The Best Tablets of 2017

The Best Tablets of 2017

Bottom Line: Amazon's latest Fire HD eight tablet is a good value for media consumption, as long as you can live without access to Google Play.

Bottom Line: The Apple iPad is more affordable than ever. If you're looking for a basic tablet with a wealth of apps, it's a solid deal.

Bottom Line: The Asus Transformer Mini T102HA is an excellent, however modest, petite tablet that's handy to have around when you truly need Windows rather than Android or iOS.

Bottom Line: Lenovo's Miix five hundred ten is an attractive Windows tablet/keyboard combo with top-notch spectacle and enough future-proofing that it can substitute your current laptop.

Bottom Line: With quicker spectacle, better battery life, and other welcome improvements over its predecessor, the Microsoft Surface Pro is still the standard bearer for 2-in-1 Windows tablets.

Bottom Line: The Amazon Fire seven tablet makes a good basic movie player and color ebook reader, and it's very effortless to use.

Bottom Line: Apple's Ten.5-inch iPad Pro tablet packs as much power as a laptop, but using iOS for pro-level applications will take some getting used to for many professionals.

Bottom Line: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is the most powerful Android tablet available, but it's very pricey for the functionality you get.

Bottom Line: The Alcatel A30 for T-Mobile isn't particularly titillating, but it's a solid 8-inch Android tablet for the price, especially if you need cellular connectivity.

Bottom Line: The Asus ZenPad 3S ten gives you lots of multimedia value for your money.

There are uncountable tablets on the market, but which one is right for you? Whether you’re eyeing an iPad, one of the many Android tablets available, or a Windows slate for productivity, here are the key factors you need to consider when shopping, along with some of the top-rated models we’ve tested.

Several of the major tablet vendors have just had major refreshes, making this a very good time to buy a tablet. Amazon spinned out fresh Fire models, and its Fire HD eight is our top pick for tablets under $100. Microsoft’s fresh Surface Pro — no number, but it’s the fifth generation — is our beloved Windows tablet of the moment. And while Apple gets points for ambition with its fresh iPad Pro models, the also relatively fresh 2017-model iPad is our dearest iOS tablet.

Choose Your Operating System

Just like with a full-fledged computer, if you’re getting a tablet, you need to pick a camp. There are three main operating systems to consider: Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android (including its Amazon variant), and Microsoft’s Windows Ten.

Windows is best if you need to run full-fledged office software with an add-on keyboard. Android tablets make good media players, ebook readers, and kids’ devices, and you can often get better specs for the dollar than with iPads (if you want a tablet specifically for children, check out The Best Kids’ Tablets). iPads still have the broadest range of general-purpose tablet apps.

Generally speaking, the greatest strength of Apple’s iOS, the operating system on the iPad, iPad mini, and iPad Pro tablet lines, is twofold: It’s very clean and intuitive, and the broad selection of iPad apps that you can buy right on your tablet—more than one million iPad-specific titles at the time of this writing—work uniformly well with very few exceptions. For more, check out our iOS ten review and the coolest features in iOS 11.

Google’s Android mobile OS gives you a choice of hardware from several different manufacturers and offers maximum configurability, a top-notch notification system, quick and slick web browsing, and seamless integration with Google applications like Gmail, Google Maps, and Hangouts for movie talk. Android also includes support for numerous user logins so you can share your tablet with a friend or family member, a useful feature that’s missing in Apple tablets (despite Apple’s Family Sharing, which isn’t the same thing). See our Android 7.0 Nougat review for more.

Windows ten comes the closest to suggesting a traditional computing practice with total x86 support for all of your Windows software. And you can run the total version of Microsoft Office when you buy a Win ten tablet. Also, connectivity options and hardware add-ons for Windows models are typically more plentiful than with other tablet types. Head to our Windows ten review for more.

What About Apps?

What’s a tablet without quality apps? If you want third-party apps specifically designed for a touch-screen interface, nothing out there hammers the iPad with its gigantic library of programs and games designed specifically for Apple tablets. The App Store is well curated and monitored, offers a deep selection, and includes every popular app you can think of. If a broad range of compelling apps that look good and work well your tablet is your main priority, Apple is your best bet. For more, see the one hundred best iPad apps.

