iOS is a great platform for music production in general, and over the last five years, the iPad has turned into the go-to portable device for making music on the go.

I was able to pick up my favorite drum machines and synth instruments and get started relatively easily, and the hardware on offer makes all the difference here. Music production software is resource-intensive, but I didn't run into any issues with the iPad Air.

You'll find Photoshop and other image editing or video editing software on the iPad, as well as utilities for digital artists, like Procreate. Oh, and there's also the fact that an iPad is a great conduit for Google services.

The software ecosystem with iPadOS is in stark contrast to Android and gives the iPad an unassailable edge in the tablet category.

Apple iPad Air 2020 The competition

If you're looking for an Android tablet right now, you will have to pick up Samsung's Galaxy Tab S7. The tablet is now selling for $549, or $50 less than the iPad Air. The Tab S7 has a gorgeous design backed by an 11-inch 120Hz screen, Snapdragon 865+ chipset, and 128GB of storage for the base model. But where it falls short is the software ecosystem: you just don't find enough well-optimized apps on Android, and that's a letdown.

Of course, if you want a 120Hz panel on an iPad, there is the iPad Pro. It is available for $770, and you get quad speakers along with Face ID. The iPad Pro has 128GB of storage as standard — double that of the iPad Air — and is the obvious alternative if you need a 120Hz display.

Apple iPad Air 2020 Should you buy?

You should buy this if ...

You need a powerful tablet

The iPad Air 2020 is a performance beast. It is rocking a 5nm A14 Bionic chipset that blazes through everyday tasks and the most demanding of games, and you will not see any slowdowns whatsoever. The hardware on offer here will hold its own even after several years of use.

You want a vibrant screen

The main reason for buying a tablet is the large screen real estate. The iPad Air has a 10.9-inch LCD panel with vibrant colors and excellent contrast levels, and the panel itself is identical to what you'd find on the costlier iPad Pro. True Tone tech automatically adjusts the brightness and color levels based on ambient lighting conditions, and it makes a lot of difference — particularly at night.

You're looking for great software features

Unlike Android tablets, iPadOS is optimized for the tablet form factor, and you'll find thousands of apps tailored for iPads. From image and video editing to music production, console-quality games, social media apps, and so much more, iPadOS has all the apps you're looking for, and they all work great on the iPad Air.

You should not buy this if ...

You want a 120Hz panel

The only feature missing from the iPad Air is a 120Hz panel. The high refresh rate is limited to the iPad Pro, but you're not missing out on too much on the iPad Air. iPadOS is optimized incredibly well for the hardware, and in day-to-day use, it is fluid.

While I bought a half-dozen iPads for the family over the course of the last decade (they make for a great gift), I never actually used one myself. That changed with the iPad Air 2020; after using the tablet for nearly two months, I'm convinced that this is the best overall tablet you can buy today.

The iPad Air 2020 has the same design as the iPad Pro, and with the 5nm A14 Bionic under the hood, you're getting one of the strongest hardware packages around. The 10.9-inch screen is vibrant, and True Tone tech makes a huge difference in day-to-day usage.

Then there's Wi-Fi 6, 20W USB-C charging, exciting color options, and Touch ID makes its return. Combine that with the best tablet operating system around and the fact that you'll get five years of updates, and the iPad Air 2020 is an easy recommendation.

4.5 out of 5

Sure, the iPad Pro has a screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and two additional speakers, but it also costs $770 — nearly $200 more than the iPad Air. That doesn't make it an enticing value, and you can instead pick up the iPad Air and use the savings toward accessories.

Basically, the iPad Air is just as good as the iPad Pro, and it costs around $200 less. That makes it a standout value in 2020 and the best overall tablet you can buy right now.

This Cyber Monday has proven to be an absolute treat for anyone in the market to buy an iPad. Shortly after the iPad Mini saw its price cut by $100, we're now seeing the same thing for the 2019 variant of the iPad Air!

As part of Best Buy's 2-hour Apple flash sale, the iPad Air (2019) is now available with either a $70 or $100 discount depending on which storage configuration you buy. This means you can pick up the Air for as little as $430, which is a phenomenal price when you consider everything it brings to the table.

This deal is only good until 3:00 PM ET today, so be sure to act fast if you want to save!

This isn't the new iPad Air that Apple just launched this year, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth picking up anymore. In fact, it's now a stupidly good deal for anyone that's in the market for a powerful mobile workstation/entertainment device that comes in at a reasonable price.

At the heart of the iPad Air (2019) is the Apple A12 Bionic processor, which is a downright performance beast. No matter what apps/games you want to run on the Air, it'll be able to handle them with ease. The display is also quite impressive, with the iPad Air delivering a 10.5-inch Retina Display with a crisp 2224 x 1668 resolution.

The iPad Air on its own is a great machine, but if you want to really take full advantage of it, it's made even better with a couple of accessories. The excellent Apple Pencil works without a hitch, allowing for an unmatched drawing/sketching experience that's perfect for all the creatives out there. You can also use it with the Apple Smart Keyboard, effectively turning the iPad Air into a laptop replacement when you need it to be one.

Spending $430 will get you the iPad Air with 64GB storage and Wi-Fi connectivity. Alternatively, you can spend as much as $680 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular variant with 256GB. Whether you get one of those or something in between, this is a phenomenal deal that you do not want to miss.

Remember that this is only available at Best Buy until 3:00 PM ET, so be sure to get your order in ASAP!

When you think of tablets these days, what comes to mind? For the vast majority of people, it's the iPad. Some companies continue to make Android tablets and release them here and there, but nothing has managed to overthrow the iPad in all the years we've had tablets.

The biggest disadvantage to the iPad is that it doesn't go on sale all that often, but Cyber Monday is one of the few exceptions to that rule. Right now, the latest version of the iPad Mini can be yours at a $100 discount. That brings the final price down to just $300, and even if you're a die-hard Android user, you still owe it to yourself to check this one out.

As you'd expect given the "Mini" name, this is the smallest iPad that Apple currently sells. Measuring in with a 7.9-inch display, the iPad Mini is the perfect device for watching movies, playing games, and running your favorite apps without having something that's unwieldy to hold. It's larger than your phone, smaller than a lot of other tablets, and is just a joy in day-to-day use.

Despite its small size, the iPad Mini still manages to be plenty powerful. It has the Apple A12 Bionic processor for blazing-fast performance, lasts for up to 10 hours on a single charge, and features a Touch ID fingerprint sensor for keeping your most sensitive apps as secure as can be. Powering everything is the iPadOS operating system, which is like iOS cranked up to 11. Between tweaks to the core interface and a slew of tablet-optimized applications, the user experience you get with iPadOS is far and away better than anything we've ever seen from Android.

In addition to the iPad itself, it can be used with a couple of key accessories if you want to take your experience to the next level. Want to do a lot of creative work? The Apple Pencil is fully supported and allows for one of the best stylus experiences on the market. You can also get the iPad Mini Smart Cover, which keeps the tablet protected and easily props it up for hands-free use.

It's pretty rare that we see Apple gadgets go on sale, especially with a discount as good as this one. If you're at all interested in what the iPad Mini has to offer, $300 is a fantastic price to pay — and it's one of the few tablets we're happy to recommend you buy in 2020.

iPads are widely regarded as being the best tablets you can buy, and that idea holds true during Black Friday. Whether you want a device for productivity or for kicking back and relaxing, there's an iPad model that can fit the bill perfectly.

Apple isn't known for offering discounts on its products, but Black Friday is one of the few exceptions to that rule. If you're in the market for a new iPad, Black Friday is one of the best times of the year to buy.

From $379 at Amazon

Even here at Android Central, we're happy to acknowledge Apple's dominance in the mobile tech space. From the iPhone to the new M1 MacBooks, Apple is well-positioned as one of the most dominant tech brands on the planet.

If you've ever looked into buying an Apple product for yourself, you know that just about all of them come with steep price tags. As good as its gadgets may be, there's no denying that building up a collection of Apple gear can get very expensive very quickly. Thankfully, that changes a bit during Black Friday.

You'll find certain discounts if you know where to look, and in the case of iPads, there are a few different offers to check out. While Apple doesn't launch its gift card promotion until Friday, retailers like Amazon and Best Buy are already slashing prices on select models.

While we'll always make an argument in the favor of Android tablets, the fact remains that most people are better off with an iPad. They're generally easier to use, offer better performance, and support a much richer collection of high-quality applications.

Whether you're interested in a super-expensive iPad Pro or a lower-end model, getting an iPad during Black Friday is a smart move.

