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Best Android Tablet 2024: Our top choices, rated and reviewed
In This Article
If you’re in the market for a tablet but want to explore options beyond iPad or Windows-powered Surface devices, your attention will likely turn to tablets running Android. However, with a wide array of choices available, determining the best tablet to suit your needs can be quite challenging.
Renowned manufacturers such as Samsung, Amazon, Xiaomi, Nokia, Google, and Asus have released tablets in all shapes and sizes over the years.
And while the choice is great, it’s also a two-edged sword, with the sheer variety making it very difficult to pick the right tablet for your specific needs. Do you need a powerful tablet like the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra or will an entry-level Amazon Fire HD 8 do? What about display size? And do you need features like fast charging?
That’s all quite confusing, but the expert Trusted Reviews team is here to help you pick the right tablet. We’ve created this guide detailing the best-performing Android tablets that we’ve personally tested and are available to buy in 2024.
Throughout our comprehensive review process, we thoroughly assess crucial aspects such as screen quality, performance, battery life, and durability, especially in terms of child usage. Rest assured, our buying advice is based on trustworthy evaluations.
We’ve also made sure to include options for all the common uses of a tablet. In this list, you’ll find everything from giant screen tablets for power users and creatives, to affordable options for students and young kids, and even niche options like the Nubia Pad 3D.
If you don’t find what you’re looking for, make sure to also check out our widerbest tabletsguide and more focusedbest tablets for kidsandbest Fire tabletsadvice pages.
Best Android tablets at a glance
How we test
Every Android tablet on this list has been fully reviewed by one of the product experts at Trusted Reviews. This involves it being benchmarked in our labs and then being used by our reviewer for at least five days as their main tablet.Lab tests include synthetic benchmarks to gauge general performance, gaming performance, screen colour accuracy, contrast ratio, max brightness and battery life. The latter covers the average hourly discharge rate when playing games and video, as well as how long the tablet will last running basic office tasks such as web browsing and word processing.We then check our lab findings to see how the device performs with everyday use. This will see the reviewer use the tablet as their primary device, enacting common tasks such as movie streaming, gaming, web browsing and video calling. If the device is targeted at a specific market such as digital artists, for example, then the tester will also cover areas such as digital stylus support and whether or not the device can effectively run any relevant applications.When a product is sent to us with optional extras, such as a stylus and keyboard cover, we’ll review how well it performs both with and without these accessories.
Xiaomi Pad 5
The best Android tablet for most people
TheXiaomi Pad 5is the Chinese tech giant’s attempt to create an Android-powered version of theiPad Air. And, following a fortnight of use, we found the device completely succeeds in this endeavor, making it the best Android tablet we’d recommend to most people.
Out of the box the device immediately impressed, sporting a slim but sturdy metal chassis that felt suitably scratch-resistant to comfortably slot into most regular-sized bags and backpacks without concern.
While it didn’t prove to be the best tablet in any one area during our lab and real-world tests, it delivered reliable performance in pretty much all of the core areas we tested. The Xiaomi Pad 5’s 11-inchLCDscreen doesn’t offer as deep blacks as the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, which features anAMOLEDpanel. But to the naked eye it’s still capable of presenting decent contrast and a high enough level of maximum brightness to makeHDRcontent on Netflix pop.
The quad-speaker setup isn’t as powerful as the system seen on the competingLenovo P12 Pro, with the low-end – in particular – in the latter sounding more powerful. But given the price difference between the two devices, this is more than forgivable. Overall, the Xiaomi Pad 5’s audio offering was more than powerful, detailed and controlled enough to comfortably watch movies and play games.
For gaming, the 120Hz refresh rate is a welcome upgrade over competing tablets we’ve tested at this price, including the iPad Air 2022. The tech lets the Xiaomi Pad 5 render 120 images per second, which is twice the number seen on standard tablet screens locked to 60Hz.
Scrolling, therefore, felt like a far smoother experience on this tablet compared to the iPad Air and rival Android models such as theLenovo Yoga Tab 13 (2021)with 60Hz screens. This will also be great news for early adopters of game streaming services such asGeForce Now, who will be able to play full-fat PC games on the Xiaomi Pad 5 over the cloud at 120fps.
