The best Android tablets of 2026: Lab tested, expert recommended

## Summary
ZDNET Recommends Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra | Best Android tablet overall Best Android tablet overall Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra View now View at Amazon Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ | Best Android tablet for most people Best Android tablet for most people Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ View now View at Amazon OnePlus Pad 3 | Best mid-level Android tablet Best mid-level Android tablet OnePlus Pad 3 View now View at Amazon Google Pixel Tablet | Best Android tablet from Google Best Android tablet from Google Google Pixel Tablet View now View at Amazon TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus | Best Android tablet for reading Best Android tablet for reading TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus View now View at Amazon Samsung Galaxy S10 Ultra | Best Samsung alternative Best Samsung alternative Samsung Galaxy S10 Ultra View now View at Samsung RedMagic Astra | Best alternative for gaming Best alternative for gaming RedMagic Astra View now View at Amazon Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro | Best rugged alternative Best rugged alternative Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro View now View at Samsung Show more (5 items) Best tablet deals of the week Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 Plus 64GB Wi-Fi 11-inch Tablet (Graphite) : $140 (save $80) Apple iPad 11-inch 128GB Wi-Fi Retina Tablet (Blue, 2025 Release) : $274 (save $75) Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Oxford Gray) : $230 (save $170) Amazon Fire HD 10 32GB Tablet (2023 Release, Black) : $70 (save $70) Amazon Fire Max 11 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (2023 Model) : $190 (save $90) Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article. Also: The best Samsung tablets Sort by All The best Android tablets of 2026 Show less Kerry Wan/ZDNET View now at Amazon Why we like it: If you're looking for an Android tablet , the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is one of the best around. Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra specs: Display : 14.6-inch, Dynamic AMOLED 2X 2960 x 1848 display | Processor : MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ | Storage : 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Memory : 12GB, 16GB | Colors : Gray and silver | Cameras : Rear: 13MP main, 8MP ultrawide, Front: 12MP main, 12MP ultrawide | Weight : 1.6 pounds | Dimensions : 12.85 x 8.21 x 0.21 inches | Connections : Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth v5.4 | Battery: 11,600 mAh battery Pros Snappy processor Redesigned S Pen Supports up to seven years of OS upgrades Cons Expensive Not super portable Not many noticeable changes from previous model Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra Best Android tablet overall Kerry Wan/ZDNET Why we like it: If you're looking for an Android tablet , the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is one of the best around. Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra specs: Display : 14.6-inch, Dynamic AMOLED 2X 2960 x 1848 display | Processor : MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ | Storage : 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Memory : 12GB, 16GB | Colors : Gray and silver | Cameras : Rear: 13MP main, 8MP ultrawide, Front: 12MP main, 12MP ultrawide | Weight : 1.6 pounds | Dimensions : 12.85 x 8.21 x 0.21 inches | Connections : Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth v5.4 | Battery: 11,600 mAh battery Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less Maria Diaz/ZDNET View now at Amazon View now at Samsung View now at Best Buy Why we like it: Historically, the FE series of Samsung devices has been a more affordable alternative to its flagship devices.

## Article Content
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Updated on: April 9, 2026 at 7:55 AM PDT
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Updated on: April 9, 2026 at 7:55 AM PDT
The best Android tablets of 2026: Lab tested, expert recommended
There's more to tablets than iPads. ZDNET tested our favorite Android tablets from Samsung, TCL, and others.
Written by
Allison Murray,
Senior Editor
Senior Editor
ZDNET experts put every product through rigorous testing and research to curate the best options for you. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.
Learn Our Process
'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?
ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.
When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
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Android tablets have come a long way. They boast powerful performance, a
long battery life
, vibrant displays, and a user-friendly interface. It's a great time of year to pick up a tablet that can handle
entertainment
, reading,
note-taking
, and creative work. We tested the best models of 2026, from premium options like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra to budget-friendly picks like the TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus.
If you want to stay in the Android ecosystem for a tablet (or you're just curious to see what's out there), you have plenty of options. Whether you need a portable device to replace your laptop for work tasks, something to act as a
smart home
hub, or just a device for watching videos, there's an Android tablet that will meet your needs.
Get more in-depth ZDNET tech coverage:
Add us as a preferred Google source
on Chrome and Chromium browsers.
ZDNET Recommends
Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra | Best Android tablet overall
Best Android tablet overall
Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra
View now
View at Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ | Best Android tablet for most people
Best Android tablet for most people
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+
View now
View at Amazon
OnePlus Pad 3 | Best mid-level Android tablet
Best mid-level Android tablet
OnePlus Pad 3
View now
View at Amazon
Google Pixel Tablet | Best Android tablet from Google
Best Android tablet from Google
Google Pixel Tablet
View now
View at Amazon
TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus | Best Android tablet for reading
Best Android tablet for reading
TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus
View now
View at Amazon
Samsung Galaxy S10 Ultra | Best Samsung alternative
Best Samsung alternative
Samsung Galaxy S10 Ultra
View now
View at Samsung
RedMagic Astra | Best alternative for gaming
Best alternative for gaming
RedMagic Astra
View now
View at Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro | Best rugged alternative
Best rugged alternative
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro
View now
View at Samsung
Show more (5 items)
Best tablet deals of the week
Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 Plus 64GB Wi-Fi 11-inch Tablet (Graphite)
:
$140
(save $80)
Apple iPad 11-inch 128GB Wi-Fi Retina Tablet (Blue, 2025 Release)
:
$274
(save $75)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Oxford Gray)
:
$230
(save $170)
Amazon Fire HD 10 32GB Tablet (2023 Release, Black)
:
$70
(save $70)
Amazon Fire Max 11 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (2023 Model)
:
$190
(save $90)
Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.
What is the best Android tablet right now?
I chose ZDNET staff-tested tablets that offer a reliable experience and a variety of features at a reasonable price point. Not all Android tablets are created equal, so I employed research and my experience with the products to suggest the best Android tablets below. I found that the best Android tablet overall was the
Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra
for its giant display, stellar battery life, and accompanying S Pen.
In our March update, we dded a visualization graphic showing our most recent battery-life testing results for selected Android tablets.
Also:
The best Samsung tabl

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
N/A

### Areas for Consideration
N/A

### Implications
- If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.
- When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions.
- This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay.
- If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers tablet, samsung, galaxy topics. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 2593.