When buying a new tablet, most people’s go-to tablet will likely be an iPad but there are plenty of reasons why an Android-based tablet might make for a better fit, and we’ve rounded up range of options worth considering.
Android tablets vary in size and quality, but some are exceptionally good value and can make very superb iPad alternatives for those with smaller budgets. In the chart below we rank the best Android tablets available to buy in the UK in 2022 from the likes of Samsung, Lenovo, Xiaomi and more.
If you don’t specifically need an Android tablet, be sure to check out our list of the best tablets for any operating system, including the latest iPads and the occasional Windows tablet.
1. Xiaomi Pad 5
- Stunning display
- Good performance
- Slim design
Cons
- Lacklustre selfie camera
- MIUI not for everyone
It’s been a while since Xiaomi offered up a slate on the global stage but its return to the tablet space – in the form of the Xiaomi Pad 5 – is pleasingly compelling.
The tablet boasts a thin design that’s fronted by a gorgeous 2.5K 120Hz display and comes backed up by great stereo speakers and solid performance to boot.
Just as with its phones, Xiaomi’s tablet-optimised take on its MIUI user experience won’t suit everyone but it’s wholly usable, and while the added connectivity found on the Chinese models doesn’t make it to most markets internationally, there’s still little else on the Android side of the fence we’d recommend around the Pad 5’s asking price.
Read our full Xiaomi Pad 5 review
2. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
- Excellent flagship performance
- Long-term software support
- Slim, lightweight design
- S Pen stylus included
Cons
- LCD display
- No charger included
- No 5G option in the US
If you’ve got the cash to splash, the regular Galaxy Tab S8 is the best premium Android tablet around, even though you can spend more on the Tab S8+ and Tab S8 Ultra.
This model has the best balance of price, performance, design and features. For starters, you get a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 along with lots of memory and storage to serve you well. It’s also a rare example where you get a stylus included in the box.
As well as the kinds of stylish and high-end build you’d expect from Samsung, the firm offers an excellent four years of OS updates so the Tab S8 will keep you going for a long time.
It’s a shame the screen is LCD and not AMOLED at this price and there’s no charger in the box. 5G is also awkward as it’s not available in the States and costs a lot in the UK.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 review
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2021)
.jpeg "3. Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2021)")
- Nice design
- Good battery life
- Impressive audio
Cons
- Underwhelming display
- Limited internal storage
- Slow charger in-box
The Galaxy Tab A8 makes a welcome return to Samsung’s tablet range, sporting an attractive design and other standout qualities, including impressive audio chops.
The display and the limited internal storage are its biggest shortcomings, holding it back from being an instant affordable media player recommendation, but it still offers respectable battery life and offers an otherwise balanced all-round experience, especially for the price.
It can also be easily found at lower prices than its already low RRP.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 review
4. Lenovo Yoga Tab 11
- Versatile design
- Sharp display
- Good battery life
- Decent value
Cons
- Average performance
- Android quirks
Lenovo Yoga Tabs have often experimented with unusual designs, embodied most obviously by their versatile integrated kickstands.
The Tab 11 might not be the most powerful slate on the block but it delivers a great audiovisual experience, strong battery life and convenient usability, thanks to that signature kickstand; all at a compelling price.
Android on tablets still isn’t brilliant but that’s not an issue unique to the Yoga Tab 11.
Read our full Lenovo Yoga Tab 11 review
5. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
- Stunning 120Hz display
- Stellar performance
- Included S Pen
Cons
- Price
- Middling software optimisation
- No charger in-box
Provided you’re not put off by the Tab S8 Ultra’s sheer size or sizeable asking price, it stands as the most capable Android tablet available right now.
On the front, you’ll find an expansive, crisp and colourful 14.6in 120Hz AMOLED display with support for the included S Pen stylus. Performance is top-notch, thanks to the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and when paired with the dedicated keyboard cover (sold separately) the Tab S8 Ultra is equally at home as a killer multimedia machine or a productivity slate.
