Where once the best Android tablets served as more affordable iPad alternatives, these days they are devices onto themselves, in that they sport the power, specs, screens and even app ecosystem to challenge Apple's tech slates.
Now, Android tablets range from simple devices to throw into a bag when going on holiday to have some entertainment while you sunbathe, to full powerhouses with ambitions to replace your laptop.
The Android tablets listed below have been thoroughly tested and reviewed by us, so we are in a good position to recommend the ones to go for, from best tablet for you to the best cheap tablets for people on a budget.
So read on for our picks of the best Android tablets to buy right now, as well as information on how we test them and the strengths and weaknesses of each tablet.
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Below, you'll find full breakdowns for each of the best Android tablets in our list, as well as links to their respective in-depth reviews. We've tested each model extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted, as we flag both a tablet's pros and cons.
The best Android tablet overall
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
The best Android tablet
Our expert review:
Specifications
Weight:
732g
Dimensions:
326.4 x 208.6 x 5.5mm
OS:
Android 13
Screen size:
14.6-inch
Resolution:
1848 x 2960 pixels
CPU:
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
Storage:
256GB/512GB/1TB
microSD slot:
Yes
Battery:
11,200mAh
Rear camera:
13MP (wide) + 8MP (ultrawide)
Front camera:
12MP + 12MP
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View at AmazonView at Best BuyView at Samsung
Reasons to buy
+
Samsung multitasking is better than iPad and Pixel Tablet
+
Gorgeous display and blazing performance
+
Value is surprisingly good compared to iPad Pro
Reasons to avoid
-
Same price as a Macbook Air (M2)
-
Faster charging would have been nice
-
Flimsy keyboard and no easy S Pen storage
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is the device for power users who want the very best Android can offer in tablet form. With a powerful chipset, a large 14.6-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 11,200mAh battery and up to 1TB of storage, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra makes a great stab at being a laptop replacement with an Android flavor.
It will tear through all manner of workloads thrown at it, and sports multitasking that’s better than rival Android tablets and iPads. And when the working day is over, its sharp and slick display is great for watching movies on and playing games, especially if you want to tap into streaming services like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
The steep asking price of $1,199.99 / £1,199 / AU$1,999 might make people baulk at first, given that’s the type of money that can get you one of our best laptops. But then again the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is priced to be an iPad Pro rival, which also commands a premium.
And ultimately, the fact that the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra can mostly fill the role of a laptop, as well as set a high point for an Android tablet, means it justifies its asking price; in short, this is the best Android tablet overall.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra review
The best Android tablet for most people
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
Best Android tablet for most people
Our expert review:
Specifications
Weight:
552g
Dimensions:
258 x 189.4 x 6.5 mm
OS:
Android 13
Screen size:
11.6-inch
Resolution:
2000 x 2800 pixels
CPU:
MediaTek Dimensity 9000
Storage:
128GB
microSD slot:
No
Battery:
9,510mAh
Rear camera:
13MP
Front camera:
8MP
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(128GB)
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Reasons to buy
+
Display is sharper than iPad Pro
+
A flagship tablet priced like a cheaper model
+
Big battery and faster charging
Reasons to avoid
-
Performance doesn’t match best phones
-
One option for storage, RAM, color
-
Stylo pen is pricey, needs charging
From our testing and experience with the OnePlus Pad, we can confidently say it is the best Android tablet for pretty much everyone who wants a great tablet but does not want an iPad. And even better, it’s priced competitively, undercutting rival tablets from the likes of Samsung.
So what makes the OnePlus Pad special? Well first off it sports a very impressive display that’s even sharper than the screens you’ll find on an iPad Pro. But not only is the 2800 x 2000 resolution great on this 11.61-inch display, it also refreshes at a speedy 144Hz. So that makes the OnePlus Pad a great device for viewing everything from movies and games to web pages and documents on.
Class-leading charging speeds and a 9,510mAh battery sweetens the deal for the OnePlus Pad. The only minor let down is the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chip can’t quite keep up with very demanding tasks like photo editing in Lightroom. So even though there’s the option to use the OnePlus Pad with a keyboard cover, it’s not likely to stand up to being a laptop replacement.
