Best Android tablet 2023: Save on the best Android tablets in the Amazon Spring Sale
In search of a tablet but not sold on an iPad? These are the best Android tablets on the market
If you're after an affordable iPad or Microsoft Surface alternative, you should consider buying one of the best Android tablets.
And while the best Android tablet will typically cost a lot less than its iOS or Windows counterparts, that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a shortage of quality options to choose from. Samsung is usually the way to go if you've got a decent budget, while Amazon's devices are a great choice if you want to pick up one of the best Android tablets for not much money.
With plenty of options to choose from, it can be tough deciding which Android tablet to buy, but we’re here to make that decision a little easier. We’ve tested countless tablets over the years and below you'll find a list of the best tablets that run Android OS or an operating system based on Android, like FireOS.
Best Android tablet: At a glance
- Best Android tablet under £200: Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021) | £160
- Best Android tablet overall: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra | £1,149
- Best £100 Android tablet: Amazon Fire HD 8 (2022) | £100
- Best value Android tablet: Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite | £289
- Best cheap Android tablet: All-new Amazon Fire 7 (2022) | £65
How to choose the best Android tablet for you
Why should I buy an Android tablet?
The biggest advantage Android tablets have over their rivals is affordability. The cheapest options from Apple and Microsoft will cost you well over £300, but there are numerous great Android tablets available for a fraction of that price. If you want a cheap tablet, there are no two ways about it, one of the best Android tablets is the way to go.
Another big draw of Android tablets is that Android OS is an open-source operating system and therefore far more customisable than Windows OS or iOS. Features and applications can be tailored to your own personal tastes in ways they can’t if you’re tied to Microsoft’s or Apple’s systems. It’s worth noting that Fire OS, which is exclusively used by Amazon’s tablets, works slightly differently. It’s based on Android OS but lacks Google’s apps and services.
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What size Android tablet should I buy?
This very much depends on what you’re going to use the tablet for. The smallest option on this best Android tablet list features a 7in screen, which is fine for catching up on the news or firing off a few emails but not so hot when you want to watch a movie. If you plan on streaming a lot of video content on your Android tablet, you’ll be better served by a display of 10in or above.
How important is an Android tablet’s processor?
The processor is the driving force behind your Android tablet. The better the processor, the faster the tablet will be, though the price tag will reflect this improved performance. We won’t detail the exhaustive list of processors used by Android tablets, but a general rule of thumb is the more cores it has, the better it will perform. The best Android tablets typically house processors with eight cores (referred to as octa-core processors), while most of the others have four cores.
Does screen resolution matter?
Resolution is dictated by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and affects picture quality. It’s presented as two numbers, 1,920 x 1080px for example, the first of which relates to horizontal pixels and the second vertical pixels. If two otherwise identical 11in screens have different resolutions, the one with a higher resolution will display a higher-quality image. The difference isn’t always obvious on smaller screens, but if you’re buying a larger tablet and plan on doing a lot of streaming, aim for the highest resolution possible.
How much storage does my Android tablet need?
You get what you pay for when it comes to storage. Cheaper Android tablets generally come with 16GB or 32GB of storage, while larger tablets provide 256GB, sometimes even more. How much you need entirely depends on what you intend on using the tablet for. If you’re using it for work and need to be able to save hundreds of files or find yourself recording videos and taking loads of pictures, 16GB will get eaten up pretty quickly. If you use the cloud to save documents or only plan on using your tablet for light web browsing, a less roomy device will do the trick just fine.
Should I buy a cellular or Wi-Fi Android tablet?
All tablets come with the ability to connect to Wi-Fi networks, but if you want to be able to get online when you don’t have network access, you’ll have to buy a cellular version. These allow you to insert a SIM card into your tablet as you would with your smartphone and use data to access the internet. Cellular tablets typically cost more than Wi-Fi models, and you also have to factor in the extra money you’ll be spending on data. So, unless you’re desperate for internet access wherever you are, we recommend you stick with a Wi-Fi-only model.
