Android tablets have come a long way. They boast powerful performance, vibrant displays, and a user-friendly interface. It’s a great time of year to pick up a tablet that can handle entertainment, reading, note-taking, and creative work. We tested the best models of 2025, from premium options like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra to budget-friendly picks like the Fire Max 11.
If you want to stay in the Android ecosystem for a tablet (or you’re just curious to see what’s out there), you have plenty of options. Whether you need a portable device to replace your laptop for work tasks, something to act as a smart home hub, or just a device for watching videos, there’s an Android tablet that will meet your needs.
What is the best Android tablet right now?
I chose ZDNET staff-tested tablets that offer a reliable experience and a variety of features at a reasonable price point. Not all Android tablets are created equal, so I employed research and my experience with the products to suggest the best Android tablets below. I found that the best Android tablet overall was the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultrafor its giant display, stellar battery life, and accompanying S Pen.
Also: The best Samsung tablets
The best Android tablets of 2025
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The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is the biggest and best tablet in Samsung’s lineup. It features a 14.6-inch AMOLED 2x screen, runs Android 15, and comes with Samsung’s S Pen stylus included. The base model comes with 12GB of memory, 256GB of storage, and a microSD card for adding up to an extra 1TB of storage to the tablet. You can also fully kit out the Tab S10 Ultra with 1TB of storage and 16GB of memory.
ZDNET writer Maria Diaz went hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and said that it is one of the best productivity tablets she has ever tested.
“The S10 Ultra is a futureproof tablet with a powerful chipset, Wi-Fi 7 support, and long-term OS updates, [making it] perfect for power users,” she wrote. But the tablet won’t come cheap; the S10 Ultra starts at $1,200.
Review: Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra
You’ll also want to pick up the
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra specs: Display:14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X | Resolution: 2960 x 1848 | Refresh rate: 120Hz | RAM: 12GB, 16GB | Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, microSD up to 1TB | Battery: 11200 mAh
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Historically, the FE series of Samsung devices has been a more affordable alternative to its flagship devices. And while the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ starts at $649, its features are as impressive as the more expensive Galaxy Tab Ultra or even Apple’s iPad Air (which can go up to $800). This tablet has an Exynos 1580 chip, which Samsung says makes the tablet about 32% faster than its predecessor, the Tab S9 FE+. This isn’t a high-end processor, but it’s great for everyday tasks and is one of Samsung’s compromises with its FE devices.
Review: Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+
Diaz said that this tablet’s performance is well worth its price tag, and was especially impressed with the display experience. “The 13.1-inch display is a size upgrade from the previous Tab S9 FE+, which had a 12.4-inch screen,” she wrote, adding, “The larger screen offers more space for multitasking with split screen, media streaming, gaming, and creative work like sketching.”
While this tablet isn’t built for power users, it handles light work like video calls, photo editing, messaging, and everyday tasks very well. And, just like the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, it is IP68-rated for water and dust resistance to better protect your investment against accidental spills.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ tech specs: Display: 13.1-inch WQXGA+ | Resolution: 2,880 by 1,800 pixels | Refresh rate: 90Hz | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB or 256GB | Battery: 10090 mAh
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The new OnePlus Pad 3 is a ZDNET Editor’s Choice pick, and for good reason. The new model–which debuted in June 2025–provides a smooth user experience thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which can handle more demanding AI tasks. This experience is further improved by its large 13.2-inch display, which ramps up to 144Hz.
Overall, this $699 tablet competes well with Android tablets on this list that cost hundreds more. Plus, you don’t have to pay extra for accessories: when you buy the OnePlus Pad 3, you get to choose two of three available accessories for free between the smart keyboard, the folio case, and the Stylo 2.
Review: OnePlus Pad 3
ZDNET managing editor Kerry Wan said that in his testing, the performance was reliably fast. He added, “The tablet never showed frustrations with loading graphics, responding to inputs, and keeping services running in the background. I gracefully danced between on-screen gestures, keyboard shortcuts, and trackpad swipes, much like how I remembered doing with the $1,099 iPad Pro last year.”
Overall, there are no real drawbacks to this tablet, except perhaps its large size. If you want something smaller, you can opt for the OnePlus Pad 2, which has a 12.1-inch screen, or the Google Pixel Tablet, and its 11-inch screen.
OnePlus Pad 3 specs: Display: 13.2-inch LCD display | Resolution: 3392 x 2400| Refresh Rate: 144 Hz | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 256GB | Battery: 12,140mAh
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The Fire Max 11 starts at just $230 and boasts an 11-inch display, 4GB of memory, and 64GB of storage with support for 1TB of microSD card storage. If you’re looking for a tablet for work and play, the Fire Max 11 Productivity Bundle costs $330 and comes with a keyboard with touchpad, case, and a stylus.
Review: Amazon Fire Max 11
ZDNET contributor Jason Cipriani went hands-on with the Amazon Fire Max 11 and said it’s “easily the best Fire Tablet Amazon has made yet.”
