Android tablets have fewer makes, models and even manufacturers these days. This is why it might be easy to ignore the Android offerings on the market if you’re searching for the best tablet out there, especially because Apple’s iPad models (including the iPad Air and iPad Mini) often seem like the obvious choice. That said, the best tablet for your needs might be found in the most unlikely places. Some of the best Android tablets are doing their darndest to rival Apple’s iPad, and they’re definitely worth considering.
Some people may question the sanity of an Android tablet buyer in an Apple-obsessed tablet market. But the best Android tablet models can meet any casual or professional need, whether you’re looking for a gaming tablet, a drawing tablet or something for word processing. Some even work with a touchpad or mouse. And if you’re already invested in the Android operating system and Android app ecosystem, you won’t have to buy them again for iOS.
So if you’re looking for a cheap tablet for media consumption or a premium tablet to serve as a laptop substitute, there is absolutely an Android tablet option worth considering. We reviewed the best Android tablet options on the market, taking into consideration everything from battery life to screen size to ease of use and pressure sensitivity — basically, all the elements that go into a great tablet. So if you need an affordable tablet or something to take the place of your tired Apple iPad or Apple iPad Pro, here are our picks for the best tablets running the Android operating system on the tablet market. We update this best Android tablet list periodically, so keep checking back.
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David Carnoy/CNET
Amazon has come a long way from the first Kindle Fire tablet. The Amazon Fire HD 10 is Amazon’s biggest tablet with a 10-inch screen size and powerful speakers. Just like its smaller 8-inch sibling, the Fire HD 8, the tablet is packed with benefits for Prime subscribers making it easy for members to stream and download movies, TV shows and games. Amazon’s Fire tablets don’t use a pure version of Android, but instead Amazon’s Android-based Fire operating system, which pulls apps from the Amazon App Store. You can still get apps from Google Play, but you’ll have to install the store yourself — meaning gaming enthusiasts have access to all of their favorite mobile games for an excellent gaming tablet experience. Also, this is probably the closest thing we have to a budget tablet on this best Android tablet list.
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The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 tablet packs in a lot for an Android device. It has a speedy Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor and flexible expandable storage up to 1TB with a microSD card. The Galaxy Tab S6 also looks amazing, with a super AMOLED display (whereas the Galaxy Tab S7 uses an LCD panel instead). Battery life clocks in at about 15 hours and the rear camera has a 13-megapixel resolution. And if you’ve ever operated a Samsung Android device, the operation of this particular Samsung tablet will feel very intuitive and similar to a Samsung Android smartphone. Updates to Samsung’s DeX software even makes the Tab S6 a possible laptop substitution, letting you connect to a mouse and even an external display. Just grab a keyboard and you’ll be all set.
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Tyler Lizenby/CNET
The Lenovo Smart Tab P10 combines a tablet and a smart display into one 10-inch device. This Lenovo tablet comes with Android Oreo, front and rear cameras, fingerprint scanner and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor. When you set it on the dock, the Lenovo Tab becomes a smart display a lot like the Amazon Echo Show.
