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May 12, 2023

Best Samsung tablets in 2023

Samsung tablets are some of the best Android tablets around, but which one is

Samsung tablets are some of the best Android tablets around, but which one is for you?

Samsung has been making tablets for a long time, and in the Android world, these tablets are routinely some of the best Android tablets out there. Luckily, Samsung has a wide variety of tablets on offer for different users. With such a large selection, it can be tough to determine which will work for you. It doesn't matter if you want an excellent display, powerful gaming hardware, or a unit that doubles as a laptop, there's an option to meet every need — and I've found them.

Top combo of features and price

Samsung's Galaxy Tab S7+ is an excellent all-around tablet that won't break the bank. With a gorgeous AMOLED display, 120Hz support, powerful hardware, an included S Pen, and much more, the Galaxy S7+ is tough to beat.

The Galaxy S8 Tab line may be out now, but the flagship tablet from the last generation, the Galaxy Tab S7+, is still the best pick of the litter. This sleek, well-designed tablet comes with a huge 12.4-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, a powerful chipset with up to 8GB of RAM, an included S Pen, a massive 10,090mAh battery, and a 13MP main camera. Whether you're looking to game, work, or just watch movies, the S7+ is an excellent choice.

Older and cheaper Samsung tablets don't manage to offer up as pretty a display and often only support 60Hz, so animations on the screen won't look as smooth. While the Galaxy S8 Tab line might have newer hardware, you'll end up paying a hefty premium for extra juice you may not need, and since the Tab S7+ is older, you can find it on sale more often. Some Android devices do come with up to 12GB of RAM; however, 8GB will be more than enough for the vast majority of users, and while its 13MP camera may not be as stunning as Samsung's latest Galaxy smartphone camera setup, it's more than capable of getting the job done.

Simply put, the Galaxy S7+ is an excellent combination of features that you can pick up for a fair price, making it the top pick of Samsung tablets.

Smart compromises make this model worth a look

The Galaxy Tab S8 is Samsung's newest entry-level tablet, but 'entry-level' doesn't mean this tablet doesn't come with premium hardware, lots of features, and a responsive display.

Coming in at roughly the same price point as our top pick, the entry-level Galaxy Tab S8 is another excellent choice. This Android tablet has an 8,000mAh battery, a 120Hz display, the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset found in the S8 Ultra, either 8GB or 12GB of RAM, a 13MP camera, and an included S Pen. The Galaxy S8 tablet offers up just about everything the more premium S8 Plus and S8 Ultra tablets do while making smart compromises on its size and display to keep costs down. In comparison to the similarly-priced S7+, the S8 manages to also offer beefier hardware that some will certainly appreciate without the more premium display of the S7+.

The Galaxy S8 Tab might be the perfect feature combination if you aren't obsessed with having the biggest and most beautiful display, but you do care about the latest chipset alongside a substantial amount of RAM (ideal for multitasking), Samsung's S8 Tab is a perfect choice. The tablet's 11-inch LCD won't look good watching movies or browsing YouTube; colors may pop less and blacks may not be as deep on an LCD as they would on an AMOLED panel, but LCD is extremely mature technology still capable of providing a good view. If you will be doing a lot of gaming or multitasking, you may well prefer higher frame rates and more RAM over a nicer display.

A no-compromise choice

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is the most powerful, most fully-featured Samsung tablet out there, bar none. If you have the cash to spare, this unit won't let you down.

The Galaxy S8 Tab line is the brand's latest and greatest tablet series, and the S8 Ultra is the king of kings in this respect. In terms of its hardware and features, there's simply no competition. It will cost you a pretty penny, and most won't need everything on offer, but if money is no object, this is certainly the premium tablet pick.

So, what exactly do you get with the S8 Ultra if you do decide to pony up for one? Well, you're getting an epically large 14.6-inch Super AMOLED 120Hz display, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, up to 16GB of RAM, a 13MP main camera, delightful audio courtesy of four AKG speakers with Dolby Atmos support, a meaty 11,200mAh battery, and an included S Pen. Regardless of whether you need the best in terms of picture quality, gaming performance, multitasking capability, or anything else, the Galaxy S8 Ultra can handle anything you throw at it. While its 14.6-inch display might make it slightly unwieldy, it also makes for an excellent laptop replacement with the separate Book Cover Keyboard. Unless you're trying to save money or need something more portable, the S8 Ultra is the Samsung tablet to beat.