Plenty of iPads to choose from during Black Friday

Black Friday savings are already live for a few iPad models, all of which are highlighted below. Buying an iPad direct from Apple's website will give you the chance to get a gift card valued up to $150, but that promotion doesn't take effect until November 27. Until then, here are the best offers you can get!

Black Friday is your last chance to save big in 2020

It's not often that we see discounts of any kind on Apple gear, so if you're in the market for an iPad, this is a perfect opportunity to buy. Black Friday is also the last big shopping event of this year, meaning you better get your order in ASAP if you want the iPad to be a gift for you or someone else.

Good luck and happy shopping!

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

The Galaxy Tab S7, along with the pricier Tab S7+, is the best Android tablet money can buy. The included S Pen can sense thousands of levels of pressure, and Samsung's DeX interface allows you to enter a laptop mode or cast wirelessly to a display at the touch of a button.

Apple iPad Air (2020)

With a wide selection of apps, there's not much the iPad Air can't do. Its storage options aren't terribly impressive, and you'll need to buy the Apple Pencil separately, but iPad OS is more customizable than ever before, and the software support is unmatched.

Samsung and Apple are without a doubt the two biggest players in the premium tablet space. In fact, they're more or less the only premium tablet makers around. The Galaxy Tab S7 tops our list as the best Android tablet for consumers of all kinds, and the iPad has always stood strong as the baseline for all other tablets. Whether you have a preference for Android or iOS, or you just want the best tablet experience you can get regardless of the platform it runs, there's a lot to love about both devices.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 vs. Apple iPad Air (2020): The iPad isn't the only good option these days

Both tablets offer outstanding hardware with incredibly thin and lightweight metal designs. The iPad Air is nearly identical to this year's iPad Pro, and even features the newer, more powerful A14 Bionic processor. With this iPad Air, Apple reintroduced its Touch ID fingerprint sensor, integrated into the power button on the top of the tablet, which sits on the left when using the iPad in horizontal orientation.

The Galaxy Tab S7 looks similar in design to other Galaxy Tabs, though featured on the back is a prominent marking for magnetically attaching and charging the S Pen when not in use. Like the iPad, the Tab S7 features a capacitive fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button, along with slim bezels surrounding the display and USB-C charging. Both tablets are a comfortable size at roughly 11 inches, and feature best-in-class displays — though notably, only the Tab S7 has a 120Hz refresh rate.

The Tab S7 also doubles the iPad Air's storage, both baseline and upgraded, albeit at a slightly higher starting price. Both tablets support excellent keyboard accessories, though each goes about it in different ways. Samsung's keyboard for the Galaxy Tab S7 comes in two parts: a rear cover with a fully articulating kickstand and the keyboard itself. For the iPad Air, Apple offers the Magic Keyboard, which suspends the iPad above the keys, or the more traditional Smart Keyboard Folio.

With similarly excellent hardware, the biggest difference between these two tablets is the software they run on. The Galaxy Tab S7 runs on Android 10 with Samsung's One UI 2.5, with tight integration for both Google's and Samsung's various services. One of the things that makes Samsung's tablets special is support for DeX, allowing you to connect the Tab S7 to a display, along with a keyboard and mouse, and experience a full-fledged desktop interface — even wirelessly with supported TVs.

You can also launch DeX on the Tab S7 itself to enter into a laptop-like software interface, complete with windowed apps and desktop-class web browsing. This helps offset one of Android's inherent issues on tablets, a comparatively small library of apps optimized for the larger screen space. This is one of iPad OS's biggest advantages. Whether you need Photoshop, a video editor, or an audio workstation, the iPad Air has considerably more creation-focused apps available to it.

Of course, this doesn't mean that the Tab S7 is barren; there are plenty of apps to choose from for more general tasks, many of which take advantage of the S Pen, and you can even use Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to stream Xbox games remotely on the stunning display. But particularly if you're after content creation software, the iPad Air has more to offer.

If, however, your tablet app needs are met with the Play Store's selection, the Tab S7 is an incredibly compelling device with phenomenal hardware and more customizable software. DeX is an extremely powerful tool, and the S Pen is just as capable as the Apple Pencil. Both tablets are among the best options on the market, and you'll be well-served with either one — for the most part, you can simply buy based on your software preferences, rather than any huge shortcomings on either device.

Apple has shown the world the iPhone 12, and like the new iPad Pro it comes with a new feature: a LiDAR laser and scanner. While the tech can be used for a lot of things, Apple is using it for a couple of reasons, but mostly to bolster the Augmented Reality (AR) capabilities of iOS and as a way to help the iPhone 12 camera focus in low light.

Google is also no stranger to AR, and you might remember hearing about Tango — Google's method to build an AR powerhouse for mobile. Tango used special sensors to create a pretty good AR experience, but the project was shuttered once ARCore helped us get as much AR as we wanted with just regular cameras.

In turn, we've also seen Android phones that use a time of flight (ToF) sensor to improve focus under all lighting conditions. ToF is a generic term that measures how long it takes light to bounce back when projected and some math can turn that into an exact distance. Software developments and better machine learning capabilities have mostly done away with ToF sensors, too.

Apple has done the reverse and is bringing special sensing equipment back on the hardware side. Should Google do the same?

What is LiDAR?

LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging and is a way to create a three-dimensional map of whatever it's focused on.

A LiDAR system consists of a laser and receiver; the laser emits pulsed light, and the receiver measures the time it takes for the light to bounce back. It's not a new technology — your robot vacuum probably uses it, and NOAA has used it to recreate and model the surface of the earth for a while now, though Apple isn't doing things quite so grand.

On the 2020 iPad Pro, LiDAR is used to build an "image" of what the camera sees, so apps that have an AR component can use it to add animations and static images to the screen in exactly the right place.

Yeah, that looks cool. It's also something that could probably be done without using any special sensors, though Apple seems to think they are needed. It's tough to argue with the engineers who designed the new iPad, so I'll go with the idea that the LiDAR sensor makes things better.

Project Tango and ARCore

Google introduced Project Tango in 2014 as a side project from the ATAP team, and it was equally cool. It came to consumer devices from ASUS and Lenovo, and it worked as well as it did in the lab: a Tango device like the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro could map its surroundings and store the data so extras could be added by AR developers.

In 2017, Google shuttered Project Tango in favor of ARCore. Debuting on the Pixel 2, it was demoed with new stickers and animations in the Google camera app, but there are plenty of apps in Google Play that utilize ARCore.

Why Google did the reverse of Apple here — starting with extra hardware, then working on eliminating the need for it — is anyone's guess. Google might have found a way to cut costs yet was still good enough, or maybe the adoption wasn't strong enough to continue to build devices with expensive sensors. Either way, Tango is gone, ARCore is the replacement, and it works reasonably well.

Android phones have better cameras

You still will find extra sensors used in addition to the rest of the hardware in every phone, but most companies aren't doing any ToF calculations using a dedicated sensor for the reasons described above. Instead, advancements in on-device machine learning have made some of the best Android phones like Google's Pixel, Samsung's Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and Huawei's Mate 30 pro have cameras better than what Apple could offer.

Apple does everything very slowly and steadily. The idea to use LiDAR to improve Apple's AR platform or incorporate it into the camera isn't something the company dreamed up over tacos last week. After a lot of time and money, Apple decided that the inclusion of LiDAR could help turn the iPhone camera from "one of the best" to "one of the very best" and that's important to the company, as it should be.

Do the sensors need to come back to Android?

That's the million-dollar question, isn't it? Apple did AR using just the standard cameras for a while, and just because the new iPhone and iPad Pro have a LiDAR sensor package doesn't mean that AR on older models will stop working. Still, Apple must have a plan because the hardware isn't cheap, and adding it just to say "look at this!" isn't how things are done in the competitive world of mobile hardware. Apple must have a plan.

If you were to ask me what I think the future holds for a tablet with a LiDAR sensor package in it, I would instantly think about tieing it to location data. That's what LiDAR was originally designed to do and how NOAA uses it today.

AR is fun, but it's also useful. Google used Tango to build an indoor mapping system that gave audible cues to people with low vision so they knew where to safely step. With a precise location system, that map only needs to be "drawn" once, and then real-time checks need only look for changes that may have happened since the original. And those changes could then be changed on the "master" map.

Most people won't be using a tablet to navigate indoors, but the idea that the world can be built in the cloud using a LiDAR sensor could lead to some other applications. Imagine seeing someone capture a Pokémon on your screen while they're playing Pokemon Go on theirs. Or an application that that could act as a virtual tour guide on the display because it knows where you are and what to draw.

