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14 Best Tablets (2025), Tested and Reviewed

14 Best Tablets (2025), Tested and Reviewed

While our primary recommendations represent the pinnacle of tablet technology for 2025, the market is vast and constantly evolving. Many excellent devices offer compelling features and value, even if they don’t quite make our top-tier list. Here, we delve into a selection of other tablets that caught our attention during rigorous testing and review, each presenting a unique proposition for different users and budgets. These devices are certainly worth considering, depending on your specific needs and priorities, and could easily become a favorite for the right individual.

Other Tablets to Consider

14 Best Tablets (2025), Tested and Reviewed

We rigorously test countless tablets every year, pushing them through benchmarks, real-world usage scenarios, and long-term evaluations. The following tablets are devices we genuinely like and found to be highly capable, though they might not possess the singular standout feature or overall polish that elevated our main picks. They remain strong contenders, offering solid performance, impressive displays, and reliable functionality across various price points.

Apple iPad Pro (M4, 2024) for $899:
For those who seek near-perfection but are also savvy about value, the 2024 iPad Pro, powered by the formidable M4 chip, presents a remarkable opportunity. While the latest models might boast incremental improvements, the 2024 iteration still offers a premium experience that rivals many laptops, especially if you can snag it at a decent discount. Our testing revealed that both the 11-inch and 13-inch versions are astonishingly thin and light, making them a joy to handle and incredibly portable. The standout feature remains their brilliantly bright OLED displays, which deliver unparalleled contrast and vibrant colors, further enhanced by buttery-smooth 120-Hz refresh rates for an incredibly fluid visual experience. This model also retains Face ID for secure and convenient authentication, a feature not found on all iPad models. For users who frequently work outdoors or near windows, the optional nano-texture glass add-on is a game-changer, significantly reducing glare without compromising display quality. With the M4 chipset, you’re getting MacBook-level performance, capable of handling demanding creative tasks, intense gaming, and complex productivity workflows with ease. Furthermore, the ability to leverage the new multitasking features in iPadOS 26 transforms this tablet into a true productivity powerhouse, making it a smart investment for professionals and power users alike, provided the price is right.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Series for $780:
Samsung’s previous-generation Galaxy Tab S10 series continues to be a formidable presence in the Android tablet landscape, offering an excellent blend of power, aesthetics, and long-term support. The series primarily consists of the Tab S10+ and the larger, more immersive Tab S10 Ultra. While Samsung has since unveiled more budget-friendly options like the Tab S10 FE and S10 FE+ (expected in 2025), and the even more affordable Tab S10 Lite ($320), our focus here is on the premium S10+ and S10 Ultra, which we extensively tested. Both are on the larger side, providing ample screen real estate for entertainment, productivity, and creative work. In our review, we consistently found them to perform exceptionally well, handling everything from graphically intensive games to multiple demanding applications simultaneously without a hitch. Battery life is another strong suit, often stretching to multiple days of moderate use, which is a significant advantage for users on the go. Samsung also commits to long software support, ensuring your device remains up-to-date and secure for years. The displays are vibrant, incredibly smooth thanks to high refresh rates, and remarkably sharp, making content consumption an absolute pleasure. If the latest Tab S11 series proves to be beyond your budget, the Tab S10 series offers an incredibly compelling alternative, delivering a very powerful Android tablet experience that is not significantly different from the newest models in day-to-day usage.

Boost Celero 5G Tab for $200:
Stepping into the budget tablet category, the 10.95-inch Boost Celero 5G Tab offers a unique value proposition, albeit with some compromises. During our testing, we noted that performance could be somewhat stuttery at times, which might make navigation and more demanding applications a little annoying to operate. However, it’s perfectly adequate for its primary intended use: entertainment. If your main goal is to stream Netflix, browse social media, or play some very lightweight games, the Celero handles these tasks without major issues. The most significant advantage of this tablet is its price point of $200, especially considering its built-in 5G connectivity. You can only purchase it through Boost, which often means you might be able to acquire it for even less if bundled with an existing Boost data plan. The inclusion of 5G is truly this tablet’s calling card, as it provides always-on connectivity, freeing you from the need to constantly seek out Wi-Fi hotspots or tether from your smartphone. Finding another cheap tablet with integrated cellular radios is a genuine challenge, particularly when you consider that the cheapest iPad with cellular capabilities will still set you back more than $400. For budget-conscious users prioritizing constant connectivity for basic media consumption, the Celero is a decent, if not flawless, option.

