Tablets are a growing but still highly underrated category of technology that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Functioning somewhere between a laptop and a smartphone, these gadgets are extremely handy and serve a multitude of purposes. Our recommendations for some of the best tablets in 2025 include the ones that have served us well over the last few years, and we’d like to share them so you can invest in some top-rated tablets that won’t let you down.
Whether you’re looking for the best tablet for kids or the best budget tablets the market has to offer, we have something to suit your preferences.
Image: iPad (10th Gen)
Best Tablets in 2025: We’re Saving You the Trouble of Hunting for Them Yourself
Since we’re only at the start of the year with no tablet releases in the last month, our tablet comparison list for 2025 includes some of the heavy hitters from the last few years. Some of the top-rated tablets are ones you might have heard of and seen on top year after year, but a few others could come as a surprise to you.
Let’s start with a general tablet buying guide to understand what the key considerations are while making a purchase, and then we’ll list our picks for the 5 best tablets for 2025.
Tablet Buying Guide—What Are Some Factors to Consider Before Purchasing Your Tablet?
There are a few different factors to consider before investing in a new tablet for yourself or a loved one.
- Purpose: What are you likely to use the tablet for most?
- Price: How much can you afford to spend on a new tablet right now?
- Display and Size: If you plan on using a tablet for art or streaming primarily, the display specs may be a top priority
- Compatibility with Your Other Products: It does not make sense to buy an Apple iPad Air if it is the only Apple product you’re going to use because of the lack of connectivity between it and other brands of devices
- Accessory Compatibility: If you plan to use a keyboard or pen with it, ensure the device supports such compatibility
- Take Battery Life Into Account: Don’t ignore the battery power of the device if you mean to be using it for extended periods
- Storage and Expandability: A frequently used tablet can run out of storage quite quickly. Consider if you need to purchase one that has sufficient storage or provides an option to expand it with an SD card
- Connectivity: Carefully consider if you need a tablet with Wi-Fi and cellular data support because, for most users, just Wi-Fi connectivity is enough, but if you need to use it on the go, cellular data support is useful
With these factors considered, let’s start with our best tablet recommendations for 2025.
1. Best Overall Tablet – iPad (10th Gen)
Chipset: Apple A14 Bionic
OS: iPadOS 16.1, can be improved to iPadOS 18.3
Display: 1640 x 2360 pixels resolution, Liquid Retina IPS LCD display, 500 nits brightness
RAM: 4GB RAM
Storage: 64GB, 256GB
microSD slot: No
SIM: Nano-SIM + eSIM
Battery: 7606 mAh
Camera: 12MP rear camera, 12MP selfie camera
Much to the dismay of Android users, Apple does lead the pack of the best tablets in 2025. The 10th generation iPad is far from the fanciest or most premium devices on the list, but it provides a well-rounded experience for any user, regardless of what they need the device for. With its quality display and reliable processor, it has enough support to suit a variety of different goals and situations.
Its stylus support is also very useful for making notes and interacting with the device, but remember that it only works with the first-gen Apple Pencil. The Apple iPad Air (2024) is a good alternative to this one.
Image: OnePlus Pad
2. Best iPad Alternative – OnePlus Pad
Chipset: Mediatek Dimensity 9000
OS: Android 14, OxygenOS 15
Display: 2000 x 2800 pixels resolution, IPS LCD screen, 500 nits brightness
RAM: 8GB, 12GB
Storage: 128GB, 256GB
microSD slot: No
SIM: No
Battery: 9510 mAh
Camera:13 MP rear camera, 8 MP front camera
If you don’t want to use an Apple device because it does not pair well with your smartphone and other gadgets, then a good Android alternative is the OnePlus Pad. The device is efficient for most daily needs and can become a very active part of your routine.
It does have stylus support if you need it, although the purchase of the Stylo pen does add to the expense. The Mediatek Dimensity 9000 chipset is not the best on the market, but it can still handle all the basic tasks you’d expect from your tablet. It won’t come out as the most high-performing gadget if you actively look at the key tablet comparisons in 2025, but for a casual user, it’s a good Android alternative.