The Floor is Lava is looking like a cool game, but it could have been a cool game without LiDAR. And the iPhone cameras were really good before the addition of LiDAR, but adding it will make for better low-light photos. Apple could have done the same thing using machine learning just like Google or Huawei or Samsung did.

Google isn't likely to try and incorporate LiDAR into Android, and phone makers really can't do it without Google's help this time. Adding it could make Android better in some ways and open up some new tech for making our phones "aware" of where they are and what we're doing, but I just don't see a real need for it.

Google has always been about pushing Android phones forward through software and so far it's done a great job. I'm pretty sure it will stay that way and any new sensors will be a proof-of-concept much like the Pixel 4's Face Unlock was. It doesn't matter that Google would be willing to take the risk and might do it better because it's focusing on building newer ideas instead of reusing old ones.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

While Android tablets as a whole may be in a weird place, the Galaxy Tab S7 still manages to deliver a rock-solid user experience that's worth paying attention to. It has an excellent 120Hz display, ample performance, and an ultra-premium build. You also get the S Pen included for free, giving you an out-of-the-box way to draw and take handwritten notes.

Apple iPad Pro (2021)

Over the years, iPads have stood out as the thing to get if you want a tablet. The iPad Pro fires on all cylinders to make sure that never changes. We can talk about the unmatched processor, 120Hz display, and powerful cameras, but what's even more important is the iPad Pro's software. It's fast, simple, and has vastly better support for larger screens.

The Galaxy Tab S7 and iPad Pro are very similar — they both represent the best tablet you can get for their respective operating systems. Android still has plenty of quirks when used on a tablet, but the Tab S7 is an absolute joy to use if you can overlook those. It's fast, has a great display, and is a much better overall value. Apple's latest iPad Pro isn't a good fit if you have a tight budget. However, thanks to incredible technical specs and software that's truly optimized for the big screen, it still stands out as the better overall tablet (assuming you don't mind iOS).

Galaxy Tab S7 vs. iPad Pro: More in common than you might think

When comparing an Android tablet against an iPad, your first instinct might be to think that they're drastically different from one another. However, in the case of the Galaxy Tab S7 and iPad Pro, that's not necessarily the case. While the software on each one is certainly night and day, the tablets' hardware is very similar.

Right off the bat, we have the displays. Both the Galaxy Tab S7 and iPad Pro feature 11-inch LCD panels with a 120Hz refresh rate. The resolutions are slightly different, but this has more to do with the shapes of the screens than anything else. No matter which tablet you get, you'll be treated to an excellent display that looks and feels as good as you could ask for.

Performance is another area where both tablets shine. Apple's M1 chips are arguably more capable than the Snapdragon 865+ found in the Tab S7, but both chipsets are more than fast enough for any task you throw at them. Whether it be running multiple apps side-by-side or playing graphically intense games, either device has you covered.

Factor all of that together, with great battery life between both tablets, ample storage options, and decent cameras should you find yourself needing to take a quick photo or hop in a video call. It can get a little difficult to see what makes these tablets so different from one another.

Galaxy Tab S7 vs. iPad Pro: Samsung has a few unique tricks

Should you dig a little deeper, you'll start to notice a few key areas in which the Galaxy Tab S7 and iPad Pro do manage to forge their own path. Starting with Samsung's tablet, one key advantage is that it comes with the S Pen included at no extra cost. It's a fantastic accessory for note-taking or drawing, especially with the improved latency of just 9ms — the same you get with the Apple Pencil on iPad Pro.

The Apple Pencil delivers just as good of a stylus experience as the new S Pen does, but the fact that it costs another $129 makes it a pricey add-on to an already expensive tablet. The fact that Samsung doesn't charge anything for the S Pen while continuing to make it better is awesome and hard to pass up.

There's also Samsung DeX, a secondary interface you can use on the Tab S7 at any time. Just tap the DeX button, and the traditional Android UI is swapped out for something that looks a lot like Windows. It's not perfect and has a few bugs you'll need to put up with, but it allows for great multi-tasking and can be perfect for certain workflows.

Galaxy Tab S7 vs. iPad Pro: Why the iPad comes out ahead

Don't go thinking the iPad Pro doesn't have a unique leg to stand on. It may not have a bundled stylus or Samsung DeX, but what it does have going for it is a software platform that feels fully optimized for a tablet.

Even in 2020, when Android tablets have existed for a few years, the number of apps that adapt to larger tablet displays and use the extra space is embarrassingly small. Certain developers have taken the time to make sure their apps look and feel good on Android tablets, but this is not the case for most of them. By comparison, apps on iOS/iPadOS tend to be much better with larger screens. They more frequently use the added screen real-estate to their advantage, rather than just being a stretched-out version of a phone app.

This makes using an iPad on a day-to-day basis a lot more enjoyable than any Android tablet, and while that's not anything Samsung is in the wrong for, it's just a fact of where Android tablets stand these days.

On top of that, the iPad Pro also benefits from a thinner and lighter design, a more technically capable processor, longer software support, and a LiDAR sensor that allows for high-quality augmented reality experiences.

Galaxy Tab S7 vs. iPad Pro: A matter of price and software

For a lot of people reading this, you probably have a preference for Android or iOS. If you do, this comparison is settled. The Galaxy Tab S7 has its software flaws, but if you just can't stand the way Apple products operate, it'll still be the better fit for you. The iPad Pro is nowhere near as good of a value as the Tab S7, but if you hate Android, it'll be worth spending the extra money.

If you aren't set in your ways when it comes to these two platforms — or you like them equally — you have a bit more to think about.

The Galaxy Tab S7 is the best choice for people who want a flagship tablet experience without going broke and is one of the best Samsung tablets on the market. It has very similar hardware compared to the iPad Pro, comes with the S Pen in the box, and costs less money. It's a proposition that's hard to argue with. You could make the argument that the iPad Pro is just too dang expensive, but there really is something to be said about how far ahead iOS/iPadOS is compared to Android for this form factor.

So long as you understand your budget and where your priorities lie, it should be pretty easy to decide which tablet is right for you.

What's a computer? No, seriously, what is it?

The computer we know today is very different from just a few years ago, with big, bulky laptops being replaced by convertible tablets everywhere you look. In 2020, two of the most popular "computers" on the market are Chromebooks and iPads.

We're big advocates for Chromebooks around these parts, but as much as we love them, we'll be the first to say that Apple's iPad lineup does have some major benefits of its own. Today, we'll be pitting Chromebooks and iPads side-by-side to see the strengths and weaknesses of each camp.

Why a Chromebook is better than an iPad

First thing's first, let's talk about why using one of the best Chromebook options is a better choice than an iPad.

There are a lot of perks to Chromebooks you won't find with an iPad, some of the most prominent being as follows.

Chromebooks are more affordable

Unlike iOS, ChromeOS is an open-source operating system — meaning that a bunch of different companies can use it to create a wide variety of different Chromebooks at endless price options.

One good example of this is the Lenovo Chromebook C340. It costs a mere $260, but despite that ultra-low price tag, you're still getting a really compelling package. The C340 has excellent performance, a keyboard that feels great to type on, and has up to 64GB of storage — plus the ability to expand it with an SD card (something iPads still lack).

The base iPad isn't too expensive with a starting price of $329, but keep in mind you're getting half of the storage at 32GB. More importantly, if you want to get a keyboard to go along with it, you're going to need to spend even more cash for a wireless Bluetooth keyboard or the official Apple one.

As a general rule of thumb, Chromebooks offer considerably better value compared to the iPad. For many people, that'll be reason enough to go Team Chromebook.

They're available in laptop and tablet form factors

Most iPads, including the iPad Air, iPad Pro, and the baseline 7th-gen iPad, can connect with official Apple keyboard accessories that turn them into laptop-like form factors. However, at the end of the day, it's still a tablet with a keyboard accessory and not a true laptop.

That may not matter to some people, but if you plan on doing a lot of typing, having a proper laptop is probably the way to go.

Most Chromebooks offer the traditional laptop design, many of which are 2-in-1s. In other words, you can use it as a laptop when you need to type away at a long email, but when it's time to relax and play some games, the touchscreen can be folded all the way back, and the Chromebook essentially turns into a thick tablet in the blink of an eye.

Furthermore, if you're really set on getting a tablet, there are some dedicated tablets that run ChromeOS, like the Lenovo Chromebook Duet. Similar to the topic of pricing mentioned above, this is another area in which Chromebooks offer more flexibility when compared to what Apple offers.

You can use a mouse and touch for navigation

Piggybacking off that point, Chromebooks have another win in regards to how you can navigate one.