Android has made fine strides in app selection, courting more developers and suggesting more high-quality tablet apps, but it’s still not as many as Apple offers. It’s harsh to say exactly how many tablet-optimized Android apps are available, but it’s likely in the thousands, rather than the hundreds of thousands. There are also Android phone apps, which look decent on a 7-inch tablet, but less so on a 9- or 10-inch one, so you’re likely to have more problems getting high-quality apps for larger Android tablets. That said, check out the one hundred Best Android apps for our top picks.

Windows Ten, meantime, offers an exceptional array of more than 100,000 touch-screen-friendly tablet apps, but its real strength is in running the millions of existing Windows desktop apps. Many of those aren’t designed for touch screens, tho’, and may be better treated with an add-on keyboard and mouse.

Screen Size and Storage

This consideration is a bit evident, but size—both screen real estate and storage capacity—is significant to consider. Very first things very first: When you hear the term "7-inch or 10-inch tablet," this refers to the size of the screen, measured diagonally, and not the size of the tablet itself.

7-inch tablets are considered small-screen, while 8.9-inch tablets and above are considered large-screen. Apple’s iPads, Amazon’s Fire, and Samsung’s tablets all come in small- and large-screen iterations. And more than ever, phones are blurring the lines with tablets. Big smartphones (or phablets) like the 6.2-inch Samsung Galaxy S8+ are challenging the need to even carry a separate tablet.

Screen resolution is significant too, especially for ebook reading and web surfing. A acute, bright display is key. Right now, the highest resolution you’ll find is Two,732 by Two,048 pixels, on Apple’s 12.9-inch iPad Pro (the Microsoft Surface Pro is very close) . If you’re in the market for a 10-inch Android tablet, look for a display with at least 1,280 by eight hundred resolution.

The 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 cell phone-light. After you hold one with a single forearm on a subway rail for twenty minutes, your palm will get tired. Setting one plane in your lap, rather than propped up on a stand, can also be a little awkward. And few tablets will fit in your pocket, unless you’re wearing a very large jacket. If you want pocketabiity, you might want to consider one of the aforementioned phablets.

Cloud (off-device) storage is an option for many tablets (iCloud for iPads, Amazon Cloud Storage for Fire tablets, and OneDrive for Windows), but when it comes to onboard storage, more is always better. All those apps, when combined with typical music, movie, and photo libraries, can take up a lot of space. Many non-Apple tablets have microSD memory card slots that let you expand storage.

Wi-Fi-Only vs. Cellular Models

Some tablets come in a Wi-Fi-only model or with the option of always-on cellular service from a wireless provider. If you want to use your tablet to get online anywhere, you should opt for a model that offers a cellular version, like the aforementioned iPads. Of course, this adds to the device’s price, and then you need to pay for cellular service. Generally, tho’, with a tablet, you can purchase data on a month-to-month basis without signing a contract.

Another way to get your tablet online: Use your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot. This won’t work with every phone/tablet combo, so you should check with your carrier before you seal a deal. You can also buy a dedicated mobile hotspot, which won’t kill your phone’s battery life. Some even dual as backup batteries to charge your tablet.

The Top Tablets (Right Now)

The tablets chosen here represent the best we’ve tested across a broad range of operating systems and price levels. Because we test so many and the market is permanently evolving, we update this story monthly to include the latest products. That said, there are slew of excellent tablets out there there that just missed the cut for this list, and one may be right for you. For the latest lab-tested tablet reviews, check out our tablet product guide.

Ultimately, before you buy, if you can, head to your local electronics store to get hands-on time with some different tablets, so you can see which feels best.

Featured Tablet Reviews:

Amazon Fire HD eight (2017) Review

Bottom Line: Amazon’s latest Fire HD eight tablet is a superb value for media consumption, as long as you can live without access to Google Play.

Apple iPad (2017) Review

Bottom Line: The Apple iPad is more affordable than ever. If you’re looking for a basic tablet with a wealth of apps, it’s a solid deal.

Asus Transformer Mini (T102HA-D4-GR) Review

Bottom Line: The Asus Transformer Mini T102HA is an excellent, tho’ modest, petite tablet that’s handy to have around when you truly need Windows rather than Android or iOS.