However, that’s by-the-by as at the sweet price of $479 / £449, the OnePlus Pad’s minor shortcomings can be overlooked as it serves up a great Android tablet that’s worth consideration by most people.
Read our full OnePlus Pad review
The best Android tablet for students
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
The best Google tablet
Our expert review:
Average Amazon review:
☆
☆
☆
☆
☆
Specifications
Weight:
493g
Dimensions:
258 x 169 x 8.1mm
OS:
Android 13
Screen size:
10.95-inch
Resolution:
1600 x 2560 pixels
CPU:
Tensor G2
Storage:
128GB/256GB
microSD slot:
No
Battery:
7,020mAh
Rear camera:
8MP
Front camera:
8MP
Today's Best Deals
View at Best BuyView at AmazonView at Target
(128GB)
Reasons to buy
+
Great value for a tablet and speaker dock combo
+
Home screen controls are useful and improving
+
Excellent sound for immersive audio
Reasons to avoid
-
Android still seems a phone OS shoehorned into a tablet
-
Soft-touch back picks up dirt and fingerprints
-
Smaller than the ‘11-inch’ marketing makes it seem
At first glance, the Google Pixel Tablet is a fairly unremarkable Android tablet. Its simple design means it looks like a Nest Home Hub display minus the speaker base, and its specs sheet won’t blow anyone away: there’s a decent but far from impressive Tensor G2 chip, storage comes in 128GB and 256GB options, and the battery is a somewhat small 7.020mAh.
The 10.95-inch also seems small, with the bezels around the 60Hz panel looking a tad chunky by modern standards. The screen’s quality is good in most parts, but colors can look a bit too warm and the LCD panel won’t challenge the displays of many other tablets on this list.
So why is the Google Pixel Tablet great for students? Well it’s because it can pull double duties as a smart speaker and hub thanks to the dock it comes with. While the dock's speaker can’t rival the audio punch of dedicated smart speakers, it’s still still impactful for its size. And the real-world performance of the Tensor G2 chip handled games and photos editing in a speedy fashion; there are also handy smart AI-powered features on offer too, like Google’s Magic Eraser to remove unwanted objects from photos.
The Pixel Tablet’s software can feel a little like the version of Android found on Pixel phones has simply been increased rather than optimized for tablet use, but it still works well. And as an overall tablet and smart hub package, the Pixel Tablet earns its place on this list and could be a great choice for students living away from home.
Read our full Google Pixel Tablet review
The best budget Android tablet
(Image credit: Future / Sharmishta Sarkar)
The Samsung Galaxy A8 is the tablet for people who love Samsung's Android efforts but don't want to pony up for its more expensive tablets.
We found that the design and display of the Tab A8 stood out as gorgeous and vibrant, especially compared to other devices in its price range. Samsung's prowess shines in this regard.
Of course, it's an inexpensive device, so there have been some sacrifices; in this case cuts have happen with the tablet's performance and charging speeds. With either 3GB or 4GB of RAM to keep this chugging along, this tablet won't replace your gaming phone or handle everything you can throw at it, but it will make a great Netflix machine or e-book reader.
When you get down to it, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is a great option for those looking for a wallet-friendly tablet with a great display and long battery life. However, if you need a tablet for demanding tasks like gaming or video editing, you'll want to look further up this list at options from Samsung, OnePlus, and Google.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 review
The best Android tablet for productivity
(Image credit: Future)
The best Android tablet for second screen use
Our expert review:
Specifications
Weight:
830g
Dimensions:
293.4 x 204 x 6.2-24.9mm
OS:
Android 11
Screen size:
13.0-inch
Resolution:
1350 x 2160 pixels
CPU:
Snapdragon 870
Storage:
256GB
microSD slot:
No
Battery:
10,200mAh
Rear camera:
None
Front camera:
8MP
Today's Best Deals
View at Amazon
(128GB)
Reasons to buy
+
Useful built-in stand
+
Fantastic speaker quality
Reasons to avoid
-
Design makes cases hard to use
-
No rear camera
Blending conventional tablet design with something that's akin to the Microsoft Surface Pro's stand, the Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 stands out from the crowd with its own in-built stand that lets the tablet be propped up without additional case accessories. A micro HDMI port then lets you connect the tablet to a laptop to serve as a second screen, thereby further extending the Yoga Tab 13's capabilities.
The Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 also has an enormous speaker by tablet standards, making it great for anything involving audio. Beyond that, you get a big 13-inch 1350 x 2160 screen, a moderately powerful Snapdragon 870 chipset, and a respectable amount of storage.
What you don’t get – in another unusual move – is a rear camera, but then tablets are never ideal for taking photos anyway, and we also found the design made it hard to use with a case. Still, if a kickstand or micro HDMI are important to you then this is the Android tablet to get.
Read our full Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 review
The best small Android tablet
(Image credit: Future)
The best small Android tablet
Our expert review:
Specifications
Weight:
355g
Dimensions:
202 x 137 x 9.7mm
OS:
Fire OS
Screen size:
8-inch
Resolution:
880 x 1280
CPU:
quad-core
Storage:
32GB/64GB
Battery:
up to 12 hours
Rear camera:
2MP (wide)
Front camera:
2MP
Today's Best Deals
View at antonline
(32GB)
Check Amazon
Reasons to buy
+
Wireless charging
+
Can be used like an Echo Show
Reasons to avoid
-
Poor screen quality
-
Not swift, even with extra RAM
With an 8-inch display, the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus is rather cheap and cheerful. But is still a tablet worth your attention, especially if you're after a small device for taking on holiday and you don't want to slash out on an iPad mini.
It won't offer screaming performance and is somewhat locked down by Amazon's Fire ecosystem. Yet at the same time it has neat extras like wireless charging and the ability to play a secondary role as a form of Echo Show when matched with an optional dock.
Anyone who's used an Amazon Fire HD 8 will be familiar with the Plus model, as the two tablets are very similar, only the Plus gets more RAM and storage to play with.
Ultimately, Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus still isn’t the fastest or most feature packed of slates in our tests, but it does hold its own for what it costs. And if you want a small-sized tablet and smart display all in one, it’s a top choice.
Read our full Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus review
(Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)
The best e-ink Android tablet for your eyes
Our expert review:
Specifications
Weight:
490g
Dimensions:
241 x 158.6 x 8.3 mm
OS:
Android 11
Screen size:
10.1-inch
Resolution:
1200 x 1920
CPU:
Mediatek MT8768
Storage:
64GB
Battery:
8000 mAh
Rear camera:
8MP
Front camera:
5MP
Today's best TCL Nxtpaper 10s deals
No price information
Check Amazon
Reasons to buy
+
Great at multitasking
+
Fantastic battery life
+
Eye straining reducing display modes
Reasons to avoid
-
Too expensive for what it does
-
Bloatware
-
Fuzzy display
The TCL Nxtpaper 10S thinks both inside and outside of the box... well chassis... to create a tablet that stands out from other Android slates. That's because it sports a blue-light-reducing matte display. This screen can help reduce eye strain, making the tablets a pretty good ereader in addition to being a powerful Android tablet.
We found that it was adept at handling multiple apps, despite having a mid-range MediaTek MT8768 chip, with the tablet handling common tasks like video calls and mobile gaming with ease.
Of course, there are trade-offs. That matte screen is constructed in such a way that it adds fuzziness where clarity would be desired, and as such, detail may be lost when watching movies. Still, the Nxtpaper 10S is a unique tablet, and worth considering for that display alone.
Read our full TCL Nxtpaper 10s review
Size and price are the two biggest considerations when buying a tablet. Consider whether you want the biggest screen possible - which is great for media and productivity, or something smaller and therefore more portable.
Consider how much you want and need to spend too. If you don't need top-end power then you can usually save some money.
Beyond that, other things to pay attention to are the screen resolution (higher is better), and the battery life - obviously longer is better, but how important that is will depend on whether you mostly plan to use your tablet at home (where you can plug it in at any time) or when out and about (where you might have to rely heavily on the battery).
