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MagyarThe Best Tablets
Apple’s first iPad literally jump-started the tablet market from scratch. However, in recent years the choices have become fewer and fewer. On the one side, tablets are getting attacked by ever growing smartphones. On the other side, convertibles have become increasingly popular in the notebook space. What is left are a few established OEMs with various tablets for sale. In addition, numerous Chinese manufacturers are trying to attract potential customers through low prices. In return, you should not expect too much in regard to warranty and potential software updates. Please also consider the following lists before making any decisions:
The Best Tablets
Pos. | Datum | Bew. | Bild | Modell | Dicke | Gewicht | Größe | Bildwiederholrate | Auflösung | OS | Preis ab |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 04/2020 | 90 % |  | Apple iPad Pro 11 2020 Apple A12Z Bionic Apple A12Z Bionic GPU 6 GB Memory, 128 GB NVMe | 5.9 mm | 471 g | 11.00" | 120 Hz | 2388x1668 | Apple iPadOS 13 | |
| 2 | 10/2020 Neu | 90 % |  | Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus) Qualcomm Adreno 650 6 GB Memory, 128 GB | 6.3 mm | 500 g | 11.00" | 120 Hz | 2560x1600 | Android 10 | |
| 3 | 05/2020 | 89 % |  | Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2020 Apple A12Z Bionic Apple A12Z Bionic GPU 6 GB Memory, 256 GB NVMe | 5.9 mm | 641 g | 12.90" | 120 Hz | 2732x2048 | Apple iPadOS 13 | |
| 4 | 08/2020 | 88 % |  | Huawei MatePad Pro 10.8 HiSilicon Kirin 990 ARM Mali-G76 MP16 8 GB Memory, 256 GB | 7.2 mm | 460 g | 10.80" | 60 Hz | 2560x1600 | Android 10 | |
| 5 | 04/2019 | 88 % |  | Apple iPad Mini 5 Apple A12 Bionic Apple A12 Bionic GPU 3 GB Memory, 64 GB eMMC | 6.1 mm | 300 g | 7.90" | 60 Hz | 2048x1536 | Apple iOS 12 | |
| 6 | 10/2020 Neu | 88 % |  | Apple iPad 10.2 2020 Apple A12 Bionic Apple A12 Bionic GPU 3 GB Memory, 128 GB NVMe | 7.5 mm | 495 g | 10.20" | 60 Hz | 2160x1620 | Apple iPadOS 14 | |
| 7 | 10/2020 Neu | 88 % |  | Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus) Qualcomm Adreno 650 8 GB Memory, 256 GB | 5.7 mm | 575 g | 12.40" | 120 Hz | 2800x1752 | Android 10 | |
| 8 | 04/2019 | 88 % |  | Apple iPad Air 2019 Apple A12 Bionic Apple A12 Bionic GPU 3 GB Memory, 64 GB eMMC | 6.1 mm | 456 g | 10.50" | 60 Hz | 2224x1668 | Apple iOS 12 | |
| 9 | 10/2019 | 87 % |  | Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 SM-T860 Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Qualcomm Adreno 640 6 GB Memory, 128 GB | 5.7 mm | 420 g | 10.50" | 60 Hz | 2560x1600 | Android 9.0 Pie | |
| 10 | 05/2019 | 84 % |  | Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720 Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 Qualcomm Adreno 616 4 GB Memory, 64 GB eMMC | 5.5 mm | 400 g | 10.50" | 60 Hz | 2560x1600 | Android 9.0 Pie |
The table above contains an overview over the best tablets reviewed by Notebookcheck over the course of the past 12 months as well as still relevant and available older products. In cases of identical score the more recent device is listed first. All prices in above table and price comparisons are updated daily and can thus differ.
Link: all devices in this class reviewed
Editors' Comments
This month we see three new-entries, and another very promising tablet in review right now – the Apple iPad Air 4.
