The Best Tablets for Work and Play

We test tons of tablets every year. Here are a few others we like, just not as much as our picks above.

iPad Mini (2021, 6th Gen) for $469: Want something a little bigger than your phone, but still pocketable and easy to travel with? The 8.3-inch iPad Mini (8/10, WIRED Recommends) should be up your alley. You get a compact tablet with a modern look. It has the A15 Bionic processor, the same powering the iPhone 13 range, and Touch ID embedded inside the power button. It also features Center Stage in the camera, which will adjust the frame to keep you in the shot, and USB-C for charging. It’s unbelievably small and cute, and you can attach the second-gen Apple Pencil to it for on-the-go sketching. It’s worth noting that Apple is expected to announce a successor either in September or early 2025, so if you are in no rush, it’s worth waiting.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus for $529: The Galaxy Tab S9 FE is the “Fan Edition” version of the flagship Tab S9 series, which essentially means it makes some sacrifices for a more palatable price. It comes in a Plus and standard variant—I tested the former—and both include a stylus. It performed much better than the older Tab S7 FE tablet I tested, with not many stutters. The 12.4-inch LCD screen is vast and a rarity to find at this price in the world of Android tablets, but it’s a bit tricky to comfortably hold, especially when you’re browsing apps in bed. I still prefer the OnePlus Pad and Pixel Tablet over it, especially at this price.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Series for $600: Whether it’s the Tab S8, Tab S8+, or Tab S8 Ultra, it’s always smart to buy the previous flagship tablets when they go on sale. (Make sure you don’t pay MSRP!) They’re not that different from the newer Tab S9 series, except the smallest slate is stuck with an LCD panel here instead of AMOLED, and there is no IP68 water resistance rating. You still get a stylus that magnetically sticks to the back of the tablet, Samsung’s DeX mode to get some work done, and long software support.

Barnes & Noble Nook 9-Inch Lenovo Tablet for $150: Want a cheap Android tablet with the Google Play Store (aka, not an Amazon Fire Tablet)? Check out the new Nook from Lenovo and Barnes & Noble (6/10, WIRED Review). It runs Android 13 and isn’t a very powerful machine, but it’s adequate for browsing social media, reading, and catching up on some shows.

TCL Tab 10 Nxtpaper 5G for $240: You can only buy this TCL slate if you are a Verizon customer, which is disappointing, but it’s an otherwise pretty nice Android tablet for the money. The star of the show here is TCL’s Nxtpaper technology, which offers a matte, glare-free display that’s easy on the eyes. It does have a backlight, unlike some previous versions, so you can use it in any lighting. Performance has been pretty solid overall, I haven’t seen too much lag as I browse the web or scroll through Instagram, and it has excellent standby battery life. The 5G option is a nice touch if you want connectivity wherever you go.

TCL Tab Pro 5G Android Tablet for $400: This model is slightly older but it has better specs, with a 2K-resolution LCD screen. Its speakers are nice, as is performance—it ran all the usual apps just fine. However, the 10-inch screen size isn’t large enough to make some apps split into two columns when in a vertical orientation. At least you get a fingerprint scanner. It’s only available through Verizon.