Best Android Tablet for 2023 - CNET
Though Apple’s iPad remains the go-to option for tablet buyers worldwide, there are plenty of reasons you might choose to go with an Android device. iPadOS isn’t for everyone, and some people prefer the Android operating system, especially because of its features. And that’s not to mention the budget-friendly options available that make Android tablets worth considering.
The best Android tablets can meet any casual or professional need, whether you’re interested in gaming, drawing or word processing. Some even work with a touchpad or mouse. And if you’re already invested in the Android operating system and Android app ecosystem, it makes even more sense.
So if you’re looking for a cheap tablet for media consumption or a premium tablet to serve as a laptop
substitute, here are our picks for the best tablets running the Android operating system. We update this list periodically, so keep checking back.
<div data-id="" data-cy="shortcodeListicle" data-location="LIST" data-position="1" edition="us" superlative="Best for basic media consumption" imagegroup="{"alt":"cnet-cheap-expensive-03b-amazon-fire-hd-10","caption":"
Best Value|The tablet is packed with benefits for Prime subscribers making it easy for members to stream and download movies, TV shows and games.
","credits":"David Carnoy/CNET","imageData":{"id":"ff0416e3-5311-4226-b6fb-b13ddc2db065","title":"Affordable: Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet ($150)","filename":"cnet-cheap-expensive-03b-amazon-fire-hd-10.jpg","path":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/2020/01/16/ff0416e3-5311-4226-b6fb-b13ddc2db065/cnet-cheap-expensive-03b-amazon-fire-hd-10.jpg","caption":"
TK
","size":308029,"width":1200,"height":667,"dateCreated":{"date":"2020-01-16 00:06:57","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"dateUpdated":{"date":"2020-01-16 01:11:39","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"needsModeration":false,"mimeType":"image/jpeg","deleted":false,"credits":"David Carnoy/CNET","alt":"cnet-cheap-expensive-03b-amazon-fire-hd-10","restricted":false,"startDate":null,"endDate":null,"preferred":false,"watermark":false,"doNotCrop":false,"doNotResize":false,"primaryCollection":null,"vanityUrl":null,"notes":null,"crop":null,"cropGravity":0,"preservedRegion":null,"isNew":false,"keywords":["Amazon","Fire Tablet"],"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false,"typeName":"content_image"},"uuid":"ff0416e3-5311-4226-b6fb-b13ddc2db065","imageAltText":"cnet-cheap-expensive-03b-amazon-fire-hd-10","imageCaption":"
Best Value|The tablet is packed with benefits for Prime subscribers making it easy for members to stream and download movies, TV shows and games.
","imageCredit":"David Carnoy/CNET","imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageFilename":"cnet-cheap-expensive-03b-amazon-fire-hd-10.jpg","imageDateCreated":"2020/01/16","imageWidth":1200,"imageHeight":667,"imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}” overridecaption=”
Best Value|The tablet is packed with benefits for Prime subscribers making it easy for members to stream and download movies, TV shows and games.
” overridecredit=”David Carnoy/CNET” linktext=”Read our Amazon Fire HD 10 review” linkurl=”https://www.cnet.com/reviews/amazon-fire-hd-10-review/” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__22a567b2-4304-475e-b50f-713b87cb5e4b” position=”NaN” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” class=”c-shortcodeListicle g-border-thin-light-top g-inner-spacing-bottom-medium g-inner-spacing-left-large g-inner-spacing-right-large g-inner-spacing-bottom-xlarge g-outer-spacing-bottom-large g-border-thin-light-bottom g-border-thin-light-right g-border-thin-light-left”>
Amazon has come a long way from the first Kindle Fire tablet. The Amazon Fire HD 10 is Amazon’s biggest tablet with a 10-inch screen size and powerful speakers. Just like its smaller 8-inch sibling, the Fire HD 8, the tablet is packed with benefits for Prime subscribers making it easy for members to stream and download movies, TV shows and games. Amazon’s Fire tablets don’t use a pure version of Android, but instead Amazon’s Android-based Fire operating system, which pulls apps from the Amazon App Store. You can still get apps from Google Play, but you’ll have to install the store yourself — meaning gaming enthusiasts have access to all of their favorite mobile games for an excellent gaming tablet experience. Also, this is probably the closest thing we have to a budget tablet on this best Android tablet list.
