The Best Tablets in Early 2023: An Evolving and Affordable Form of Computing

[Amir Shoam]

If you haven't bought a new tablet in recent years, now is a good time to consider doing so. Not only are tablets more powerful today, but the displays are better, and mainstream models let you enjoy features that were previously reserved for more expensive flagships.

Read the full article here.

https://www.techspot.com/bestof/tablets-2023/

 

[SirDigby]

The Samsung Tab S8+ is a very capable android tablet, it emulates PS2 games pretty well, which back in the day in 2014 many computers struggled with.

 

[Lionvibez]

The Lenovo P12 Pro is also an alternative to the S7+

With a 12'6 OLED display, 120Hz and better pricing.

 

[OutsiderX]

Though not a tablet, the Galaxy Fold 4 is pretty good for what it is. It essentially made my tablet redundant and is also a phone all in one.

 

[TheBigCheeseGal]

I have the s8+ tablet coming my way. I just came to see it on the list and whatever else is out there. It's really annoying how most tablets get compared and put down next to apple and their iPad. The more they keep pushing the iPad the less I want it. I'll be happy when the day comes that the ipad is not the standard that companies to trying to beat. Your crown will fall apple!

 

[Shaitan]

Happy owner of Xiaomi Mi tablet here. Will NEVER ever buy anything related to Apple's closed microsystem, and the d!ck move they're doing related to the photo scanning off your own device definitely made me say pass to any of their products, ever.
I'll try GrapheneOS and Linux, and never touch iOS with a "ten feet pole" as you say in US.

 

[Watzupken]

I think while people are comparing Intel vs AMD CPUs/ APUs, the mobile phones/ tablets are actually catching up really quickly. I rarely miss using an Intel or AMD powered laptop when using either an Android or Apple tablet. There are things that they may not be able to do as well as a laptop, but most people will not find it an issue.

 

[jfftck]

Recommending an iPad as best of the best when it has many limitations for anyone not creating media content--remember that you can't create the apps you run on it without another real computer. I have an iPad and it is now just for me to consume content, I was hopeful that when I bought an M1 equiped model, that I could do real coding on it. The truth is Apple is handicapping every device in some way to force the sale of their other ones.

That doesn't sound like best of the best when it can't do everything without purchasing another expensive device.

 

[nismo91]

Tablet market is only filled with big players now. it's either surface running windows, ipad running ios or samsung running android (amazon not for those outside US).

we have very few offerings from competitors such as huawei and xiaomi in the android, also not much on the windows side, maybe a few limited offerings from hp, asus, dell and lenovo. as such we're not getting "best-bang-for-bucks" when you look at most of the options. just look at the samsung A8, it's easy to see why the ipad gets the win, when the samsung uses such a weak soc.

I don't like apple walled garden but I have to say I like how they could recycle last-gen soc or even last-gen phones to compete on the low end market. imagine if samsung sells the old S20 or S21 alongside the new S22 at much lower price. I know they have A series but if you think today's A series is as good as last-gen S series you have another thing coming.

so this tablet list is pretty much as expected. no matter how much you did your research you'll likely be back to all the choices in this list.

 

[Avro Arrow]

I bought a Hipstreet Phoenix tablet about eight years ago for about $110CAD. It still serves the only purpose that I ever had for it, watching YouTube videos. I have a monster desktop, a good craptop, a decent phone and a tablet that does the one thing that I want it to. Throwing money at another tablet would be a complete waste.

My Ten Commandments:

1. Thou shalt not spend more on thy car than thy abode.
2. Thou shalt not spend more on thy desktop than thy car.
3. Thou shalt not spend more on thy TV than thy desktop.
4. Thou shalt not spend more on thy craptop than thy TV.
5. Thou shalt not spend more on thy phone than thy craptop.
6. Thou shalt not spend more on thy tablet than thy phone.
7. Thou shalt not spend more on thy CPU than thy GPU.
8. Thou shalt not spend more on thy motherboard than thy CPU.
9. Thou shalt not spend more on thy RAM than thy motherboard.
10. Thou shalt not spend more on thy smart watch than thy Swiss watch.

My words to live by!

 

[guillejp]

So what are the best AFFORDABLE AS IN THE TITLE Android tablets?

 

[10thDmenxn]

The CRapple ipads are crap. All of my nieces and nephews have them, and I run circles around them with a Surface Pro 9. I will NEVER understand how people allow themselves to be taken in by CRapple. Their greatest achievement is marketing power. I've NEVER found a CRapple device I liked since the very early iphones. I use my Surface as an extension of my home computer for my work and entertainment. It's the perfect balance of size and mobility. AND IT'S A FULL COMPUTER, not some washed down version of one, that has UBER limitations like an ipad, or Amazon tab. I can transfer docs, apps and media between my home computer and this Surface in a couple of clicks. It can be used like an laptop or a tablet. The versatility of this computer is ridiculous. And having a full computer, means I can install almost anything on it. Way more versatile and useful than anything else on this list. CRapple buys their popularity, and then jails you into their ridiculously CLOSED and limited ecosystem. The Surface has earned my support, by NEVER letting me down no matter what I needed it to do.

 

[Avro Arrow]

So what are the best AFFORDABLE AS IN THE TITLE Android tablets?

