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Title: The best tablets for 2025

Date: Fri, 30 May 2025 09:00:36 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-...

Picking the best tablet means more than just choosing a screen size or a
particular brand ΓÇö itΓÇÖs about finding the right balance of power,
portability and features that match your lifestyle. Whether youΓÇÖre looking
for a casual couch companion for web browsing or a powerful laptop
replacement for work and creativity, thereΓÇÖs a great tablet out there for
everyone.

From premium models with stunning OLED displays or Liquid Retina displays, to
more affordable picks that still offer plenty of versatility, today's best
tablets are more capable than ever. Devices like the Apple iPad Air now come
with USB-C ports and a variety of storage options, while Android and Windows
models offer different operating system experiences to suit your personal
preference. Whether you want a compact tablet for travel or a larger screen
for productivity and streaming, weΓÇÖve rounded up the top performers to help
you find the right fit.

Table of contents

Best tablets for 2025

Important things to consider before buying a tablet

How we test tablets

Other tablets we tested

Tablet FAQs

Tablet accessories

Best tablets for 2025

Important things to consider before buying a tablet

Before you start looking at specific devices, the number one thing you should
do is figure out what you plan to use your new tablet for. ThatΓÇÖs because
if all you need is something to keep a kid busy, buying a brand new Apple
iPad Air or iPad Pro doesnΓÇÖt make a ton of sense. On the flip side, if you
want to use a tablet for video editing or drawing, youΓÇÖll need to take
things like performance, versatility and stylus support more seriously ΓÇö
especially if you're considering using it as a laptop replacement.

YouΓÇÖll also want to think about stuff like how often you plan on traveling
with the device and if itΓÇÖs more for productivity, or for less demanding
stuff like web browsing or streaming shows. ThereΓÇÖs also an important trade-
off to consider when it comes to battery life as well. Larger devices tend to
have longer runtimes, though an increase in size may make it less portable.

How we test tablets

When evaluating different tablets, there are a few important things we look
for above all else: solid performance, a good screen and long battery life.
For performance, we run a handful of synthetic tests like Geekbench 6, while
also performing a number of hands-on, real-world use cases such as editing
photos and playing games. And with tablets often serving as hybrid devices,
we also consider how easy it is to multitask and switch quickly between
various apps. The more responsive a device feels, the better.

Because a tabletΓÇÖs display is such a critical component, we also view a
wide range of content to gauge things like brightness, color gamut and
dynamic range. ItΓÇÖs important to take into account the difference between
various panel types like OLED, which typically produce richer colors and
excellent contrast but may not be as bright as a mini LED display. Recently,
refresh rate has become an increasingly important spec as 90Hz and 120Hz
screens can make scrolling smoother and graphics appear sharper in games.

We also consider a tabletΓÇÖs design (including things like size, weight and
water resistance), its connectivity (WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, 5G, et cetera) and
special features like stylus support or the ability to serve as a secondary
display. ThatΓÇÖs because, while tablets were often viewed as content
consumption devices in the past, higher-end devices like the Surface Pro and
iPad Pro are more than capable of replacing a laptop for a lot of people.

Finally, we test battery life by running our standard local video rundown
test, which involves playing a single video on a loop from 100 percent until
it runs out of juice. Ideally, a tablet should be able to last an entire
working day, but longer runtimes are always welcome ΓÇö especially for users
relying on them for productivity, entertainment and storage options on the
go.

Other tablets we tested Apple iPad mini

Apple updated the iPad mini for 2024 with some under-the-hood changes
including a new processor and additional RAM to help support Apple
Intelligence features. While the iPad mini is one of the best iPads you can
buy, its small size makes it a bit niche. Only if you prefer your tablet be
the size of an ereader should you consider this one.

Google Pixel Tablet

The Google Pixel Tablet excels as a smart display rather than a simple
tablet. As the latter, it's unexciting, but when paired with its
speaker/charging dock, it becomes much more useful. It could be a good option
for those that already live within the Google ecosystem and use the Google
Assistant often, or those who like the idea of a tablet that can be docked
and used as a smart display as well.

OnePlus Pad

The solid OnePlus Pad is let down by Android because there aren't many
Android apps designed to be used on a large display like this model's 11.6-
inch panel. Otherwise, the hardware is well-designed, its companion stylus is
comfortable to use and it has an excellent battery life.

Tablet FAQs What is the best brand for tablets?

The best brand for tablets is really the brand you feel most comfortable
with. We recommend taking stock of the gadgets you already have ΓÇö do you
live in the Apple ecosystem already? An iPad might be best for you then. Do
you have a Samsung phone? If so, a Galaxy Tab will likely be the most
convenient choice. There is no one "best brand" for tablets; youΓÇÖll find
good options made by companies including Apple, Google, Samsung, Microsoft
and Amazon.

Can a tablet replace a laptop?

ItΓÇÖs possible for a tablet to replace a laptop, but youΓÇÖll need a few
accessories to truly make the experience as close as possible to that of a
traditional notebook. A keyboard is a must, be it a keyboard case or a
Bluetooth accessory that you keep with you. Some keyboard cases, like
appleΓÇÖs Magic Keyboard for the iPad, have a built-in trackpad, which will
be more ergonomic than tapping on your tabletΓÇÖs screen for input.
Additionally, you could go one step further and use a wireless mouse that
connects via Bluetooth to your tablet. If youΓÇÖre primarily looking for a
tablet to replace your laptop, consider buying a 2-in-1 laptop since those
systems typically consist of high-powered tablets that are designed to work
well with (and without) keyboards.

What size screen do I need?

Figuring out the best screen size for you will also be related to the kind of
work (or play) you intend to do. Larger screens make it much easier to view
two apps side by side, and big screens also deliver a more immersive movie
viewing experience ΓÇö especially when paired with an OLED display or Liquid
Retina display. But at the same time, the larger the tablet, the less likely
youΓÇÖre going to want to move it around. That means youΓÇÖre not only going
to want to take stock of your workspace (i.e., if you have a desk or instead
plan to work from a couch or even your bed), but youΓÇÖre also going to want
to think about how the device will fit into your everyday routine or commute
(if you have one).

Tablet accessories

Finally, youΓÇÖll want to consider any add-ons or accessories youΓÇÖre
planning to use, which can range from detachable keyboards to things like
external mics or a stylus. The good news is that many of the best tablets
nowadays offer some kind of keyboard accessory, which allows the device to
function more like a 2-in-1 instead of simply being a content consumption
device. Some tablets also feature things like microSD card slots that support
expandable storage, or optional 4G or 5G connectivity, which can be a real
boon to frequent travelers. And if youΓÇÖre planning to use the tablet mainly
for work, you might want to grab a USB hub for connecting all your favorite
peripherals so your devices donΓÇÖt have to fight for the charger.

Recent updates

May 2025: Updated to ensure our top picks and buying advice remain accurate.

March 2025: Updated to include the latest base iPad in our top picks,

February 2025: Updated to include clarification around our top picks and new
buying advice.

October 2024: We updated this list to include information on the new iPad
mini 7.

June 2024: We updated our top picks to include the Microsoft Surface Pro
Copilot+ edition.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-...

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