“[T]he Fire Max 11 productivity bundle provides everything you need to get some work done on the small and affordable tablet, as long as your work can be done in Microsoft’s suite of apps and services or in sites that work properly with Amazon’s Silk Browser,” he said.
However, the Fire Max 11 is best suited for those looking for a basic entertainment tablet for streaming and browsing.
Amazon Fire Max 11 specs: Display: 11-inch | Resolution: 2000 x 1200 | Refresh rate: 60Hz| RAM: 4GB | Storage: 64GB or 128GB | Battery life: up to 14 hours
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Google hadn’t had an Android tablet since the death of the Google Pixel Slate in 2018, but the company announced a new iteration in May 2023. Built specifically for entertainment and casual at-home use, the Pixel Tablet has a 10.95-inch LCD display with a 2,560 x 1,600 pixel resolution. It’s powered by the Google Tensor G2 chip that’s found in the Pixel 7 line and the Pixel Fold.
Review: Google Pixel Tablet: What Android tablets should have been all along
What’s interesting about this tablet is that the included charging dock also converts it to a Nest Hub, meaning that when you’re not using the tablet to watch YouTube, it has a second purpose as a smart home display. The battery life can last up to 12 hours of video streaming and supports third-party stylus pens.
We note in our review of the Google Pixel Tablet that it won’t replace a laptop for school or work but could be handy if your home is a Google smart home. If you’re looking for a tablet that can double as a smart display (if you don’t already have a smart display in your smart home), this could be a good option for you. Customers who have bought the tablet have
Pixel tablet tech specs: Display: 10.95-inch LCD | Resolution: 2,560 x 1,600 | Refresh rate: 60Hz | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB or 256GB | Battery: About 12 hours
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The TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus is the perfect nexus between a reading tablet and a regular tablet. TCL’s Nxtpaper technology lets you switch from regular mode to color paper to ink paper (the most similar to what you can expect from an e-reader). Its display helps reduce eye strain while reducing blue light, omitting a conventional backlight, and eliminating flickering, making it easy on the eyes than traditional screens while displaying the different types of content you’d expect from a tablet or smartphone.
Diaz went hands-on with the TCL tablet and said it was perfect for everyday use, especially for reducing eye strain. “I use my MacBook Pro and iPad every day for work, so I found a big difference when using the TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus instead of my iPad each night,” she wrote, adding, “By the end of the night, my eyes weren’t straining or exhausted, and my tension headaches even became milder, which is a big plus.”
Review: TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus
You can also set Reading Modes and enable Adaptive Brightness to further reduce the chance of eye fatigue. It comes built-in with Android 15, so you can browse the web, download reading apps, watch videos, and more.
The stylus (which is sold separately) has AI-powered handwriting recognition and handwriting-to-text conversions.
TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus specs: Display: 11.5-inch NXTPAPER 4.0 | Resolution: 2200 x 1440 | Refresh rate: 120Hz | RAM: 8GB or 12 GB | Storage: 256GB | Battery: 8000mAh
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The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids’ tablet is made with little kids in mind. It comes with a colorful kid-proof case built to withstand the drops and bumps, and an adjustable stand so your kids can go hands-free.
It also comes with a free one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+ and an Amazon FreeTime Unlimited subscription. This service grants access to thousands of kid-friendly, ad-free books, movies, games, and other educational content.
“The Fire HD 8 Kids tablet is a well-built, entry-level tablet that comes with a sturdy kid-proof cover and features useful parental controls,” wrote Diaz, who bought the tablet for her kids.
Review: Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet
“Its 13-hour battery life means that you’ll need to charge it less often than other competitors, and the combination of a durable case and screen ensures the integrity of the Fire tablet for years to come,” she says.
Should succumb to an untimely death during playtime, Amazon offers a two-year warranty.
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids tech specs: Display: 8-inch HD | Resolution: 1280 x 800 | Refresh rate: 60Hz | RAM: 3GB or 4GB | Storage: 32GB or 64GB (expandable by up to 1 TB) | Battery: 13 hours
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The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is the best Android tablet on the market, in my opinion, and according to expert reviews. However, if you’re looking for a less expensive Android tablet for your kids or a more compact size for life on the go, you may want to consider another option.
Below, I’ve broken down the best Android tablets based on price, display size, and storage capacity.
| Android tablet | Price | Display size | Storage |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra | $1,050 | 14.6 inches | Up to 1TB |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ | $650 | 13.1 inches | 128GB or 256GB |
| OnePlus Pad 3 | $699 | 13.2 inches | 256GB |
| Amazon Fire Max 11 | $230 | 11 inches | 64GB or 128GB |
| Google Pixel Tablet | $500 | 10.95 inches | 128GB or 256GB |
| TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus | $250 | 11.5 inches | 256GB |
| Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet | $140 | 8 inches | 32GB or 64GB |
The first question you should ask yourself is how you want to use the tablet. If the answer is lightweight web browsing, email checking, watching videos, and the occasional game, then a low-end tablet like the Fire Max 11 or Google’s Pixel Tablet is more than capable for you.
