The 5 Best Tablets for 2023

We’ve updated this guide with new picks for the best pro tablet, budget tablet, and Android tablet.

After hundreds of hours of research and testing over the past seven years, we think Apple's 9th-generation iPad is the best all-around tablet, with all the performance and features most people need for watching video, browsing the internet, and staying on top of email and social media feeds. But we also have recommendations for people who want an Android tablet, a basic ebook reader, or a more powerful tablet for gaming, for handling design and creative tasks, or for replacing a laptop computer.

The standard iPad is fast, easy to use, and compatible with the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard, and it offers the features most tablet users need.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $330.

Who this is for: You want a great all-around tablet that can handle pretty much any task.

Why we like it: Although this isn't the newest version of the Apple iPad, it's still the best tablet for most people thanks to great hardware, an easy-to-use operating system, and a huge library of quality apps, even if you normally use Android on your phone or Windows on your computer. iOS also receives frequent updates—including prompt security updates—which isn't something you can say of any modern Android tablet.

In 2022, Apple released the 10th-generation iPad, but it costs $120 more for an experience that's very similar to what you get from the 9th-generation version. The 9th-generation 10.2-inch iPad is still the best tablet for most people because it offers the best balance of price and performance, it has a large screen, and it's compatible with the first-generation Apple Pencil stylus and Apple Smart Keyboard. The standard 64 GB model should be good enough if you plan to use your iPad mostly for streaming music and video, reading, browsing the internet, and playing casual games, but you may want to upgrade to the 256 GB model if you plan to use yours to play graphically intense games or download lots of media.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The 9th-generation iPad is built with a gap between the LCD panel and the front glass, making interactions with the Apple Pencil slightly less responsive. You have to upgrade to the iPad Air if you want an iPad with a faster M1 processor and support for the second-gen Apple Pencil.

For more on the 9th-generation iPad and how it compares to other iPad models, read our full guide to Apple's iPad lineup.

This iPad has a bright, sharp screen with accurate color that's better for multitasking or serious creative work such as digital illustration, writing, or editing photos, audio, and video.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $900.

Who this is for: You want the best possible performance for viewing and editing photos and video, multitasking, and other tasks you’d normally do with a laptop.

Why we like it: For most multitasking and serious creative work, the iPad Pro is the best option. It has a slim, uniform bezel that wraps around the entire screen, making it feel equally natural whether you use it in landscape or portrait orientation—a design choice that makes it stand out from competitors. It's great for working with photos and as a canvas for artists who frequently make use of the second-generation Apple Pencil.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Apple advertises the iPad Pro as a replacement for a traditional PC, but whether it can serve that purpose depends on what you do, how you work, and what apps you use. In general, iPad Pro keyboard cases and covers aren't as nice as standalone Bluetooth keyboards or the keyboards on the best laptops. But drawing and photo-editing apps are well suited to touchscreen and Apple Pencil controls, and they benefit from the iPad Pro's large, color-accurate screen.

For more on the iPad Pro, read our full guide to pro tablets.

This capable tablet offers a sharp display, excellent battery life, and Samsung's S Pen stylus.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $590.

Who this is for: You’re already invested in or partial to Android, and you want an affordable tablet with a good combination of speed and display quality.

Why we like it: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 has a bright, sharp, 11-inch display, and apps open quickly and can keep running in the background until you resume them. It has quad speakers that are better than those in most laptops, and the bezel around the screen allows you to hold the tablet comfortably but doesn't waste space. Thanks to a big, 8,000 mAh battery, the tablet can run for days on a single charge; even after putting it through heavy use, we couldn't completely drain it in one day. Though the Galaxy Tab S8 is not the absolute best Android tablet you can get right now—that would be Samsung's Galaxy Tab S8+, which costs about $900 at full price—it's by far the best value for the money.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The Galaxy Tab S8 has a fingerprint sensor, but it's in the power button, which might not be easy to reach depending on how you pick up the tablet. And although this tablet can now be found for close to $550 (down from the original $700 price), it's still expensive enough to prompt most people who want a high-end tablet to get an iPad instead.