Lenovo Miix five hundred ten Review

Bottom Line: Lenovo’s Miix five hundred ten is an attractive Windows tablet/keyboard combo with top-notch spectacle and enough future-proofing that it can substitute your current laptop.

Microsoft Surface Pro Review

Bottom Line: With quicker spectacle, better battery life, and other welcome improvements over its predecessor, the Microsoft Surface Pro is still the standard bearer for 2-in-1 Windows tablets.

Amazon Fire seven (2017) Review

Bottom Line: The Amazon Fire seven tablet makes a good basic movie player and color ebook reader, and it’s very effortless to use.

Apple iPad Pro (Ten.5-Inch) Review

Bottom Line: Apple’s Ten.5-inch iPad Pro tablet packs as much power as a laptop, but using iOS for pro-level applications will take some getting used to for many professionals.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 Review

Bottom Line: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is the most powerful Android tablet available, but it’s very pricey for the functionality you get.

Alcatel A30 Tablet Review

Bottom Line: The Alcatel A30 for T-Mobile isn’t particularly titillating, but it’s a solid 8-inch Android tablet for the price, especially if you need cellular connectivity.

Asus ZenPad 3S ten Review

Bottom Line: The Asus ZenPad 3S ten gives you lots of multimedia value for your money.

Heading up PCMag’s reviews coverage, Wendy Sheehan Donnell is fortunate enough to spend her days working with words and drooling over shiny gadgets inwards the big glass box that is PC Labs in Fresh York City. Formerly the managing editor for the consumer electronics and mobile reviews teams, she can typically be found knee deep in home theater and audio gear, digital cameras, tablets, mobile phones, and the accompanying accessories. She’s had a serious crush on Apple for more than twenty five years, but a tumultuous. More »

More Stories by Wendy

If you want to secure and monitor your home from afar without spending a bundle, there’s a lot to li. More »

No matter your budget or who you’re buying for, our holiday gadget guide has a bounty idea for everyon. More »

Let’s Imagine Elmo encourages your two-to-four-year-old child to sing, count, and learn with three d. More »

PCMag.com’s lead mobile analyst, Sascha Segan, has reviewed hundreds of smartphones, tablets and other gadgets in more than nine years with PCMag. He’s the head of our Fastest Mobile Networks project, one of the hosts of the daily PCMag Live Web showcase and speaks frequently in mass media on cell-phone-related issues. His commentary has appeared on ABC, the Big black cock, the CBC, CNBC, CNN, Fox News, and in newspapers from San Antonio, Texas to Edmonton, Alberta. Segan is also a numerous award-winning travel writer, having contributed. More »

More Stories by Sascha

T-Mobile’s CTO, Neville Ray, talks about the company’s plans to cover all of those rural areas. More »

Hotel availability shows that people are preparing for a big launch event in Cupertino, not in San F. More »

Google’s ARCore will let Android phones practice augmented reality. We took it for a spin. More »

The Best Tablets of two thousand seventeen

The Best Tablets of 2017

Bottom Line: Amazon's latest Fire HD eight tablet is a fine value for media consumption, as long as you can live without access to Google Play.

Bottom Line: The Apple iPad is more affordable than ever. If you're looking for a basic tablet with a wealth of apps, it's a solid deal.

Bottom Line: The Asus Transformer Mini T102HA is an excellent, tho’ modest, puny tablet that's handy to have around when you indeed need Windows rather than Android or iOS.

Bottom Line: Lenovo's Miix five hundred ten is an attractive Windows tablet/keyboard combo with top-notch spectacle and enough future-proofing that it can substitute your current laptop.

Bottom Line: With swifter spectacle, better battery life, and other welcome improvements over its predecessor, the Microsoft Surface Pro is still the standard bearer for 2-in-1 Windows tablets.

Bottom Line: The Amazon Fire seven tablet makes a good basic movie player and color ebook reader, and it's very effortless to use.

Bottom Line: Apple's Ten.5-inch iPad Pro tablet packs as much power as a laptop, but using iOS for pro-level applications will take some getting used to for many professionals.

Bottom Line: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is the most powerful Android tablet available, but it's very pricey for the functionality you get.

