The best tablets are more than just mid-points between large smartphones and convertible laptops: they're versatile, affordable, and portable, even though most of us never take them far from our couch. 

Every tablet makes a great device for browsing the web, video streaming, and playing games on a larger screen to see all the fine details. The best tablet needs to offer more, including productivity tools for getting work done, and special hardware for detailed drawing and pen work. 

Our list of the best tablets includes the best iPads, known for incredible performance but high price tags, and the best Android tablets, known for great productivity tools and unique hardware options (you can use the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 in the bathtub, for instance).

We've only included tablets that we've put through our full review process, so you can be sure that we know which tablet has the best battery life, and which is the best for getting work done.

• Apple iPad Pro 11-inch and iPad Pro 13-inch (2024) are official
• A new iPad Air 13-inch has also been announced
• Apple M4 processor debuts on iPad Pro, which is now more expensive

Update: June 2024. Apple announced new iPad models in May 2024, using an incredibly powerful new iPad Pro (2024) family to debut the Apple M4 chipset. Thanks to its double-OLED screen, incredibly thin build and unrivaled power, the 13-inch model now occupies a spot on the below list, though if you're looking for a cheaper iPad, then the iPad Air (2024) is worth considering, too.

The 10.9 Apple iPad remains the best tablet overall, despite not having been updated in a while. It has plenty of power, is great value, outperforms many Android rivals and opens up the wonders of the App Store. 

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The newest iPad Pro backs up Apple's claim that the iPad is the next computer. With an M4 chipset on board, this tablet boasts a TV-grade OLED display and as much power as a MacBook Pro. It's not cheap, but the 13-inch iPad Pro is the best tablet money can buy.

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OnePlus' first tablet delivers in the same way as its first phones did, taking on and beating more expensive rivals. It offers great performance and a fantastic screen at an amazing low price. If you want Android, it's the best choice for most people. 

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The Galaxy Tab S9 Plus offers the best performance of any Android tablet, with a huge, OLED display, a fantastic water-resistant design, and even an (included) S Pen. At 12.4in, it's large but still manageable and is a great multitasker for work.

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You can find a tablet cheaper than this, but Apple's iPad 10.2 from 2021 is a great deal right now and offers much better value than the really cheap Android tablets. Plus, it will get new iPadOS updates for a few more years.

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You might scoff at the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus because it seems underpowered, with a processor straight out of last year's bargain phones. But what it lacks in power it makes up for with some of the best battery life we've seen on a tablet. 

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The Samsung Galaxy S9 Ultra is one of the largest tablets you can buy, and that makes it perfect for drawing and creation. The included S Pen uses Wacom's EMR tech and has thousands of levels of pressure sensitivity, tilt awareness, and more. 

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If you need to work on your tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 does the best job at helping you multi-task and get things done. Samsung's interface is made for manipulating multiple apps, and if you have a Galaxy phone or Galaxy Book laptop, it works even better.

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The iPad mini wins the award for best compact tablet by default: there simply aren't many good compact tablets around. It's also more powerful than the regular base iPad, and though we're hoping for a high-power update soon, it remains a fine choice.

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We've tested every tablet included here extensively, so you know you can trust our recommendations and know that each entry has earned a place on this list.

Our expert review:

The iPad 10.9 (2022) is a capable tablet available for an affordable price, and if you have an iPhone or Mac computer as well, the iPad should be your first stop for a new tablet. It works well at everything it can do, and it packs enough power to last for years. 

The latest iPad 10.9 has lingered without an update for more than a year, but it was already a big step up when Apple upgraded its base model tablet to bring it closer to the iPad Air. Apple dropped the home button and gave this iPad a much bigger display, and there are only a few slight differences setting this iPad apart from its thinner, more expensive Air cousin. 

For the price, we're guessing most people don't need the more powerful Apple M1 chip in the iPad Air, so the iPad 10.9 (2022) is our pick for the best iPad for most people. It has USB-C, no need to worry about the old Lightning connector. You can also get a 5G network connection for just a bit more. It even comes in some amazing colors, including pink and a bright yellow. 

Read the full iPad 10.9 (2022) review

Our expert review:

The iPad Pro 13 (2024) is unquestionably the biggest and baddest tablet money can buy in 2024. At 13 inches, it's the largest iPad ever, but it's also the most advanced, offering tandem OLED technology on an Apple XDR-branded display. 