If you plan to use your tablet for work or creative endeavors then it's also worth seeing whether it supports a keyboard or stylus, and whether any such things are included.
Some tablets come with the option of 5G or 4G, but getting a data plan adds to the cost, so consider how much you'd need data when away from Wi-Fi - and remember that you can always tether your smartphone to your tablet to share your phone's connection instead.
Every tablet included in this guide has been reviewed in full, so we've spent a lot of time with each of them working out what's good, what's bad, and how they compare.
We've made sure to fully test out their performance with apps and games, how good content looks on their screens, whether their interface is intuitive, how long the battery lasts, and how the cameras hold up, as well as assessing their design and build quality.
With that experience we've also considered how they're priced and whether there are newer models in the range, to come up with this ranking.
Whether you’re looking for a portable media experience or a powerful, lightweight laptop replacement for travel, a tablet can fit the bill. These increasingly do-it-all devices can handle work and play, and even replace a laptop. After months of testing, we’ve found four top picks, one of which should fit your touchscreen needs, whichever platform you prefer. Apple’s iPad can handle work and play, the iPad Pro can replace your laptop, Amazon’s Fire HD series is great for on-the-go streaming and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab series continues to push Android tablets further with their DeX productivity environment.
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Best tablet overall
Amazon
The ninth-gen iPad stood out as the best overall option in our testing, thanks to a faster processor that crushes everyday tasks with ease. It mixes performance and value in a way that no other tablet can, and tosses in support for core iPad accessories.
Read our review
$330 $250 at Best Buy
Best performance
Apple
The iPad Pro M2 is the best tablet out there for serious creatives who want the power of a laptop and the flexibility of a touchscreen. It's one of the most powerful machines we've ever tested, outpacing every tablet we’ve ever tested — and some laptops.
Read our review
$799 $749 at Best Buy
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Best Android tablet
Samsung
The Galaxy Tab S8+ impresses with a vibrant, clear display that’s great for play and has plenty of power for nearly any task, from drawing to video calls. And it works great with the rest of Samsung's Galaxy products.
Read our review
$900 $600 at Amazon
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Best budget tablet
Amazon
The latest Amazon Fire 7 tablet is a great affordable option for kids or anyone who needs a no-frills device for reading and watching shows. It's perfect if you need an extra device in the house or when you’re taking a car trip or vacation.
Read our review
$60 at Amazon
Jacob Krol/CNN
The new ninth-generation iPad keeps the classic design and a quality display but upgrades the front-facing camera and tosses in a faster chip, the A13 Bionic, which should keep this tablet working for many years to come. Most importantly, the price still starts at $329 with 64GB of internal storage. Last year that only got you 32GB, which filled up way too fast. It’s plenty of iPad for most users.
It may not have the laptop-like horsepower of the iPad Pro, but the ninth-gen iPad is best for everyday tasks — emails, web browsing, word processing, gaming, movies, video calls or even making your own films in iMovie. And all of the new features of iPadOS 15 work just fine. We threw all of this and more at the device during our testing period and it chugged right along. Unless you’re doing big-batch photo exports or outputting 4K movies, you’re unlikely to run into issues.
We wouldn’t rush out to upgrade if you have the eighth-gen iPad, though, since you won’t see massive improvements. Those coming from a Fire tablet — like the 8 Plus, our budget pick — or an older iPad, however, will find that the new iPad is snappier.
The ninth-gen iPad still features a 10.2-inch display, and it shines here. Text is both sharp and bold, while images and videos offer a lot of details with great colors. It also features True Tone, which adjusts the screen’s color temperature to match lighting conditions. This has reduced eye strain in our testing, making it easy to use the ninth-gen iPad for an entire day.
That’s good, since you’ll easily make it through a day of use without needing to recharge. The iPad lasted for nine hours and 45 minutes on our battery test, a 25-minute increase over the eighth-gen iPad.