Since Chromebooks are available as laptops and tablets, you can choose to interact with them through either a trackpad/mouse or touch input with a touchscreen if it has one. Not only does this added flexibility allow you to use a Chromebook exactly how you want to, but using a mouse is often preferable and more productive for specific tasks, as are the robust keyboard shortcuts available for Chrome OS.

The iPad is, first and foremost, a 100% touchscreen experience. iOS 13 and 14 have added mouse support and expanded its usefulness on an iPad, but the fact remains that you're still interacting with an operating system that was built around touch and nothing more.

Software updates and security patches are installed automatically

ChromeOS comes with a lot of benefits, but one of our favorites has to be the way it handles software updates.

Unlike Windows laptops, MacBooks, or even an iPad, you don't have to download and install updates on a Chromebook manually. Instead, these are downloaded automatically in the background, and the next time you turn your Chromebook on, the update is installed during the boot process. Once you experience the magic that is a Chrome OS update after it's seamlessly downloaded and installed itself for you the next time you boot your computer up, you'll never want to go back to anything else.

Google also offers excellent after-market support for Chromebooks, with all of them coming with years of guaranteed updates so you can ensure you have access to the latest available features and patches for security vulnerabilities.

iPads do come with years of updates, but those updates are handled in a much more traditional fashion. Updates need to be downloaded and installed and depending on how big these are, can sometimes take a hot minute to finish up. While not as bad as Windows or macOS, updates on iOS are still something you're consciously aware of. On a Chromebook, you don't have to think about them at all.

Chromebooks are more rugged/durable

No matter if you're a self-proclaimed butterfingers or just want peace of mind that your machine will be able to withstand daily wear and tear, buying something durable is essential. Once again, this is an area where (most) Chromebooks have a serious advantage over Apple's iPad.

A lot of Chromebooks come with some degree of military-grade drop protection, water resistance, and spill-proof keyboards. A prime example of a wonderfully rugged Chromebook is the ASUS Chromebook Flip C214.

None of Apple's iPads advertise waterproofing, and while the regular iPad and iPad Air are relatively durable, the iPad Pro models quickly proved to be among the most fragile tablets on the market.

For anyone that's concerned with durability, an iPad likely isn't your best bet.

Why a Chromebook isn't better than an iPad

As you can see, there are a lot of advantages to buying a Chromebook over an iPad. Chromebooks are generally more affordable, durable, offer greater flexibility, and make software updates as easy as can be.

Those are all great things, but now it's time to play devil's advocate. As much as we love Chromebooks, there are some key areas in which the iPad takes the win.

Not all Chromebooks are made equal

As mentioned above, one of the benefits to the Chromebook world is that there are so many different options to choose from. There are Chromebooks for the low, mid, and high-end tiers, many of which are well worth your time and money.

However, not all of them are.

Trying to keep up with the Chromebook market can be challenging, especially if it's not something you regularly follow. Not all new Chromebooks being released have adequate performance, some have bad-looking displays, and if you aren't careful, you could end up buying a Chromebook that was released three years ago and nearing the end of its update/support life.

When it comes to the iPad, your buying decision is considerably easier.

There's the base iPad if you want to spend as little money as possible, the iPad Mini for people that want a small-screen iPad, the two iPad Pros that offer the best experience possible for the most money, and the iPad Air that acts as a middle-ground option.

It's impossible to buy a bad iPad, but the same can't be said for Chromebooks.

Android apps still have some issues

When Chromebooks first launched, you could only really use the Chrome browser, and that was it. Within the last few years, however, Google added the ability to download and install Android apps.

This expanded the functionality of Chromebooks quite a bit, allowing you to download and run apps like Microsoft Word, Netflix, and more. Most Android apps work reasonably well on Chromebooks and can be run either full-screen or as a small window, but it's not uncommon to come across an app here or there that isn't optimized all that well for use on a Chromebook.

On the iPad, you have access to an excellent library of apps that all look and feel great. There's far less wonkiness, and even on the lowest-end base iPad, apps still run with ease.

iOS 13 brought desktop browsing to the iPad

For years and years, one of the most notable downsides to the iPad was that it didn't offer desktop-class web browsing. Apple's Safari works well, but up until recently, you've been limited to only being able to access mobile versions of websites on the iPad.

With iOS 13, that finally changed.

Safari is still the default web browser on the iPad with iOS 13 and future versions, but it now operates as a desktop browser — just like it does on a Mac.

Websites are optimized correctly for touch and easy to navigate, but you now get the same experience you would on your regular computer and not a stripped-down mobile version. This is hugely beneficial and makes using the iPad for work/school infinitely better.

The Apple Pencil is unmatched

Some Chromebooks ship with an included stylus, but when compared to the workhorse that is the Apple Pencil, they just don't come close.

The level of precision and power you get out of the Apple Pencil is insane, making it one of the best stylus options out there for people that are serious about being creative while on the go — whether you're creating artwork from scratch or finely tuning in details in a photo editor.

There's virtually no lag when using the Apple Pencil. You can apply pressure to get thicker lines when drawing or tilt the Pencil to shade. There's also a far broader ecosystem of apps to use with the Apple Pencil as opposed to Android apps on Chromebooks that can take advantage of them.

No matter which current iPad you buy, it'll work with the Apple Pencil.

Some people are likely more comfortable with iOS

Lastly, there's something to be said about iOS as a whole.

Apple got a lot of flak for its "What's a computer" commercial in 2017, but if you think about it, it kind of makes sense. A lot of people out there — especially younger individuals — could have a close relationship with iOS and know how it works. Still, when it comes to desktop platforms like Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS, they can feel old and archaic.

The fact is that some folks have a different relationship with "computers" than others, and as such, an iPad just might make more sense for them than a standard laptop.

What do you think is best — Chromebook or iPad?

Now, we want to hear from you! We want to know if you think a Chromebook or an iPad is a better choice.

Whatever your opinion is, sound off in the comments below and let us know!

5 things parents need to know about buying their kid a Chromebook

Galaxy Tab S6

The Galaxy Tab S6 is the best Android tablet ever. It's thin, light, and has performance that's through the roof. Its biggest problem is an Android problem — application support.

iPad Pro 11-inch

The iPad Pro 11-inch is a great tablet with software support geared towards people who want it to replace a laptop. It's biggest drawbacks are hardware-based; it has no SD card support or a 128GB storage option.

All about that ecosystem

Choosing between the Tab S6 and iPad Pro 11-inch really comes down to one thing — do you value hardware or software the most?

Apple's ecosystem for the iPad is much better than what Google offers for tablets. Samsung does an excellent job of trying to fill in where needed, but the gap is quite noticeable, which is too bad because the Galaxy Tab S6 has a lot going for it when it comes to hardware-based features. I'm not talking about specs, which you'll find below, but things like DeX support or a removable storage option by way of SD card.

When you're thinking how any tablet might best fit your lifestyle you need to consider both hardware and software, and that makes things a little complicated here. In some places, Apple's hardware is better — the A12Z processor versus the Snapdragon 855, for example. In others, Samsung bests it with a better display and more memory.

The hardware features that we think are important in a tablet means favor goes towards the Tab S6. The128GB storage option is the best value, especially when paired with support for removable storage through an SD card. We love Samsung's quad speaker-based audio and prefer it over Apple's. Samsung's keyboard cover offers a trackpad along with a good set of keys. Other things you might not have even considered, like support for Samsung's desktop-like DeX, are pretty great, too.

We also have to mention that the Tab S6 comes with Samsung's great S Pen and the software that powers it. You can draw or write with precision or even use the S Pen with air gestures to take photos or swipe through screens. The Apple Pencil is great, too, but it's also an extra purchase while the S Pen is in the box along with your Tab S6.

However, great hardware is best when paired with great software, and that's where Android tablets have always fallen behind since a lot of apps aren't designed with tablets in mind. The Tab S6 is a lot better here than any previous Android tablet, but Apple is still far ahead. Samsung has taken a lot of time and effort to fill the holes Google has left when running Android on a tablet and its own applications look beautiful when running on the Tab S6's awesome screen. You'll still probably want to use more than the apps Samsung offers and a trip to the App Store will show you that apps designed for the iPad are everywhere. The same can't be said for Google Play.

Both hardware and software are important parts of any tablet purchase. While both the Tab S6 and iPad Pro 11-inch are a good mix of hardware and software, there is no denying they aren't equal on both fronts. If you value hardware features over tablet-optimized apps, the Tab S6 is going to be the better buy. If you want highly polished apps on your tablet and aren't worried about things like removable storage or desktop support through DeX, then you would probably like the iPad better.

