Despite their steady decline in recent years, tablets remain incredibly versatile devices that are great to have around the home and on the go. Surf the internet, tap out a quick email, watch TV via iPlayer or Netflix, play games – tablets are the go-to devices for when you want to sit back and enjoy everything the internet has to offer.
However, with hundreds of models in different shapes and sizes, not to mention different operating systems and prices, it can be hard to know exactly where to start. That’s where our buying guide below comes in.
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How to choose the best tablet for you
What do you need your tablet to do?
On paper, all tablets do mostly the same things. The difference comes in how well they perform. If you just want a tablet for browsing the internet, watching Netflix and maybe a little light gaming, a 12.9in iPad Pro is overkill, even if it does handle all the tasks brilliantly.
Likewise, if you want to use your tablet for any kind of demanding work – chopping up 4K video or playing the greatest mobile games – the cheap and cheerful £80 Kindle Fire 8 HD isn’t going to cut it, either. If you’re caught somewhere in the middle, you’re looking at a price between the two. Set aside a budget of somewhere between £250 and £350 and you’ll have plenty of choice – especially if you’re happy looking at the previous generation of hardware for bargains.
Does the operating system matter?
Tablets come with three main operating systems: iOS for iPads, Android or Windows 10 for everything else. Amazon’s Fire HD tablets also come with their own OS but in reality, this is a heavily modified version of Android designed to sell you Amazon goods more effectively.
In some respects, it makes sense to stick to what you know. It’s certainly easier to stay within the same ecosystem, as everything will have a great familiarity about it – and Apple products, in particular, are very good at syncing between Mac, iPhone and iPad. Likewise, if you’ve only ever used iPhones and Windows laptops, taking the plunge with Android will take a little getting used to. But, in truth, it doesn’t matter which one you use that much, what with cloud storage being what it is. It’s very easy to get your documents and files between all three, be it through Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive.
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How much storage space will you need?
As with the last point, on one level this simply doesn’t matter anymore. Cloud storage works across all the tablet platforms – so keeping your files in reach, but not taking up precious local space, is easy.
On the other hand, you probably don’t want to be constantly juggling files to keep your tablet from getting full. Look out for tablets with microSD slots, and remember that this has never applied to iPads – so, if you have a lot of files, the cheapest 32GB iPad may not be right for you.
Do you want to draw or type with it?
Tablets are designed to be poked with the finger, although as a general rule, iOS and Android have a better handle on this than Windows. All the same, certain devices have their own pressure-sensitive stylus for drawing or note-taking. In the case of iPads, this is the Apple Pencil (£79) for the iPad and first-gen iPad Pro tablets or the second-gen Apple Pencil (£119) for the more recent iPad Pro tablets. Microsoft Surface devices all support the Surface Pen (£99), which is again sold separately. Only the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3, Galaxy Tab S4, Galaxy Tab S6 and Galaxy Tab S6 Lite come with the company’s own S Pen in the box.
Pack-in keyboards are even less common, but as a rule of thumb, you can use any old Bluetooth keyboard with a tablet. Some, such as Logitech’s K780, are designed to be used with multiple Bluetooth devices and even contain a raised lip to hold your tablet in place.
An all-around better solution is to buy a cover with a keyboard built-in so it’s there whenever you need it. Apple’s official iPad keyboard case starts at £159, while similar options for the Tab S4 and Microsoft Surface go for £100. You can save a few bob by going for third-party alternatives, which exist for all the most popular tablets, but be sure to check customer reviews before investing as they may behave oddly or not be up to snuff.
UPDATE: Apple revamps 11in and 12.9in Apple iPad Pro tablets
You can still get your hands on last year’s iPad Pro tablets (see below for summaries and links on where to buy) but Apple has now replaced them with updated models for 2020.
The tablets come in the same screen sizes as before – 11in and 12.9in – and have faster performance (not that the previous models needed a boost). Apple has boosted the rear camera capabilities, adding a 10-megapixel ultrawide camera to each tablet and it has overhauled the optional keyboard as well.
At long last, Apple’s iPad Pro keyboard will come with a touchpad, meaning you can finally use it just as you would your work laptop. A new “floating” hinge design also means you can raise the tablet up to work at a more comfortable height and adjust the viewing angle to whatever you like.
Radical though these changes are, there are other updates afoot as well. Apple is introducing its new improved “Studio” microphones to the iPad Pro – a feature we loved on the 16in MacBook Pro. It’s also introducing a new technology: both new iPad Pro models will have a LIDAR scanner, which will be used to boost the tablets’ AR (augmented reality) capabilities.
