Nice | Differentiating Options
Tremendous AMOLED 120Hz show. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. Included S-Pen. Android updates till 2027.
Good | Most Have It
Smooth design. Good battery life, cameras, and audio system.
Common | Opponents Might Be Higher
Android on tablets continues to be within the shadow of iPadOS. Efficiency cannot match Apple’s flagship.
Very similar to within the cellphone enterprise, Apple’s predominant rival within the pill market is Samsung – effectively, aside from Microsoft. When you can nonetheless discover it new, the 12.4″ Tab S8+ stays our high pill suggestion for Android followers. It is presently discounted at $560 for the bottom Wi-Fi model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, making it larger and cheaper than the 11″ Tab S9.
Each the S8+ and S9 tablets characteristic a 120Hz Tremendous AMOLED panel with vibrant colours and excellent blacks. They embody face recognition, in-screen fingerprint readers, 4 audio system, USB 3.0 Sort-C, and an ultrawide 12MP entrance digital camera.
One benefit over the iPad line is that Samsung’s stylus comes included within the field, relatively than requiring one other outlay.
The Galaxy Tab S9 continues to be a very good choice due to its IP68 water and dirt resistance. The S9 collection is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which is a extra highly effective SoC than the Gen 1 chip within the S8, however nonetheless not in the identical efficiency ballpark because the iPad Air’s M2. The Tab S9 often begins at round $750, however we have discovered some latest offers for as little as $670. You would possibly take into account paying a bit extra for double the storage and 12GB of RAM, however relying on the day, that will put you too shut in value to the Tab S9+.
When you favor display measurement and multitasking capabilities over portability and worth, the 14.6″ Galaxy Tab S9 Extremely is the one for you. It additionally has a further 12MP entrance digital camera. The S9 Extremely begins at $1,050 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
No matter your measurement choice, you will should cope with considerably disappointing software program. Android on tablets has improved, and also you do get DeX mode, permitting appropriate apps to work in windowed variations, however iPadOS stays superior total.
A real various: OnePlus Pad
Many corporations make Android tablets, however for many their key characteristic is being cheaper than the Galaxy Tab.
The OnePlus Pad is totally different in a really apparent approach: it has a novel 7:5 facet ratio, making it simply 40% wider than it’s tall. This makes it way more comfy to make use of in portrait mode.
The 144Hz LCD show options true 8-bit coloration (10-bit with FRC) for correct replica. At 11.61″, it has the identical variety of pixels (2800) because the S8+ in every line, and a rounded-up variety of 2000 strains. With 4 audio system, face recognition, 67W charging, and an 8MP entrance digital camera, the OnePlus Pad is well-equipped for content material consumption.
It is presently on supply for $480 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It has an non-compulsory magnetic stylus for $70, and a magnetic keyboard with a trackpad for $100, however it would not be our first selection for content material creation.
The MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chip is not as quick because the Snapdragon 8. Additionally, OxygenOS is a a lot lighter Android modification than One UI, that means the OnePlus Pad will really feel extra like an outsized cellphone in comparison with the Tab S.