It's OK to prefer one over the other, and you should buy the tablet that you'll enjoy using!

Apple debuted a flurry of new hardware this morning, and among all the shiny rose gold and beautiful screens, my jaw hit the floor looking not at the newest iPad Pros, but at the $300 Magic Keyboard that you can buy for them.

Three hundred dollars for just the keyboard. I sit here writing this on a $250 Lenovo Chromebook C330, which was the leader of our Best Chromebooks roundup most of last year because of its friendly-yet-durable look, steady performance and excellent price. On my desk sits a band new Acer Chromebook 715 that arrived yesterday for review, a 15-inch aluminum Chromebook with an eighth-gen Intel i3 processor and a $320 price tag at Walmart.

I suppose I shouldn't expect too much from a company that sold a single monitor stand for $1000, and four caster wheels for the Mac Pro that won't even lock in place for $400. Seriously, there has to be a limit to this ridiculousness, right?

But sure, I'm being the unreasonable one here saying that a Chromebook, accused of being a "fake laptop," can possibly compete with a iPad, let alone an iPad Pro. Yesterday, when I was unboxing the Acer 715, a coworker sarcastically commented "Oh, if only I didn't have a job that involved video and photo editing." Yes, if only.

Never mind that photo editing can be done everywhere, and that between Android apps and online editors, I've edited 95% of my article photos for the last two years on a Chromebook. Never mind that the only time I drag out full Photoshop on my borrowed Surface Pro 3 (thanks, Russell) is when I need to batch edit hundreds of photos in a short period of time, like during a phone launch. It's not powerful enough to run Premiere — never mind that Premiere sucks on any sub $700 Windows laptop and eats RAM and battery on a Mac like candy — so a Chromebook is just worthless, isn't it?

The iPad has a big, shiny Retina screen, and $300 Chromebooks don't. That I'll grant you. Do I wish that all 11.6-inch Chromebooks would upgrade to 1080p displays? Sure, but Reddit, Twitter and Google Docs don't care that my screen's resolution is 1366 x 768, and most days, neither do I. My touchscreen still scrolls through websites and taps through Microsoft Solitaire Collection like a champ, and my battery usually lasts dawn 'til dusk.

Unlike a delicate iPad, most Chromebooks are durable, dependable, and affordable, which is why they're trusted in schools more and more with each passing year. And unlike an iPad, where you'll need to buy a keyboard or be trapped using on-screen keys, Chromebooks come with a keyboard — unless you're Google, who I still haven't forgiven for selling the Pixel Slate without one — and these keyboards are designed to be easy to use for children and people who haven't used computers very often. The system-wide keyboard shortcuts are excellent and make split-screening and window management a breeze.

Even for casual activities like playing games in the cafe or watching Hulu in bed, you'll likely have a better experience on a Chromebook. iPads don't come with a built-in kickstand the way Microsoft Surface tablets do, and most Chromebooks are touchscreen 2-in-1s so you can just bend the keyboard back into a stand for touchscreen solitaire and binge-watching your childhood favorites on Disney+.

Perhaps most importantly, Chromebooks offer the most consistent long-term experience for a laptop under $500 and especially under $300. Even Macs slow down with time, and getting them serviced can be more expensive than a Chromebook, whereas most Chromebooks are designed to withstand years of abuse in classrooms and be easy for school IT departments to repair or replace parts.

So, please, skip the $300 Magic Keyboard. Buy a $300 Chromebook instead, and see what's possible without blowing $1000 on a 2-in-1 that needs hundreds of dollars more in accessories. I guarantee you, you'll be surprised how much you can get done.

Apple refreshed the iPad mini lineup early last year for the first time in a long while. Since then, the 5th-gen model hasn't seen too much in the way of discounts like its larger counterparts have. However, right now you can pick up the 64GB Wi-Fi Only model with a rare $49 discount at Amazon, marking its lowest ever price there. That brings its price down to just $349, though this deal is only valid on the Space Gray version of the tablet.

The deal given is no longer valid and we do not have a better one. However, we have found some similar deals

Apple iMac with Retina 4K Display (2020)

$899.99 $1299.00 Save $399 1623157769

Having now been replaced by the 24-inch M1 iMac, Apple's 21.5-inch iMac has been discontinued. That means big savings at third-party retailers including at Amazon where it's discounted by $399.

Best Buy Apple Sales Event

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This sale includes iPhone models, the Apple Watch, iMac and iPad devices, Beats headphones, Apple services, and more. The deals vary by product, so be sure to check them all out now.

Apple Pencil (2nd Generation)

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Change how you use your iPad with the Apple Pencil. This stylus lets you use your iPad as a notepad, a canvas, or a drawing board for all of your ideas. Today's deal saves you 20% instantly at Verizon.

Apple Mac Mini Apple M1 Chip 256GB SSD

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Updated in late 2020, the Mac Mini has Apple's M1 chip that combines CPU, GPU, and machine learning for faster performance, better graphics, and an all around streamlined device. This version has 8GB RAM and a 256GB solid state drive.

Apple Watch Series 6

From $329 1621244196

Apple Watch Series 6 models are available for some of their best prices ever right now. The lowest price is on the red 40mm version which is $70 off with 44mm and cellular models seeing discounts of up to $91.

The iPad mini was released this past March and retains the familiar 7.9-inch form factor from its 2015 predecessor but gains the A12 Bionic chip for a huge performance boost — three times the processing performance and nine times faster graphics, according to Apple. The display is 25% brighter, has True Tone and P3 wide color support, too. For the first time, the mini line has also gained support for Apple Pencil (or, if you want to save a bit more, you could go for the discounted Logitech Crayon. With cellular connectivity, you'll also be able to get online on the go without having to remain within Wi-Fi coverage.

iMore went hands-on with the new iPad mini so you can get an in-depth look at it before you buy it. The site also has roundups of the best cases and keyboards for your new device so you can put your savings to good use.

Shipping at Amazon is free on orders totaling $25 or more, though you could receive your order even faster with an Amazon Prime membership. If you've never been a member before, you can start a free 30-day trial of Prime to score free two-day shipping with no order minimum. You'll also gain access to perks such as the Prime Video streaming service, exclusive members-only discounts, and much more.

Have you listened to this week's Android Central Podcast?

Every week, the Android Central Podcast brings you the latest tech news, analysis and hot takes, with familiar co-hosts and special guests.

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An iPad makes for a great holiday gift (for yourself or a loved one), but you might not want to spend a bunch on an iPad Pro model or even the iPad Air. The top-end iPad models pack more power than most people need, and likely cost a lot more than most need to spend for their day-to-day computing.

That's precisely why the new 10.2-inch iPad is the perfect tablet for so many users. And right now it is up to $100 off at Best Buy, bringing starting prices down to just $249.99. It first hit this price over the Black Friday weekend before promptly selling out, but the deal has returned ahead of the holidays making now the exact right time to pick one up.

This latest model of Apple's iPad was just released a few months ago and isn equipped with a 10.2-inch Retina display, along with a powerful A10 Fusion chip and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor for added security. It's capable of lasting for up to 10 hours on a single charge so you can get nearly a full day's use out of it while it's not plugged in. On the back is an 8MP camera, while the front features a 1.2MP FaceTime HD camera for selfies and video chatting with friends. You can get it in the 32GB capacity for $249.99 or get 4x the storage for an additional $80.

You can learn all about this latest iteration of Apple's popular iPad tablet in our review in which we gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars and said "... for anyone not wanting to spend a dollar more on an iPad than they absolutely have to, or are buying in bulk for education or enterprise, this new iPad is absolutely the new, better best value in tech today."

Once you've placed your order at Best Buy, head to this guide of the best iPad 10.2-inch cases to pick out some protection and make sure your tablet is covered as soon as it arrives at your home.

The latest models of Apple's 10.5-inch iPad Air are currently $100 off at Amazon and Best Buy, bringing the starting price of the tablet down to just $399. This is the latest iPad Air model that features Apple's Smart Connector, Pencil support, and more. It's never been more affordable than this, even during Black Friday.

The deal given is no longer valid and we do not have a better one. However, we have found some similar deals

Apple iMac with Retina 4K Display (2020)

$899.99 $1299.00 Save $399 1623157769

Having now been replaced by the 24-inch M1 iMac, Apple's 21.5-inch iMac has been discontinued. That means big savings at third-party retailers including at Amazon where it's discounted by $399.

Best Buy Apple Sales Event

Prices Vary 1622214797

This sale includes iPhone models, the Apple Watch, iMac and iPad devices, Beats headphones, Apple services, and more. The deals vary by product, so be sure to check them all out now.

