These are the best tablets for work and play — and for every budget
To help you decide which tablet is right for you, we test all of the top devices in our lab and in the real world. In general, Amazon tablets are great for kids and anyone on a tight budget. iPads are best for students and creative pros, especially with the M1 chip and improved displays in Apple’s iPad Pro.
The iPad Pro 12.9 (2022) is – as of 2022 – Apple’s ultimate tablet, and one which packs laptop-class power, thanks to an M2 chipset. Arguably this is overkill, since almost nothing you’d do on a tablet can even tax the M1 from the previous generation, but it certainly makes this future-proof.
In most other ways this is much like the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021), including having a massive 12.9-inch screen that uses mini-LED to create a superior picture than you’ll find on smaller iPads.
It’s also remarkably thin and light for all the tech on offer, and has handy features like Face ID, capable cameras, and of course support for accessories like Apple’s Magic Keyboard and the Apple Pencil 2 – the latter of which is better than ever here, thanks to hover-detection, which makes this even better for drawing on than other iPads.
Yes, the iPad Pro 12.9 (2022) is very expensive, and it’s probably overkill for most users, but if you want a superpowered slate, this is it.
iPad, it also has a mini-LED screen, with a remarkably high 1,600-nit peak brightness, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a 2048 x 2732 resolution. It’s crisp, bright, vibrant, and all-round impressive.
The iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) also has a long-lasting battery, a decent camera, a premium aluminum design, and support for the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil 2 – these are sold separately, but turn it into a real productivity machine, and we used them non-stop in our testing period.
So if you want to get some proper work or creation done on a tablet, or you’re just a big tablet gamer, the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) will be the perfect device. But if your needs are lighter then you might find this too expensive and too big.
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
Samsung’s tablet has an even bigger 14.6-inch screen, and it comes with an S Pen stylus in the box – while with the iPad you have to buy an Apple Pencil separately. While we thought that we’d find the giant screen overwhelming, it’s actually great, whether you’re using it for art or just watching movies.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra can also more or less match Apple’s best tablet in a lot of ways, including power, thanks to a top-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, and cameras, with both slates sporting a handy 12MP ultra-wide camera on the front.
You can also buy a keyboard folio for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, and it has great speakers and plenty of storage. So in many ways it really is an even bigger iPad Pro – just one that runs Android. But that last point is a big part of why the Tab S8 Ultra doesn’t quite match the best that Apple has to offer, because Android is a slightly unwieldy tablet operating system.
There’s an all-body display, M1 chipset, Apple Pencil compatibility and long-lasting battery. Oh, and of course it runs on Apple’s iPadOS which is a supremely useful tablet operating system. On test, its performance is very close to the iPad Pro range, which is impressive when you consider its list price.
This is one of the best tablets we’ve tested, and the iPad Pro and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra only beat it in a few ways, like with their bigger screens, extra storage space and high-res displays. But if you don’t have the money to stretch for those two premium tabs, this mid-range alternative could be great for you.
While most people think of Microsoft’s Surface Pro devices as a line of 2-in-1s, because they don’t come with a keyboard (you need to purchase it separately), that technically makes them tablets. But don’t be fooled, because thanks Windows 11 and support for a range of 11th-gen Intel processors, Microsoft’s Surface Pros are designed for productivity.
New on the Surface Pro 8 is a beautiful display with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and improved stereo speakers, while the inclusion of an IR facial recognition camera allows you to log in to the system in a snap. Another nice bonus is that unlike a lot of tablets, the Surface Pro 8’s SSD is user accessible, allowing you to upgrade its storage yourself whenever you want. And thanks to improvements in Windows 11, the Surface Pro 8 is better suited to life as a tablet without ever needing to attach a keyboard thanks to larger app icons and more touch-friendly controls.
If you’re in the market for a new tablet for your child, the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is the easy pick. Starting at $200, it’s the cheapest tablet on this list, and unlike more adult-oriented fare, it comes with an included “kid-proof” case and a two-year warranty. Amazon says if your kid breaks the tablet, the company will replace it for free.
Other useful add-ins include a free one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, which unlocks more than 20,000 games, books and apps designed for children. There’s also a handy dashboard for parents that allows you to set time limits, content filters and educational goals. And even though its 3GB of RAM and 32GB of base storage aren’t much, its 1080p display is plenty sharp and it has a microSD card slot for expandable storage.
Thank you for your Valuable Time 💫
Azmair 
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