Lenovo Tab Plus for $195:
The internet is awash with cheap Android tablets, and we urge caution when making a purchase in this segment. Many offer a subpar experience that quickly frustrates. However, the Lenovo Tab Plus emerges as a surprisingly capable contender, especially if Amazon’s Fire tablets don’t appeal to you. We used the Tab Plus extensively for a month, primarily for entertainment, and found it to be a solid performer for its price. The 11.5-inch screen strikes a nice balance – large enough to offer a comfortable viewing experience significantly better than a phone screen, yet still portable enough for travel. One of its best features, which we believe should be standard on all tablets, is the excellent built-in kickstand, offering versatile viewing angles without the need for an additional accessory. While it’s not the snappiest tablet on the market, its performance was more than adequate for media streaming, light gaming, and web browsing. The software experience is generally fine, but we did encounter an unfortunate issue: on rare occasions, a few preinstalled apps triggered full-screen ads (one even masqueraded as "virus protection"). This is an irritating oversight by Lenovo, but thankfully, the easy fix is to simply uninstall all the bloatware, after which the experience significantly improves. If you’re looking for an affordable Android tablet with a good screen and a great kickstand, and are willing to do a bit of initial cleanup, the Tab Plus is a worthwhile consideration.

Google Pixel Tablet With Dock for $399:
Google’s Pixel Tablet (which earned a 7/10 and a "WIRED Recommends" from us) uniquely blends the functionality of a tablet with that of a smart display. This 11-inch slate feels like a large Pixel phone in your hands, offering a sharp LCD screen, good quality speakers, and Google’s typically slick and intuitive software experience. Thanks to the Tensor G2 processor inside, it runs pretty well, handling most everyday tasks with ease. What truly sets the Pixel Tablet apart is its accompanying charging speaker dock. When you’re done using it as a portable tablet, you can magnetically dock it, and it automatically starts recharging while transforming into a smart display. This hub also doubles as a speaker, significantly enhancing the audio output. Crucially, the Pixel Tablet is the first tablet to natively support Google’s Cast technology, allowing you to seamlessly cast music or shows to it from your phone or laptop, benefiting from the improved sound quality of the docked system. In its docked state, you can also turn the display into a screensaver featuring the Google Home Hub panel, providing instant access and control over your smart home devices. It also boasts multi-user support for up to eight profiles, each securely locked via fingerprint, making it an excellent shared family device. While it’s a fantastic concept, we don’t believe it’s worth its original MSRP anymore; however, catching it on sale makes it an incredibly attractive and versatile smart home hub and tablet combo.

OnePlus Pad 2 for $350:
The OnePlus Pad 2, released in 2024, stands as the capable predecessor to the current Pad 3, and it remains a solid choice for those seeking a powerful Android tablet without the absolute latest price tag. Its 12.1-inch screen, while not as expansive as the Pad 3, still offers a generous and immersive viewing experience. Under the hood, it’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, which, despite being a generation older, is still incredibly powerful. Our tests confirmed that this processor is more than capable of handling most modern apps and games with smooth performance and responsiveness. While you might find it harder to track down official accessories like its dedicated keyboard compared to the newer model, the core tablet experience is remarkably similar. If the Pad 3’s pricing is a bit steep for your budget, the OnePlus Pad 2 represents an excellent way to get a high-performance Android tablet that will serve you well for years to come.

Honor MagicPad 2 for £360:
Unfortunately, the Honor MagicPad 2 is not officially sold in the US market, which is a shame given its impressive features and stylish design. This classy tablet shares many similarities with the OnePlus Pad 2 we’ve reviewed, but it truly excels with its display and audio. It boasts a genuinely gorgeous OLED display with specs that are generally unheard of at this price point: a crisp 3K resolution, a peak brightness of 1,600 nits, and a silky-smooth 144-Hz refresh rate. Paired with a robust eight-speaker sound system, watching movies, streaming content, and gaming on this tablet is an absolute pleasure, offering an immersive multimedia experience. The optional stylus and keyboard accessories are also highly regarded (we particularly love their handwriting and formula recognition features), though they appear to be less readily available in the UK market. We found Honor’s AI features, such as Magic Portal, to be very useful; the system intelligently learns and predicts what you want to do next, which feels even more impactful on a tablet than on a phone. Battery life is robust, and charging is impressively speedy at 66 watts. The only real weakness here is the limited processing power compared to premium devices like an iPad. While it can’t quite match Apple’s raw computational might, the overall package delivers exceptional value for its price, especially for media consumption and smart productivity features. – Simon Hill

Tablet Accessories

Even the best tablets can have their experience enhanced with the right accessories. Often, tablets don’t come equipped with built-in kickstands or a sufficient number of ports to meet every user’s needs. Investing in a few key accessories can significantly elevate your tablet’s functionality, comfort, and versatility. Many of our favorite tablet accessories, listed below, also feature prominently in our comprehensive guide to the Best iPad Accessories, highlighting their broad compatibility and universal appeal.