Apple Pencil (2nd Generation)

$103.99 $129.99 Save $26 1621604395

Change how you use your iPad with the Apple Pencil. This stylus lets you use your iPad as a notepad, a canvas, or a drawing board for all of your ideas. Today's deal saves you 20% instantly at Verizon.

Apple Mac Mini Apple M1 Chip 256GB SSD

$599.99 $699.00 Save $99 1621519150

Updated in late 2020, the Mac Mini has Apple's M1 chip that combines CPU, GPU, and machine learning for faster performance, better graphics, and an all around streamlined device. This version has 8GB RAM and a 256GB solid state drive.

Apple Watch Series 6

From $329 1621244196

Apple Watch Series 6 models are available for some of their best prices ever right now. The lowest price is on the red 40mm version which is $70 off with 44mm and cellular models seeing discounts of up to $91.

Released back in spring, the newest iPad Air's screen size jumps up to 10.5 inches with this year's update. It also gains the A12 Bionic system-on-a-chip for a 70% boost in performance and twice the graphics capability of its 9.7-inch predecessor. The display also supports Apple's True Tone technology for color accuracy in all ambient light settings. Like the previous-gen 10.5-inch iPad Pro, the new iPad Air makes use of the Smart Connector on the edge of the device to support the Smart Keyboard and also maintains compatibility with the first-gen Apple Pencil.

Now's the perfect time to grab the iPad Air as iPadOS is set to release in just a couple of months, offering a more optimized operating system for iPad models that will unlock new features, a new look for your home screen, and more. You can learn more about the latest iPad Air in our review from a couple of months ago where it scored a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Android tablets haven't really taken off, so much so that there really isn't that much of a tablet market these days. It's just an iPad market. Even the biggest Android fans can benefit from picking up one of Apple's tablets. While the quality of Apple's tablets is indisputable, the price has been one source of valid criticism which is exactly why you should take your chance to grab the entry-level iPad on sale. It has today fallen to a new all-time low price at Amazon at $229.99. That's almost $100 off — even lower than it was yesterday on Black Friday.

The latest iPad has a 10.2-inch Retina display with a 2243 x 1668 pixel resolution. The screen size for the base iPad jumped up in size when it was updated this year without making the overall package any bigger. That means you can more easily multitask on a larger display without lugging a huge device around with you each day.

The device is equipped with Apple's A10 Fusion chip and Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Even though both of those technologies have been replaced in newer iPad Pro devices, they are still stellar technologies that are done so well by Apple and keeping them allows the most affordable iPad to exist. You'll also get an 8MP 1080p camera on the back and a 1.2MP 720p camera on the front. The iPad, of course, has exceptional battery life with up to 10 hours of mixed usage which is more than you'll get from recent Android tabs.

Check out the review of Apple's newest tablet from our pals over at iMore. They gave it 4.5 stars out of 5 and praised its larger display, Smart Keyboard support, and value for money. Unless you're willing to spend way more on a top-tier Android tablet, you're not going to get the level of experience this iPad will give you. We don't know how long this discount will last, but odds are it won't be here after this weekend so you really ought to pull the trigger now.

Amazon Fire HD 10 (2019)

The Fire HD 10 gets high marks for its low price, high-definition screen, storage expandability, and multi-user support. With hands-free Alexa, it can serve as a great home automation hub. It also happens to be one of the most durable tablets around.

Apple iPad Mini (2019)

Apple refreshed the iPad Mini in 2019 after several years of stagnation, and the result was a return to greatness. It has the same high power, high-efficiency A12 Bionic chip as the iPad Air (2019) and iPhone XS, and now adds an improved operating system in iPadOS. Oh yeah, and it has Apple Pencil support too.

I recently compared the Fire HD 10 (2019) to the newest iPad (2019), and while the latest from Apple narrowly edged out Amazon's tablet in that showdown, will the same hold true here? Let's take a look at how these two devices compare before making the call.

Spec showdown

While the sizes, prices, and form factors are not identical, I thought it was worth comparing these tablets because they will likely appeal to similar audiences: families or those who want a good tablet consumption device that doesn't break the bank. Here's how they stack up against each other on paper.

Mighty mini

Prior to this version, the iPad Mini last saw a major update in 2015, which led many to think that it might not be long for this world in an era of ultra-high-end iPad Pros and the updated "regular" entry-level iPad. Many Mini fans were pleasantly surprised then when Apple introduced this 2019 version, keeping the beloved form factor while massively upgrading its internals and abilities.

The iPad Mini (2019) has the same A12 Bionic processor found on the iPad Air (2019) and iPhone XS and XS Max (2018), so it is more than capable of running just about anything you throw at it. It now runs iPadOS, Apple's tablet-focused fork of its popular iOS operating system, which allows for enhanced multitasking, multi-windows, and other cool features like Sidecar (which turns an iPad into a second screen for your Mac), home screen widgets, and new text editing and productivity features.

The hardware may look the same on the outside, but Apple improved the front camera, video recording capabilities, processor, and also added support for the Apple Pencil. If you wanted to, you could turn this into a pretty useful little note-taking and productivity machine.

It's not all roses though. Some may consider the huge bezels and fingerprint scanner to be of a bygone design era (even though I still love it). While Apple Pencil support is great, this size doesn't lend itself well to Bluetooth keyboard usage and it feels super cramped as a result. It's also annoying that Apple still doesn't support multiple users in iOS/iPadOS, particularly since the Mac has had this feature for years (and education market iPads can support this feature).

The biggest drawback of all though, at least when compared to the Fire HD 10, is the Mini's price. It starts at $400 at most retailers, which is nearly three times as much as the Fire HD 10. That is a lot of dough to swallow for many (mini?) people.

Family fire fun

The Fire HD 10 is Amazon's top-of-the-line tablet device. It features a full HD screen with 1080p resolution, stereo speakers, front and rear-facing cameras, and expandable storage. It's extremely affordable at full retail price, but it often goes on sale and/or is packaged in bundles with other Amazon or third-party devices.

This tablet isn't all about the affordable hardware though, as you get some nice software features baked-in as well. Hands-free Alexa utility, a convenient smart home portal to control your Ring and Blink devices, and accessibility features like Show and Tell Mode are included with this tablet.

I've said it before, but this device is fabulous for families who want a solid entertainment device that can be shared between multiple people. Amazon's Fire OS allows for multi-user login support, so each person's content and device settings can be preserved. Plus, the company's kid-friendly content management system and parental controls (FreeTime Unlimited) are second to none. With up to 12 hours of battery life and expandable storage up to 512GB, everyone can have a chance to watch their favorite movies or shows on that long family road trip.

Just remember that you get what you pay for here: a lower-quality screen, less powerful processor, smaller app ecosystem, and practically nonexistent resale value. Even though it runs a version of Android, if you want Google apps and services you'll have to sideload them yourself. The Fire HD 10 is not a competitor to any iPad in performance or productivity, but that's not the point. Its purpose is to serve as a low-cost, low-barrier entry into Amazon's content and retail ecosystem, and for that, it does its job amazingly well.

This tablet takes it

It is really hard to pick a clear-cut winner between these devices, and there are many factors to consider when making your own decision. How much do you want to pay for a device? Are you going to be sharing it with friends/family? Is it primarily for content consumption, or do you plan to be creative and productive with it?

Even though it was a tough decision, I give the edge here to the Amazon Fire HD 10. You may be planning to share it in your household thanks to its multi-user/account support, but you could buy almost three of them for the price of one iPad Mini. Its larger screen does have a lower resolution at 224 ppi vs 326 ppi on the iPad Mini, but because it's full-HD you'll still have a great experience watching videos and playing games. Expect both of these devices to be put on sale over the coming holiday season!

Apple iPad 10.2 (2019)

Apple's iPads have long been the industry standard for tablets, and this version is another example of the product line's quality. This latest entry-level iPad now has magic keyboard and iPadOS support.

Amazon Fire HD 10 (2019)

The Fire HD 10 is Amazon's best device to showcase their extensive content ecosystem. It is durable, has a full-HD screen and decent audio, and it is insanely affordable.

All tablets are the same, right? Heck, the white iPad 10.2 and Fire HD 10 even sort of look the same. So they must be pretty similar, right? Not really, no. That's not to say that one is bad and the other is perfect... it's a little bit more nuanced than that when you look at these devices. I'll explain more below, and you can see if you agree with my conclusions.

Break it down now...

