What's the best tablet?

18 March 2025

Robert Duke
best tablet on purple background

 

Tablets have evolved into versatile devices in recent years. They’re productivity tools, creative canvases, and entertainment hubs. In 2025, there are several standout models that can cater to your needs and preferences, no matter what wild and wacky uses you have for them.

Here’s a breakdown of the best tablets available, and some advice on where to find the best iPad deals and Samsung tablet deals in the UK, to help you in your quest for the perfect device!

Apple iPad Pro (M4): The Ultimate Tablet

The iPad Pro (M4) continues Apple's tradition of delivering bleeding-edge tech in their tablets. Equipped with the M4 chip, it offers exceptional speed and efficiency, making it ideal for professionals and creatives. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be! 

Key Features:

Display: 13-inch Liquid Retina XDR with mini-LED technology, providing vibrant colours, an extremely sharp picture, and deep contrasts. Tidy!

Performance: Powered by the M4 chip, ensuring smooth multitasking and handling of intensive applications. It’s almost disconcertingly fast.

Accessories: Supports the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro, enhancing productivity and opening up new possibilities with creativity.

Price: Starting at £999

Considerations: While it offers top-tier performance and is the best iPad money can buy, the iPad Pro (M4) comes with a premium price tag (which gets even more eye-watering with higher-storage versions). For those looking for the best gaming iPad, this also excels.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra: The Android Flagship

For Android enthusiasts, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is a front-runner with its expansive, extremely sharp display and robust performance. If you aren’t a fan of iOS, this is probably the closest alternative to the iPad Pro. It’s also the best Samsung tablet available.

Key Features:

Display: 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen, delivering vivid visuals.

Performance: Equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, ensuring responsive performance and competing closely with the best Apple has to offer! Long-story short; it’s an absolute monster of a chipset. This is the best Samsung tablet and the best tablet outside the iOS ecosystem.

Accessories: Includes the S Pen, catering to serial-doodlers and note-takers.

Price: Starting at around £1,199.

Considerations: Its large screen size may not be suitable for everyone, and the price is comparable to premium, higher storage versions of tablets like the iPad Pro.

However, many believe this is the best gaming tablet available today, so if you’re looking for an advantage over your digital foes, or if you’re simply looking for the best Android tablet or the best drawing tablet, look no further!

Microsoft Surface Pro 9: The 2-in-1 Powerhouse

The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 offers the flexibility of a tablet with the functionality of a laptop, making it a versatile choice for professionals and creatives alike.

Key Features:

Display: 13-inch PixelSense touchscreen, ideal for both work and entertainment.

Performance: Runs on Windows 11, providing a full desktop experience in a portable form.

Accessories: Supports the detachable Type Cover keyboard and Surface Pen for enhanced productivity. It’s an extremely versatile device!

Price: Starting at £1,099.

Considerations: Accessories like the Type Cover and Surface Pen are sold separately, adding to the overall cost. Some might argue you’d get better value for a regular laptop if that’s how you are going to be using it the vast majority of the time. Not us, mind! We like the adaptability.

Lenovo Tab Extreme: The Feature-Packed Underdog

The Lenovo Tab Extreme offers a compelling package with its high-quality display and performance. 

Key Features:

Display: 14.5-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 3000 x 1876 pixels, delivering sharp and vibrant visuals.

Performance: Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chip, ensuring smooth multitasking.

Storage: Comes with 256GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD.

Price: Starting at around £1,299.

Considerations: While it offers impressive features, it’s not quite as refined and user-friendly as the premium Samsung and Apple offerings in our opinion. However, it’s got impressive raw performance and can handle even the heaviest tasks effortlessly. A worthy alternative!

Amazon Fire Max 11: The Budget-Friendly Choice

If the price-tags above have made your eyes water, the Amazon Fire Max 11 caters to those seeking a reliable tablet that punches above its weight for everyday use without breaking the bank. Phew!

Key Features:

Display: 11-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels, suitable for streaming and browsing.

Performance: Features a 2.2GHz octa-core processor and 4GB of RAM, handling basic tasks efficiently.

Storage: Available with 64GB or 128GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD.

Price: Starting at around £200.

Considerations: We believe this is one of the best cheap tablets. It's designed for casual use, so it may not meet the needs of professionals or gamers requiring high-end performance, but you do get a lot of bang for your buck!

Best Tablet for Kids: Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro

For parents looking for a durable, safe, and feature-packed tablet for their children, the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is the top choice in 2025. Designed specifically for kids aged 6–12, it balances parental controls, educational content, and entertainment. Nice!

Key Features:

Display: 10.1-inch Full HD screen with a durable kid-friendly case.

Performance: Features a 2.0GHz octa-core processor and 3GB RAM, providing smooth performance for learning and basic gaming apps. It’s not going to run Cyberpunk 2077, but it’ll do the trick with simple 2D games and the like.

Content & Controls: Comes with 12 months of Amazon Kids+, offering thousands of age-appropriate books, apps, videos, and games. Strong parental controls allow custom content filtering and screen time management.

Durability: Includes a kid-proof case that’s surprisingly tough and comes with a built-in stand.

Price: Starting at £209.99

Considerations: While this tablet is excellent for children, older kids may outgrow its interface over time. Parents might want to think about transitioning to a standard tablet with parental controls as kids get older.

Conclusion

Choosing the best tablet in 2025 depends on individual needs and budget.

For top-tier performance: The Apple iPad Pro (M4) is unparalleled. For Android users seeking iPad-bothering premium features: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is a strong contender. 

For those needing a versatile 2-in-1 device: The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 offers flexibility and power. 

For consumers looking for the best deal: The Amazon Fire Max 11 is the best budget tablet and provides excellent value for everyday tasks. 

For kids: The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is the standout option for youngsters when it comes to durability and versatility.  

Each of these tablets brings unique strengths to the table, ensuring there's an option to suit various preferences and requirements.

Where can you find the best deals on tablets?

Retailers like AO.com, Amazon, Argos, and John Lewis will often offer the biggest discounts and best deals on Apple and Samsung tablets (and other brands). However, before making a purchase, it's a good idea to check price-comparison sites and deal aggregators like hotukdeals and PriceSpy to ensure you're getting the best price.***

Happy hunting for your perfect device!

You might also like:

- Gadget insurance with Protect Your Bubble: get your devices covered now*.

- iPhone 16 vs 15 vs 14: Which iPhone should you go for?

- Phone theft hotspots: Is your city on the list?


Prices are reflective of the research conducted at the time of writing and are subject to change (as of [11.03.25]).

* Underwriter Assurant General Insurance Limited. Gadget age restrictions, T&Cs and excesses apply. Customer UK 18+. 

** Trustpilot Score 4.4, 21,930 total reviews as of 25th February 2025.

*** We do not earn any commission from sites or links within this article. Our reviews and advice are based wholly on impartial desk research.