Best tablets in 2022: Which one should you buy?

Source: Pocketnow

Tablets come in all shapes and sizes, and picking the best one that fits your needs is often a challenging task. Tablets have become so much more than just media-consuming devices in the past few years. They’re now excellent for getting work done, communicating with family, friends, and colleagues, and it’s an easy way for students to keep up with their homework. Of course, they’re still some of the best devices for consuming content, and the high-resolution displays certified by Dolby Atmos and other technologies make them appealing for watching movies and videos on the go. In case you're interested, we also have an excellent list of the best iPads and the best Mac and MacBook computers.

That’s why we draw up this list, to help you find the best tablet when it’s finally time to upgrade. This list will contain the most popular tablets from Apple, Samsung, and Lenovo, and the ones you can find at most retailers and online stores.

Best for budget: Samsung Galaxy Tab A8

Source: Pocketnow

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 was introduced in December, 2021. It comes with a large 10.5-inch TFT, 1200 x 1920 display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. It’s powered by a Unisoc Tiger T618 chipset, and the ram goes from 2/3/4GB, depending on which storage variant you get. There’s also a microSD card slot to expand the storage up to 1TB. It’s an affordable tablet and excellent for some light gaming, multitasking, watching movies, and having calls with family and friends.

If you’re looking for a budget tablet for watching movies or browsing the web when out and about, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is an excellent option, assuming you don’t rely on getting too much work done.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8

Best for Budget

The Galaxy Tab A8 is an inexpensive tablet, excellent for multitasking, conference calls with friends or family, and media consumption. It comes with a large 10.5-inch display, and the battery can last a full day on a single charge, depending on the usage.

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Runner-up: 10.2-inch iPad

The 10.2-inch iPad has long been the king in the affordable segment, and that’s because it’s cheap, it’s made out of premium materials. and it has the power to game and multitask without breaking a sweat. It’s an excellent device for those who want to relax, read, watch movies, and consume media. It has a large 10.2-inch display and features the beloved TouchID sensor and the home button for unlocking and making purchases online.

It’s one of the best affordable tablets and even supports the first-generation Apple Pencil. It’s powered by the A13 Bionic chipset, which may appear outdated, but it’s still more than capable of playing new graphics-intensive titles, and multitasking. The iPad is your best bet if you’re on a low budget and want something that’ll hold up well over the next few years. There’s also a 12MP front-facing camera with Center Stage, helping you stay in focus while having camera calls with family and friends.

Apple iPad 10.2-inch (9th Gen.)

The 2021 iPad is an affordable tablet that lets your loved one relax and stay entertained. The large display is perfect for gaming, drawing, and watching movies. This iPad is also compatible with the first-generation Apple Pencil.

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Best for most people: Apple iPad Air (5th Gen.)

Source: Apple

The new Apple iPad Air 5th Generation was revealed in March, 2022. It’s one of the best tablets in Apple’s lineup, and it’s the device you should consider buying if you want a modern, powerful, and highly efficient tablet. It houses a large 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display and runs the latest iPadOS software. It supports the second-generation Apple Pencil and has slim bezels and a TouchID sensor embedded in the power button on top of the tablet.

The iPad Air 5 is powered by the Apple M1 chipset, which starts at $599, while the 5G cellular model starts at $749. Both base models come with only 64GB of storage, but there’s an option to upgrade for the 256Gb variant. The iPad Air is the best tablet for most people, as it supports nearly all of the accessories from the iPad Pro lineup, and it features a modern design, and a USB-C port on the bottom.

If you’re looking for the best all-in-one tablet, the iPad Air is hard to ignore. It’s excellent for students, professionals, and everyday use for watching movies, browsing, multitasking, and creating new content.

Apple iPad Air (5th Gen.)

Powered by the M1 chip

The iPad Air 5th generation comes with a more powerful M1 chip inside, which provides more performance and efficiency. The design remains unchanged, and it's a portable and powerful device to fit all of your needs.

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Runner-up: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8

When it comes to tablets, you usually think of Apple’s iPad series and the Samsung Galaxy Tab line. That’s for a good reason since these two companies are the largest and most popular brands that still produce the best and most reliable devices. While Apple is the king, Samsung also has a sweet spot for the best Android tablet maker on the market.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 comes with a large 11-inch 1600 x 2560, 120Hz LDC panel, and it’s powered by the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. It has 128GB of expandable base storage, and 8GB of RAM, although a 12GB model is also available, depending on the configuration you buy.

It’s the latest flagship tablet in Samsung’s lineup and the best all-purpose device for work, consuming media content, and entertainment. The Galaxy Tab S8 is also great for reading, and drawing as it supports the Galaxy S Pen, which also comes bundled with the tablet. The battery of the Tab S8 can also last a full day on a single charge, and it’s the best Android tablet on the market.

It doesn’t matter whether you want to read, draw, watch movies, play games, or get work done; the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is one of the best and most powerful tablets on the market. It’s powered by the latest Android version, and Samsung promises multiple years of updates, making it an excellent contender if you want to futureproof yourself.

Galaxy Tab S8

11-inch Screen

The Galaxy Tab S8 is the smallest device in the new series, and the most affordable model. It features a flagship Qualcomm chipset, has S Pen support, and 4K recording capabilities. It's excellent for students, and those who just want to relax and watch movies, and play games on the go on a large display.

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Best large display: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus comes with the same hardware and specifications as its standard, smaller sibling. The Galaxy Tab S8 Plus features a slightly larger, 12.4-inch Super AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, making it even better for watching movies and consuming media content on the go.