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The best Android tablets you can buy in 2023
1. All-new Amazon Fire 7 (2022): Best cheap Amazon tablet
Price: £65 | Buy now from Amazon
The new processor delivered more than double the speeds of the previous model in our tests, helping to bring the All-new Fire 7 (2022) more in line with the competition. Battery life also received a nice little boost, now stretching into double figures. This still isn’t amazing, and the 7in screen is woefully in need of modernisation, but for what you’re paying here, the All-new Fire 7 (2022) is an absolute steal.
Read our full All-new Amazon Fire 7 (2022) review
Key specs – Processor: Quad-core 2GHz MediaTek MT8168; Screen: 7in, 1,024 x 600; Storage: 16GB or 32GB; Size: 118 x 181 x 9.67mm; Weight: 282g; Operating System: FireOS 8
2. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra: Best Android tablet overall
Price: From £1,149 | Buy now from Samsung
If you want the biggest possible screen and have the money to spare, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is the only way to go. Its massive 14.6in AMOLED screen is a delight: its razor-sharp resolution and vivid colours make it the best display we’ve ever seen on any device and it’s sensational for watching content on YouTube, Netflix or any other streaming service.
The Tab S8 Ultra isn’t just for watching films and TV on, though. Like other high-end tablets, Samsung has designed it so you can use it like a laptop, although you do have to pay extra for the keyboard cover (currently £299).
We weren’t all that impressed with this – the sheer size of the tablet makes it tricky to perch on your lap and we found the touchpad over-sensitive to ghost clicks. However, the keyboard itself is decent if used on a desk and, paired with a Bluetooth mouse, it serves the purposes of a laptop replacement well enough. The tablet is also supplied with a Samsung S Pen stylus in the box so you can use that as an alternative to the touchpad if you need to as well.
All told, this means the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra isn’t quite good enough to compete with the 12.9in Apple iPad Pro in the alternative laptop space but if watching TV and films is your priority – or you just don’t get on with Apple devices – then it’s certainly worth a look.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review
Key specs – Processor: Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1; Screen: 14.6in, 2,960 x 1,848px; Storage: 128GB, 256GB or 512GB; Size: 326 x 209 x 5.5mm; Weight: 728g; Operating system: Android 12 (ONE UI 4.1)
3. Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021): Best Android tablet for under £200
Price: £160 | Buy now from Amazon
Although the 10in display retains a resolution of 1,200px, it’s 10% brighter than its predecessor, which is a very welcome improvement. The Fire HD 10 also benefits from a new split-screen mode that’s handy when you want to view two apps at the same time.
As was the case with the Fire HD 8’s 2020 refresh, this update brings with it the option of buying a “Plus” version. The Fire HD 10 Plus will set you back £190, with the extra £30 getting you an additional 1GB of RAM, wireless charging functionality and a soft-touch finish.
Should you want to use the tablet as a makeshift laptop, it’s worth checking out the Productivity Bundle, which comes with a Bluetooth keyboard and a 12-month subscription to Microsoft 365.
Read our full Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021) review
Key specs – Processor: Octa-core 2GHz MediaTek MT8183 Helio P60T; Screen: 10in, 1,920 x 1,200px; Storage: 32GB or 64GB; Size: 247 x 166 x 9.2mm; Weight: 465g; Operating system: FireOS 7
4. Amazon Fire HD 8 (2022): Best £100 Android tablet
Price: £100 | Buy now from Amazon
Not everything gets an upgrade, however, with the 8in display still offering the same outdated 1,280 x 800 resolution. While perfectly functional, especially if you’re after a cheap tablet for your kids to use, this display doesn’t look great compared to modern smartphones. There’s also the issue of Amazon’s app store, which is more restrictive than its Google and Apple counterparts, meaning that certain games and applications can’t be downloaded on this tablet.
If you can put up with these minor drawbacks, the Fire HD 8 (2022) is the best Android tablet that you’ll find for £100. You also have the option to pay an extra £20 for the Fire HD 8 Plus (2022), which offers 1GB more RAM, wireless charging support and a 5MP rear camera.
