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 that accessory.
00:47You can expect nearly 12 hours of battery life in our tests, which should be enough to last a day
00:52with mixed use. Now, you could use this as a laptop replacement, especially with the optional
00:56magic keyboard for an extra $300 to $350, but iPadOS can still feel clunky with multitasking
01:02and 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 you
01:48to 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 1024 by 600 LCD screen is pretty
02:05poor for viewing media, with a resolution that's even too low for viewing HD video. The camera and
02:11speakers are 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. The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is a standout in the world of Windows tablets,
03:11offering the full versatility of Windows 11 with the accessibility of a large tablet. It's a huge
03:17leap forward from previous Surface Pro models thanks to the inclusion of Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X chip
03:22and an option for a 13-inch OLED display. This makes it the fastest tablet on this list,
03:28just behind the iPad Pro M4, while also offering impressive power efficiency and over 12 hours of
03:34battery life from our test. So whether you're working all day or you're just using it casually,
03:39you can go all day without needing to plug it in. For $1,000, you get the base model with a 13-inch
03:43LCD display, which is solid. But if you want a display that really pops, the OLED version here,
03:49which costs about $600 more, gives you a brighter, more vibrant colors, outperforming even the iPad Air
03:5520-24 in our display test. While the tablet is great for productivity, especially for fans of
04:00Windows, be prepared to shell out for the extra accessories like the Surface Pro Flex $349 keyboard
04:07and the Surface Slim Pen 2 for $100. That brings the cost up significantly, making this a bit pricey
04:14for anyone looking for a complete productivity setup. Still, if you want the best Windows 11 tablet,
04:20the Surface Pro 11 is our top choice. For our newest addition to the list,
04:25we've got the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, which starts at $1,200. It's definitely the biggest and
04:31boldest tablet that Samsung's ever released. The standout feature here is its massive 14.6-inch
04:37AMOLED display. It's gorgeous, it's sharp, and it's very immersive. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity
04:439300 Plus chip, it runs apps, games, and multitask very smoothly without any noticeable lag.
04:48But here's the catch. Despite all that power, it doesn't quite stack up to the iPad Pro M4,
04:55even though it costs about the same. But the real issue here is its size. 1.58 pounds doesn't sound
05:01that heavy, but its sheer dimensions make it awkward to use for extended periods of time.
05:06So if you're trying to hold this in your hands while also watching a show or playing a game,
05:11it can quickly become very uncomfortable. You'll probably find yourself propping up against a pillow
05:15or table just to manage the height and weight. It's definitely not the most portable device if
05:20you're looking for something that can be carried around easily for long stretches. But if you're
05:24after a tablet with a giant screen that also doubles as a laptop replacement, this could be a really
05:30solid choice. Just be prepared for all that extra bulk. I've said it already, the 2024 iPad Pro is the
05:36most powerful tablet you can get. And it's the first device to showcase Apple's cutting-edge
05:41M4 chip, outperforming every other tablet on this list. But it's not just about power. The 2024 iPad Pro
05:48also wows with its OLED display, which delivers stunning colors and brightness, up to an eye-searing
05:541510 nits for HDR content. And it looks great whether you're editing photos, streaming movies, or just
06:00browsing. For outdoor use, you can pay an extra $100 for the nano-texture glass, though that is
06:07exclusive to 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, and you've got a
06:18premium tablet that's also practical as it is powerful. That said, this kind of performance starts
06:23at $999 for the 2024 11-inch model. Now, if you don't need all that speed or display quality, you're better
06:30off with the iPad Air 2024, which is much cheaper and still more than fast enough for most apps.
06:36But if you want the absolute best tablet that Apple has to offer, the 2024 iPad Pro is in a league of
06:41its own. The remarkable Paper Pro is easily the most unique tablet on this list and also was featured
06:47as one of our top picks for best e-readers, especially if writing and reading are your top
06:52priorities. If that's you, you're in for a treat. Its 11.8-inch color e-paper display helps give it the feel
06:57of pen and paper in a way that traditional glass screen tablets like iPads simply can't match.
07:03With 4,000-plus levels of pressure sensitivity, the included Remarkable Marker, or the Marker Plus,
07:09which features an eraser, delivers a truly tactile writing experience that's just perfect for jotting
07:14down notes, marking up PDFs, or even sketching. The display's size is nearly identical to that of an
07:20A4 notebook, so it feels natural to use for serious writing or document editing. However, this is a very
07:26niche device. 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, it doesn't
07:37support major e-book apps like Kindle, or any other apps for that matter. Starting at $579, the
07:43Remarkable Paper Pro doesn't come cheap, especially when you consider the optional but pricey typefolio
07:48keyboard for another $229 for those who also want a laptop-like typing experience. That said, if you're a writer
07:56looking for the closest thing to pen and paper in a digital form, this is an investment worth considering.
08:02The iPad Mini 7 is Apple's smallest tablet with a compact 8.3-inch liquid retina display. Weighing just .65 pounds,
08:09it's the perfect choice for those who want the full iPad OS experience in a device that's light and easy to hold
08:15with just one hand. Despite its size, this tiny slate doesn't skimp on performance either. In our testing, the A17 Pro
08:22delivers speeds rivaling the iPad Air, making it a great choice for multitasking, streaming, or light
08:28productivity. Battery life is also impressive too, lasting about 10 and a half hours, which is more
08:34than enough to get through a busy day. There are some compromises though, like the front-facing camera
08:39placement, which is on this narrow edge. It's a little bit awkward to use during video calls.
08:43It also doesn't support the Apple Pencil 2, so you'll need to opt for the newer Apple Pencil Pro
08:48if you want stylus support, which brings better precision and features, but it's a bummer if
08:53you're like me and already own the older two. But starting at just $499, the iPad Mini 7 has a
09:00combination of portability and power to make it the best small tablet that you can buy right now.
09:05So which of these tablets fits your needs best? Are you leaning more towards the power of the iPad Pro,
09:10the versatility of the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, or the Productivity Focus Service Pro 9? Let me know in the
09:16comments and don't forget to check out our full reviews on Tom's Guide. Thanks for watching
09:20and until the next one, I'll catch you later.
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