Add the reliable battery life and the Xiaomi Pad 5 easily earns its place as our current best overall Android tablet offering for most people. During testing, the tablet’s 8720mAh battery shed an average of 9-11% of its charge per hour while streaming 1080p video on Wi-Fi. That figure for streaming games over GeForce Now was 22-25%. Using the Xiaomi Pad 5 for office work, the tablet easily lasted around 10 hours.
The only tablet we’ve tested with these features to offer better stamina is the Lenovo P12 Pro, which can last up to 15 hours of video streaming based on our tests.
Reviewer:Alastair StevensonFull review:Xiaomi Pad 5 Review
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra
The best for streaming
With a mammoth 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x screen, 16:10 aspect ratio and anti-reflective display technology, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is perfect for those who intend on using their tablet for streaming.
Much like its predecessor, the Tab S10 Ultra comes equipped with an S Pen which boasts a low 2.8ms latency that makes writing and drawing on the screen feel refreshingly natural to use.
Altogether the Tab S10 Ultra sports four solid cameras which include a 13MP main and 8MP ultrawide at the rear, and a 12MP main and 12MP ultrawide front-facing lens for video calls and the odd selfie.
Powering the Tab S10 Ultra is the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ processor which, although it ranked lower than the similarly pricediPad Pro M4in our Geekbench scores, in reality we found it to still be impressively fast and perfectly capable of running even high-end games.
The MediaTek Dimesnity 9300+ processor enables the running of the entireGalaxy AItoolkit that can be found in the premiumGalaxy S24series,Galaxy Z Fold 6andGalaxy Z Flip 6.
Galaxy AI includes photo editing tools, live translation and the incredibly usefulCircle to Searchfeature which allows you to search for anything on screen simply by drawing a circle around it (made even easier with the S Pen.)
The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra also hasDeXsupport which turns the tablet into a makeshift Android desktop computer, however you will need to purchase Samsung’s keyboard case separately to enable this.
Samsung also promises the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra will see seven years of OS upgrades and security updates that will take it up to Android 21.
If you’re an avid binge-watcher or movie fanatic then the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is an excellent way to immerse yourself in content. Having said that, if you already own theGalaxy Tab S9 Ultrathen it’s probably not worth upgrading just yet.
Full review:Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra
Reviewer:Lewis Painter
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE
The best value Android tablet
If you’re looking to get the best value for your money, theSamsung Galaxy Tab S9 FEis a fantastic choice. With prices starting at £449, this tablet is significantly cheaper than many high-end Android tablets and is packed with useful features, including anS-Pen.
While slightly thicker than theGalaxy Tab S9, this more affordable model features an aluminium casing, offering premium style for less. The Tab S9 FE is also surprisingly durable with a Gorilla Glass 5 display that can survive drops of up to 1.2m and an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. This is on par with the waterproofing of many high-end smartphones, including theSamsung S24 Ultraand theiPhone 16 Pro.
The aforementioned 10.9-inch screen features a 670-nit LCD panel, putting it somewhere between most laptops and flagship phones in terms of brightness. However, the 90Hz refresh rate is a nice boost compared to the standard 60Hz found on the pricieriPad Air. It also comes with Samsung’s S-Pen stylus in the box – something no Apple tablet offers as theApple Pencilis always sold separately.
Android 13 supports plenty of apps that make use of the S-Pen, allowing you to sketch, take notes and doodle to your heart’s content. This includes the tablet-specific PenUp app that connects to the PenUp social network.
The cameras are average for a tablet, which is to say they’re just okay. However, the selfie camera does offer both ultra-wide and standard views, making it possible to fit more into frame. The front camera is also on the longer edge of the tablet, making it ideal for joining calls in landscape mode.
We found that the 8000 mAh battery offered around 11 hours of video streaming or eight hours of light gaming, with one hour of Netflix reducing the battery by 9%. Charging can be somewhat slow, taking just under two hours to reach 100%, but there’s is 45W fast charging on board to give you a quick boost when you need it.
Reviewer:Andrew Williams
Full Review:Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE
OnePlus Pad 2
The best for productivity
OnePlus’ foray into the world of tablets just keeps improving, culminating in the latestOnePlus Pad 2. It’s not just a solid upgrade over the original, instead offering an all-round premium experience without the associated price tag.
