Tablets are wonderfully versatile devices, but they don’t need to do as much as a smartphone. You’re not going to use your slate as your main GPS on your next drive, and most people realize holding a tablet as a point and shoot camera just feels silly. Tablets don’t balance on wireless charging stations very well, and you’re not going to tap your tablet at a register to pay for groceries.
But for watching movies, browsing the web, playing mobile games on a big screen, or even being a little productive, even most of today’s basic tablets will get the job done.
There’s little doubt that Apple’s iPads are among the best tablets you can buy (our lead feature on the subject contains six already) or that the rumored 2022 iPad will find its way onto that list too, however, we’ve reviewed tons of tablets from other manufacturers and have hand-picked some noteworthy alternatives that should do an equally fine job, for less.
Lenovo Tab P11 Plus: The one with the bigger screen
The Lenovo Tab P11 is an all-around competent tablet, and Lenovo recently updated it with a minor chipset change to make the Lenovo Tab P11 Plus. We reviewed the Tab P11 and enjoyed the big screen as well as the parental controls that made it child-friendly. The screen is huge at 11 inches, about an inch larger than most competitors. The version we reviewed was a little sluggish when heavily taxed, so we’re curious how the upgrade to a MediaTek Helio G90T chipset affects performance.
If you want to get serious with this tablet, the Lenovo Tab P11 Plus is also compatible with the Lenovo Pen accessories, precision powered drawing devices similar to the Apple Pencil. You can also find plenty of keyboard options, both from Lenovo and third-party sellers. You may not be able to play the fastest games, but for some light office work or drawing, the Lenovo Tab P11 Plus should do fine work.
Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus: The one with Alexa
If you mostly watch movies on a tablet, the Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus is a great choice. Of course, an Amazon Prime subscription is a must, but Amazon tablets aren’t limited to just the Amazon ecosystem.
Amazon has its own robust app store, and you can find most big name Android apps available; just don’t expect anything from Google – not even YouTube. You can still use your Google apps through the Web browser, of course.
The Amazon Fire HD tablet also has a nice ecosystem of accessories built around it. If you want to get productive, Amazon has a bundle that gives you a subscription to Microsoft 365 for a year, including all of the Office apps and plenty of Drive storage space, plus a keyboard attachment. The tablet also supports wireless charging, and Amazon offers a large charging stand that props the tablet nicely, making it more of a home Alexa device.
Nokia T20: The one that's built like a Nokia phone
The Nokia T20 looks more expensive than it is, and it delivers everything you would expect from a modern-day Nokia tablet. It’s solidly built, delivers just enough features, and comes in at an affordable price for what you get. It’s not a flagship tablet by any means: the screen quality is just okay, and performance could be sluggish, with delays opening and swapping between apps. It still got plenty bright, and managed to crank out soundtracks at a respectable volume, making it a smart pick for watching movies, if not editing videos.
There’s a lot to be said for a solid slab, though, and the metal case on the Nokia T20 feels premium compared to cheaper plastic competitors. It’s definitely a tablet you can hand to your kids knowing they won’t destroy it. It’s stuck on Android 11 at the moment, but there are plenty of child-friendly features built in, and Nokia has promised two years of upgrades, so hopefully this will get an update soon.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Lite: The one for true artists
Samsung’s current flagship tablet is the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, but you can still buy the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite directly from the company, and it’s a great bargain. You can even trade in your old tablet or phone to get a discount, and Samsung takes tons of brand options as trade. The Tab S6 Lite is the most expensive choice on our list, but you get a lot more bang for that buck. You get a stylus included, and Samsung uses high-quality Wacom-based technology that doesn’t require a charge.
We enjoyed the battery life of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite and it got us through a day of use with no trouble. Samsung has done plenty of work designing its interface for premium devices, so the Tab S6 Lite gets the benefit of Samsung’s One UI, which is very nice for customizing your homepage and making the tablet feel your own.