The ninth-gen iPad now features a 12-megapixel camera, a significant upgrade over the previous 1.2-megapixel front camera. Apple’s Center Stage, which first premiered on the 2021 iPad Pro, is included here and performs just as well to identify who’s in the frame and keep them in the shot. This worked great for both video calls and capturing clips of our other projects during our testing
And if you want to use your older accessories with the ninth-gen iPad, you’re in luck. It still supports the first-generation Apple Pencil, so if you have one lying around from an old iPad Pro, you won’t need to buy a new one. If you need a keyboard, it supports the Smart Keyboard or Logitech Combo Touch. We’d opt for the latter since it’s an entire case and the keys provide much more travel if you’re looking for a keyboard. Trust us: Your fingers won’t bottom out nearly as often as they do on the Smart Keyboard. And if you have a seventh- or eighth-gen iPad, it’s the same design so you won’t need to buy new accessories. And conveniently, Apple ships the new iPad with a Lighting to USB-C cable and a 20-watt charging brick in the box.
The ninth-gen iPad continues to deliver an exceptional blend of features and performance for a very affordable price. We’d be willing to bet that this tablet will fit your needs perfectly, whatever they may be, and at a price point that won’t break the bank.
Mike Andronico/CNN
The latest iPad Pro is the fastest tablet we’ve ever tested. With the same stunning display, lightweight design and great keyboard experience you’ve become accustomed to in previous Apple models, the new iPad Pro has the addition of the blazing-fast M2 chip (yes, the same one on the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro) that runs circles around most tablets and laptops.
While the standard iPad models will work just fine for most folks, the iPad Pro M2’s best-in-class performance makes it the obvious best pick for serious creatives who need something more flexible than a laptop. Aside from its faster processor and a few extra perks like Apple Pencil hover, the iPad Pro M2 is virtually identical to the M1 model that came out last year. That’s not a bad thing for new buyers — the display and design are still excellent — but recent iPad Pro owners have little reason to rush to buy the newest upgrade.
Everything about this machine moves with a beautiful fluidity, from the ultra-smooth and vibrant display to the sheer speed at which it’s able to juggle dozens of apps without a stutter. It’s the new best tablet for serious artists and editors who want the power of a laptop and the flexibility of a touchscreen. However, at a near $800 price tag, it’s not the best fit for the everyday users who just want something that streams, calls and can search the web.
Jason Cipriani/CNN
The Tab S8+ looks a lot like Samsung’s previous line of Galaxy S7 tablet models, which make it familiar territory if you’re already use to Android devices. The display colors are bright and vivid, while blacks are deep and dark — just like we’ve come to expect from all flagship Samsung products — and the tablet is great for watching content. The Tab S8+ is comfortable to hold and light enough that it doesn’t cause any sort of fatigue when using it for long periods of time.
The Tab S8+, like Samsung’s tablets before it, is ideal for watching movies and videos while not ideal for reading books or creating documents. There are a total of four speakers on the Tab S8+, which combine to provide an impressive mix for both music and streaming videos.
On the front of the Tab S8+ is a single 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, while there are two rear-facing cameras on the Tab S8+ — a 13-megapixel main sensor and a 6-megapixel ultrawide sensor. The cameras aren’t as sharp as what you’ll find on a Galaxy S22 smartphone, but they’re good enough to take the occasional photo when your phone isn’t nearby. The front-facing camera, however, is a big upgrade over the Tab S7+, with a wider field of view that’s perfect for video calls.
Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, we found the Tab S8+ to be fast and responsive, with no slowdown even with multiple apps open at the same time in various split-screen modes. It also has a stellar battery life so you can get through a full day of use between casual YouTube videos, browsing the web and triaging emails.
Amazon
Amazon refreshed its popular Fire 7 tablet in 2022, giving it a USB-C charging port, a faster processor and double the memory — a significant improvement over the 2019 Fire 7 tablet. Those upgrades, along with longer battery life, make this $60 (with ads) tablet a smart choice for those who want an affordable tablet for consuming media, especially for younger kids.
