8 Best Tablets of 2026

iPad Air with M4 is the balanced pick for people who split time between video, handwritten notes and office apps. Apple's spec sheet lists the M4 chip with an 8-core CPU, a 9-core GPU and 12GB of unified memory, which is more headroom than the base iPad for split-screen work and larger documents. It comes in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes; the 13-inch model reaches 600 nits and gives note-takers a page-sized canvas. Apple Pencil Pro and the Magic Keyboard for iPad Air are both supported, so it can act as a notebook or a small laptop. Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and USB-C at up to 10Gb/s with 6K external display output round out the connections. The tradeoffs are the screen and the battery: the display is LCD without ProMotion, and Apple rates battery at up to 10 hours, the same as the base iPad. At $749 for the 11-inch 128GB model it costs $300 more than the iPad (A16), so buyers who mainly stream video can save money there.

The iPad (A16) is the simplest way into an iPad for streaming, reading, video calls and school apps. Apple's specs list the A16 chip, an 11-inch Liquid Retina display at 500 nits and 128GB of starting storage, with 256GB and 512GB options. Battery is rated at up to 10 hours of web or video on Wi-Fi, the same figure Apple gives the Air and the Pro, and a 20W USB-C adapter comes in the box. The 12MP Center Stage front camera on the long edge keeps you framed on calls when the tablet sits in a case. For notes it supports Apple Pencil (USB-C) and the first-generation Apple Pencil, plus the Magic Keyboard Folio. The limits show up in work and drawing: there is no Apple Pencil Pro support, the screen is not laminated and has no antireflective coating, and the USB-C port runs at USB 2.0 speeds, which slows large file transfers. At $449 it is $300 under the iPad Air.

iPad Pro with M5 has the best screen and the most power on this list. Apple's spec sheet lists a tandem OLED Ultra Retina XDR display with ProMotion from 10Hz to 120Hz, 1000 nits full screen and 1600 nits peak for HDR, which suits film watching and color work. The M5 chip comes with 12GB of memory on 256GB and 512GB models and 16GB on 1TB and 2TB models. Storage starts at 256GB, and a Thunderbolt / USB 4 port handles fast drives and displays. The 11-inch model is 5.3 mm thin and weighs 444 g. Apple Pencil Pro and the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro turn it into a drawing slate or a laptop substitute. The catch is cost: at $1,199 it is $450 more than iPad Air, and Apple still rates battery at up to 10 hours, no better than the cheaper iPads. Nano-texture glass is only offered on 1TB and 2TB configurations.

The new iPad mini is the pick for reading, travel and quick notes. Apple lists an 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display at 2316 by 1512 and 326 ppi, the sharpest on this list, with 600 nits full screen and 1200 nits peak for HDR. The A20 Pro chip powers it, and the Wi-Fi model weighs 255 g, so it is comfortable to hold in one hand for long reading sessions. It is rated IP67 under IEC 60529, which covers a drop in the bath or rain on a commute. Apple Pencil Pro support makes it a pocketable notebook. Battery is rated at up to 10 hours of web or video on Wi-Fi, and it can fast charge to 50% in around 30 minutes with a 35W adapter. The limits: the small screen is tight for side-by-side apps, Apple lists only Bluetooth keyboard support, and at $699 it costs $250 more than the larger iPad (A16).

Galaxy Tab S10 FE gives Android users the S Pen and an IP68 rating for a mid-range price. Samsung's US page lists a 10.9-inch LCD at 2880 by 1800 with up to 90Hz refresh, the Exynos 1580 chip and up to 20 hours of video playback. The S Pen is included and works with Samsung's Math Solver and handwriting tools, so it suits students who write out equations. IP68 means it can survive full immersion, which is rare at this price. Storage goes up to 256GB, and a microSD card adds up to 2TB, useful for offline movies. Vision Booster lifts brightness to up to 800 nits outdoors, and the rear camera is 13MP. The tradeoffs are the screen and price: it is LCD at 90Hz rather than the 120Hz AMOLED on the S12 series, and at $549.99 it costs $100 more than the iPad (A16), though that iPad sells its pen separately.

Galaxy Tab S12+ is the strongest Android tablet for people who take a lot of notes or keep several apps open. Samsung's US launch materials list a 12.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 120Hz adaptive refresh and up to 1,600 nits peak brightness, IP68 water and dust resistance and up to 21 hours of video playback. The S Pen comes in the box, while Apple sells its pencils separately. Samsung says the series supports up to three apps on screen in Multi Window and ships with Adobe Photoshop and Notability pre-loaded, plus a six-month Google AI Pro trial. Samsung promises up to seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates. The downsides are price and extras: $1,199.99 is the same as an 11-inch iPad Pro, keyboards are extra, and the 45W adapter that gives the 95-minute full charge is sold separately. The 14.6-inch Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra costs $1,399.99.

Galaxy Tab S10 Lite is the lowest-priced tablet on this list and still includes a pen. Samsung's US page lists a 10.9-inch display with up to 90Hz refresh and Vision Booster, the Exynos 1380 chip, and two memory options: 6GB with 128GB of storage or 8GB with 256GB. A microSD slot adds up to 2TB. Battery is rated at up to 16 hours of video playback, and Super Fast Charging is supported. The S Pen works with Handwriting Help and Object Eraser, so kids can draw and adults can mark up photos without buying an accessory. The Armor Aluminum body comes in Gray, Silver or CoralRed. The compromises are speed and durability: the Exynos 1380 is older than the Exynos 1580 in the Tab S10 FE, its battery rating is 4 hours lower, and Samsung's page does not list an IP rating. For $50 more, the iPad (A16) offers a stronger app library for kids and a 12MP front camera.

Surface Pro is for people whose work depends on Windows software. Microsoft's US page lists the 12-inch model with a Snapdragon X2 Plus 6-core processor, a 12-inch PixelSense LCD touchscreen at 2196 by 1464 and 90Hz, up to 15.5 hours of video playback and two USB-C (USB 3.2) ports. A built-in kickstand and the optional Surface Pro keyboard turn it into a compact laptop, and the optional Surface Slim Pen offers 4,096 pressure points and charges on the back of the tablet. Windows Hello face recognition handles sign-in, and Copilot+ PC features include descriptive file search. The 13-inch model costs $1,199.99 and adds a 120Hz OLED or LCD option and USB4. The drawbacks: at 686 g it is the heaviest tablet here, the keyboard and pen add to the $1,149.99 price, and Windows offers fewer touch-first streaming and drawing apps than iPadOS or Android.