Tablets are designed to bridge the gap between your laptop and smartphone. On long flights and road journeys, the long battery life and huge displays are ideal for binge-watching your favorite movies and series. Plus, they’re convenient to carry around, especially since tablets are often light and have a small profile that makes them easy to slip into and out of a backpack.
When you get down to the nitty-gritty of features, the greatest tablets can now compete with laptops. This is why:
- Incredibly sharp, vivid and large displays (iPad Pro, iPad Air)
- Storage options up to 1TB (iPad Pro)
- Longer battery life than most laptops (Samsung Galaxy Tab 6)
- Slim and lightweight (Remarkable 2, iPad Air, Amazon Fire HD 10)
When you combine tablets like the iPad Pro or the Samsung Galaxy Tab 6 with a Bluetooth keyboard and a pen, you have a full laptop — albeit one with a better camera system. So, instead of thinking of your laptop as a gadget for viewing movies, think of it as a device for learning (although they are great for that). When you take a closer look at the best tablets of 2021 listed below, you may decide to ditch your laptop, especially if you solely use it to access the internet.
1. 12.9 Inch iPad Pro (2021)
This iPad can essentially take the place of your PC. It can easily survive all day without needing to be charged — which is impressive given its size and power — and, thanks to the M1 chip, it’s perhaps the most powerful and fast tablet available. The Liquid Retina XDR display is not just powerful, but it’s also stunning, with a 120Hz refresh rate and silky smooth scrolling. The camera system is equally impressive, with an ultra-wide lens and a function called Center Stage that keeps you in the center of the frame even when you’re on a video chat. If you want to save a little money, there’s an 11-inch variant, but if you’re already searching for the greatest tablet in this price range, you might as well go all out and get the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
2. 2021 Apple iPad Mini
Apple eventually updated the Mini, giving it a new style, a more powerful processor, and incredible battery life. It has the same design as the iPad Pro but in a smaller, aluminum-encased version. The display has a resolution of 8.3 inches and a refresh rate of 60 cycles per second. Although it isn’t 120Hz, it isn’t a deal-breaker. It’s also more powerful than the iPad and iPad Air, and has the same amount of storage as the basic iPad, thanks to its A15 Bionic CPU, which is also present in the new iPhone 13. When used regularly, the battery can last for a few days without needing to be recharged, or up to seven hours if you’re just watching HD videos nonstop. Finally, the Mini can connect to LTE and 5G networks (for an extra $150, of course).
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
If you’re looking for a tablet that offers a complete Android experience, go no further than the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7. You have complete control over the Google Play store and may fill your tablet with the apps you require to perform at your best. When it comes to performing at your best, the 10.4-inch display offers more than all-day battery life, which is ideal for individuals who prefer to consume a lot of material. It has facial recognition technology, as well as USB-C charging ports for quick charging and the ability to use existing cords rather than the inconvenient micro-USB ones. At $179.99 from Amazon, this is an excellent deal for all you receive.
4. Microsoft Surface Pro 8
When connected with a detachable keyboard and stylus, the Surface Pro 8 functions as a minicomputer and can effectively replace your office clunker. It’s more geared for office work than mobile gaming, with a fast Intel i5 processor (or i7 if you upgrade) and 8GB of RAM (up to 32GB) and Windows 11, but it’s still a wonderful tablet for content crushing on a lazy weekend, especially viewing your favorite shows on the brilliant 13-inch display. Both the front and back cameras are stunning, especially for Zoom and Teams conversations, and the battery life is more than enough to carry you through a full workday.
5. 2021 Apple 10.2 Inch iPad
When comparing the 2021 (or 9th generation) iPad to the previous year’s, or even the year before it, you won’t notice much, if any, difference aesthetically — and that’s fine. “Don’t fix anything if it ain’t broke.” So why spend $329 on a new iPad? For starters, it’s one of the more reasonably priced iPads and luxury tablets on the market. Second, the A13 Bionic chip has exceptionally rapid processing rates and performance, which still outperforms the majority of the competitors. Furthermore, the base model includes 64GB of storage, which is more than enough. You can pretty much leave your laptop at home if you use an Apple Pencil or a keyboard.
6. BOOX Max Lumi ePaper
This e-Paper, like the ReMarkable II tablet, reimagines the tablet and gives a digital way to work that retains the analog feel of a paper and pad. You may visit the Google Play Store and download apps to help you work and play if your phone is powered by Android. Drawing, typing, and e-reading are all made easier with the huge 13.3-inch screen. It also boasts an enhanced Lumi Moonlight that changes the color of the front light while you read. For those who like to pick up an e-reader and read a few pages before bed, this is a game-changer. It’s a unique take on a tablet, but it’s a fantastic tool for taking notes and getting work done.
7. Lenovo Yoga Tab 13
The Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 was created to allow you to consume your preferred content. It’s ideal for use on a kitchen counter to follow along with a YouTube recipe or for watching your favorite show on the couch. The tablet’s back includes a flip-out stand that’s fantastic for tables and countertops, but it lacks a rear camera, which is unusual for a tablet these days. With 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, there’s plenty of room aboard. Furthermore, the Snapdragon 870 is extremely fast, even for lag-free gaming. This tablet is definitely a little too big to be a commuter, but it’s a good pick for at-home entertainment.
8. Apple iPad Air
If you take everything that makes the 11-inch iPad Pro so appealing (slim bezel design, Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard support, liquid retina display) and put it in a package that costs less than $600, you get the current iPad Air, which is Apple’s best tablet to date. Furthermore, the A14 Bionic chipset inside this 11-inch tablet is more powerful than the one found inside the iPad Pro. There are, of course, certain tradeoffs. The iPad Air lacks the same 120Hz ProMotion display as the iPad Pro, as well as the ability to expand to 12.9 inches. The iPad Air, on the other hand, is difficult to surpass when it comes to the best all-around package available in 2021.