1st – Apple iPad Pro 11 (2020)
The Apple iPad Pro 11 (2020) is very similar to its own predecessor and features an almost identical case to boot. The main difference can be found at the rear. The new camera module is now equipped with an additional ultra wide angle lens as well as a LIDAR sensor.
The new SoC may be very fast but compared to the 2018 model the differences are very minor. All SKUs are now equipped with 6 GB of RAM, and the entry-level storage tier was bumped to 128 GB. And last but not least the Wi-Fi modem supports Wi-Fi 6.
All in all there are not too many flaws with this iPad Pro, and it can be a very productive and useful tool if need be. If you are thinking about using the tablet as notebook replacement you may want to consider the MacBook Pro, which is priced very similarly.
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2nd – Samsung Galaxy Tab S7
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 features an 11-inch large LTPS display and is powered by a Snapdragon 865+. Its 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage are not bad per se, but we would have wished for a little bit more to be honest. The fingerprint reader is embedded into the power button, and the included S Pen can be magnetically attached to the tablet’s rear side.
All things considered the S7 is a powerful premium tablet with support for USB 3.2 and Samsung’s integrated DeX UI. A cellular model is also available, although it does not yet support 5G networks.
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3rd – Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2020)
The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2020) is very similar to its predecessor and features a largely identical case. The most prominent difference can be found at the back, where the new iPad Pro’s camera features an additional ultra-wide angle lens as well as a LIDAR sensor. Due to its larger display it is also more likely to live up to Apple’s claim of the iPad Pro being a viable laptop alternative.
While the new SoC turned out to be very fast the differences between the new model and the 2018 model are relatively minor. All SKUs now come with 6 GB of RAM, and storage options start at 128 GB. The built-in Wi-Fi modem has also been upgraded to support Wi-Fi 6.
Overall, there are not really to many shortcomings, and the iPad Pro can be a very useful tools for creative users. If you are considering to purchase the iPad Pro as laptop alternative you may want to take a look at the MacBook Pro as well. It is priced similarly as the iPad Pro but lacks the latter’s pencil support.
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4th – Huawei MatePad Pro 10.8
The Huawei MatePad Pro is a high-end tablet featuring a 10.8-inch IPS display running at 2560 x 1600 (16:10). In addition to the entry-level SKU with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage it is also available in a higher storage and memory tier with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. In both cases, storage can be expanded via nano memory card. It is powered by a Kirin 990, thanks to which an optional 5G model is also available. Unfortunately, the MatePad Pro lacks support for Wi-Fi 6 and only supports fast ac Wi-Fi with VHT160. The optional keyboard dock and active stylus are sold separately.
In our test, the Huawei MatePad Pro 10.8 turned out to offer a bright good-looking display that would have required a higher color-accuracy in order to be suitable for professional users. The speakers were decent and would position the MatePad as brilliant multimedia device if not for the lack of DRM certification. Performance was at a high level except for the GPU, which for some reason lagged behind its smartphone siblings and failed to meet our expectations.
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5th - Apple iPad Mini 5
The iPad Mini 5 is Apple's refresh for its smallest tablet, but the design is still the same. The display (7.9-inch, 2048 x 1536 pixels) also seems to be identical, but it now supports the True Tone functionality and it covers the wider DCI-P3 color gamut. The iPad Mini now also works with the Apple Pencil (Gen. 1) and is powered by the modern Apple A12 SoC in combination with 3 GB RAM as well as 64 or 256 GB internal storage. Corresponding SKUs with LTE are also available.
Our review shows that you do not always need the best to create a good tablet, especially with the very limited competition in this screen size. Advantages of the iPad Mini 5 are the strong performance as well as the long update cycle.
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6th – Apple iPad 10.2 (2020)
Compared to last year’s model, the Apple iPad 8 remained virtually unchanged. Besides the much faster CPU it also comes with a more powerful charger that no longer features a USB-A but a more modern USB-C port instead. Lightning itself continues to be Apple’s only port of choice for the iPad. Accordingly, already existing accessories remain compatible.