However, if you want a premium Android tablet to use as a laptop replacement with a dedicated keyboard and high-quality display, then Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 lineup is where you’ll want to focus.
As long as you know what you want out of an Android tablet, it’s easy to figure out which Android tablet is right for you.
|
Choose this Android tablet… |
If you want… |
|
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra |
The best Android tablet on the market. |
|
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ |
Screen quality that matches the flagship model. It also comes with a Samsung S Pen. |
|
OnePlus Pad 3 |
An excellent mid-level Android tablet. The battery life is by far the best on this list. |
|
Amazon Fire Max 11 |
A budget-friendly Android tablet. |
|
Google Pixel Tablet |
A Google-made tablet to go with your Google smart home ecosystem. It is built for entertainment. |
|
TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus |
An Android tablet that’s built for reading thanks to its versatile screen technology. |
|
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids |
An Android tablet built with kids in mind. You’ll also get a free one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+. |
Before you buy, there are several important factors to keep in mind, depending on your own priorities and needs.
- Features: Not all Android tablets are created equal. Some are better for kids, others are simply for entertainment purposes, and then there’s the one’s that can act as a laptop for working professionals and students. We considered a variety of use-cases to match virtually every need.
- Price points: Tablets are an expensive piece of tech, especially if you’re planning on investing in compatible accessories. We included Android tablets at different price points so there is something for every budget.
- Integrations with other products: We considered options that can work with an attachable keyboard, a stylus, and other work and entertainment add-ons.
- Battery life: Whether you’re using your tablet for work or play (or both), you’ll want it to last the duration of your task. Tablets that had substantial battery lives ultimately made our top picks.
The ZDNET team chose all of the tablets included in this list based on their performance when tested in the real world. When we test tablets, we typically follow the same routine for each one to see which performs best.
- Display: We measure the brightness level in different lighting conditions and assess color accuracy.
We also compare the display’s performance with what the manufacturer promised, test the screen’s responsiveness to touch, and assess the performance of any extra features, like a manufacturer’s stylus.
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Performance: For real-world performance metrics, our reviewers measure how quickly the tablet reacts to input, assess game performance and frame rates, test how the tablet handles having multiple apps running simultaneously, measure the time it takes to launch apps, and even assess the tablet’s temperature during intensive tasks.
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Battery life: We test different scenarios for battery life, including measuring how long the battery lasts while streaming, web browsing, using productivity apps, and playing games.
- Camera and audio: For cameras, we evaluate features like resolution, aperture, low-light performance, autofocus accuracy, dynamic range, color accuracy, image quality, sharpness, and video quality. For audio, we look at the sound quality and overall listening experience, including audio clarity at different volumes, stereo separation of left and right audio channels, maximum volume level in various environments, and if there is perceived distortion.
For a deeper look into our testing process, check out our comprehensive tablet testing methodology.
Latest news on Android tablets
Even though there are tariff concerns in the tech world, 2025 is shaping up to be a big year for Android tablets. Already, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+, the OnePlus Pad 3, and the TCL NxtPaper 11 Plus have debuted on the market as new models. In addition, the Android 16 operating system was released in June, but can so far only be found on the Pixel Tablet.
For the remainder of the year, we can expect a release of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 series (based on rumors and previous tablet release timelines) and a wider release of Android 16 to other Android tablets and devices.
Yes! The Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus and HD 10 Plus use the Android operating system. It comes with the Amazon App store pre-installed, but no Google Play Store. To get all the apps (including YouTube), you will need to sideload the Play Store APK.
It depends on how you want to use your tablet or laptop. Digital artists tend to prefer tablets since they’re easier to draw with using a stylus. Tablets are also great for photo editing and streaming movies if you choose one with a large enough screen size. But if you want to do things like create spreadsheets, type in a word processing program, or do intensive 3D animation or modeling, you’re better off with a laptop.
That’s a subjective question, and each type of tablet has pros and cons.
Apple iPads are favored by creative professionals and content creators for their compatible art programs, larger displays, and accessories. Android tablets are better suited for everyday use and tasks like browsing the web, streaming video and music, and mobile gaming.
Android tablets often allow you to expand the internal storage with microSD cards, so they can adapt to your needs, whereas iPads have integrated hard drives that can’t be removed if you need more space.
Latest updates
- In our August 2025, we added the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+, Amazon Fire Max 11, TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus, and the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids tablet as top picks, replacing older models. We also included a visualization graphic that displays our testing results for battery life on selected Android tablets. Finally, we added news about Android tablets in 2025.
Other Android tablets we’ve tested
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This tablet is offered in three different configurations, starting at $700. It’s not the cheapest tablet on the market, but its gaming performance justifies the cost.
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Looking for something more durable? This Samsung device an exceptionally rugged tablet with removable dual batteries and software updates for eight years.
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For more on getting the most out of your tablet, check out how to charge your tablet the right way, and how to turn your old Amazon Fire tablet into an Echo Show.
Tablets Reviewed & Compared