Visit our full guide to the best Android tablets to read more about the Galaxy Tab S8 and other Android tablets we’ve tested.

The Fire HD 8 has a smaller, lower-resolution screen than the Galaxy Tab S8, but it's a great cheap tablet for reading or watching video, especially if you get that content from Amazon's store.

Who this is for: You want the cheapest tablet that's good for reading and watching video, with access to a big library of video, ebooks, and music.

Why we like it: The Amazon Fire HD 8 (12th generation) costs less than $100 and is an excellent value. It lets you stream video from Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and other popular services, and you can also read your Kindle ebooks. It offers built-in support for the Alexa voice assistant used by Amazon's popular Echo devices, which makes ordering products and media from Amazon easier. In addition, Amazon Prime members get access to a selection of no-extra-cost movies, TV shows, and ebooks (though Amazon's apps for iOS and other Android tablets all work similarly).

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The Fire HD 8 is slower and has a lower-resolution screen than any of our other picks, so text isn't as crisp—the Kindle Paperwhite is better for reading ebooks—and its performance is optimized for watching videos and reading rather than getting work done. It's also limited to Amazon's Android app store, which has a smaller selection of games and apps than the regular Google Play store (which in turn lags behind Apple's App Store when it comes to great tablet apps). Although it's possible to install the Google Play store on the Fire HD 8, doing so requires a workaround, and we don't recommend it. Unlike our other tablet picks, which offer a solid selection of apps and productivity tools, the Fire HD 8 is best used only as a media-consumption device.

To find out how the Fire HD 8 stacks up against other Android tablets, see our guide to the best Android tablets.

Access to Amazon's huge ebook library at a good price makes the Paperwhite Kids the best dedicated device for reading.

Who this is for: You don't care about apps or browsing—you just want to read books.

Why we like it:Although it says "Kids" in the name, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids is the best ebook reader for people of all ages. It isn't a multipurpose tablet with an app store or even a fully functional web browser, but it's the best choice if you just want to read books on a device that's easy to use and free of distractions. Its 6.8-inch screen is sharp enough to be indistinguishable from paper, and its adaptive backlight is gentler and easier on the eyes than an LCD screen. And while most of the tablets on our list can go a couple of days between charges at most, you probably won't need to charge the Paperwhite more than once a month. Amazon has also made the Paperwhite IPX8 waterproof, making it great for reading in the bath or at the beach.

Flaws but not dealbreakers:Previous Kindles have been available in a configuration with 3G, allowing you to download books even if you’re not on Wi-Fi. This option is not available with the 2021 Paperwhite Kids, but we don't think this is a problem for most people, since you can load up on books when you have access to Wi-Fi and don't need to be connected to read them.

If you’re interested in Amazon's more expensive Kindles or in non-Amazon options, read our full guide to ebook readers.

We also have a guide to pro tablets, where we recommend the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 as a capable laptop replacement, but you need $300 in accessories to make the most of it. Our tablet picks are much better for tablet-focused tasks like watching videos, browsing the web, and using tablet apps than getting a lot of work done—if you need a productivity-focused device, an ultrabook (or a MacBook) might be a better bet.

Haley Perry

Haley Perry is an associate staff writer at Wirecutter covering video games and technology. She used to review video games full-time, and she's also a big fan of mezcal. If you get enough in her, she may just admit that she still plays The Sims ... a lot.

Andrew Cunningham

Andrew Cunningham is a former senior staff writer on Wirecutter's tech team. He has been writing about laptops, phones, routers, and other tech since 2011. Before that he spent five years in IT fixing computers and helping people buy the best tech for their needs. He also co-hosts the book podcast Overdue and the TV podcast Appointment Television.

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