The new iPad Pro is now available to purchase via the links below:
The best tablets you can buy in 2020
1. Apple iPad 10.2in (2019): The best-value iPad
Price: £340 l Buy now from Laptops Direct
The latest standard iPad from Apple is a fantastic tablet in its own right, but it really comes into its own as a laptop. All you need is one of Apple’s Smart Keyboards (or any cheaper alternative) and you’ve got yourself a thin and lightweight improvised notebook with a fantastic high-resolution 10.2in display and outstanding battery life.
Apple hasn’t seen fit to upgrade the processor on the iPad 10.2in, equipping it with the same dual-core A10 Fusion chip found in its 2018 predecessor, though performance is still more than adequate for the money. The real improvement here is software-based: the all-new iPadOS. As Jon Bray wrote in his glowing review of the 2019 Apple iPad 10.2in, iPadOS frees the iPad from “the shackles that had previously been imposed upon it”, most notably with a totally overhauled Files app and (at last) full desktop web browsing capabilities.
Read our full Apple iPad (2019) review for more details
Key specs – Processor: A10 Fusion; Screen: 10.2in, 2,160 x 1.620; Storage: 32GB; Size: 250 x 174 x 7.5mm; Weight: 493g; Operating system: iPadOS
Buy now from Laptops Direct
2. Amazon Fire HD 8 2018: Best budget tablet
Price: £100 l Buy now from Amazon
Money a little tight? Amazon’s newest Fire HD 8 is the tablet for you. It’s an 8in tablet that costs a mere £80 – a far cry from the latest Apple and Microsoft devices. It’s not the prettiest, and it certainly doesn’t perform as well as the others on this list, but for a fraction of their price, you can’t do any better.
You can get cheaper tablets – Amazon’s Fire series starts at £50 for the 7in version – but it’s worth going for the new 8in version because of its party trick: with the Show Dock (sold separately), it becomes an Echo Show when sat charging. Not bad, given the Echo Show retails for £200.
Read our full Amazon Fire HD 8 review for more details
Key specs – Processor: Quad-core MediaTek MT8163; Screen: 8in, 1,280 x 800; Storage: 16GB; Size: 214 x 128 x 9.7mm; Weight: 363g; Operating system: Android
3. 12.9in Apple iPad Pro (2018): Best-performing tablet ever
Price: £1,119 l Buy now from John Lewis
The 2018 12.9in iPad Pro has been replaced in 2020 but it’s still a great tablet and may become cheaper in the coming weeks as the incoming model arrives. Despite its age, the Apple A12X Bionic chip that powers this tablet is stupendously powerful, allowing you to do everything from type emails to edit 4K video.
There’s also a smaller 2018 model that should still be available – the 11in iPad Pro – which has a lower resolution display and smaller battery but the same incredibly powerful A12X processor, which should guarantee a similar performance output to the 12.9in iPad Pro.
Read our full 12.9in Apple iPad Pro (2018) review for more details
Key specs – Processor: Apple A12X Bionic; Screen: 12.9in, 2,732 x 2,048; Storage: 64GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB ; Size: 280.6 x 214.9 x 5.9mm; Weight: 631g; Operating system: iOS 12
Buy now from John Lewis
4. iPad mini 5: Best compact tablet
Price: £399 | Buy now from Currys PC World
On the outside, not a lot has changed between the iPad mini 4 and the iPad mini 5. In fact, nothing has changed at all. The new mini looks just like its predecessor, with identical dimensions, button placement and display resolution. On the inside, however, the difference is huge. The iPad mini 5 packs Apple’s all-new Bionic A12 chip (as seen in the 2019 iPhone lineup), 3GB RAM and a decent 8MP, f/2.4 rear camera.
Of course, it also runs on the latest iOS 12, which you can’t say for the circa 2015 iPad mini 4. What’s more, the 5th-gen iPad mini is compatible with third-party styluses, meaning you’re no longer to turn over £90 for the Apple Pencil. For a 7.9in device, the iPad mini 5 is amazingly powerful, and it’s the best tablet of its size you can buy.
Key specs – Processor: Apple A12 Bionic; Screen: 7.9in, 2,048 x 1,536; Storage: 64GB; Size: 203.2 x 134.8 x 6.1mm; Weight: 300g; Operating system: iOS 12
Buy now from Currys PC World
5. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6: Best Android tablet
Price: £619 l Buy now from Amazon
If you’re looking for an Android tablet that can rival the best Apple has to offer, look no further than the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6. It’s incredibly thin and light, comes with Samsung’s S-Pen stylus in the box and its sumptuous 10.5in AMOLED display is an absolute treat to watch HDR movies and TV shows on.