Bottom Line: The Alcatel A30 for T-Mobile isn't particularly titillating, but it's a solid 8-inch Android tablet for the price, especially if you need cellular connectivity.

Bottom Line: The Asus ZenPad 3S ten gives you lots of multimedia value for your money.

There are innumerable tablets on the market, but which one is right for you? Whether you’re eyeing an iPad, one of the many Android tablets available, or a Windows slate for productivity, here are the key factors you need to consider when shopping, along with some of the top-rated models we’ve tested.

Several of the major tablet vendors have just had major refreshes, making this a very good time to buy a tablet. Amazon flipped out fresh Fire models, and its Fire HD eight is our top pick for tablets under $100. Microsoft’s fresh Surface Pro — no number, but it’s the fifth generation — is our beloved Windows tablet of the moment. And while Apple gets points for ambition with its fresh iPad Pro models, the also relatively fresh 2017-model iPad is our dearest iOS tablet.

Choose Your Operating System

Just like with a full-fledged computer, if you’re getting a tablet, you need to pick a camp. There are three main operating systems to consider: Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android (including its Amazon variant), and Microsoft’s Windows Ten.

Windows is best if you need to run full-fledged office software with an add-on keyboard. Android tablets make superb media players, ebook readers, and kids’ devices, and you can often get better specs for the dollar than with iPads (if you want a tablet specifically for children, check out The Best Kids’ Tablets). iPads still have the broadest range of general-purpose tablet apps.

Generally speaking, the greatest strength of Apple’s iOS, the operating system on the iPad, iPad mini, and iPad Pro tablet lines, is twofold: It’s very clean and intuitive, and the broad selection of iPad apps that you can buy right on your tablet—more than one million iPad-specific titles at the time of this writing—work uniformly well with very few exceptions. For more, check out our iOS ten review and the coolest features in iOS 11.

Google’s Android mobile OS gives you a choice of hardware from several different manufacturers and offers maximum configurability, a top-notch notification system, rapid and slick web browsing, and seamless integration with Google applications like Gmail, Google Maps, and Hangouts for movie talk. Android also includes support for numerous user logins so you can share your tablet with a friend or family member, a useful feature that’s missing in Apple tablets (despite Apple’s Family Sharing, which isn’t the same thing). See our Android 7.0 Nougat review for more.

Windows ten comes the closest to suggesting a traditional computing practice with utter x86 support for all of your Windows software. And you can run the total version of Microsoft Office when you buy a Win ten tablet. Also, connectivity options and hardware add-ons for Windows models are typically more plentiful than with other tablet types. Head to our Windows ten review for more.

What About Apps?

What’s a tablet without quality apps? If you want third-party apps specifically designed for a touch-screen interface, nothing out there hits the iPad with its hefty library of programs and games designed specifically for Apple tablets. The App Store is well curated and monitored, offers a deep selection, and includes every popular app you can think of. If a broad range of compelling apps that look good and work well your tablet is your main priority, Apple is your best bet. For more, see the one hundred best iPad apps.

Android has made superb strides in app selection, courting more developers and suggesting more high-quality tablet apps, but it’s still not as many as Apple offers. It’s raunchy to say exactly how many tablet-optimized Android apps are available, but it’s likely in the thousands, rather than the hundreds of thousands. There are also Android phone apps, which look decent on a 7-inch tablet, but less so on a 9- or 10-inch one, so you’re likely to have more problems getting high-quality apps for larger Android tablets. That said, check out the one hundred Best Android apps for our top picks.

Windows Ten, meantime, offers an epic array of more than 100,000 touch-screen-friendly tablet apps, but its real strength is in running the millions of existing Windows desktop apps. Many of those aren’t designed for touch screens, tho’, and may be better treated with an add-on keyboard and mouse.

Screen Size and Storage

This consideration is a bit demonstrable, but size—both screen real estate and storage capacity—is significant to consider. Very first things very first: When you hear the term "7-inch or 10-inch tablet," this refers to the size of the screen, measured diagonally, and not the size of the tablet itself.

