The best tablets in comparison: underdogs, high-flyers and insider tips

“It’s the year 2019, tablet PCs are no longer on everyone’s lips as they were two or three years ago” This is how our last tablet comparison before the Covid-19 pandemic started. Today – after two years of working from home, homeschooling and lockdown – the situation has changed significantly.

Alongside notebooks and convertibles, tablet PCs are among the most sought-after tech products in the mobile world of work, which is now becoming more and more common. Each of these three types of mobile computer is suitable for different tasks.

This comparison is all about current tablets. We examine various products from well-known manufacturers and tell you which device is best suited for you and your needs.

If you are already sure that there is a Tablet from Apple, an iPad should be, then it is best to turn right here to our detailed iPad purchase advice. On the other hand, if you are already sure that there is a Android tablet should be, then you can find our Android tablet advice here

Tablet vs. convertible vs. notebook

When choosing between a tablet, a convertible and a notebook, you should always keep your personal and professional needs in mind. If you have to write a lot, you are usually better off with a device that has a fixed keyboard.

Anyone who works in IT or with text can usually do without a touchscreen. On the other hand, if you work a lot with graphics or sketches or want to make handwritten notes, the versatility and interactivity of a tablet will prove to be advantageous.

A convertible offers the best of both worlds. On the one hand the interactivity of a touchscreen, on the other hand a classic, permanently installed keyboard. Since convertibles often cost more compared to pure tablets or pure notebooks, it can be worth choosing between the two and not making any compromises.

Tablets have clear advantages in schools. Because most devices can be easily equipped with intuitive apps and have extensive youth protection settings. They also have a format that makes it easy to read texts, while being very mobile.

The Best Android: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 (Plus, Ultra)

Samsung’s latest flagship tablet is actually a whole line of tablets. The three models differ mainly in size and less in equipment.

All three are equipped with Qualcomm’s top processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, and have at least 8 gigabytes of RAM. The S8 Ultra can even be purchased with 12 and 16 gigabytes. This means that there is more than enough power available for all everyday situations and even gaming. In addition, a stylus, a control pen, is already included in the scope of delivery for all models.

The Tab S8 is equipped with an 11-inch WQXGA LTPS TFT display, the S8+ with a 12.4-inch WQXGA+ Super AMOLED display and the S8 Ultra even with a 14.6-inch WQXGA+ Super AMOLED display. For comparison: a DIN A4 page has a diameter of 14 inches. This means that anyone who frequently does large-format image editing or other creative work is well advised to use the S8 Ultra.

For mobile use, however, this format is less convenient than the smaller S8 or S8+. These two models are ideal for use in schools or universities. Samsung offers all three models a support period of five years. This puts the comparatively high price into perspective through longevity, which no other manufacturer in the Android sector offers.

Light and versatile for iOS fans: iPad Air (2022)

When it comes to mobile working, Apple will also be one of the top manufacturers in 2022. From the multitude of available Apple tablets, the Apple iPad Air (2022) makes the best impression on us in terms of a wide range of uses.

Equipped with the M1 processor, the tablet sets new standards for Apple. With a compact 10.9 inch format, it fits very comfortably in most backpacks and bags. So you always have your creative data center with you.

The tablet is also compatible with the Apple Pencil and the Magic Keyboard and can therefore serve as a full MacBook Air replacement. In addition, there is excellent processing quality, which at a price starting at 649 euros is definitely good value for money.

Small but extremely fine: iPad Mini 6

Small tablets have become rare. This is also due to the fact that smartphones in formats up to 7 are no longer uncommon. The iPad mini 6 was therefore a surprise when it was presented. At 8.3 inches and weighing 293 grams, it’s only slightly larger and heavier than most large phones.

It becomes particularly brilliant in combination with the Apple Pencil. In everyday life, it becomes a practical little notepad with a lot of computing power, a navigation device, an e-book reader, a compact game console and much more for one-handed operation. The iPad Mini is a real all-rounder.

The iPad Mini 6 is the perfect choice for anyone who finds standard tablets – whether from Apple, with Android or Windows – too big.

Upper middle class: Lenovo Tab P12 Pro

Between the premium and mid-range, Lenovo offers a good alternative to the models from Samsung or Apple with the Tab P12 Pro. On the one hand, this is reflected in the price, which is at the lower end of the price range at around 719 euros.

Lenovo Tab P12 Pro

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On the other hand, Lenovo uses an almost unchanged, i.e. “cleanse” Android operating system. If you don’t get along well with Samsung’s OneUI user interface, you might feel more at home with the P12 Pro. But it’s not just the surface and the price that make the tablet stand out.

It is equipped with a Snapdragon 870 and either 6 or 8 gigabytes of RAM. This means that there is more than enough power capacity for most applications. With a 10,200 mAh battery, the device doesn’t run out of air that quickly either. Fast charging is even possible here with 45 watts.

You can also use the tablet with a capacitive pen. The accompanying Lenovo Precision Pen 3 is included in the scope of delivery. A Bluetooth keyboard is also available as an option.

Compared to the premium models from Samsung and Apple, however, the support period is rather short at around two years. So if you want to enjoy your tablet for as long as possible, you should rather use the other premium products.

The price-performance winner: Xiaomi Pad 5

The Xiaomi Pad 5 is one of the surprise hits of the past few months. You get a lot of tablet here for a mid-range price. So much to rival premium products like Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S7.

The tablet also has a similarly elegant design to the aforementioned premium model from South Korea. It was very hot on the heels of the Tab S7 in our performance benchmarks. But the built-in Snapdragon 860 can’t quite keep up with the Snapdragon 888 of the S7. Xiaomi offers the Pad 5 in Europe with 6 gigabytes of RAM. It has an 8,720 mAh battery.

This can be charged quickly with up to 33 watts. The format measures 11 inches and the device consists of a glass front, an aluminum frame and a plastic back. An IPS display with up to a billion colors and a refresh rate of 120 Hertz makes working easier.

This generous equipment is available for a suggested retail price of around 350 euros, a price that has often fallen below since the release last August. If you are looking for as much performance as possible for as little money as possible, you should now keep your eyes open for the Xiaomi Pad 5 – especially because the successor is expected shortly.

Inexpensive for beginners: Samsung Galaxy Tab A8

The A-Class traditionally represents the beginner or entry-level category at Samsung. That applies to smartphones, but it also applies to tablets. Depending on the device and RAM equipment, you can get the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 from around 180 euros.

The built-in eight-core comes from the mid-range segment and offers enough performance for most applications. There is also a 7,040 mAh battery that can be charged quickly with up to 15 watts. The tablet can also be used with a mobile phone contract via a NanoSIM.

Anyone who wants to enjoy video chats, YouTube and Netflix on the sofa is well advised to go with the affordable Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8. On the other hand, those who want to play graphics-intensive games will quickly reach their limits. However, this is not unusual in this price range.

The best tablet for kids: Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro

If you are looking for a tablet for children, you will find it on Amazon. The special, so-called Kids Edition of the well-known Fire Tablets was designed with a young target group in mind. Our current purchase tip is the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro. It can be administered by parents.

For example, they determine how long during the day the child can play games, which apps can be installed at all and from when the offspring can only read with the tablet.

In a league of its own is the ReMarkable 2, which is less a tablet PC and more a seemingly endless college pad. It offers an authentic pen-on-paper feel and is ideal for taking notes and sketching at school and at work. The best thing about it: There is no “paper economy”.

Because with the ReMarkable 2, your handwritten notes are saved digitally as PDFs – and can even be converted to print if you wish. Only a rather high price and a subscription system could cloud the successful entry into the e-ink tablets.