Best for basic media consumption
Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021)
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Premium Android tablet for work and play
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus
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A great Galaxy Tab for less
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE
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Part Android tablet, part smart display
Lenovo Smart Tab P10
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Apple’s iPad is the go-to tablet for millions of people worldwide. Picking up an iPad is a no-brainer for many — especially folks who are already in the Apple ecosystem. But despite its popularity, there are still many reasons one might opt to ditch the iPad for an Android device. iPadOS isn’t for everyone, and some people prefer the Android operating system, especially because of its features. And that’s not to mention the budget-friendly options available that make Android tablets worth considering.
The best Android tablets can meet any casual or professional need, whether you’re interested in gaming, drawing or word processing. Some even work with a touchpad or mouse. And if you’re already invested in the Android operating system and Android app ecosystem, it makes even more sense.
So if you’re looking for a cheap tablet for media consumption or a premium tablet to serve as a laptop substitute, here are our picks for the best tablets running the Android operating system. We update this list periodically, so keep checking back.
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Amazon has come a long way from the first Kindle Fire tablet. The Amazon Fire HD 10 is Amazon’s biggest tablet with a 10-inch screen size and powerful speakers. Just like its smaller 8-inch sibling, the Fire HD 8, the tablet is packed with benefits for Prime subscribers making it easy for members to stream and download movies, TV shows and games. Amazon’s Fire tablets don’t use a pure version of Android, but instead Amazon’s Android-based Fire operating system, which pulls apps from the Amazon App Store. You can still get apps from Google Play, but you’ll have to install the store yourself — meaning gaming enthusiasts have access to all of their favorite mobile games for an excellent gaming tablet experience. Also, this is probably the closest thing we have to a budget tablet on this best Android tablet list.
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The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus tablet might be in the middle of the Tab S8 lineup but it is our top pick. The 12.4-inch AMOLED display is bright with excellent color. It’s a great size for entertainment and gaming, while big enough for light productivity tasks and still small enough for travel. Updates to Samsung’s DeX software even makes the Tab S8 a possible laptop substitute, letting you connect to a mouse and even an external display. A keyboard cover isn’t included but one of Samsung’s fantastic S Pens is, so you can use the big screen for note-taking and content creation right out of the box.
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Despite its more attainable price compared to some other tablets, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE retains an upscale feel. The S7 FE is the same size as the Plus, with a 1.3-pound aluminum body and slim bezels around its 12.4-inch display that has a 2,560×1,600-pixel resolution. Samsung carefully trimmed the features of the Plus, such as going from four stereo speakers to two and switching from an AMOLED display to an LCD screen. The result is a big-screen Android tablet that still performs well and has a premium look and feel for significantly less money. It’s currently being sold on Amazon for $430 but you can save $30 with a Prime subscription.
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Joseph Kaminsky
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The Lenovo Smart Tab P10 combines a tablet and a smart display into one 10-inch device. This Lenovo tablet comes with Android Oreo, front and rear cameras, fingerprint scanner and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor. When you set it on the dock, the Lenovo Tab becomes a smart display a lot like the Amazon Echo Show.
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