These 10-inch tablets can do a lot of the same things, but there are plenty of areas where their capabilities differ. Let's take a look at how they compare spec-wise before we dive into their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Ecosystem advantages

Let's face it, when you think of tablets, you probably picture an iPad. It has almost reached the Kleenex/Xerox/Velcro level of a genericized trademark or proprietary eponym. This is so not only because Apple sells more iPads than any other tablet manufacturer, but because... well... there just AREN'T that many tablets out there to compete with it (at least, not many good ones).

Apple's tablet lineup is more diverse and complete than ever, from the newly-updated iPad Mini to the super-premium iPads Pro. Sitting toward the bottom end of that spectrum is the iPad 10.2, otherwise known as the best deal in tech today. At $329, this iPad is already in the "affordable" gadget range, and many vendors discount it even further.

The iPad 10.2 has some really impressive specs for an entry-level device, including an 8 MP camera capable of filming in 1080p, a biometric fingerprint reader for secure logins and purchases, two really good speakers, and the option to have a cellular data plan. You also get Apple's new iPadOS which allows for homescreen widgets and multi-window productivity (up to four windows if you count slide-over and picture-in-picture windows). Apple typically maintains software support for anywhere from 4-6 years for its devices, and all of this is powered by Apple's custom A10 Fusion chip for really smooth performance.

Another advantage for the iPad 10.2 over the Fire HD 10 is Apple's extensive ecosystem. Not only does it have a massive advantage in the number, kind, and quality of available apps, but there are way more vendors that produce accessories like cases, keyboards, and other accoutrements. If you prefer first-party accessories, this iPad now supports Apple's Smart Keyboard as well as the Apple Pencil (1st Gen). All-in-all a pretty great device.

There are some areas where the iPad loses points, however. For one, it doesn't really support multiple users (unless you're a school), so if you want to lend the device to a friend or family member, they're going to have access to ALL OF YOUR STUFF. Not great, especially for a premium product (heck, even Macs have had feature this forever). Plus, it's also almost $200 more than the Fire HD 10. While we've outlined why the iPad is a superior device, that's a lot of cash to fork over for most people who just want a tablet to play games on, surf the interwebs, look at Facebook, or watch Netflix.

Family value(s)

While the iPad 10.2 is on the low-end of Apple devices, the Fire HD 10 is the top dog in Amazon's tablet lineup. Refreshed in late 2019, it comes equipped with a full HD 1080p display, hands-free Alexa support, and a microSD slot for memory expansion. You can get it in four different colors, including new Plum and my favorite, Twilight Blue.

Where Amazon's tablet really shines though is in its family-friendliness. It starts almost $200 cheaper than the iPad 10.2, and is arguably just as good a content consumption device (particularly if what you want to consume is Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Amazon Prime, etc). Amazon's FreeTime parental controls and kid-friendly content ecosystem are first-rate, and with its multi-user support, you can truly share this tablet the family. Each person can create their own login with content and apps specific to their tastes, which if you think about it really helps spread the cost per user down ever further.

Despite all of these benefits, there is a reason we didn't pick the Fire HD 10 as our winner in this tablet shootout. Well, two reasons really. The iPad just outguns the Fire in terms of software and software support, and in the area of accessories. With iPadOS you can actually use the iPad 10.2 as a productivity device if you want, and the iPad's internals (memory and processor) are capable of handling intensive tasks for years. Additionally, the iPad 10.2 comes with a connector for Apple's Smart Keyboard and is compatible with the Apple Pencil (1st Gen), as well as a wide ecosystem of third-party accessories. The Fire HD 10 is a great value for families, but it can't compete in performance.

The verdict

Apple's tablet may be almost $200 more, and the accessories even more on top of that, but even this entry-level iPad is SO much more capable than this top-of-the-line Fire tablet. iPad OS is evolving into a legitimate operating system for getting things done, and the device is still a great content consumption computer. With Apple's immense ecosystem of iOS apps, and new services like Apple Arcade available on the iPad, it is the easy choice for me. Plus, sites like Amazon and stores like Target, Best Buy, B&H, and Walmart all regularly offer substantial discounts on this model, so chances are you will be able to pick up the iPad 10.2 for $20-$50 off or more in the coming months.

What you need to know

• Google has reportedly stopped its plans for making tablets.
• It's now focusing only on laptops.
• Two smaller versions of the Pixel Slate were in the works.

Since Google ushered in its "Made by Google" brand in 2016 for the company's big focus on hardware, we've seen one laptop and one tablet released — the Pixelbook and Pixel Slate. A few months ahead of when we're expecting Google to unveil its latest batch of hardware for 2019, a report's come out saying that Google has officially scrapped all of its plans to create tablets and is instead putting that effort toward just laptops.

Before we go any further, there are a couple of things to clarify:

1. None of Google's other hardware ventures are being canceled. The company's phones, smart home gadgets, etc. are all fine. Tablets are the only thing getting the ax.
2. Google's future laptops will still likely have touchscreens and 2-in-1 designs — just not fully detachable ones as we saw with the Pixel Slate.

This news comes from Computer World, according to which this was confirmed to them directly by a Google spokesperson.

As a result of this news, Google's apparently canceled two tablets that were in development. It's said that they were smaller than last year's Pixel Slate, but that's likely all we'll ever know about them. As for the laptop side of things:

Google will continue to keep the Pixel Slate updated through June 2024 as initially planned, but as far as we can tell, that'll be the last tablet we see from Google for a while.

Interestingly enough, this isn't the first time a report like this has come out. Back in March, it was reported that Google had taken employees that were working on laptop and tablet devices and moved them to new departments.

The Pixelbook is still widely regarded as one of the best Chromebooks you can buy, so it's exciting to hear that we should soon get a successor to it. The Pixel Slate, on the other hand, was met with mostly mixed reviews from critics and consumers alike. Google already stopped selling two versions of the Pixel Slate, so it'll be interesting to see if any other versions meet that same fate in light of this news.

Google Pixel Slate review: Pro tablet, mediocre laptop

Google Pixel Slate

The Pixel Slate is the best Chrome tablet you can buy, but Chrome isn't perfect on any touch-only device just yet.

iPad Pro 12.9

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is one of Apple's best products and the company touts it as a laptop replacement. But it's still running mobile software which can hamper the "Pro" experience.

Apple and Google are the biggest names in tech and have a healthy rivalry. That means each tries to outdo the other, and the result is fantastic products like the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and Pixel Slate. But as great as these two products are, each has its own set of flaws and a hefty price tag. Knowing which is better for you before you buy is important.

Tablets that can be laptops

Apple and Google have each built what they consider to be the ultimate portable device with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and Pixel Slate. As the cherry on top, you can also connect each to a keyboard and have the laptop experience you always wanted — as long as you're OK with a less than perfect keyboarding experience, that is. Both companies also offer a digital active stylus to pair with their flagship tablets for the times you need to draw or annotate anything on the screen.

Of course, a premium product from either company means a premium price tag. You can buy into the Pixel Slate for $599, but we wouldn't recommend it and instead consider the $799 or $999 models the bets when it comes to feature versus value. The iPad Pro starts at $999 for the 12.9-inch model, and you could spend up to $1,900 for the top of the line version. But we think the $999 base version is the one to buy based on features versus price. That's what we're comparing here — the $999 version of each. And when it comes to the specs of each model, that $999 buys a lot more when it comes to the Pixel Slate.

Both products are extremely well made. You'll find ergonomic curves everywhere and the center of mass is in the actual center of each device to make them easier to hold; these are big tablets. If you strip off all the logos, you'll see that they resemble each other in the way they are built and the final design. That's because both are designed well and made to be useful in your hands.

When it comes to the software, though, things couldn't be more different. The iPad is a powerful and beautiful device that runs iOS — Apple's mobile operating system and the same as you'll find on the iPhone. That's both good and bad. It's clear that people love iOS and find it meets their needs for almost everything, but it can be a hindrance if you have a need for desktop software; the iPad version of Photoshop is great, but if you need to use Photoshop every day it's not going to cut the mustard.

The Pixel Slate has a similar problem. It runs Google's Chrome OS, the same software that's on millions and millions of Chromebooks. It's a good piece of software that's designed to be simple to use, secure while online, and easy to manage. It also uses Android applications to round out its software catalog, which are built for mobile devices. To satisfy the needs of "power users" Google lets you install the desktop version of almost any Linux application. That's not at all user-friendly and most aren't going to work without a keyboard and mouse.

On paper, the Pixel Slate is the clear winner in the specs department. It has a powerful Intel processor, double the memory and storage, and a more dense display. Your eyes may appreciate the slightly better display and there is no doubt that having more storage is always better, but specs never tell the whole story and this is a classic example.