Image: Fire 7 (2022, 12th gen)
3. Best Budget Tablet – Fire 7 (2022, 12th gen)
Chipset: MediaTek MT8168V/B (64-bit quad-core)
OS: Android 11, Amazon Fire OS 8
Display: 1,280 x 800 pixels resolution, IPS LCD
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 32GB
microSD slot: Yes (up to 1TB)
SIM: No
Battery: 2980 mAh
Camera: 2MP
The Amazon Fire 7 is one of the best budget tablets that you can purchase if you want an extremely basic gadget for reading and watching movies. The camera is barely functional, and the display is also as simplistic as you can get. Despite that, the storage expansion option ensures you can throw in a microSD card and look at your books or documents on the go, and that is the main purpose of the device—it is convenient and easy to use.
It is a great starter tablet for someone really old or really young, so if you want a straightforward gadget, this one is your best bet.
Image: Apple iPad Pro (2024)
4. Best iPad for Creatives – Apple iPad Pro (2024)
Chipset: Apple M4
OS: iPadOS 18.3
Display: 1668 x 2420 pixels resolution, Ultra Retina Tandem OLED display, 1600 nits peak brightness
RAM: 8GB, 16GB
Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
microSD slot: No
SIM: eSIM
Battery: 8160 mAh
Camera: 12MP wide rear lens, 12MP ultrawide front lens
The new Apple iPad Pro is one of the best tablets you can invest in 2025 hands down, however, it’s best suited for artists and other creatives who need a high-performing device. The 2024 iPad Pro is available in two sizes, and it sports a display that truly stands out among competitors.
Regardless of the type of demanding software you need to run, the device does an impressive job of keeping up, and its stylus support further ensures you can dive into the nitty gritty details on your screen. Not everyone needs this level of performance so its capabilities and price may be excessive for a casual user, but if you’re looking for power, this is your best bet.
Image: Samsung Galaxy Tab A8
5. Best Tablet for Kids – Samsung Galaxy Tab A8
Chipset: Unisoc Tiger T618
OS: Android 11 that can be updated to Android 14, One UI 6
Display: 1200 x 1920 pixels resolution, TFT LCD display
RAM: 2GB, 3GB, 4GB
Storage: 32GB, 64GB, 128GB
microSD slot: microSDXC up to 1TB
SIM: Nano-SIM
Battery: 7,040 mAh
Camera: 8MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
Kids are likely to seek out technology with or without your supervision so it is best to provide them with a device more suited to them. Instead of investing in an extremely expensive tablet, the Galaxy Tab A8 provides a mid-range alternative that can support all the educational games you want to expose your kids to. It is a great option to use to teach kids about tech.
Alternatively, one of the best tablets for kids below 7 is the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids. The sturdy device includes useful parental controls and a free one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+.
Special Mentions: Top-Rated Tablets That Excel in Their Own Categories
Our list of the best tablets for 2025 should give you a good idea of the range of devices out there, and why we think they excel. These handy gadgets make a big difference to your day-to-day activities, giving you something easy to carry around instead of a bulky laptop.
If you want a few more alternatives to consider, we have other suggestions that stand out in our tablet comparisons for 2025.
- Best Windows Tablet – Microsoft Surface Pro (11th generation)
- Best Tablet for Reading – Amazon Kindle Scribe
- Most Premium Android Tablet – Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra
- Best Smart Display Tablet – Google Pixel Tablet
- Best Tablet for Gaming – ASUS ROG Flow Z13, Apple M4 iPad Pro
Whether you’re looking for the best iPad alternatives on the market or need something to support your hobbies, we’re hoping this tablet-buying guide will be enough to help you out. The best way to pick a tablet is to create a list of priorities and see which boxes are ticked with each one. Device compatibility is more important than you’d think, so ensure your next purchase lines up with your previous ones.
Stay tuned for an updated tablet comparison later in 2025, where we will take releases throughout this year into account to see if there are any changes to our ranking. Apple is rumored to have some new iPad options ready for release, so we’re certainly going to take those into account as we continue our evaluations.
Have your own suggestions to offer on which the top-rated tablets are? Want us to cover a tablet that hasn’t received enough attention? Leave us a comment and we’ll drop back in with our review. Subscribe to Technowize for the latest news, product recommendations, and insights from the leading experts in the world of technology.