The newest iPad Pro comes equipped with an Apple M4 chip, too, meaning it's just as powerful as the very best MacBooks. This particular model boasts 20% better thermal performance than the previous iPad Pro, while also offering four times the rendering performance. So, if you thought the iPad Pro 12.9 (2022) was powerful, you'll be blown away by the iPad Pro 13 (2024).

For creative types, Apple's new iPad Pro supports the impressive Apple Pencil Pro stylus, not to mention the redesigned Magic Keyboard. When it comes to cameras, you'll get 12MP rear snapper, though you'll need to turn to your phone (or proper camera) for any ultra-wide and telephoto shots. 

Naturally, you'll have to pay handsomely for the privilege of owning this particular tablet, and if you just want to video chat with friends and watch movies, then it's serious overkill. However, if you're in the market for the best of the best, look no further than the iPad Pro 13 (2024).

Read our full iPad Pro 13 (2024) review

Our expert review:

OnePlus's first tablet was impressive with some of the perks we expect from OnePlus phones. It integrates with both OnePlus and Oppo phones, ships with Android 13, has a sharp and bright LCD display with a 144Hz refresh rate, a large battery with 67W super-fast charging, and very loud speakers. Certainly, the iPad can seem better at being a tablet due to its large variety of tablet-optimised apps, but OnePlus just about matches it in day-to-day use. 

To be fair, we found it was held back by the performance that wasn't quite as speedy as what you could get on the best phones. It uses a MediaTek Dimensity 9000, a chip that's a step down from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that most of the top Android phones – the OnePlus 11 included – are equipped with. This meant that for some heavy tasks like using Adobe Lightroom, there was enough lag that it would be annoying. On the other hand, if you're using it mostly for entertainment, you would be fine. 

Due to the weak Android tablet market, the OnePlus also didn't offer separate storage offerings. It did however come with a lovely green shade that we praised in our review.

The OnePlus Pad's few flaws are covered by its $479 price. Samsung's Galaxy Tab S tablets and Google's Pixel Tablet are the only real competition for Android fans, and they cost more.

Read our full OnePlus Pad review

With the Galaxy Tab S9 series, Samsung has taken its tablets to a new level of quality and durability, and the Galaxy Tab S9 Plus has the best combination of size, power, and price to be our pick for the best premium Android tablet you can buy. With a superfast Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (same as the Galaxy S23 Ultra), a sleek design, and tons of multitasking features, you can't find a more capable Android tablet. 

While you get more screen real estate with the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, you don't get more performance or features, and its larger 14.6-inch size is amazing for artists (making it our best drawing tablet), but it may be a too large and unwieldy for some folks, so we think the Galaxy Tab S9 Plus is the better pick for a premium Android tablet. It's just as fast, and it's smaller screen is a bit more sharp than the larger Ultra display. 

At 12.4-inches, the Galaxy Tab S9 Plus is just a bit slimmer and more portable than the iPad Pro 12.9 (2022), but Apple's newer iPad Pro 13 (2024) is thinner still. The Galaxy Tab S9 Plus does come with an S Pen in the box, mind, unlike Apple's iPad, which doesn't include a stylus. However, Apple's iPad Pro models are faster than the Tab S9 Plus, and Apple's Magic Keyboard accessory is much nicer than any keyboard cover that Samsung offers, if you're looking for a real laptop replacement. 

That said, Samsung's Galaxy Tab S9 Plus costs hundreds less than Apple's iPad Pro 13 (2024), and it gives you many more software features, including great multitasking if you like to keep multiple windows open, and a real DeX desktop environment to connect your Tab S9 Plus to a second display, mouse and keyboard, for a truly productive experience. 

Read our hands-on Galaxy Tab S9 Plus review

Our expert review:

The iPad 10.2 (2021) is not the cheapest tablet you can buy, but it might be the cheapest tablet you SHOULD buy, since it's such a powerful tablet and a great entryway into Apple's walled garden. You can find cheaper tablets from Samsung, Amazon, and other brands, but Apple's iPad 10.2 gives you the experience of a premium tablet, for the cheapest possible price.