Satechi Aluminum Desktop Stand for $40:
This is, without a doubt, our favorite tablet stand, so much so that it’s become a constant companion on our travels. Its ability to pack down relatively compactly makes it ideal for portability, but its true strength lies in its exceptional stability. Unlike many flimsy stands, the Satechi Aluminum Desktop Stand exhibits absolutely no wobbling, providing a secure platform for your device. It offers a wide range of angle adjustments, allowing you to find the perfect viewing position for any activity, whether typing, watching videos, or video conferencing. Critically, it can comfortably handle even the largest tablets; our 12.9-inch iPad Pro fit perfectly and remained rock-solid.

Logitech K380 Pebble Bluetooth Keyboard for $38:
If you’re seeking a simple, reliable Bluetooth keyboard for your tablet without committing to the often-high cost of a dedicated keyboard case, the Logitech K380 Pebble is an outstanding choice. We’ve used Logitech’s K380 for years across various devices, and it has consistently functioned perfectly. It operates on two AA batteries, which, in our experience, last an incredibly long time (Logitech claims up to two years of use), meaning you won’t be constantly fumbling for chargers. A fantastic feature is its ability to seamlessly switch between three connected devices via Bluetooth with the press of a button, making it highly versatile for users with multiple gadgets.

Twelve South StayGo Mini USB-C Hub for $30:
Modern tablets, especially many iPads, increasingly rely on USB-C, but often lack the variety of ports needed for expanded functionality. The Twelve South StayGo Mini USB-C Hub is a compact and versatile solution that works flawlessly with iPads and other USB-C tablets. You have the flexibility to either plug it in directly, keeping it flush with the edge of your tablet for a clean look, or use the included cord to extend it for more flexibility. This hub provides essential connectivity, including a USB-C port that supports pass-through charging, a standard USB-A port for peripherals, an HDMI output for connecting to external displays, and a much-appreciated headphone jack for wired audio.

Lamicall Gooseneck Tablet Holder for $18:
For hands-free tablet use, particularly in environments like the bedroom or kitchen, the Lamicall Gooseneck Tablet Holder is an incredibly practical and affordable accessory. We’ve personally used this holder attached to a bed frame for over a year to comfortably view various tablets. While the gooseneck does require a bit of finagling to get into the perfect position, and constant tapping on the tablet screen can cause it to jiggle slightly, it excels as a hands-free way to watch movies, follow recipes, or engage in video calls. Its robust clamp can be securely affixed to almost any surface, from a desk edge to a kitchen counter, making it a versatile addition to any home.

Twelve South HoverBar Duo Mount/Stand for $80:
Offering superior versatility and stability, the Twelve South HoverBar Duo provides two distinct ways to use your tablet: as a traditional stand or as an adjustable arm mount. Twelve South has ingeniously designed it for effortless switching between these two modes. This means you can easily unmount your tablet from a bedside arm in the morning and transition it to a sturdy stand on your home office desk for productivity. Both configurations are remarkably sturdy, providing a reliable platform. Crucially, when used as an arm mount, it significantly reduces the screen wiggle experienced with less stable options like the Lamicall, making for a much smoother interactive experience when tapping or writing on the screen.

Anker Nano 3 30-Watt Charging Adapter for $17:
While many tablets are designed to charge at around 18 watts, having a more powerful adapter can ensure faster and more efficient charging, especially when you’re in a hurry. The Anker Nano 3 30-Watt Charging Adapter is more than capable for most tablets and even many smartphones. Its design is a major plus: the plugs conveniently fold up, making it incredibly compact and easy to slip into any bag without snagging. This small, powerful charger is an essential upgrade for anyone looking to optimize their tablet’s charging speed and portability.

Anker Laptop Power Bank for $135:
For ultimate portability and extended power on the go, the Anker Laptop Power Bank is an indispensable accessory. This flight-approved power bank boasts a massive 25,000-mAh capacity, which is typically enough to fully recharge most tablets twice over, or larger tablets and even many laptops at least once. With an impressive output of up to 165 watts, it has plenty of power to handle not just tablets but also demanding devices like laptops, making it a true workhorse. It features multiple USB-C ports for fast-charging compatible devices and a USB-A port for broader compatibility. A convenient digital display shows the battery’s current charge level, ensuring you’re never caught off guard. Thoughtful design elements include a built-in retractable USB-C cable and a second cable that cleverly doubles as a carry loop, enhancing its portability and ease of use.


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14 Best Tablets (2025), Tested and Reviewed

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