7-inch tablets are considered small-screen, while 8.9-inch tablets and above are considered large-screen. Apple’s iPads, Amazon’s Fire, and Samsung’s tablets all come in small- and large-screen iterations. And more than ever, phones are blurring the lines with tablets. Big smartphones (or phablets) like the 6.2-inch Samsung Galaxy S8+ are challenging the need to even carry a separate tablet.

Screen resolution is significant too, especially for ebook reading and web surfing. A acute, bright display is key. Right now, the highest resolution you’ll find is Two,732 by Two,048 pixels, on Apple’s 12.9-inch iPad Pro (the Microsoft Surface Pro is very close) . If you’re in the market for a 10-inch Android tablet, look for a display with at least 1,280 by eight hundred resolution.

The 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 cell phone-light. After you hold one with a single mitt on a subway rail for twenty minutes, your mitt will get tired. Setting one vapid in your lap, rather than propped up on a stand, can also be a little awkward. And few tablets will fit in your pocket, unless you’re wearing a very large jacket. If you want pocketabiity, you might want to consider one of the aforementioned phablets.

Cloud (off-device) storage is an option for many tablets (iCloud for iPads, Amazon Cloud Storage for Fire tablets, and OneDrive for Windows), but when it comes to onboard storage, more is always better. All those apps, when combined with typical music, movie, and photo libraries, can take up a lot of space. Many non-Apple tablets have microSD memory card slots that let you expand storage.

Wi-Fi-Only vs. Cellular Models

Some tablets come in a Wi-Fi-only model or with the option of always-on cellular service from a wireless provider. If you want to use your tablet to get online anywhere, you should opt for a model that offers a cellular version, like the aforementioned iPads. Of course, this adds to the device’s price, and then you need to pay for cellular service. Generally, tho’, with a tablet, you can purchase data on a month-to-month basis without signing a contract.

Another way to get your tablet online: Use your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot. This won’t work with every phone/tablet combo, so you should check with your carrier before you seal a deal. You can also buy a dedicated mobile hotspot, which won’t kill your phone’s battery life. Some even dual as backup batteries to charge your tablet.

The Top Tablets (Right Now)

The tablets chosen here represent the best we’ve tested across a broad range of operating systems and price levels. Because we test so many and the market is permanently evolving, we update this story monthly to include the latest products. That said, there are slew of fine tablets out there there that just missed the cut for this list, and one may be right for you. For the latest lab-tested tablet reviews, check out our tablet product guide.

Ultimately, before you buy, if you can, head to your local electronics store to get hands-on time with some different tablets, so you can see which feels best.

Featured Tablet Reviews:

Amazon Fire HD eight (2017) Review

Bottom Line: Amazon’s latest Fire HD eight tablet is a excellent value for media consumption, as long as you can live without access to Google Play.

Apple iPad (2017) Review

Bottom Line: The Apple iPad is more affordable than ever. If you’re looking for a basic tablet with a wealth of apps, it’s a solid deal.

Asus Transformer Mini (T102HA-D4-GR) Review

Bottom Line: The Asus Transformer Mini T102HA is an excellent, tho’ modest, petite tablet that’s handy to have around when you indeed need Windows rather than Android or iOS.

Lenovo Miix five hundred ten Review

Bottom Line: Lenovo’s Miix five hundred ten is an attractive Windows tablet/keyboard combo with top-notch spectacle and enough future-proofing that it can substitute your current laptop.

Microsoft Surface Pro Review

Bottom Line: With swifter spectacle, better battery life, and other welcome improvements over its predecessor, the Microsoft Surface Pro is still the standard bearer for 2-in-1 Windows tablets.

Amazon Fire seven (2017) Review

Bottom Line: The Amazon Fire seven tablet makes a good basic movie player and color ebook reader, and it’s very effortless to use.

Apple iPad Pro (Ten.5-Inch) Review

Bottom Line: Apple’s Ten.5-inch iPad Pro tablet packs as much power as a laptop, but using iOS for pro-level applications will take some getting used to for many professionals.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 Review

Bottom Line: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is the most powerful Android tablet available, but it’s very pricey for the functionality you get.

Alcatel A30 Tablet Review

Bottom Line: The Alcatel A30 for T-Mobile isn’t particularly arousing, but it’s a solid 8-inch Android tablet for the price, especially if you need cellular connectivity.

