Best Android tablets to buy in 2024
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Android tablets have sort of, kind of made a return to form. Spearheaded by Samsung and its excellent Galaxy Tab S series — now up to Galaxy Tab S9. But Google also came out with an interesting offering in the form of the Pixel Tablet — half tablet, half smarthome hub. There are plenty of cool slates to pick from, be it for actual work, or just short bursts of entertainment. And they do cover a wide range of budgets, so we'd best get to sorting through them!
So, what are the best Android tablets to buy right now?
Here's our concise list, pick your winner:
Higher end
Mid-range
On a budget
High-end Android tablets
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is a 3rd generation massive tablet by Samsung. The trend was started with the Tab S8 Ultra and this newest model still looks the same and feels the same — it's just packed with the latest hardware.
Well, kind of. Samsung's choice to use a MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ inside was perplexing. On one hand, yes — it is more powerful than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that powered the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. On the other, it's noticeably less powerful than the Snapdragon 8 Elite that launched just a month after the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra release.
So, for what it's worth, Samsung's Galaxy Tabs are still the most powerful, most feature-rich Android tablets you can get. They come with the S Pen in the box, which is an excellent stylus, they have big, beautiful, 120 Hz AMOLED screens, the Samsung UI with splitscreen and DeX, and are worthy "laptop replacement" type tablets. But be aware of the weird hardware choice.
In fact, if you can find a Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra at a deal right now — maybe go for that one.
Read more: Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9
The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is cool and all, but it's absolutely overkill, plus it's a bit pricey. The regular Galaxy Tab S9 is plenty good for much less money. Plus, with an 11-inch screen, it's much more manageable. It still has stereo speakers, DeX mode, an S Pen, and a 120 Hz refresh rate. And it now comes with an AMOLED panel, too — just like its big brothers!
And yes, you read that right — Samsung did upgrade the Galaxy Tab S10+ and S10 Ultra, but the smallest model is still the regular Galaxy Tab S9. This only means that Samsung itself is admitting the old models with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 are "good enough", making the S10 upgrade more confusing.
Anyway, the Galaxy Tab S9 cuts no corners, pair it with a Book Cover Keyboard folio, and you've got yourself a very robust "on the go" tablet for work and entertainment all in one.
And yes, you read that right — Samsung did upgrade the Galaxy Tab S10+ and S10 Ultra, but the smallest model is still the regular Galaxy Tab S9. This only means that Samsung itself is admitting the old models with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 are "good enough", making the S10 upgrade more confusing.
Anyway, the Galaxy Tab S9 cuts no corners, pair it with a Book Cover Keyboard folio, and you've got yourself a very robust "on the go" tablet for work and entertainment all in one.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE was released as a "cheaper" version of the Galaxy Tab S9 back in 2023. It has an LCD screen, but it still hits a 90 Hz refresh rate, and it still comes with an S Pen. The processor inside is an Exynos 1380, so it's not a powerhouse like the flagship series, but it will definitely get the job done if you are looking to write, draw, or binge videos on it. Even games, of course, will run, as developers optimize for a wide range of hardware.
The 10.9-inch Galaxy Tab S9 FE should be great for most users out there, but if you are craving a bigger canvas, there's also a Galaxy Tab S9 FE+
This one comes with a 12.4-inch display, but most of the rest is the same. Quad speakers, 90 Hz LCD screen, S Pen, and compatibility with Book Cover Keyboards — we have those!
Google Pixel Tablet
The Pixel Tablet comes with a dedicated Speaker Charger dock in the box. It's meant to "live" on that charger, transforming into a stationary media machine or smart home hub with a screen. Need a tablet? Simply pull it off the dock. The Speaker sound quality is akin to that of a Google Nest mini, so don't expect earth-shattering sounds. But it's definitely useful, and is one solution to the problem that tablets face — being left unused for long periods.
OnePlus Pad 2
OnePlus has also thrown its hat in the tablet ring, now with a second iteration of its OnePlus tablet. It seeks to be a pleasant all-rounder, with good hardware at a competitive price. Right now, it rocks a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and a 144 Hz 12.1-inch screen — the downside here being that it's an LCD panel instead of OLED.
Yes, it does also have a stylus and a keyboard accessory, but sadly does not come with any of them in the box — you'd have to spend extra for the OnePlus Stylo and the OnePlus Smart Keyboard or Magnetic Keyboard.
But for the price, it's a hard tablet to beat. Coming with OnePlus' signature snappy performance, and probably the best hardware in the price class!
Budget Android tablets
Amazon Fire HD 10
"Best" can mean a lot of things and while Amazon's Fire HD 10 can't keep up with the rest of the tablets on this list when it comes to specs, it has them all beat in one department: the price. Costing between 2 and 5 times less than the rest, the Fire HD 10 offers incredible value. So, it can easily be the best Android tablet to buy on a budget, especially since it has a keyboard accessory (sold in a bundle or separately) for that hybrid experience.
While the Fire HD 10 is technically an Android tablet, it's running on a heavily modified Amazon-centered software and doesn't come with Google's Play Store (there are ways to install it, if you insist). Still, Amazon's own app store offers enough variety to fit the relatively narrow focus of this tablet, so for most people this won't be an issue. The new Fire HD 10 tablet comes with 12 months of Microsoft 365, too, as to underline its new aim at productivity features.
Keep in mind that the Amazon Fire HD tablets have historically not had the best performance. They are great as simple slates to enjoy some media on, but don't expect a laptop replacement unit here.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ is the latest and only midrange tablet from Samsung, as the rest have been slowly phased out and discontinued.
If you simply want a tablet for media consumption and you don’t care about S Pen shenanigans or productivity — the Galaxy Tab A9+ offers just that. A quad-speaker system provides full stereo sound in any orientation and a 11-inch, 90 Hz, LCD screen gives you plenty of real estate to watch movies or browse the Internet on. It’s easily the best Android tablet for Netflix binging or to satisfy your kid’s gaming cravings. In fact, Samsung markets its top-notch parental controls that make it an easy pick for parents.
You can still slap a Bluetooth keyboard case on it, but there’s no DeX on this one.
You can still slap a Bluetooth keyboard case on it, but there’s no DeX on this one.
Conclusion
Whether you are after a budget device or a productivity machine, you’ve got a few options laid out here. And yeah, Samsung is definitely dominating the best Android tablet field right now, but who knows — maybe someone will try to step up in the months to come. We will certainly be keeping an ear to the ground, our eye on the market, and our fingers on a fresh touchscreen, hunting out those devices for you!
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