Apple's A12X Bionic chip is extremely powerful and designed specifically for iOS devices. Tight control over the software and the hardware means that applications will run as smooth or smoother on the iPad as they will on the Pixel Slate's beefier hardware. Apple's iPhone and iPad are known for smooth performance while the devices are current, and the iPad Pro 12.9 is no exception. You won't miss not having a "desktop" processor in the iPad at all.

That's what you really need to take away from this comparison — the iPad Pro will run every app you can install on it incredibly well. The Pixel Slate is one of the first Chrome tablets, and Chrome isn't fully baked when it comes to the touch interface. Android apps are notorious for not being great on any tablet and that becomes obvious once you use it. The one exception is the web browser. Chrome OS has the same Chrome browser you find on every desktop, but it runs so much better than it does on Windows or MacOS because the platform was built around it. If you're buying a tablet and the primary use is to browse the web — and that includes Facebook or Twitter — the Pixel Slate is hands-down the better experience.

For everything else, you need to decide if iOS has the apps that suit your needs. If you're already entrenched into the Apple ecosystem or can stay within the bounds of the App Store, the iPad Pro 12.9 is the best tablet experience possible. Both devices have excellent Pen/Pencil support and the first-party keyboards are both great for typing but suffer for not being sturdy enough to use on your lap. The big difference isn't the hardware, it's the software and the iPad Pro wins in that department for most people.

It should be abundantly clear by now that Android tablets are never going to catch on. Instead, it looks more and more like Google is positioning Chrome OS with Android apps to fill that space. Chromebooks have been tremendously successful in the quest to replace the traditional computer over the last couple of years, especially in school settings. At the same time, Apple's iPads are the only reason the tablet market continues to exist today. Lots of people own iPads, and many claim these tablets are just fine as a replacement for a computer.

To get a feel for what Chrome OS and iOS offer people who want an alternative to their computer, I spent a week using nothing but a 10.5-inch iPad Pro with a keyboard cover and an Acer Chromebook R13 Convertible. While I didn't find either of them to be a computer replacement for me, in many ways both Google and Apple are damn close.

Hardware

While Chromebooks come in a lot of different options, from a lot of different companies, including soon a keyboard-free tablet form factor, these machines are by and large an inexpensive PC. Google offers the premium Pixelbook for those eager to shell out that much money, but most of the time what you are buying is a fairly standard laptop or convertible with a unique operating system on board.

This Acer model is an excellent lower-end Chromebook with a fair look at what you can expect from most Chromebooks, by which I mean it's an OK laptop with an okay-ish experience. The body has tons of ports, so I can attach a flash drive or a printer or a microSD card if I want. The display, speakers, and camera are ok but not exceptional in any way. The keyboard is nice for a laptop keyboard, but the trackpad is pretty gross compared to just about everything. The convertible hinge makes flipping between laptop and tablet super easy, and the design is just bulky enough to convince me it will survive a drop or two without any serious damage.

Where this machine really stands out is the battery. Rated for 48Wh, this battery gets me through two full work days before it needs to be charged. And since it charges via USB-C, I can charge it with the same cable and battery and wall plug I use with my phone.

Apple's iPad Pro comes in two sizes, and choosing between the two has everything to do with how you intend to use it. I did not need the 12-inch version, but the smaller 10.5-inch iPad Pro travels with me quite well. It's super thin and ridiculously light, with a beautiful display and surprisingly loud speakers. The only port is the Lightning port on the bottom, and the headphone jack is at the top, but there are adapters for connecting flash drives if you need one.

To type on this, I need to attach the $160 Smart Keyboard or try to use the virtual keyboard. Imagine the stuff on the outside of a regular iPad cover over a set of small keys, and you've got some idea of how this feels. The individual keys are decently spaced apart, making typing even on the smaller keyboard surprisingly comfortable. The wedge design lets you comfortably use the iPad like a laptop on your lap, but it removes the ability to control the angle the screen sits. There are other cases which offer a little more flexibility, but they're not nearly as lovely as this keyboard.

Battery life on the iPad Pro 10.5 is enough to get me through a work day, but not usually enough to get me through much more than that. Apple claims the 30.4Wh battery in this model will get you up to 10 hours of use, but when you've got more than one app running on this machine that battery drains quite a bit faster. The good news is you can charge these iPads fairly quickly with a USB-C to Lightning cable and a Rapid Charging adapter. Unfortunately, Apple doesn't include either in the box with the iPad Pro 10.5, and the included charger isn't particularly fast.

Software

Apps rule the world these days, but there's a lot of discussion around how much "work" you can do in an app-only ecosystem. Many of the apps Chromebooks and iPads have access to were designed with Android phones or iPhone in mind, and not built to support a workflow where you're using the app for hours on end to get a big project done, right? These days this is less true than you might think, but there are still some usability issues with both platforms.

Chromebooks started out by giving you Chrome as the only interface, and nothing else. This works for several groups of people, since so much if done in the browser these days anyway. Recent builds of Chrome have way more features, including offline mode for people who aren't connected to WiFi and access to a vast majority of Android apps available in the Google Play Store. This means I can use the mobile version of Adobe Lightroom, which gives me the ability to edit RAW photos and syncs everything back to my desktop. While it's not exactly as capable of the Desktop Lightroom, it's way better than most alternatives. Having access to a full desktop browser is something you don't get on mobile devices, no matter what platform you use. When you add Android apps to this, you get a healthy mix of usability options.

For example, instead of letting Slack and Trello live in browser tabs on Chrome OS, I can give them their own windows and let them run as Android apps. These windows snap in place quickly so I can switch between them with a tap or a click, and everything I see on the screen is running in the foreground. I can control how big each window is on the screen, offering up quite a bit of flexibility in setting up my experience. I can get crazy and have 10 apps open on my desktop, or keep it simple and focus on getting work done.

Unfortunately, a lot of this experience disappears when you turn the Chromebook into a tablet. When the keyboard goes away, Chrome OS turns all of the Android apps into full-screen apps, which means I now have a big clumsy 13-inch Android tablet that also has Chrome. This is not ideal, and something Google is working to fix in the next couple of Chrome OS updates. Updates, by the way, are one of best things about Chrome OS. They are constantly rolling out, install with the greatest of ease, and every Chromebook gets the update as soon as it is available.

It's common to dismiss iPad as just big iPhones, but when you attach that Smart Keyboard and dig into apps, you get quite a few features that don't exist on the phone yet. Apple has implemented split window support on iPads so that you can run two apps in side-by-side windows. When these apps are stuck to one another, they stay stuck even when you leave the apps to run something else. You can come back to those apps days later, and they will both be there just as you left them. In some cases, apps that are stuck side-by-side like this have file sharing features to make it easy to send things from one app to another.

You can also combine split window with picture-in-picture, which means I can have a video playing in the corner while I'm photo editing and keeping up with my co-workers in our group chat. Suddenly the app-driven experience that was once limited to a single app on the screen at a time is now running three apps simultaneously with adjustable app sizes for each. On a 10-inch screen, that's a lot to have running all at once and easily dismisses any feelings that this experience isn't a "real" computer while using it.

But it's not perfect. For starters, very few apps support all of these features. The Apple apps will, of course, but deviating from that frequently causes problems. Splitting the screen with another app required a lot of trial and error, as well as having the app in my dock for convenient switching. Not every video app supports picture-in-picture either, which causes other problems. It's not a universal experience, and that means you have to work to find the apps which support the workflow you want to create.

Summing it all up

I reject the "real work" argument against Chromebooks and iPads, but there's a lot of improvements needed to make these experiences feel polished. If Google is planning to go all in with Chromebooks as tablets, the software needs to be a lot more flexible in that tablet mode. Before I reach for an iPad to take with me as my only computer, I need a way to know what apps are optimized for my workflow before figuring out the hard way. The irony of my conclusion isn't lost on me; iPads make great tablets which sort of make OK computers in a pinch, where Chromebooks make great laptops which sort of make ok tablets in a pinch.

But if I were to choose between the two experiences right now, I'd go Chromebook without hesitation. Having access to a full desktop browser is a huge deal, and the things you can do in that browser on a Chromebook simply can't be done on an iPad. Being able to create my own filenames shouldn't be something that requires a hacky workaround, but Apple has no native solution for this seemingly obvious thing. Safari on the iPad still opens many websites in mobile view by default, and when the answer to that problem is "just use the app" there needs to be a guarantee that app isn't also offering a mediocre experience.

Take a look at the best Chromebooks you can buy today!