00:00If you're here, I bet you're looking for the best tablet recommendations for 2025.
00:04Whether you're on a tight budget, need the ultimate productivity device, or you just want
00:07something small and portable, I've got you covered with the best picks for every need.
00:12I've even made it easy and linked every tablet that you'll see in the video description.
00:17The 2024 iPad Air is the perfect choice for anyone who wants a lightweight and powerful
00:22tablet at the right price. Starting at $599 for the 11-inch model or $799 for the 13-inch,
00:28you get large screen size options and power from the powerful M2 chip, which makes everything feel
00:33incredibly fast and responsive, whether you're gaming, browsing, or juggling multiple apps.
00:38And if you're into drawing or note-taking, the Apple Pencil Pro support adds a nice touch,
00:42turning the iPad Air into a solid Pro tool, though you'll need to shell out extras for
00:47that accessory. You can expect nearly 12 hours of battery life in our tests, which should be
00:51enough to last a day with mixed use. Now, you could use this as a laptop replacement, especially with
00:56the optional Magic Keyboard for an extra $300 to $350, but iPadOS can still feel clunky with
01:02multitasking and there's no Face ID for fast login, just the fingerprint scanner at the top.
01:08Still, overall, the iPad Air is the best option for most people, offering a perfect balance of
01:12performance and value. If you're on a tighter budget, you could look at the older model or the
01:18base iPad, but the Air gives you that extra power and lighter design that makes it our top pick.
01:23Next, we have the Amazon Fire 7, which is hands down the cheapest tablet you can get starting at
01:29just $60 or $75 without ads. For that price, it's hard to beat in terms of value. At just 9.9 ounces,
01:37it's incredibly light and easy to carry around, and you'll get nearly 11 hours of battery life
01:42from our tests, which is impressive for a budget tablet. It also has a micro SD card slot, allowing
01:48you to add up to one terabyte of storage, something even the priciest tablets usually can't match.
01:54That said, it's still a cheap tablet, and it really does feel like one. The plastic body feels pretty
01:59flimsy compared to more premium devices like iPads, and the 7-inch 1024x600 LCD screen is pretty poor
02:05for viewing media, with a resolution that's even too low for viewing HD video. The camera and speakers
02:11are similarly lackluster, but for under $100, it's still a solid choice for basic tasks,
02:17and it's perfect for kids or anyone who needs a no-fuss tablet that's easy to replace. Plus,
02:22it runs all the apps available on Amazon's App Store, and with Amazon's robust parental controls,
02:27it's also a great choice for a child's first tablet. Before moving on, I'll quickly give an
02:33honorable mention to the Fire HD 8. It recently received a refresh for 2024, and it comes in just shy
02:39of $100. It offers a really nice upgrade over the Fire 7, with better performance and similar battery
02:45life, making it a solid choice for streaming or light gaming. The Fire HD 8 only weighs 11.88 ounces,
02:52matching its predecessor in size and weight, and it often goes on sale for less than $60, matching or
02:58even beating the price of the Amazon Fire 7. And that altogether makes it a very compelling choice
03:04if you can grab one then.
03:05The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is a standout in the world of Windows tablets, offering the full
03:11versatility of Windows 11 with the accessibility of a large tablet. It's a huge leap forward from
03:17previous Surface Pro models thanks to the inclusion of Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X chip and an option for
03:24a 13-inch OLED display. This makes it the fastest tablet on this list, just behind the iPad Pro M4.
03:30While also offering impressive power efficiency and over 12 hours of battery life from our test.
03:36So whether you're working all day or you're just using it casually, you can go all day without
03:40needing to plug it in. For $1,000, you get the base model with a 13-inch LCD display, which is solid.
03:45But if you want a display that really pops, the OLED version here, which costs about $600 more,
03:50gives you a brighter, more vibrant colors, outperforming even the iPad Air 2024 in our display test.
