Great | Differentiating Features
Super AMOLED 120Hz display. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. Included S-Pen. Android updates until 2027.
Good | Most Have It
Sleek design. Good battery life, cameras, and speakers.
Average | Competitors May Be Better
Android on tablets is still in the shadow of iPadOS. Performance can’t match Apple’s flagship.
Much like in the phone business, Apple’s main rival in the tablet market is Samsung – well, except for Microsoft. If you can still find it new, the 12.4″ Tab S8+ remains our top tablet recommendation for Android fans. It’s currently discounted at $560 for the base Wi-Fi version with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, making it bigger and cheaper than the 11″ Tab S9.
Both the S8+ and S9 tablets feature a 120Hz Super AMOLED panel with vibrant colors and perfect blacks. They include face recognition, in-screen fingerprint readers, four speakers, USB 3.0 Type-C, and an ultrawide 12MP front camera.
One advantage over the iPad line is that Samsung’s stylus comes included in the box, rather than requiring another outlay.
The Galaxy Tab S9 is still a good option thanks to its IP68 water and dust resistance. The S9 series is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which is a more powerful SoC than the Gen 1 chip in the S8, but still not in the same performance ballpark as the iPad Air’s M2. The Tab S9 usually starts at around $750, but we’ve found some recent deals for as low as $670. You might consider paying a bit more for double the storage and 12GB of RAM, but depending on the day, that may put you too close in price to the Tab S9+.
If you prefer screen size and multitasking capabilities over portability and value, the 14.6″ Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is the one for you. It also has an additional 12MP front camera. The S9 Ultra starts at $1,050 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
Regardless of your size preference, you’ll have to deal with somewhat disappointing software. Android on tablets has improved, and you do get DeX mode, allowing compatible apps to work in windowed versions, but iPadOS remains superior overall.
A true alternative: OnePlus Pad
Many companies make Android tablets, but for most their key feature is being cheaper than the Galaxy Tab.
The OnePlus Pad is different in a very obvious way: it has a unique 7:5 aspect ratio, making it just 40% wider than it is tall. This makes it much more comfortable to use in portrait mode.
The 144Hz LCD display features true 8-bit color (10-bit with FRC) for accurate reproduction. At 11.61″, it has the same number of pixels (2800) as the S8+ in each line, and a rounded-up number of 2000 lines. With four speakers, face recognition, 67W charging, and an 8MP front camera, the OnePlus Pad is well-equipped for content consumption.
It’s currently on offer for $480 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It has an optional magnetic stylus for $70, and a magnetic keyboard with a trackpad for $100, but it wouldn’t be our first choice for content creation.
The MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chip isn’t as fast as the Snapdragon 8. Also, OxygenOS is a much lighter Android modification than One UI, meaning the OnePlus Pad will feel more like an oversized phone compared to the Tab S.