<div data-id="" data-cy="shortcodeListicle" data-location="LIST" data-position="2" edition="us" superlative="Premium Android tablet for work and play" imagegroup="{"alt":"Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus","caption":"
","credits":"Josh Goldman/CNET","imageData":{"id":"f47e14be-bbe4-492e-a696-3c0de39b3385","title":"samsung-galaxy-tab-s8-plus-08","filename":"samsung-galaxy-tab-s8-plus-08.jpg","path":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2022/04/06/f47e14be-bbe4-492e-a696-3c0de39b3385/samsung-galaxy-tab-s8-plus-08.jpg","caption":"
","size":1538046,"width":5144,"height":2893,"dateCreated":{"date":"2022-04-06 14:57:59","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"dateUpdated":{"date":"2022-04-06 14:59:04","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"needsModeration":false,"mimeType":"image/jpeg","deleted":false,"credits":"Josh Goldman/CNET","alt":"Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus","restricted":false,"startDate":null,"endDate":null,"preferred":false,"watermark":false,"doNotCrop":false,"doNotResize":false,"primaryCollection":null,"vanityUrl":null,"notes":null,"crop":null,"cropGravity":0,"preservedRegion":null,"isNew":false,"keywords":["Android tablets","Samsung Galaxy","Samsung Galaxy Tab S8","Tab S8"],"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false,"typeName":"content_image"},"uuid":"f47e14be-bbe4-492e-a696-3c0de39b3385","imageAltText":"Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus","imageCaption":"
","imageCredit":"Josh Goldman/CNET","imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageFilename":"samsung-galaxy-tab-s8-plus-08.jpg","imageDateCreated":"2022/04/06","imageWidth":5144,"imageHeight":2893,"imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}” overridecaption=”
” overridecredit=”Josh Goldman/CNET” linktext=”Read our Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus review” linkurl=”https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/samsung-galaxy-tab-s8-plus-review-all-the-android-tablet-you-need/” offer=”{"id":"e18d6eee-dce9-4f06-8fe6-158d91c0af09","slug":"samsung-galaxy-tab-s8-plus","label":"Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus","edition":["US","ES"],"imageId":"7de2c64b-af0b-4d3f-bbc0-d8f49e42536d","imgWidth":null,"imgHeight":null,"objectType":"content_product_series","typeLabel":"Series","imgUrl":"/content/image/redirect/7de2c64b-af0b-4d3f-bbc0-d8f49e42536d/resize/75×56","icon":"type-icon ct-cmg-tech-product-series ct-small"}” techobjectinfo=”{"uuid":"e18d6eee-dce9-4f06-8fe6-158d91c0af09","name":"Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus","slug":"samsung-galaxy-tab-s8-plus","productType":"SERIES","updateType":"PRISM","mod":1672693468833,"displayDate":"Mon Jan 02 2023 13:04:28 GMT-0800 (Pacific Standard Time)"}” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__b32fdae8-208f-4e85-a153-53ca6ffeca35″ position=”NaN” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” class=”c-shortcodeListicle g-border-thin-light-top g-inner-spacing-bottom-medium g-inner-spacing-left-large g-inner-spacing-right-large g-inner-spacing-bottom-xlarge g-outer-spacing-bottom-large g-border-thin-light-bottom g-border-thin-light-right g-border-thin-light-left”>
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus tablet might be in the middle of the Tab S8 lineup but it is our top pick. The 12.4-inch AMOLED display is bright with excellent color. It’s a great size for entertainment and gaming, while big enough for light productivity tasks and still small enough for travel. Updates to Samsung’s DeX software even makes the Tab S8 a possible laptop substitute, letting you connect to a mouse and even an external display. A keyboard cover isn’t included but one of Samsung’s fantastic S Pens is, so you can use the big screen for note-taking and content creation right out of the box.