The overall build of the OnePlus Pad 2 feels solid and robust, complete with a nice sandblasted frame, despite measuring in at just 6.5mm thick and 582g. That’s despite the fact that it boasts a whopping 12.1-inch display with a pixel-packed 3K resolution and a super-smooth 144Hz refresh rate. The use of LCD instead of OLED means that blacks aren’t quite as deep as more premium tablets, but it’s still plenty bright and vivid, great for watching movies.
It’s the 7:5 aspect ratio that makes the OnePlus Pad 2 unique, with the boxier aspect ratio ideal for split-screen multitasking, especially when combined with OnePlus’ Open Canvas multitasking software. It’s a much better approach than your standard split screen affair, instead allowing up to three apps to display in full-screen, switching between them with a tap or a swipe.
Throw in a redesigned keyboard and trackpad case and the OnePlus Stylo 2, and the OnePlus Pad 2 is a great option for productivity that rivals what Apple offers with its iPad collection – as long as you fork out for the optional accessories, that is.
It’s not just good for productivity either; the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 powering the experience is the best you’ll find on the Android market right now, and performance largely reflects this, both in benchmarks and real world performance. It can run games smoothly despite that high resolution, and doesn’t suffer from the same bottlenecking we see from other high-powered tablets with sustained use.
Battery life is solid with around 11 hours of use before it’ll need a top-up, and with 67W SuperVOOC charging, it can achieve a full charge in just 55 minutes, making it the fastest charging Android tablet on the market. The catch? Unlike most other OnePlus products, a charger doesn’t come in the box. OnePlus instead assumes that it’ll mainly be OnePlus fans who buy the tablet, and thus, will have a SuperVOOC charger handy.
Reviewer:Lewis PainterFull review:OnePlus Pad 2
Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids
The best Android tablet for kids
TheRealme Padmay well be cheap and well built, but we still wouldn’t recommend it to any buyer looking for a tablet for a child aged 8 or below. Like most tech, it 100% will not survive a full-blown tantrum where it’s thrown across a room.
If you’re after a device that’s more sturdy then we’d recommend looking at theAmazon Fire HD 10 Kids (2021). Designed specifically for younger kids, it comes with a rugged but cute-looking “Bumper” case that envelopes the chassis in foam, and a plastic outer shell. Having pitted the tablet against a toddler, we can personally attest to its robustness, with our review unit surviving more than a few tantrum throws and a game of tug of war between the child and the family dog.
As an added assurance, Amazon also offers a two-year “no questions asked” replacement policy, where the company will send out a new device free of charge if your progeny does somehow manage to break it.
The 10-inch screen offers similar picture quality to the Realme Pad, with blacks taking on a slightly grey tone. Nevertheless, in our tests images proved plenty sharp and vibrant enough to happily keep kids entertained watching video, reading books or playing games.
The only slight quibble parents should be aware of is that, although its operating system is based on Android, FireOS is generally limited to Amazon services. As such, you won’t have access to Android’s full range of apps and you’ll need an Amazon Prime subscription to make the most of the tablet.
This has been a reason we’ve traditionally awarded middling scores to Amazon’s other Fire tablets. However, given the Fire HD 10 Kids’ focus, our reviewer found these limitations to actually be a positive. Advanced parental controls make it quick and easy to filter the content your kids can access, restrict or block in-app purchases, and set limits on how much screen time they’re allowed each day.
The bundled one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+ also grants access to enough content to keep kids entertained. Reviewing the device we found oodles of videos, games, books and audible books vetted to be safe for use by kids, all available for download and offline use.
Finally, some minor issues to consider. The tablet isn’t terribly fast and it offers only middling battery life. On occasion apps can chug and the device can take a few seconds to recognise commands. This isn’t a significant issue, but it did cause our test subject toddler to occasionally hit the screen in frustration when the pauses occurred. We also found the tablet’s battery could run out after just four hours of video playback. If you want to use the Fire HD 10 Kids to keep your child entertained on a long car journey then you’ll definitely want to invest in a battery pack to keep it running.
