The Best Tablets for 2025

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Today's tablet market spans from the budget-friendly Fire lineup from Amazon all the way up to premium iPads from Apple, and in between, you've got dozens of Android slates from various hardware makers. (Windows tablets are an entirely different category.) The range of choices might seem overwhelming, but we've been testing and rating tablets since the original iPad debuted back in 2010, so you can trust our analysis and advice. The good news is that you can find a quality tablet no matter how much you want to spend. The list below includes several of our Editors' Choice winners, such as the affordable Amazon Fire HD 10, the midrange Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+, and the incredibly powerful Apple iPad Pro. Be sure to click through to our full reviews of each to get all the details, and scroll down below our top picks for our comprehensive buying guide.

Is Android, Fire OS, or iPadOS Better?

Broadly, Android tablets make great media players, ebook readers, and kids' devices (if you want a tablet specifically for children, check out the best kids' tablets), but they rarely compete with iPads when it comes to versatility and performance.

The greatest strengths of Apple's iPadOS are twofold: it's intuitive, and the numerous apps that you can buy right on your tablet work fairly uniformly. The downside of iPadOS is that it can't handle multiple users per device, and transferring files between apps is still awkward. iPads mostly remain a supplement to, not a full replacement for, MacBooks. iPads also support the best selection of accessories, including four different Apple Pencils.

Google's Android OS lets you choose from a wider range of hardware manufacturers. That means you get maximum customization, a top-notch notification system, fast and smooth web browsing, and seamless integration with Google applications such as Gmail, Google Maps, and Meet for video chats. Android also includes support for multiple user profiles, so you can share your tablet with a friend or family member. (Apple's Family Sharing works the other way around, giving multiple people access to shared data and services.) Some Android tablets ship with older versions of the OS and seldom get updates, but Google and Samsung outline upgrade policies for their devices to give you peace of mind.

Amazon's Fire OS is a branch of Android with a distinct interface and set of default apps from Amazon. It's a simple gateway to Amazon content and for streaming videos from various services. We find it easier to use than standard Android if most of what you do is browse the web and access your Amazon library. It's less flexible, though, and doesn't support as many apps.

Which Tablet Has the Best Apps?

What's a tablet without quality apps? If you want third-party apps that work with a touch-screen interface, nothing beats the iPad's massive library of programs and games. The App Store is well-curated and offers a deep selection. For more, see the best iPad apps and the best Apple Arcade Games.

It's tough to say exactly how many tablet-optimized Android apps are available, but it's far fewer than on the iPad. You can use Android phone apps, of course, which look decent on a 7-inch tablet but less so on a 9- or 10-inch device. Check out the best Android apps for our top picks.

Amazon tablets don't have access to the Google Play Store, so they work with considerably fewer apps. Plenty of people have hacked the Play Store onto Amazon tablets, but that violates both Amazon's and Google's terms of service and isn't a reliable solution. With these tablets, you should likely stick with the subset of apps that Amazon considers appropriate.

What Size Tablet Do You Need?

This consideration is a bit obvious, but size—both screen real estate and storage capacity—is important to consider. First things first: When you hear a term such as "10-inch tablet," this refers to the size of the screen, measured diagonally, and not the size of the tablet itself.

We consider 7- and 8-inch tablets as small-screen devices and 9-inch tablets as the start of the large-screen category. Apple's iPads, Amazon's Fire tablets, and various Android slates all come in small- and large-screen versions. And more than ever, big phones blur the distinction between what is and isn't a tablet. Folding phones can easily double as small tablets if you're willing to pay a hefty premium.

Screen resolution is important, too, especially for reading and web surfing. A sharp, bright display is key. If you're in the market for a 10-inch tablet, look for a display with a resolution of approximately 1,920 by 1,080 pixels or higher.

The low weight of a tablet is one definite advantage it has over a laptop—but with large-screen tablets typically weighing around a pound, they're not nearly as light as smartphones. Holding one in your hand likely won't be comfortable after a while. Setting one flat in your lap, rather than propping it up on a stand, can also be a little awkward. And few tablets fit in your pocket (unless you're wearing a large jacket).

Cloud (off-device) storage is an option for many tablets (Amazon Cloud Storage for Fire tablets, iCloud Drive for iPads, Google One for Android tablets), but when it comes to onboard storage, more is always better. All those apps, your local music, photo, and video libraries, and system updates can take up a lot of space. Some Android tablets feature a microSD slot for additional storage, but it's worth noting that some apps won't work from those external cards.

Should You Buy a Wi-Fi-Only or Cellular Tablet?

Some tablets can connect only over Wi-Fi, but others can take advantage of always-on cellular service from a wireless provider. Unless you constantly use your tablet in an area without Wi-Fi or are a frequent traveler, you're probably better off using your smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot and saving the extra money you would spend on a 4G or 5G tablet (not to mention the service plan). You can also buy a dedicated mobile hotspot, which won't kill your phone's battery life. Some even double as backup batteries to charge your tablet.

The Top Tablets (for Now)

The tablets here represent the best options from Amazon, Android, and Apple across a variety of price levels. That said, plenty of other great tablets exist that might be better for you. For the latest lab-tested reviews, check out our tablet product guide. And if you're looking for a good deal, head over to our roundup of the best cheap tablets we've tested.