Plus, with the DeX desktop environment built-in and Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 855 chipset running the show this tablet can also be used for serious work – just add the optional keyboard. It’s a thoroughly brilliant tablet; expensive but worth it.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 review for more details
Key specs – Processor: Octa-core Snapdragon 855; Screen: 10.5in, 2,560 x 1,600; Storage: 128/256GB; Size: 245 x 160 x 5.7mm, Weight: 420g, Operating system: Android 9.0 (Pie)
6. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Best value Android tablet
Price: £349 | Buy now from Amazon
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 may be our favourite Android tablet but the Lite version comes a close second and is almost half the price.
While performance is a little sluggish compared to its Apple rivals, the 2,000 x 1200px screen is vivid, sharp and has a searing maximum brightness of 432cd/m², while battery life clocks in at a highly impressive 15 hours, significantly longer than the 10.2in iPad. The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite’s 8MP rear camera and 5MP selfie-cam will cater for all your photographic needs and the tablet comes with Samsung’s handy S pen stylus included in the price.
Don’t be fooled by the Lite in its name, this is one mighty tablet.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite review for more details
Key specs – Processor: Octa-core Exynos 9611; Screen: 10.4in, 2,000 x 1,200; Storage: 64/128GB (128GB version not available in the UK); Size: 245 x 155 x 7mm; Weight: 467g; Operating system: Android 10.0
7. Microsoft Surface Pro 6: Best tablet-laptop hybrid
Price: £800 l Buy now from Amazon
Following on from the Microsoft Surface Pro 5, the Surface Pro 6 delivers more of the same – brilliant performance, stunning design and an inflated price tag. Unfortunately, Microsoft did not offer a bundled in keyboard or stylus, so you need to fork over an extra couple of hundred to turn this into a true 2-in-1 laptop. Without them, you’ve essentially just got a very expensive tablet.
The specs listed below are based on the £1,149 model we received from Microsoft, and we can only vouch for the performance of that particular configuration – which was excellent, by the way. Go for one of the cheaper versions, with less RAM and a weaker processor, and that performance will fall.
Read our full Microsoft Surface Pro 6 review for more details
Key specs – Processor: Intel Core i5-8250U; Screen: 12.3in, 2,736 x 1,824 ; Storage: 128GB to 1TB; Size: 292 x 201 x 8.5mm, Weight: 770g; Operating system: Windows 10 Home
8. Huawei MediaPad M5 Pro (10.8in): Best Android-based rival to the iPad Pro
Price: £299 l Buy now from Amazon
The Huawei MediaPad M5 Pro might not be a match for a Windows 10 2-in-1 or an iPad Pro, but you’re still getting a fantastic tablet for a reasonable price. Its initial cost was £500, but this has since dropped as it’s grown a bit older, making it more of a bargain now than ever.
The design is masterful: the metal body has a 10.8in glass front that curves oh-so-slightly at the edges, making it nice and easy to hold. Similarly, the tablet’s 2.3GHz octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 960 processor and 4GB of RAM means it can handle any task you throw at it. Overall, if you want an elegant, plus-sized tablet – and don’t want to fork out for an iPad Pro or Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 – the MediaPad M5 is an excellent choice.
Should you want an even cheaper option, the MediaPad M5 Lite, which comes with 32GB storage and 3GB of RAM, is available for £229.
Read our full Huawei MediaPad M5 Pro (10.8in) review for more details
Key specs – Processor: 2.3GHz octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 960; Screen: 10.8in, 2,560 x 1,600; Storage: 64GB; Size: 259 x 172 x 7.3mm, Weight: 498g; Operating system: Android
9. Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2: A rugged Android tablet for outdoor types
Price: £379 l Buy now from Amazon
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab Active 2 caters to a niche target market of tech-loving adventurers and professionals who work outdoors. This ruggedised 8in Android tablet is water-and-dust resistant up to IP68 and has been designed to survive harsher conditions than your average touchscreen device. While you couldn’t quite call it weatherproof or drop-proof, it’s tougher than its non-rugged siblings such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4. The nifty garaged stylus is easy to keep track of and the replaceable battery means it could potentially last twice as long on a camping trip.
Barely any changes were made over the previous Tab Active device so we were critical of the steep launch price – the Tab Active 2 was released at £439. Luckily, this has dropped down to a far more reasonable £330. For a hardy 8in tablet (which can double up as a phone, thanks to its SIM slot) that seems an acceptable bargain.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 review for more details
Key specs – Processor: Octa-core Samsung Exynos 7870; Screen: 8in, 1,200 x 800; Storage: 16GB; Size: 128 x 215 x 9mm; Weight: 413g; Operating system: Android 7.0
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The post Best tablet 2020: The top Windows, Android and Apple tablets to buy appeared first on abangtech.
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