Samsung has done well to tailor its user experience to the Tab S8 Ultra’s large display, but Android has its own native quirks that present a few challenges to any tablet running on Google’s mobile OS.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review
6. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE
- Nice design
- Great battery life
- Stylus in-box
Cons
- Underwhelming display
- Middling performance
- Pricey at RRP
The Galaxy Tab S7 FE is definitely more of a basic productivity and entertainment slate, rather than a laptop replacement, like the full-fat entries in the Tab S7 family that it followed, but that means its talents lie in its featherweight design and as a brilliant tool for note-taking, with Samsung including its S Pen stylus in-box, for good measure.
A 60Hz LCD panel is the biggest upset, as displays are an area where Samsung’s tablets – particularly within its Tab S family – usually excel.
Competition in the mid-range tablet space is also finally hotting up, with Xiaomi’s Pad 5 trumping it at practically every turn, for less.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE review
7. Lenovo Yoga Tab 13
- Large display
- Convenient kickstand design
- Decent performance
Cons
- Only 60Hz LCD panel
- Android quirks
- Overpriced
If the Yoga Tab 11 is too small for your needs, Lenovo also released a 13in model, which boasts superior performance and even better audio output from its quad-speaker setup.
It shares in the Tab 11’s standout design, complete with an integrated kickstand, although build quality isn’t quite as polished as we’d like and we would have loved an OLED panel in place of the LCD that features.
A bigger form factor also means a larger battery, helping with its strengths as a media player, while its ability to function as a second screen is a neat party trick too.
Like the 11in model, it falls foul of Android’s inflexibility on tablets and it’s more expensive than its hardware would suggest, which might be enough to put some off.
Read our full Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 review
8. Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro (2021)
.jpg "8. Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro (2021)")
- Stylish & lightweight
- Good warranty
- Well-designed case
Cons
- No Alexa in kids profiles
- Lacks Prime Video content
- Overpriced
Both a big tablet for kids and a tablet ideal for bigger kids, this is the first time Amazon has taken one of its child-centric slates ‘Pro’.
The HD 10 Kids Pro runs on the same underlying hardware as its general-purpose alter ego but comes with a protective case, one year’s access to Kids+ (which includes entertainment, apps, books etc.) and a two-year warranty that includes a no-questions-asked replacement if your little ones manage to decommission the slate the first time around.
The included case is a little more grown-up looking than the conventional Kids bumper, as is the UI that shows up on-screen. The user experience is closer to that of stock FireOS but makes for easy activity monitoring and leaves out access to certain age-gated content or apps (like Netflix), which have to be approved by a parent before being installed.
It’s a shame the kid-friendly version of Alexa isn’t supported – even though the tablet itself does facilitate such functionality – and certain kid-suitable Prime movies just don’t make an appearance without reason.
Read our full Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro review
9. Nokia T20
- Good display
- Solid battery life
- Highly affordable
- Underwhelming performance
- Basic cameras
- No productivity accessories
For the money, there’s little else in the stock-Android space we’d recommend, tablet-wise.
Nokia’s return to the tablet market looks to fill a space that’s littered with poor quality unknown brands by offering the T20 up with many of the sensibilities that make its budget smartphones so appealing.
A tasteful design, nice 2K display and great battery life are the main highlights, while cameras and general performance are less capable than we’d hoped (although not entirely surprising, considering the T20’s affordable nature).
Read our full Nokia T20 review
10. Lenovo Tab P12 Pro
- Superb 12.6in AMOLED display
- Crisp sounding quad speakers
- Responsive stylus included
- Well-considered software
Cons
- Expensive
- Performance solid but not top tier
- Sub par battery life
Those looking for an alternative to the iPad Pro and Galaxy Tab S8 range should consider the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro.
There’s a lot to like about this stylish Android tablet, as long as you like the Storm Grey option as it’s the only one. For starters, it has a large 12.6in AMOLED screen with excellent colour performance and, combined with the Dolby-Atmos supporting quad speakers, make the P12 Pro suitable for a wide range of tasks.
You also get a stylus included making it even more versatile; buy the optional keyboard and you’ve potentially got yourself a laptop replacement. Software is useful for different use-cases and the tablet should be one of the first to get Android 12L, too.
Lenovo’s asking price is a tad high and it’s worth noting that the older Snapdragon 870 processor means this isn’t as well future-proofed as some rivals. Battery life is also not as good as we’d expect for a premium device.
Read our full Lenovo Tab P12 Pro review
0 comments:
Post a Comment