Reviewer:David LudlowFull review:Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Review
Honor Pad 9
The best cheap Android tablet
If you’re looking for an Android tablet for everyday use, that’s also more affordable than even the cheapestiPad, then the Honor Pad 9 is a great option.
Although it boasts a large 12.1-inch IPS display, the Honor Pad 9 weighs just 555g which means you can comfortably use the tablet for extended periods without needing to set it down.
Its 2.5K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate means everything on-screen looks vibrant and feels smooth. We do wish the screen bezel was slightly smaller, as although it isn’t huge it’s still noticeable enough to take immersion away from streaming content.
The Honor Pad 9 runs on Qualcomm’sSnapdragon 6 Gen 1chipset which is a capable processor that makes scrolling between apps, watching videos and less-demanding gaming feel speedy.
You may be aware that Honor products previously didn’t offer access to Google’s apps or services, including the Play Store. Fortunately this is no longer the case and the Pad 9 now sports the full library of apps and services.
There’s one 13MP camera on the back which can record 4K footage at 30fps and capture adequate images if necessary. However, we did find that the lens doesn’t handle light particularly well, so it’s best used as a last resort.
The 8MP front facing camera performs well in good lighting conditions for video calls, however it does have a tendency to show things as darker than they really are.
For a budget-friendly Android tablet that performs well in everyday use, is lightweight and boasts a vibrant screen, you’d be hard pressed to find a better alternative than the Honor Pad 9.
Full review:Honor Pad 9
Reviewer:Lloyd Coombes
Google Pixel Tablet
Best for smart-home connectivity
Google finally decided to throw its hat into the tablet ring with theGoogle Pixel Tablet. One of its biggest advantages is the high-quality screen; kitted out with a 10.9-inch LCD screen with a sharp 2560×1600 resolution. It has a locked 60Hzrefresh rate– meaning that it cannot fluctuate depending on the task to conserve battery power – making it feel less premium than the 144HzOnePlus Pad. The high resolution did help to alleviate a lot of these issues, with our review noting that it rendered photos, videos and text very clearly and crisply.
The Pixel Tablet comes with a charging speaker dock bundled in for free, massively setting it apart from the paid accessories of brands like Samsung, OnePlus and Apple. The stand is very sturdy and connects to the tablet via magnets, with audio being redirected to the stand once it’s connected. Once docked, the Pixel Tablet goes into Hub Mode, a slimmed-down version of the UI found on theNest Huband Hub Max. This gave us quick access to smart home controls, Google Assistant and various screensavers.
In a similar vein to the rest of Google’s recent products, the Pixel Tablet is powered by theTensor G2 chipset. This is paired up with 128GB/256GB storage and 8GB RAM, with no option to expand the storage. The chip performed well during use and was more than serviceable for everyday tasks, with games like Stardew Valley and Call of Duty Mobile running without a hitch without the device heating up.
No charger is included with the Pixel Tablet but it can be charged via the dock, with Google claiming that additional docks will be available – so one could be placed in the lounge, and another in the bedroom. An hour of Netflix decreased the battery by 14% and 30 minutes of light gaming took off 7%, on par with the effort from OnePlus.
Overall, while the Google Pixel Tablet is not perfect, it is a solid first attempt from Google and is the ideal device for Android lovers who want to further integrate Google Assistant into their everyday lives.
Reviewer:Max ParkerFull review:Google Pixel Tablet
Nubia Pad 3D
Best for 3D content
The Nubia Pad 3D isn’t for everyone, but if you’re one of the few people that love the idea of 3D content (yes, like that odd era with 3D TVs in the early 2010s) then the glasses-free 3D experience of the Nubia Pad 3D could be tempting.
The large 12.4-inch 3D lightfield display is capable of displaying fairly convincing glasses-free 3D content, and it uses head tracking to work out where your head is at any given moment. The viewing angles are relatively narrow so you’ll have to find that sweet spot, but if you do, the effect can be impressively convincing.
However, it’s not a uniform experience with some 3D content looking a little odd and that’s especially true when upscaling 2D content to 3D. The 3D images taken using the dual cameras take great 3D imagery, but given that anyone else needs a 3D tablet to view them properly, it’s likely something that only you will appreciate it.