Asus ZenPad 3S ten Review

Bottom Line: The Asus ZenPad 3S ten gives you lots of multimedia value for your money.

Heading up PCMag’s reviews coverage, Wendy Sheehan Donnell is fortunate enough to spend her days working with words and drooling over shiny gadgets inwards the big glass box that is PC Labs in Fresh York City. Formerly the managing editor for the consumer electronics and mobile reviews teams, she can typically be found knee deep in home theater and audio gear, digital cameras, tablets, mobile phones, and the accompanying accessories. She’s had a serious crush on Apple for more than twenty five years, but a tumultuous. More »

More Stories by Wendy

If you want to secure and monitor your home from afar without spending a bundle, there’s a lot to li. More »

No matter your budget or who you’re buying for, our holiday gadget guide has a bounty idea for everyon. More »

Let’s Imagine Elmo encourages your two-to-four-year-old child to sing, count, and learn with three d. More »

PCMag.com’s lead mobile analyst, Sascha Segan, has reviewed hundreds of smartphones, tablets and other gadgets in more than nine years with PCMag. He’s the head of our Fastest Mobile Networks project, one of the hosts of the daily PCMag Live Web demonstrate and speaks frequently in mass media on cell-phone-related issues. His commentary has appeared on ABC, the Big black cock, the CBC, CNBC, CNN, Fox News, and in newspapers from San Antonio, Texas to Edmonton, Alberta. Segan is also a numerous award-winning travel writer, having contributed. More »

More Stories by Sascha

T-Mobile’s CTO, Neville Ray, talks about the company’s plans to cover all of those rural areas. More »

Hotel availability shows that people are preparing for a big launch event in Cupertino, not in San F. More »

Google’s ARCore will let Android phones practice augmented reality. We took it for a spin. More »

The Best Tablets of two thousand seventeen

The Best Tablets of 2017

Bottom Line: Amazon's latest Fire HD eight tablet is a fine value for media consumption, as long as you can live without access to Google Play.

Bottom Line: The Apple iPad is more affordable than ever. If you're looking for a basic tablet with a wealth of apps, it's a solid deal.

Bottom Line: The Asus Transformer Mini T102HA is an excellent, however modest, puny tablet that's handy to have around when you truly need Windows rather than Android or iOS.

Bottom Line: Lenovo's Miix five hundred ten is an attractive Windows tablet/keyboard combo with top-notch spectacle and enough future-proofing that it can substitute your current laptop.

Bottom Line: With quicker spectacle, better battery life, and other welcome improvements over its predecessor, the Microsoft Surface Pro is still the standard bearer for 2-in-1 Windows tablets.

Bottom Line: The Amazon Fire seven tablet makes a good basic movie player and color ebook reader, and it's very effortless to use.

Bottom Line: Apple's Ten.5-inch iPad Pro tablet packs as much power as a laptop, but using iOS for pro-level applications will take some getting used to for many professionals.

Bottom Line: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is the most powerful Android tablet available, but it's very pricey for the functionality you get.

Bottom Line: The Alcatel A30 for T-Mobile isn't particularly arousing, but it's a solid 8-inch Android tablet for the price, especially if you need cellular connectivity.

Bottom Line: The Asus ZenPad 3S ten gives you lots of multimedia value for your money.

There are uncountable tablets on the market, but which one is right for you? Whether you’re eyeing an iPad, one of the many Android tablets available, or a Windows slate for productivity, here are the key factors you need to consider when shopping, along with some of the top-rated models we’ve tested.

Several of the major tablet vendors have just had major refreshes, making this a very good time to buy a tablet. Amazon flipped out fresh Fire models, and its Fire HD eight is our top pick for tablets under $100. Microsoft’s fresh Surface Pro — no number, but it’s the fifth generation — is our beloved Windows tablet of the moment. And while Apple gets points for ambition with its fresh iPad Pro models, the also relatively fresh 2017-model iPad is our beloved iOS tablet.

Choose Your Operating System

Just like with a full-fledged computer, if you’re getting a tablet, you need to pick a camp. There are three main operating systems to consider: Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android (including its Amazon variant), and Microsoft’s Windows Ten.