Read our full Amazon Fire HD 8 (2022) review
Key specs – Processor: Hexa-core MediaTek MT8169A; Screen: 8in, 1,280 x 800; Storage: 32GB; Size: 202 x 137 x 9.6mm; Weight: 337g; Operating system: Fire OS 8
5. Nokia T20: Best for software
Price: £150 l Buy now from John Lewis
While the shopping giant's tablets are heavily restricted with Amazon's Fire OS overlay (with a sorely lacking app store), the Nokia T20 has no such restrictions and you're free to use Android as you please. This stock version of Android 11 is delightful to use, with no bloatware pre-installed, and the Play Store's wide library of apps, games and services are at your disposal, too.
Of course, there's always a downside and that, sadly, comes from the screen. While the tablet's native 1,200p resolution is quite generous for the price, the T20's restrictive video playback resolution means you can only watch films and TV shows at a maximum resolution of 480p. While this is disappointing, the Nokia T20 is still a commendable alternative to Amazon's budget tablets and even more so if you aren't fussed about watching video at higher resolutions.
Read our full Nokia T20 review
Key specs – Processor: Octa-core Unisoc T610; Screen: 10.4in, 2,000 x 1,200px; Storage: 64GB; Size: 248 x 158 x 7.8mm; Weight: 465g; Operating system: Android 11
6. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Best-value Android tablet
Price: £289 | Buy now from John Lewis
It also cuts the ultra-wide camera present on the Tab S6, but it’s not really missed: the 8MP rear camera and 5MP selfie cam – both of which are capable of recording video in 1080p at 30fps – are more than sufficient for most people’s needs.
GPU and CPU performance fall a little way behind the 10.2in iPad but battery life is excellent, coming in at just shy of 15 hours, more than two hours longer than its Apple rival. The Tab S6 Lite also has the edge over the 10.2in iPad in the stylus department. It comes bundled with a neat S Pen stylus, where the Apple Pencil is sold separately.
It may not be the most innovative of tablets, but it’s the best value for money Android tablet out there.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite review
Key specs – Processor: Octa-core Exynos 9611; Screen: 10.4in, 2,000 x 1,200px; Storage: 64GB and 128GB; Size: 245 x 155 x 7mm; Weight: 467g; Operating system: Android 10.0
7. Lenovo Tab P11 Pro: A great-value laptop alternative
Price: £600 | Buy now from Amazon
Whatever you choose to do with it, the P11 Pro can handle it swiftly. The Snapdragon 730G processor sits in the middle of Qualcomm’s range, but was beefy enough to produce respectable scores in our series of benchmark tests. The results don’t match up to the iPad Air – the obvious Apple competition for this machine – but suffice to say that the P11 Pro never felt slow to use.
If there’s one final flourish that makes the P11 Pro worth considering, it’s the battery life. Put through our standard video-rundown test, with flight mode on and the screen set to a brightness of 170cd/m², it lasted for a total of 17hrs 28mins. In context, that’s a whole five hours longer than the iPad Air. If all-day use is important to you, the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is an excellent choice for an even better price.
Read our full Lenovo Tab P11 Pro review
Key specs – Processor: Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G; Screen: 11.5in, 2,560 x 1,600px; Storage: 128GB; Size: 171 x 264 x 6mm; Weight: 485g; Operating system: Android 10
Prefer Microsoft? The Surface Go or Pro may be the way to go
If you’re not sold on any of the Android tablets listed above, then perhaps you’d like to consider some Windows 10 tablet/laptop hybrids.
The Microsoft Surface Go 2 is a tried-and-tested hybrid that functions extremely well as a secondary device, though it’s rather dear, especially when you factor in the cost of the detachable keyboard and stylus pen. Those seeking greater power from their portable device will want to check out the Microsoft Surface Pro 7. This latest iteration of the Surface line finally has a USB-C port and packs either an Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 10th-generation processor.
And if neither of those tickles your fancy, there’s always our pick of the best Apple iPads on the market.