While that’s cool, it’s essentially the only real reason to get the Nubia Pad 3D. The 3D element means that it’s much bigger and heavier than practically any other tablet around at 8.4mm thick and 781g. That’s much more than the iPad Pro 12.9’s 6.4mm and 682g, which is generally perceived as being big and bulky.
It’s also rather underpowered sporting the older Snapdragon 888 chipset, especially when you consider that it’ll retail at around $1,099 – firmly in iPad Pro and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra territory.
So, yes, while it’ll do an admirable job at providing 3D content without the need for glasses, it’s pretty much the only reason to go for the Nubia Pad 3D. Everyone else will be better off with one of the other options mentioned above.
Reviewer:Jon MundyFull review:Nubia Pad 3D review
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 5
Best rugged tablet
While the latest Android tablets are chocked full of features, they’re not really designed to withstand the elements for long periods of time, which can be tricky if you need a larger device to carry with you on a building site or in the great outdoors. Luckily, you’re not completely out of options as theSamsung Galaxy Tab Active 5is designed with those use cases in mind.
Just to look at the Tab Active 5, you can tell that this is a tablet like no other. With its thick bezels, physical buttons across the bottom and textured backing, this is a tablet that fully expects to take a knock or two along the way. Samsung’s made sure of that much on paper too, with an IP68 certification for water resistance as well as military grade MIL-STD-810H durability.
The caveat for all of this, as you can imagine, is that the Tab Active 5 isn’t quite as powerful on the performance front as some of the other Android tablets on this list, but for using casual apps, signing paperwork and watching the odd bit of content on the go, the Tab Active 5 is more than up to the task.
There’s even an S Pen included so that you can jot down notes easily as you go through the day, and the aforementioned physical buttons just below the screen are incredibly handy if you’re wearing a pair of gloves that just aren’t designed for interacting with a touchscreen.
It’s also worth mentioning that the screen itself is quite easy to read against direct sunlight. The eight-inch touchscreen features a peak brightness of 600 nits which will save you from having to squint at any documents when outdoors.
In other areas, the Tab Active 5 might feel like a tablet from a bygone era for the fact that it not only has a 3.5mm headphone jack but also a fully removable battery. These features are perfect for when you’re away from a charging point for long periods of time and can’t run the risk of running out of battery, either on the tablet itself or any connected devices.
Reviewer:Sean CameronFull review:Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 5 review
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FAQs
On a tablet OLED isn’t a guarantee a screen will be good. But they uniformly will offer deeper blacks. Based on our experience this lets them offer more immersive video watching thanks to their improved contrast ratios. You can see a full breakdown of how the two screen technologies compare in ourOLED vs LCDguide.
5Gis a fantastic networking technology that lets you download entire TV series in minutes and is generally a great upgrade for business users who regularly need to download large files onto their tablets on the go. But for general consumers the contracts are very expensive and considering the fact you’ll likely have a phone you can tether the tablet to, we’d recommend most people save their money and opt for a WiFi only option.
Android tablets famously don’t get great software support compared to their iPad rivals. This is one of the reasons iPads tend to score better in our reviews. Software updates are important as they add new services and features to the device and include security upgrades that help keep you safe from cyber criminals.
We also considered…
Can Honor’s new tablet take on the likes of Samsung and Amazon for an amazing but affordable experience?
A cheaper large tablet to rival Apple and Samsung
A big tablet with a few shortcomings
The Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus will serve you well for media binges
We’ve reviewed
2,605
Tablet
Comparison specs
Specifications offer an insight into a product’s potential. But they don’t tell the full story which is why we always put any products in our best lists through a thorough review process to see how they are to actually use. As you can see in the tablet below the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is the most powerful product in this list featuring a giant OLED screen and cutting-edge Qualcomm CPU.
Trusted Reviews test data
Collecting test data is an important part of review process, but it doesn’t tell the full story of a product’s performance, which is why we back it up with real-world testing. As you can see, despite not being the top-scoring product in any one area, the Xiaomi Pad 5 is the best all-rounder in this list. This, coupled with its competitive price, is why it’s currently our recommended Android tablet for most people.
Max is the Editor of Trusted Reviews, and has been a mobile phone and technology specialist for over nine years. Max started his career at T3 straight after graduating from Kingston University. Max ha…
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