The Fire 7 tablet is an ideal content consumption device for younger kids, when you need an extra device in the house or when you’re taking a car trip or vacation. At 7 inches, it’s the right size for holding and watching videos, reading and playing simple games. While the screen resolution is not HD (1024 x 600), kids watching videos on a screen not much larger than a Pro or Max version of a smartphone are unlikely to notice or mind very much. They’ll probably just be glad to have their own tablet to watch and not have to share with a sibling.
The Fire 7 runs on Amazon’s Fire OS 8 software and uses its own Silk browser. You’re limited to the apps available in Amazon’s app store, which is not nearly as extensive, so you might be disappointed at not being able to download some of your favorite games or apps. However, most of the popular social and streaming apps are available.
We found the Fire 7 to be more durable than the iPad Mini and great for parents who want to monitor the apps and sites their kiddos are accessing. Plus, with a 10 hour battery life on a single charge, you can easily go from gaming to reading to listening to music without having to search for a charging port.
Tablets can vary a lot in what they aim to accomplish and deliver, but we wanted to take a look at a diverse variety of devices. After sorting through dozens of expert reviews (including our own) and applying our own knowledge of the tablet market, we drew up a list of devices to compare. These ranged wildly in price from $109 to $999. But before we took price into account, we wanted to objectively test qualities that we expect from a good tablet.
Every device was scored on the following properties: design, display, battery life, performance, software, speakers, connectivity, ports, accessories and warranty. The categories we considered key were weighted greater, namely design, display, battery life and performance. A tablet is a largely visual device, seeing as it’s one big screen, so display and design are important. And performance determines how smooth your experience is going to be and what you can do on the device. Of course, better battery life means you don’t have to put the device down to charge as often.
With each tablet, we ran out the battery from full to empty while playing a movie with screen brightness set to 50% and airplane mode engaged. We multitasked with numerous apps, streamed shows and movies, listened to music, played games of various intensities and more. Plus, we looked into the quality of the display and actual construction of a tablet. In terms of design, we looked into the shape and portability, how it feels in the hand and more nuanced aspects like bezel-to-display ratio. Finally, we considered and tested available ports and connected various other tech via Bluetooth.
From $449 at Apple
The 10th-gen iPad is a great tablet for first-time iPad buyers or those who haven’t upgraded in years. However, most folks are better off saving money on the ninth-gen model, or spending a bit more for the faster, more advanced iPad Air.
From $600 $545 at Amazon
Samsung’s found a way to deliver a big-screen tablet at a mid-range price. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus is a 12.4-inch slate thatg includes an S Pen for writing, and decent sound. Unfortunately, its panel is neither 4K nor OLED, so competitors have its number on picture quality.
From $140 $90 at Amazon
What if you’re OK with a slightly smaller screen at a much lower price? The Fire HD 10 makes for a fantastic smart display, and offers decent battery life and performance for the price.
From $500 at Amazon or From $599 at Apple
The iPad Air sits in the middle of the iPad lineup with a modern design and really fast processing speeds. It goes a step beyond the 10th Gen iPad or the Mini, and really is a consumer-level Pro model. It sticks with a Touch ID in the power button but has minimal bezels and supports all the core accessories.
From $499 $400 at Amazon or from $499 at Apple
The iPad Mini 5 still serves a niche as an ultra-portable yet powerful iPad, but with a 7.9-inch screen size, the iPhone 11 Pro Max is closing in from behind. It’s a packed device that runs iPadOS 13 really well and, even on a tighter display, supports considerable multitasking. We just think for most people, the iPhone might be serving most of the use cases and opting for the seventh-generation iPad will give you more versatility and, ultimately, more bang for your buck.
From $230 at Samsung
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S6 Lite offers an Android experience with a slow but steady performance and exceptional battery life. Its headlining feature is the included S Pen stylus that works seamlessly with Samsung’s suite of productivity apps. The Tab S6 Lite ultimately falls short of being a top pick because its slower performance doesn’t live up to its original $349.99 price tag.
From $394 at Amazon
But what if you need full-fledged Windows 11? Microsoft’s Surface Go 3 is probably your best bet, but it failed to impress due to underwhelming performance in our testing.
Read more from CNN Underscored’s hands-on testing: