Best Tablet 2026: iPads & Android Tablets Reviewed & Ranked

Don’t get us wrong, this is easily the best Apple tablet to buy right now, but it’s not an essential upgrade for anyone already using the last two generations of iPad Air. Anyone in need of a tablet for work should seriously consider the MagicPad 4 as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset provides great everyday performance that’s largely on par with the Snapdragon 8 Elite CPU. Even though the Honor MagicPad 3 was a great tablet and a solid alternative to the OnePlus Pad 3, the removal of an OLED screen felt odd, but the company has reinstated the more eye-catching panel in its successor. Our round-up of the best budget tablets is the article for you, but we do have some affordable options here. No matter what you’re looking for in a tablet, there’ll be something to suit you, which is where this article comes in. The latest chipsets have no issues with multitasking and operating fairly intensive apps such as video editors.

• We have a guide on parental controls and screen time limits for Apple, Google, and Microsoft accounts.
• If you want the absolute best tablet money can buy, it’s probably the latest iPad Pro.
• With a 14.6-inch 2.9K AMOLED display, the Tab S11 Ultra feels a lot more like a dedicated laptop than a tablet, and that sentiment only doubles down when you bring a keyboard into the mix.
• What’s arguably even more impressive is that, in spite of all the multitasking that the OnePlus Pad 3 is able to achieve, the battery life never falls short as a result.
• Google, on the other hand, has had a spotty relationship with tablets—it came out the gate strong and then all-but abandoned development for bigger screens until very recently.
• In our tests, the tablet could zip between demanding apps like it was nothing, and if you’re the type of user who wants a tablet that works equally well for productivity and entertainment, then you’ll feel right at home with what Samsung has put together.
• In that time, we’ve seen the industry burgeon to the point where, for the most determined, tablets can be the ultimate all-in-one work and entertainment device.

Thankfully, you don’t have to worry about making a mistake as our team of experts have gone ahead and done all the testing for you. You can fast-charge with the USB-C ports and use the USB-A port on another device. Best of all, it doesn’t wiggle around as much as the Lamicall above when you tap the screen.
The overall software experience can be more refined if you’re ready to spend a little extra at the checkout. At just £169, the Pad 2 is almost half the price of the entry-level iPad, but it has a few features that you won’t find on Apple’s cheapest tablet. Things can get expensive when you factor in accessories, which is why Xiaomi tablets tend to be better value overall.

• Even the build quality manages to outshine the Pad 2’s price tag, with a sleek aluminium frame that’s not just comfortable to hold, it’s also lightweight for carrying around in a bag, clocking in at a reasonable 510g.
• For productivity, performance, battery life and accessories like a keyboard case are probably top of your list.
• You can fast-charge with the USB-C ports and use the USB-A port on another device.
• The stylus and keyboard are great (I love the handwriting and formula recognition), but they don’t seem to be available in the UK.
• Android just isn’t as well optimised for tablets as what you’ll find on iPadOS.
• What helps to keep things feeling smooth is the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which can handle everything from on-device gaming to AI processing with ease.
• There’s also Wi-Fi 7 connectivity thrown in, so the Pad 8 Pro can be a great productivity tablet for those who need it to be.

iPad Pro (M

All of the prices that you see in our deal widgets are up to date, having been sourced in real time from all major retailers across the web. For the first time in a long while, Asus is returning to the tablet market with the Asus Pad, which was announced during Computex 2026. If you’re tempted by the OnePlus Pad 3 but would rather have a slightly smaller form factor instead then you may want to hold on until we know more about the OnePlus Pad 4. Ultimately, the iPad mini is only suitable for people who want a small tablet with a lot of power.
It’s much more affordable, yet delivers all the fundamentals within a slick, premium device. We’ll often have cheaper models in this round-up, but we also have a dedicated list of the best budget tablets if you’re on a budget. Devices can go beyond the $1,000/£1,000 mark if you buy a premium device in a high-spec model. As such, you won’t find any Google services or apps on them natively, so bear this in mind. But as you’ll find out in most of our Windows tablet reviews, this is rarely a case of getting the best of both worlds. There just aren’t as many finger-friendly tablet-optimised apps as you’d find on your phone or an iPad.
If you’re happy to plough ahead then rest assured that there isn’t really another Android tablet out there right now that can match Samsung’s flagship. The MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ chipset which can be found within this tablet is nothing short of a total powerhouse. Within the Android space at least, Samsung’s latest top-tier tablet is hosting a party of one as it absolutely trumps all other tablets in terms of specs and raw power, not to mention in price as well. When combined with the Magic Keyboard and/or Apple Pencil (both sold separately), it’s a brilliant tablet for creatives. You also get Apple’s M5 chip, which delivers better performance than the vast majority of laptops. If you want the absolute best tablet money can buy, it’s probably the latest iPad Pro.
Whether you want them purely for entertainment or a bit of productivity when you don’t fancy reaching for your laptop, tablets are a great device to have on hand, but with so many options to choose from, it can be tricky to know which ones are even worth buying. In our tests, the tablet could zip between demanding apps like it was nothing, and if you’re the type of user who wants a tablet that works equally well for productivity and entertainment, then you’ll feel right at home with what Samsung has put together. For both entertainment and productivity, the MagicPad 4’s display offers everything you could want, but the fact that this improved screen tech now comes in a slimmer device that’s only 4.8mm thin needs to be seen to be believed. And with a large screen, booming speakers and great performance, it’s something many devices excel at.

Apple iPad ( – Best Value iPad

They’re hard not to like—they perform exceptionally well, have multi-day battery life, promise long software support, and the displays are vibrant, smooth, and sharp. My test unit ran Android 15 at the time, but this tablet supposedly shipped with Android 14 at launch, meaning it will not receive Android version upgrades after Android 16. The included stylus helps, especially for smaller touch targets in apps like Lightroom.

iPad Pro (M

If you don’t fancy picking up the brand’s most recent tech then now is a great time to grab the previous-gen iPad Air M3 as it’s available for a lot less if you shop around. Unlike most Apple devices, the iPad mini doesn’t include Face ID, persisting with Touch ID built into the power button. This just makes the tablet great for those who are constantly on the go but want to get work done on a device that’s slimmer and more portable than a laptop. For when it’s time to log off from work, all that power easily translates into terrific performance with demanding 3D games, and the 144Hz refresh rate is ideal for fast-paced titles like Call of Duty Mobile. With a starting RRP of £1199/$1199, the Tab S11 Ultra is anything but affordable, so it’s worth having a think about whether or not you’ll truly make use of all of its features to justify the expense. The new A16 chip also means that you’re getting a decent processing bump over the previous entry-level iPad, although it’s far from the lightning-fast speeds that you’ll find on M-series iPads.

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For productivity, performance, battery life and accessories like a keyboard case are probably top of your list. For entertainment, you’ll likely want to prioritise a large, colourful screen and good speakers. Alternatively, if you’re a student or a professional who is considering a tablet (either as a companion to their laptop or a complete replacement for it), there are still great options available, but they’ll typically come with a higher price tag.

iPad Air (2025, M

There is a trade-off to be had with fairly slow charging speeds and no shortage of bloatware when you first power it up, but it’s an understandable compromise given all that you get here for the money. Even the build quality manages to outshine the Pad 2’s price tag, with a sleek aluminium frame that’s not just comfortable to hold, it’s also lightweight for carrying around in a bag, clocking in at a reasonable 510g. Although that’s not horrendous for a tablet of this price, it does mean that you will likely have to consider upgrading again just a few years down the line, so you’ll have to weigh up the value proposition before deciding whether the Pad 8 is right for you. The older display tech makes the tablet less suited for entertainment compared to other options. It’s exactly why the iPad Air is the best option for most Apple enthusiasts, as it’s more conducive for productivity than the entry-level iPad (A16), but it costs nowhere near as much as the iPad Pro.

Performance is crucial when it comes to productivity, which is why it’s worth investing a bit more (ideally £500/$500 or more) in a tablet that comes with a higher-end processor, ideally one that can handle multitasking without breaking a sweat. Tablets that sit below the £300/$300 mark have lots of crucial features such as bright displays and long-lasting battery life. If you’re going with the latter, then you have plenty of options available to you, and at a more affordable price point as well. There’s still a lot we don’t know here, but given how great ChromeOS is for light productivity, having a version of that in tablet form could be a big win for students and professionals. At the beginning of March, Apple launched 2026 updates for a range of new devices, including the iPad Air (though a new base iPad is still on the way, it seems).
I used this large tablet on a trip to London for entertainment and to edit my RAW photos from my Nikon via Adobe Lightroom, and it did the job without a hitch. They offer MacBook-level performance thanks to the M4 chipset, and you can take advantage of the new multitasking features in iPadOS 26. There are two size options—11 or 13 inches—and both are insanely thin and light, enhanced by brilliantly bright OLED displays with 120-Hz refresh rates. Recent changes in iPadOS 26 allow you to window apps and resize them, with traffic light controls and a menu bar; it feels closer to a desktop experience than ever. Some Android tablet manufacturers offer desktop modes that aim to simulate a laptop experience, like Samsung’s DeX mode. Google, on the other hand, has had a spotty relationship with tablets—it came out the gate strong and then all-but abandoned development for bigger screens until very recently.
What’s arguably even more impressive is that, in spite of all the multitasking that the OnePlus Pad 3 is able to achieve, the battery life never falls short as a result. What helps to keep things feeling smooth is the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which can handle everything from on-device gaming to AI processing with ease. There’s no IP rating either, so make https://www.gt-bet.online/ sure you don’t spill your coffee when working away on the Pad 8 Pro. In fact, the Workstation mode lets you window and resize apps much like you would on a traditional desktop, so multitasking is a breeze. There’s also Wi-Fi 7 connectivity thrown in, so the Pad 8 Pro can be a great productivity tablet for those who need it to be. What’s outrageous is that in spite of its £529 starting price, it packs the massively powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, the same one that powered most of last year’s flagship phones and continues to be a workhorse even now.