The tablet features a 10.2-inch IPS panel with natural colors. It is powered by a fast Apple A12 SoC with 3 GB of RAM and either 32 or 128 GB of internal storage. Both models are optionally available with LTE cellular support.
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7th – Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ features a 12.4-inch Super AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz and HDR support. It is powered by a Snapdragon 865+ with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal microSD-expandable storage. The optional cellular model already supports 5G networks. The S Pen is once again included by default with an optionally available keyboard dock.
Samsung offers a very powerful and large package that is only held back by its comparatively poor battery life.
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8th - Apple iPad Air (2019)
The Apple iPad Air (2019) is positioned between the iPad 6 and the Pro models. It starts from 549 Euros and comes with a 10.5-inch IPS panel (2224 x 1668 pixels, 4:3), a fast Apple A12 SoC, 3 GB RAM and 64 or 256 GB internal storage. SKUs with LTE are available as well. The 3rd generation iPad Air is also compatible with the Apple Pencil (Gen. 1) and you can attach a keyboard.
The iPad Air is basically a great tablet, which sacrifices some features compared to the more expensive Pro models, but this should not be an issue in practice. If you like to take pictures with your tablet, you will have to live with mediocre results and the charging time is very long due to the weak power adapter.
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9th - Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 from the Korean manufacturer is a very successful fine tuning of the flagship tablet, which finally offers a high-end SoC and it is much slimmer than before. The Super AMOLED screen has a diagonal size of 10.5 inches with 2560 x 1600 pixels and convinces in our review with good brightness and high color accuracy. 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage is a good combination and a version with LTE is also available.
The S-Pen is once again included and can be stored at the back of the tablet via magnets, where it is also charged (induction). The optional keyboard is a good accessory and with the combination of DeX, the Galaxy Tab S6 is a powerful business companion.
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10th - Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e
The highlight of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e is its special design and the device is not only very slim at juts 5.5 mm, but also very light at around 400 grams. The Samsung Tablet is equipped with a 10.5-inch (26.67 cm) Super AMOLED panel, which ensures brilliant pictures, but it does not support HDR. You get a modern SoC with the Snapdragon 670 as well as 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage, and the latter can be expanded via microSD card. It is also possible to use Samsung's own desktop mode DeX and attach an optional keyboard.
During the review, we liked the good performance of the Galaxy Tab S5e, the good list of features as well as the powerful speakers. The battery runtime is not bad, either, but we are not convinced by the cameras.
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Top 10 Tablets in Comparison
Test Results