The tablet is powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and has the same memory and storage configurations. Likewise, it also comes with the same Galaxy S Pen, and it’s the ultimate device for most people who don’t mind spending a little extra for the larger and higher-quality display. Aside from the screen, it’s the same tablet and the best one for most people.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus starts at $899.99 at Samsung.com, but you can get it cheaper when you buy at selected retailers or carriers. Samsung also holds a lot of promotions on its website throughout the year, so make sure to keep an eye out for new deals to save money.

Galaxy Tab S8 Plus

12.4-inch Screen

The Galaxy Tab S8 Plus comes with a massive 12.4-inch Super AMOLED display, fantastic speakers, and a flagship processor that's excellent for entertainment, such as watching movies, playing games, and even studying.

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Runner-up: Lenovo Tab P12 Pro and Yoga Tab 13

Source: Lenovo

The Lenovo Tab P12 Pro comes with a 12.6-inch 1600 x 2560 display, and it’s powered by the Snapdragon 870 chipset with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage. The screen also supports the 120Hz refresh rate, making it ideal for work and gaming. The display also supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+, making it an excellent machine for media consumption.

The tablet also supports stylus input, helping users take notes, draw, and do sketches with high precision. The Tab P12 Pro also supports 45W fast wired charging, and the tablet also has excellent battery life. All in all, the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro comes together in an appealing package that’s worth considering.

The Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 features the Snapdragon 870 chipset, and it comes with a 13-inch 1350 x 2160 display. It’s a powerful tablet and excellent for multitasking thanks to the 8GB of memory and 128GB of built-in storage. The large display makes the Yoga Tab 13 a perfect choice for those who want to watch movies and videos, and it’s also a great tablet for reading and getting work done.

The tablet can also function as a secondary monitor for your laptop or another tablet, making it ideal for carrying around when traveling or working. The device sadly lacks 5G support, and you’ll have to rely on the Wi-Fi model, but at least you can pair with it via a hotspot on your smartphone.

Best compact: Apple iPad Mini (6th Gen.)

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Tablets don’t always need to be large and expensive. They can be compact, and still offer features from its larger and more “Pro” siblings. That’s where the iPad Mini comes into play, offering the best of both worlds in a tiny package.

The iPad Mini is powered by the flagship A15 Bionic chipset and 4GB of RAM. The device houses a bezel-less 8.3-inch Liquid Retina LCD display, and like the iPad Air, it also supports the second-generation Apple Pencil. It also comes with a USB-C port and 64/256GB of built-in storage.

On the front, there’s a 12MP selfie camera, which is excellent for talking to friends, family, and conference calls, and there’s also another 12MP shooter on the back. It’s ideal for scanning documents, or snapping a few quick photos on the larger screen, although you’ll likely still rely on your smartphone for the best images.

You may wonder who the iPad Mini is for, and to be honest, and it’s not for many people unless you truly desire a small tablet in a compact form factor. We recommend the iPad Air 5th generation for most people, and the iPad Mini for those who want a premium one-handed device.

iPad Mini (6th generation)

The all-new iPad mini features a massive redesign, bringing it in line with the looks of the new iPad Air and iPad Pro. It packs the A15 Bionic, features support for the 2nd generation Apple Pencil, has Touch ID built into its power button, and implements a USB-C port for wired connectivity.

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Best for Pros: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra

Source: Pocketnow

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is the most expensive Android tablet, but you get a lot of features and hardware for $1,099. It competes against the iPad Pro devices and comes with the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. The tablet is aimed at those who want a single device to replace their laptops, and needless to say, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultera has the size and power required for multitasking, entertainment, and a lot of creative work.

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is excellent for remote workers and those who need to pop into the office occasionally. It packs a massive 14.6-inch Super AMOLED display with 120Hz and HDR10+ for more immersive content. Like the Galaxy Tab S8 and S8 Plus, it also supports the S Pen stylus, but it has less than half of the latency at 2.8ms. It’s an ideal device for drawing, note-taking, graphics design, and just about anything you can think of.

The tablet has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage, but the memory will depend on the storage configuration you pick up. There are also two 12MP sensors on the front, a 13MP primary, and a 6MP ultrawide on the back. The speakers are tuned by AKG, and you can choose between Wi-Fi only or cellular versions, taking advantage of 5G.

Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra

14.6-inch Screen

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is the largest in the new series, and it has a better battery life, and 14.6-inch display that's excellent for watching movies, playing games, multitasking, taking conference calls, studying, and just about anything you can think of. The Tab S8 Ultra is a true powerhouse, and it's one of the best tablets on the market today.

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Runner-up: Apple iPad Pro (11 and 12.9-inch)

Last but not least are the iPad Pro series. We combined the 11 and 12.9-inch models under the same category, as they don’t differ much, and they have a lot in common. First and foremost, both devices cost a pretty penny. The 11-inch model starts at $799, while the 12.9-inch model retails from $1,099. Both devices have multiple storage configurations, starting at 128GB, and going up to a massive 2TB.

The iPad Pro series are some of the best and most powerful tablets on the market, and they’re also some of the best machines for creating content on the go. iPadOS features a lot of professional apps, making it an ideal tablet for creators and professionals alike. They’re also perfect tablets for watching movies, video, and browsing the web, and they also support the second-generation Apple Pencil. Many artists, creative individuals, and even studios rely on them for graphics design.

The iPad Pro series are powered by the Apple M1 silicon, and they also have some of the best and brightest displays available on consumer tablets. If you’re looking for the ultimate tablets for work and creative content creation, the iPad Pro series are the best devices.