Windows is best if you need to run full-fledged office software with an add-on keyboard. Android tablets make superb media players, ebook readers, and kids’ devices, and you can often get better specs for the dollar than with iPads (if you want a tablet specifically for children, check out The Best Kids’ Tablets). iPads still have the broadest range of general-purpose tablet apps.

Generally speaking, the greatest strength of Apple’s iOS, the operating system on the iPad, iPad mini, and iPad Pro tablet lines, is twofold: It’s very clean and intuitive, and the broad selection of iPad apps that you can buy right on your tablet—more than one million iPad-specific titles at the time of this writing—work uniformly well with very few exceptions. For more, check out our iOS ten review and the coolest features in iOS 11.

Google’s Android mobile OS gives you a choice of hardware from several different manufacturers and offers maximum configurability, a top-notch notification system, rapid and slick web browsing, and seamless integration with Google applications like Gmail, Google Maps, and Hangouts for movie talk. Android also includes support for numerous user logins so you can share your tablet with a friend or family member, a useful feature that’s missing in Apple tablets (despite Apple’s Family Sharing, which isn’t the same thing). See our Android 7.0 Nougat review for more.

Windows ten comes the closest to suggesting a traditional computing practice with total x86 support for all of your Windows software. And you can run the total version of Microsoft Office when you buy a Win ten tablet. Also, connectivity options and hardware add-ons for Windows models are typically more plentiful than with other tablet types. Head to our Windows ten review for more.

What About Apps?

What’s a tablet without quality apps? If you want third-party apps specifically designed for a touch-screen interface, nothing out there hammers the iPad with its ample library of programs and games designed specifically for Apple tablets. The App Store is well curated and monitored, offers a deep selection, and includes every popular app you can think of. If a broad range of compelling apps that look good and work well your tablet is your main priority, Apple is your best bet. For more, see the one hundred best iPad apps.

Android has made fine strides in app selection, courting more developers and suggesting more high-quality tablet apps, but it’s still not as many as Apple offers. It’s raunchy to say exactly how many tablet-optimized Android apps are available, but it’s likely in the thousands, rather than the hundreds of thousands. There are also Android phone apps, which look decent on a 7-inch tablet, but less so on a 9- or 10-inch one, so you’re likely to have more problems getting high-quality apps for larger Android tablets. That said, check out the one hundred Best Android apps for our top picks.

Windows Ten, meantime, offers an amazing array of more than 100,000 touch-screen-friendly tablet apps, but its real strength is in running the millions of existing Windows desktop apps. Many of those aren’t designed for touch screens, tho’, and may be better treated with an add-on keyboard and mouse.

Screen Size and Storage

This consideration is a bit visible, but size—both screen real estate and storage capacity—is significant to consider. Very first things very first: When you hear the term "7-inch or 10-inch tablet," this refers to the size of the screen, measured diagonally, and not the size of the tablet itself.

7-inch tablets are considered small-screen, while 8.9-inch tablets and above are considered large-screen. Apple’s iPads, Amazon’s Fire, and Samsung’s tablets all come in small- and large-screen iterations. And more than ever, phones are blurring the lines with tablets. Big smartphones (or phablets) like the 6.2-inch Samsung Galaxy S8+ are challenging the need to even carry a separate tablet.

Screen resolution is significant too, especially for ebook reading and web surfing. A acute, bright display is key. Right now, the highest resolution you’ll find is Two,732 by Two,048 pixels, on Apple’s 12.9-inch iPad Pro (the Microsoft Surface Pro is very close) . If you’re in the market for a 10-inch Android tablet, look for a display with at least 1,280 by eight hundred resolution.

The 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 cell phone-light. After you hold one with a single arm on a subway rail for twenty minutes, your mitt will get tired. Setting one plane in your lap, rather than propped up on a stand, can also be a little awkward. And few tablets will fit in your pocket, unless you’re wearing a very large jacket. If you want pocketabiity, you might want to consider one of the aforementioned phablets.

Cloud (off-device) storage is an option for many tablets (iCloud for iPads, Amazon Cloud Storage for Fire tablets, and OneDrive for Windows), but when it comes to onboard storage, more is always better. All those apps, when combined with typical music, movie, and photo libraries, can take up a lot of space. Many non-Apple tablets have microSD memory card slots that let you expand storage.

