While the tablet market hasn’t risen much in recent years – partly due to Apple’s clear dominance – there are several Android options available. Is Android your ecosystem? Do you trust Google apps? We select the best Android tablets on the market .
The best overall Android tablet
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus
Why should you buy it? If you want a tablet that you can work on, play on, and run Android, this is the best out there.
For whom it is? This is a tablet that business professionals will be proud to take out of their briefcase, thanks to a design that exudes premium quality.
The tablet is a success in terms of design. It looks (and IS) absolutely gorgeous, plus it comes equipped with an expansive 12.4-inch 120Hz AMOLED panel with a 1752 x 2800 resolution. That display has sharp contrast and color reproduction, is covered in Gorilla Glass 5 and offers excellent viewing angles. The tablet also has a fingerprint sensor on the right side for when it’s in landscape. The Armor Aluminum trim is strong, with a totally premium look and feel.
Inside we find a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, 128 GB of onboard storage and 8 GB of RAM. It comes with an S Pen, a great device that’s easy to hold and write with thanks to its minimal latency. The combination of high power and the S Pen means this tablet lets you type, video chat and get things done with ease. The front-facing camera is a 12-megapixel 120-degree ultra-wide lens that looks great during video meetings, with a wide field of view that captures much of the background.
The tablet is powered by a 10,090 mAh battery that can be charged at 45 watts. The duration is very good, with 20-25% remaining in the tank even after a full day of work.
The best multimedia Android tablet
Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab
Why should you buy it? The Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab offers a great movie and music experience, and is also so versatile that it can also serve as a display-enabled smart home hub as well as a multimedia tablet.
For whom it is? Anyone looking for a smart home media device.
The Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab feels ultra-refined thanks to its fine craftsmanship, backed by its iron gray aluminum frame, finished in a sleek soft-touch color. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 processor, and dual JBL Hi-Fi speakers give an intelligent power amplifier boost, further optimized by Dolby Atmos for a superlative audio experience. It weighs 1.28 pounds (581 grams) and the 10.1-inch Full HD IPS screen provides a sharp, vibrant visual view from any angle. The tablet also reduces harmful blue light that causes eye strain, making it safe and comfortable to use.
In addition to its display and audio qualities, you can use this tablet to turn up the thermostat or make a hotel reservation, all thanks to the Google Assistant functionality. With Google Assistant ambient mode, the tablet doubles as a display-enabled smart home hub. The 360-degree far-field speech recognition feature picks up your voice even from across the room.
The best budget Android tablet
Amazon Fire HD 10
Why should you buy it? The Amazon Fire HD 10 has a nice big screen, with enough processing power for most, and it works great within Amazon’s ecosystem.
For whom it is? Anyone who just wants a big screen for basic video streaming and social media.
The Amazon Fire HD 10 is the most affordable tablet on our list. It has a fabulous screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels at 224 ppi that’s even brighter than our previous favourite, the 2019 version. It has stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos compatibility, making it ideal for watching movies.
The new version of the Fire HD 10 upgrades the device to 3GB of RAM with a 4-core processor that offers a new split-screen feature for Fire OS that features two compatible apps for multitasking. Other specs include a 2MP front camera and a 5MP rear camera with 720p HD video recording. The Fire HD 10 also features dual-band Wi-Fi to connect to either 2.5Hz or 5Hz Wi-Fi bands for faster download speeds.
You can buy the Fire HD 10 with 32GB or 64GB of storage, but it also supports microSD cards. It should last 12 hours on a single charge. This tablet runs Amazon’s Fire OS—an Android-based operating system—so any future software and security updates, guaranteed for four years after the date of purchase, will come from Amazon. Alexa is built in for hands-free voice commands, but since it’s not a traditional Android tablet, it doesn’t have the Google Play Store. Instead, you have to download the apps directly from the Amazon App Store.
The best mid-range Android tablet
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8
Why should you buy it? This tablet offers high-end processing with a modern design at a moderate price.
For whom it is? If the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus is too expensive, you might be tempted by the Galaxy Tab A8. It’s light and thin, offers excellent battery life, and has a beautiful, high-resolution display.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 offers more than enough to enjoy tablet work and play. The Unisoc Tiger T618 can handle the most demanding tasks in the mid-range, no problem. The 10.5-inch TFT display is clear and sharp, and it’s light and thin so it won’t weigh you down. While the 32GB storage is a bit limited, the 64GB model is perfect, although there’s room for a microSD card too, should you need some extra space.
The best small screen Android tablet
Amazon Fire HD 8
Why should you buy it? The Amazon Fire HD 8 offers the same features as the Fire HD 10, but in a smaller, more portable package.
For whom it is? Anyone who wants the cheapest Android tablet around that’s also portable enough to take on the go.
The Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020) is an update to the 2018 model and doesn’t bring much new to the table. It has a USB-C port and a faster processor, but the real advantage of this is that it is ultra cheap and offers a small and portable design.
The screen has a resolution of 1,280 x 800 pixels, and while it’s not the sharpest out there, it’s definitely good enough for watching movies. The Fire HD 8 is also available in a range of different colors, and you’ll have Dolby Atmos speakers all around you that provide decent audio quality.
Unsurprisingly, the tablet integrates deeply with Amazon services like Amazon Prime Music and Prime Video. Alexa also works quite well on the device.
Battery life is also impressive. You’ll get up to 12 hours of mixed use, which can include reading, gaming, and streaming. Fire HD 8’s Fire OS software, a customized version of Android isn’t for everyone.
But, people immersed in Amazon’s ecosystem will appreciate the For You interface , a recommendation engine that puts videos, apps, games, and movies from the retailer’s library on your home screen.
You won’t find a perfect tablet under $100, but the Fire HD 8 is a solid package. Sure, the screen isn’t as sharp or vibrant as we’d like, and the hardware struggles under heavy loads, but there’s no better tablet at this price.
The best Android tablet for kids
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition
Why should you buy it? The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition has built-in parental controls, plus it comes with a ton of great kid-friendly content.
For whom it is? Anyone who wants a solid tablet for their kids that lets them keep track of what they’re doing on the device.
The 2020 Fire HD 8 also exists in a Kids Edition, and it’s probably the best tablet for those who want something to entertain and educate their children. Unsurprisingly, it features a solid selection of parental controls.
It has an 8-inch display with a resolution of 1,280 x 800 pixels and offers bright, vivid colors, along with 32GB of internal storage. That’s perfect for storing books, games, and other media. There is also a MicroSD card.
Fire OS is the operating system inside and it’s a customized version of Android which, in this case, allows you to set educational goals and restrict access to content that isn’t appropriate. It also has a Parent Dashboard that offers information about what your kids are doing on their tablets.
There are some sweet treats in the tablet. You’ll get a free year of Amazon’s FreeTime Unlimited, which is a library of over 15,000 kids’ games, apps, books and videos that let you safely keep kids entertained without worrying about what they’re watching.
Every purchase is backed by Amazon’s two-year replacement policy and no questions asked, if your Fire HD 8 breaks, Amazon will replace it. Simply put, there’s no better tablet at this price for young children who still need parental supervision.
If you want something bigger than the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition, there’s also a 10-inch version that has a bigger screen, more processing power, and a USB-C charging port, but costs $200.