| Apple iPad Pro 11 2020 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 | Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2020 | Huawei MatePad Pro 10.8 | Apple iPad Mini 5 | Apple iPad 10.2 2020 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus | Apple iPad Air 2019 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 SM-T860 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response Times | ||||||||||
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 52 (25, 27) | 45.6 (22, 23.6) | 46.8 (18.4, 28.4) | 44.4 (20, 24.4) | 30 (5, 25) | 39.2 (18.8, 20.4) | 3.2 (2, 1.2) | 58 (27.6, 30.4) | 6 (3.2, 2.8) | 5.6 (2.8, 2.8) |
| Response Time Black / White * | 24 (9, 15) | 20.8 (6.8, 14) | 24.4 (8.4, 16) | 19.2 (6.8, 12.4) | 20 (7, 13) | 20 (7.6, 12.4) | 2.4 (1.2, 1.2) | 28 (10.4, 17.6) | 5.6 (2.8, 2.8) | 4 (2, 2) |
| PWM Frequency | 1316 | 59520 (21) | 58820 (13) | 23810 (38) | 5556 (25) | 245.1 (1, 1.73) | 242.7 (99) | 245.1 (99) | ||
| Screen | ||||||||||
| Brightness middle | 617 | 554 | 625 | 606 | 515 | 477 | 441 | 515 | 446 | 452 |
| Brightness | 585 | 535 | 599 | 579 | 495 | 452 | 447 | 483 | 445 | 453 |
| Brightness Distribution | 84 | 91 | 87 | 89 | 87 | 86 | 98 | 90 | 86 | 90 |
| Black Level * | 0.36 | 0.33 | 0.47 | 0.32 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.41 | |||
| Contrast | 1714 | 1679 | 1330 | 1894 | 858 | 954 | 1256 | |||
| Colorchecker DeltaE2000 * | 0.94 | 2.1 | 1.3 | 2.9 | 0.88 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 2.7 | 1.7 |
| Colorchecker DeltaE2000 max. * | 1.87 | 7.1 | 2.7 | 6 | 2.15 | 5 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 5.4 | 3.7 |
| Greyscale DeltaE2000 * | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 4.3 | 1.4 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 2.4 |
| Gamma | 2.156 102% | 2.32 95% | 2.23 99% | 2.22 99% | 2.183 101% | 2.23 99% | 2.01 109% | 2.21 100% | 2.05 107% | 2.07 106% |
| CCT | 6733 97% | 6623 98% | 6765 96% | 7272 89% | 6944 94% | 7019 93% | 6469 100% | 6944 94% | 6468 100% | 6337 103% |
| Heat | ||||||||||
| Maximum Upper Side * | 37.9 | 33.5 | 39.1 | 32.6 | 38.3 | 32.3 | 32.3 | 36.1 | 34 | 33.1 |
| Maximum Bottom * | 40.1 | 29.8 | 37.4 | 29.6 | 37.4 | 30.4 | 28 | 34.7 | 32.4 | 31.2 |
| Idle Upper Side * | 34.7 | 30.4 | 37.2 | 32 | 26.2 | 27.2 | 26.8 | 34.9 | 30.3 | 31.7 |
| Idle Bottom * | 33.7 | 24.6 | 33.9 | 27.8 | 25.4 | 25.8 | 24.4 | 29.4 | 29.2 | 29.5 |
| Battery Runtime | ||||||||||
| Reader / Idle | 2001 | 1963 | 1827 | 1877 | 1733 | 2241 | 898 | 1501 | 1276 | 1263 |
| H.264 | 936 | 885 | 738 | 909 | 891 | 934 | 620 | 684 | 872 | 864 |
| WiFi v1.3 | 902 | 811 | 905 | 891 | 791 | 782 | 425 | 738 | 556 | 623 |
| Load | 197 | 221 | 167 | 233 | 158 | 238 | 355 | 214 | 340 | 300 |
| Power Consumption | ||||||||||
| Idle Minimum * | 1.3 | 1.16 | 1.22 | 1.98 | 1.3 | 2.12 | 2.41 | 2.18 | 1.96 | 2.07 |
| Idle Average * | 3.5 | 4.42 | 8.68 | 5.66 | 2.2 | 6.43 | 3.4 | 6.4 | 2.8 | 3.94 |
| Idle Maximum * | 5.6 | 4.43 | 8.75 | 5.69 | 5.3 | 6.69 | 3.43 | 6.43 | 2.82 | 3.96 |
| Load Average * | 12.5 | 8.86 | 11.72 | 6.96 | 9.8 | 8.17 | 6.63 | 7.48 | 5.31 | 4.07 |
| Load Maximum * | 19.2 | 11.6 | 15.25 | 6.98 | 12.5 | 11.84 | 10.29 | 10.65 | 11.91 | 5.73 |
* ... smaller is better
Benchmarks
| Basemark ES 3.1 / Metal - offscreen Overall Score (sort by value) | |
| Apple iPad Pro 11 2020 | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2020 | |
| Apple iPad Mini 5 | |
| Apple iPad 10.2 2020 | |
| Apple iPad Air 2019 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720 | |