Honestly, it depends on what you want it for and what your definition of affordable is.

My Android tablet is 8 years old and since I only use it for watching YouTube videos, it's still just fine. The YouTube app doesn't work on it anymore but the Dolphin browser does so I just watch YouTube using Dolphin.

If you're just looking to do basic things like I do, then the 10.1" Lenovo ZA6W0178US should work just fine for you for $136 at Newegg. If you want something a little bigger and faster, then its successor, the 10.6" Lenovo ZAAJ0061US might be more interesting to you and it costs $164 at Newegg.

Less than $200 definitely meets my definition of affordable so hopefully, it also fits yours.

 

[kiwigraeme]

Tablet market is only filled with big players now. it's either surface running windows, ipad running ios or samsung running android (amazon not for those outside US).

we have very few offerings from competitors such as huawei and xiaomi in the android, also not much on the windows side, maybe a few limited offerings from hp, asus, dell and lenovo. as such we're not getting "best-bang-for-bucks" when you look at most of the options. just look at the samsung A8, it's easy to see why the ipad gets the win, when the samsung uses such a weak soc.

I don't like apple walled garden but I have to say I like how they could recycle last-gen soc or even last-gen phones to compete on the low end market. imagine if samsung sells the old S20 or S21 alongside the new S22 at much lower price. I know they have A series but if you think today's A series is as good as last-gen S series you have another thing coming.

so this tablet list is pretty much as expected. no matter how much you did your research you'll likely be back to all the choices in this list.

I think we will get a resurgence of tablets in a couple of years- more SOCs including from google on smaller nm circuits , cheaper quality screens coming including OLEDS - Part of it is google wanting to get back into that market -plus the writing is on the wall for Google - compete in the tablet/steam deck space - or fall behind - It won't be Apple as too controlling- so windows ARM or super efficient AMD/Intel Pc + NVidia Shield 2 + Linux - the means is really close with AMD mobile to get 3060 like GPU in 2 years or so. Google already designing there SOCs
So huge fight for steam vs play store vs apple - think these systems could be windows, chrome/android , linux - or all 4 at same time .
Those foldable phones - those stretch screens - why wouldn't it come to tablets ?

I still think the ultimate tablets are still a few years away - laptop vs tablet is just the keyboard - like surface pro - clip on keyboards - screens are getting real slim - so screen on central hinge - swing of top off tablet to real keyboard

 

[Theinsanegamer]

I would really like a mobile device with LTE. I was holding out for a laptop with a 7040 series and mobile broadband, but since dell wont use them and lenovo keeps dropping the ball, I'm also open to tablets. The surface go is the right size and price, but MS keeps dropping the ball on just...everything. The go 4 could be great, but I doubt MS will give it the attention it deserves. In which case, I may pick up the ipad mini 7 thats coming this year.

I think while people are comparing Intel vs AMD CPUs/ APUs, the mobile phones/ tablets are actually catching up really quickly. I rarely miss using an Intel or AMD powered laptop when using either an Android or Apple tablet. There are things that they may not be able to do as well as a laptop, but most people will not find it an issue.

Hot 2011 take there, but in reality ARM CPUs do not scale well to desktop workloads, a 5w CPU is simply never going to be as powerful as a 45w laptop CPU. It's simple thermodynamics. Apple is the only one that has been successful in that field, and the multi core power draw of the M series is comparable to intel/AMD. We've seen the abortive efforts of MS's ARM surface devices, and more specifically, how they get their hind quarters kicked by core m3 CPUs.

It also downplays the work done in the x86 space, 10 hours of battery life from a laptop with a 50-60wh battery is considered normal now. Just 4 years ago that was only possible in laptops with ULV CPUs and 100wh batteries.

The Lenovo P12 Pro is also an alternative to the S7+

With a 12'6 OLED display, 120Hz and better pricing.

Availability is a major issue with lenovo tablets, its been out of stock on the US site since launch.

 

[Lionvibez]

I would really like a mobile device with LTE. I was holding out for a laptop with a 7040 series and mobile broadband, but since dell wont use them and lenovo keeps dropping the ball, I'm also open to tablets. The surface go is the right size and price, but MS keeps dropping the ball on just...everything. The go 4 could be great, but I doubt MS will give it the attention it deserves. In which case, I may pick up the ipad mini 7 thats coming this year.

Hot 2011 take there, but in reality ARM CPUs do not scale well to desktop workloads, a 5w CPU is simply never going to be as powerful as a 45w laptop CPU. It's simple thermodynamics. Apple is the only one that has been successful in that field, and the multi core power draw of the M series is comparable to intel/AMD. We've seen the abortive efforts of MS's ARM surface devices, and more specifically, how they get their hind quarters kicked by core m3 CPUs.

It also downplays the work done in the x86 space, 10 hours of battery life from a laptop with a 50-60wh battery is considered normal now. Just 4 years ago that was only possible in laptops with ULV CPUs and 100wh batteries.

Availability is a major issue with lenovo tablets, its been out of stock on the US site since launch.

I ordered my through work I'm in Canada and it shipped from the US and I had it in a few days. This was in end of Nov 2022.

But I can't say it would the same through normal channels as we use lenovo for all our work PCs and have business discounts with them.