Our reviewer Ben Sin even said, "I think the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra fits into a specific niche -- a single device for both tablet entertainment activities and getting real work done," continuing, "With the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, I can mix work and play. And for me, it's worth the $1,100 -- particularly with the keyboard case included free of charge."

Offers up great features at a fair price

Samsung's Galaxy Tab S7 hits the sweet spot. It offers up enough power to capably handle most tasks, be it gaming, productivity, or multitasking, while not costing too much, although you'll have to make some small sacrifices.

Even though the Galaxy S8 Tab is here, last gen's Galaxy S7 Tab is still an amazing value. For most folks, spending nearly (or even over) $1,000 on a tablet just isn't in the cards, but that doesn't mean you'll have to settle for less. The Galaxy S7 Tab comes with the same modern chipset and up to 8GB RAM setup of the even more capable S7+, as well as a 120Hz display great for gamers, alongside a 13MP main camera, 5G support, and an 8,000mAh battery. Whether you're looking for a great gaming experience, enough power to multitask, or something to smoothly browse the web, the Galaxy S7 Tab can handle all of that and more for half (or less) of the price of a flagship Galaxy S8 Tab.

So, you're getting most of what makes the S7+ great without the price tag. The biggest differences between these two tablets are that the S7+ has a prettier AMOLED display (though they both have 120Hz support) and it comes with a slightly bigger battery. However, with a smaller TFT display, the S7 still manages excellent battery life, handily offering up all-day battery in most situations. If you don't need the top-of-the-line power of an S8 tablet and don't want to shell out for the nicer display of the S7+, Samsung's Galaxy S7 Tab is an extraordinary value that makes smart compromises most won't mind.

A cost-effective tablet that can still handle gaming

Samsung's Galaxy A8 Tab is the brand's latest take on a modern, budget tablet. With unimpressive but solidly capable hardware and a low price, this tablet is a great way to introduce yourself to the world of Samsung tablets.

Not every Samsung tablet has to cost over $500. The Galaxy Tab A8 clocks in at just over $200, and while you won't be getting the prettiest display or the greatest hardware, you will get an affordable tablet more than capable of browsing the web, watching movies, and casual gaming.

Samsung's A8 tablet is packed with an Unisoc Tiger T618 chip, 3GB or 4GB of RAM, a 7,040mAh battery, and a 10.5-inch display with a 1920x1200 resolution. This isn't anywhere near the level of an S7 or S8, but there's more than enough power on offer here for those who don't need the best of the best.

Other budget options like the A7 Lite are even cheaper than an A8, but they struggle to run most modern games and are usually designed for purely browsing the web, reading e-books, and checking social media. With the A8, you're still getting an extraordinarily cheap tablet and enough power to smoothly browse the web and use just about any app you'd like. Of course, a 60Hz display means you won't be seeing high framerates, so animations won't look as smooth, and up to 4GB of RAM means you won't be getting enough memory to multitask infinitely, but if you're just looking to play the occasional game and have a few apps running, Samsung's A8 won't give you any trouble.

At less than $200, this tablet is a cheap way to browse the web

Samsung's A7 Lite Tab is just about the cheapest Samsung tablet out there, but if you're looking for an affordable way to watch the occasional movie and browse the web, the A7 Lite can do that.

Do you just need to check the web and read on your Samsung tablet? The Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is the tablet for you. If you need something bigger than your phone that can be used to do some light web browsing and not much else, this affordable Samsung tablet will do that for less than $200.

With the Tab A7 Lite, you're getting 4GB of RAM, a MediaTek MT8768T CPU, a 5,100mAh battery, an 8MP main camera, and an 8.7-inch display with a 1340x800 resolution. If that sounds like nothing special, that's because it's not. However, a bare-bones kit is all you really need to open up a web browser or social media app.

Individually, each component of the A7 Lite isn't going to wow you, but it's not designed to do that, either. For some folks out there, picture quality on a tablet isn't the biggest deal, speakers don't matter when you use headphones, and how fast the CPU manages to be isn't so important when opening the occasional Google Chrome tab. While the A7 Lite may experience the occasional slowdown, it's definitely capable of browsing the web and running basic applications like YouTube and Facebook. You might be able to play some Candy Crush here and there, but most casual gaming is not going to be a good fit. Nonetheless, if you just want a web browsing machine a bit larger than your phone, Samsung's A7 Lite is a cheap way to get there.