Wi-Fi-Only vs. Cellular Models

Some tablets come in a Wi-Fi-only model or with the option of always-on cellular service from a wireless provider. If you want to use your tablet to get online anywhere, you should opt for a model that offers a cellular version, like the aforementioned iPads. Of course, this adds to the device’s price, and then you need to pay for cellular service. Generally, tho’, with a tablet, you can purchase data on a month-to-month basis without signing a contract.

Another way to get your tablet online: Use your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot. This won’t work with every phone/tablet combo, so you should check with your carrier before you seal a deal. You can also buy a dedicated mobile hotspot, which won’t kill your phone’s battery life. Some even dual as backup batteries to charge your tablet.

The Top Tablets (Right Now)

The tablets chosen here represent the best we’ve tested across a broad range of operating systems and price levels. Because we test so many and the market is permanently evolving, we update this story monthly to include the latest products. That said, there are slew of fine tablets out there there that just missed the cut for this list, and one may be right for you. For the latest lab-tested tablet reviews, check out our tablet product guide.

Eventually, before you buy, if you can, head to your local electronics store to get hands-on time with some different tablets, so you can see which feels best.

Featured Tablet Reviews:

Amazon Fire HD eight (2017) Review

Bottom Line: Amazon’s latest Fire HD eight tablet is a fine value for media consumption, as long as you can live without access to Google Play.

Apple iPad (2017) Review

Bottom Line: The Apple iPad is more affordable than ever. If you’re looking for a basic tablet with a wealth of apps, it’s a solid deal.

Asus Transformer Mini (T102HA-D4-GR) Review

Bottom Line: The Asus Transformer Mini T102HA is an excellent, tho’ modest, puny tablet that’s handy to have around when you truly need Windows rather than Android or iOS.

Lenovo Miix five hundred ten Review

Bottom Line: Lenovo’s Miix five hundred ten is an attractive Windows tablet/keyboard combo with top-notch spectacle and enough future-proofing that it can substitute your current laptop.

Microsoft Surface Pro Review

Bottom Line: With quicker spectacle, better battery life, and other welcome improvements over its predecessor, the Microsoft Surface Pro is still the standard bearer for 2-in-1 Windows tablets.

Amazon Fire seven (2017) Review

Bottom Line: The Amazon Fire seven tablet makes a good basic movie player and color ebook reader, and it’s very effortless to use.

Apple iPad Pro (Ten.5-Inch) Review

Bottom Line: Apple’s Ten.5-inch iPad Pro tablet packs as much power as a laptop, but using iOS for pro-level applications will take some getting used to for many professionals.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 Review

Bottom Line: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is the most powerful Android tablet available, but it’s very pricey for the functionality you get.

Alcatel A30 Tablet Review

Bottom Line: The Alcatel A30 for T-Mobile isn’t particularly arousing, but it’s a solid 8-inch Android tablet for the price, especially if you need cellular connectivity.

Asus ZenPad 3S ten Review

Bottom Line: The Asus ZenPad 3S ten gives you lots of multimedia value for your money.

Heading up PCMag’s reviews coverage, Wendy Sheehan Donnell is fortunate enough to spend her days working with words and drooling over shiny gadgets inwards the big glass box that is PC Labs in Fresh York City. Formerly the managing editor for the consumer electronics and mobile reviews teams, she can typically be found knee deep in home theater and audio gear, digital cameras, tablets, mobile phones, and the accompanying accessories. She’s had a serious crush on Apple for more than twenty five years, but a tumultuous. More »

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PCMag.com’s lead mobile analyst, Sascha Segan, has reviewed hundreds of smartphones, tablets and other gadgets in more than nine years with PCMag. He’s the head of our Fastest Mobile Networks project, one of the hosts of the daily PCMag Live Web showcase and speaks frequently in mass media on cell-phone-related issues. His commentary has appeared on ABC, the Big black cock, the CBC, CNBC, CNN, Fox News, and in newspapers from San Antonio, Texas to Edmonton, Alberta. Segan is also a numerous award-winning travel writer, having contributed. More »

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