03:56While the tablet is great for productivity, especially for fans of Windows, be prepared to
04:01shell out for the extra accessories like the Surface Pro Flex, $349 keyboard, and the Surface Slim Pen
04:09too for $100. That brings the cost up significantly, making this a bit pricey for anyone looking for
04:15a complete productivity setup. Still, if you want the best Windows 11 tablet, the Surface Pro 11
04:21is our top choice. For our newest addition to the list, we've got the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10
04:28Ultra, which starts at $1,200. It's definitely the biggest and boldest tablet that Samsung's ever
04:33released. The standout feature here is its massive 14.6-inch AMOLED display. It's gorgeous, it's sharp,
04:39and it's very immersive. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 Plus chip, it runs apps, games,
04:45and multitask very smoothly without any noticeable lag. But here's the catch. Despite all that power,
04:51it doesn't quite stack up to the iPad Pro M4, even though it costs about the same. But the real issue
04:57here is its size. 1.58 pounds doesn't sound that heavy, but its sheer dimensions make it awkward to
05:04use for extended periods of time. So if you're trying to hold this in your hands while also watching a
05:09show or playing a game, it can quickly become very uncomfortable. You'll probably find yourself
05:14propping up against a pillow or table just to manage the height and weight. It's definitely
05:18not the most portable device if you're looking for something that can be carried around easily
05:23for long stretches. But if you're after a tablet with a giant screen that also doubles as a laptop
05:28replacement, this could be a really solid choice. Just be prepared for all that extra bulk.
05:34I've said it already, the 2024 iPad Pro is the most powerful tablet you can get. And it's the first
05:39device to showcase Apple's cutting-edge M4 chip, outperforming every other tablet on this
05:44list. But it's not just about power. The 2024 iPad Pro also wows with its OLED display,
05:50which delivers stunning colors and brightness, up to an eye-searing 1510 nits for HDR content.
05:57And it looks great whether you're editing photos, streaming movies, or just browsing.
06:01For outdoor use, you can pay an extra $100 for the nano-texture glass, though that is exclusive
06:07to the one and two terabyte models. But that does help reduce glare and keeps the screen
06:13crystal clear. Add to that, it's 13-hour battery life that nearly tops this list,
06:18and you've got a premium tablet that's also practical as it is powerful. That said,
06:22this kind of performance starts at $999 for the 2024 11-inch model. Now, if you don't need all that
06:28speed or display quality, you're better off with the iPad Air 2024, which is much cheaper and still more
06:34than fast enough for most apps. But if you want the absolute best tablet that Apple has to offer,
06:39the 2024 iPad Pro is in a league of its own. The remarkable Paper Pro is easily the most unique
06:45tablet on this list and also was featured as one of our top picks for best e-readers,
06:50especially if writing and reading are your top priorities. If that's you, you're in for a treat.
06:54Its 11.8-inch color e-paper display helps give it the feel of pen and paper in a way that
06:59traditional glass screen tablets like iPads simply can't match. With 4,000-plus levels of
07:05pressure sensitivity, the included Remarkable Marker, or the Marker Plus, which features an
07:09eraser, delivers a truly tactile writing experience that's just perfect for jotting down notes,
07:15marking up PDFs, or even sketching. The display's size is nearly identical to that of an A4 notebook,
07:21so it feels natural to use for serious writing or document editing. However, this is a very niche
07:27device. The canvas color e-paper display has a noticeable lag when flipping through pages or
07:32rendering what you're writing. Also, aside from this being focused on reading and writing,
07:37it doesn't support major e-book apps like Kindle, or any other apps for that matter.
07:42Starting at $579, the Remarkable Paper Pro doesn't come cheap, especially when you consider
07:46the optional but pricey typefolio keyboard for another $229 for those who also want a laptop-like
07:53typing experience. That said, if you're a writer looking for the closest thing to pen and paper
07:58in a digital form, this is an investment worth considering. The iPad Mini 7 is Apple's smallest
08:04tablet with a compact 8.3-inch liquid retina display. Weighing just 0.65 pounds, it's the perfect
08:10choice for those who want the full iPadOS experience in a device that's light and easy to hold with just
08:15one hand. Despite its size, this tiny slate doesn't skimp on performance either. In our testing,
08:21the A17 Pro delivers speeds rivaling the iPad Air, making it a great choice for multitasking,
08:27streaming, or light productivity. Battery life is also impressive too, lasting about 10 and a half
08:32hours, which is more than enough to get through a busy day. There are some compromises though,
08:37like the front-facing camera placement, which is on this narrow edge. It's a little bit awkward to
08:42use during video calls. It also doesn't support the Apple Pencil 2, so you'll need to opt for the newer
08:47Apple Pencil Pro if you want stylus support, which brings better precision and features,
08:52but it's a bummer if you're like me and already own the older two. But starting at just $499,
08:58the iPad Mini 7 has a combination of portability and power to make it the best small tablet that
09:04you can buy right now. So which of these tablets fits your needs best? Are you leaning more towards
09:09the power of the iPad Pro, the versatility of the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, or the Productivity Focus
09:14Service Pro 9? Let me know in the comments and don't forget to check out our full reviews on Tom's
09:19Guide. Thanks for watching and until the next one, I'll catch you later.
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