Tablet/laptop combo offers up a QLED display at a low cost

If you're looking for a cheap tablet that can double as a laptop, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 offers up a premium QLED display alongside an affordable price tag.

Samsung's Galaxy Chromebook line is somewhere between a tablet and a laptop. You get a traditional keyboard and ChromeOS, so you can have a familiar laptop experience, but you can also flip the keyboard around and turn it into a tablet, ideally offering the best of both worlds. With the Galaxy Chromebook 2, you'll be enjoying a vibrant QLED display, a sleek design, an Intel Celeron CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage on the $550 model, while you can also opt for a $700 configuration with a more powerful Intel Core i3 chip, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. Neither of these configurations is powerful enough for serious gaming or heavy, resource-intensive multitasking, but both can handle web browsing and word processing just fine.

The Galaxy Chromebook 2's biggest draw comes down to its versatility and affordability. If you want a tablet you can use to relax, surf the internet, and play games occasionally that'll double as your laptop when you head off to class or work, this tablet is designed to do precisely that at a reasonable price. What's more, the tablet's QLED display will offer up vibrant colors and a great viewing experience whether you're watching a movie or completing some light image editing. Of course, for a laptop experience, you can always pair a more traditional tablet with a keyboard, but the Galaxy Chromebook 2 is an all-in-one machine that can do all of that for less than $600.

A hybrid that doesn't cut any corners

With a stylish design, decent hardware, a gorgeous 4K display, a built-in S Pen, and 2-in-1 hybrid laptop/tablet functionality, the Galaxy Chromebook is a versatile device.

Interestingly, Samsung's second-generation Galaxy Chromebook is a lot less powerful and premium than the original. However, if you like the idea of a tablet/laptop hybrid but don't want to make any compromises in terms of power, the original Galaxy Chromebook is still an excellent choice. It offers up a 10th-generation Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a 13.3-inch 4K AMOLED display on top of its standout ability to flip around into a tablet. Compared to the Galaxy Chromebook 2, the original is more powerful than its successor, but it's also more expensive. If you're looking for a cheap tablet hybrid, the Chromebook 2 is the way to go, but if you want power, the original is the move.

While the Chromebook 2 can certainly handle browsing the web, watching movies, and perhaps some casual gaming, the original Galaxy Chromebook is suited for more. With a significantly more capable processor, you can multitask much easier, and with the lightweight ChromeOS, you'll run into fewer slowdowns. You can even do some casual gaming on it, too. And its 4K AMOLED display offers a rich, vibrant movie-watching experience anywhere you go. Although, the biggest downside with this tablet comes down to its battery life, which clocks in at around 6 hours. Nonetheless, if you're looking for a powerful 2-in-1 laptop/tablet hybrid, and you aren't a huge gamer or need excellent battery life, the Galaxy Chromebook is an excellent choice.

In 2023, there are so many devices in the running for the best tablets, but Samsung devices are oftentimes near or at the top of the list. Thanks to routinely excellent hardware and features, these tablets are tough to beat. Which you should choose, though, is going to come down to your needs and your budget. All around, Samsung's Galaxy Tab S7+ is our top pick. Thanks to a gorgeous display, powerful modern hardware, and a host of features, this tablet is a great fit for just about anyone. And it manages to cost less than the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra.

The top combo of features and price

Samsung's Galaxy Tab S7 Plus is an excellent all-around tablet that won't break the bank. With a gorgeous AMOLED display, 120Hz support, powerful hardware, an included S Pen, and much more, the Galaxy S7 Plus is tough to beat.

If you're looking for something a little more value-focused, the Galaxy S7 is another fantastic choice. Eschewing the S7+'s fancier AMOLED display or the more powerful hardware of the S8 line means you'll get to save money by buying an S7 without sacrificing all that much in terms of power and picture quality. However, you'll still be getting a powerful, premium tablet that will have no trouble casually gaming as well as browsing the web and watching content. Of course, though, depending on your needs and budget, there are also many other options.