10 Best Tablets on Today’s Market (Consumer Reports)

In the tablet market today there’s Samsung, Apple, and every other vendor. That’s the main takeaway from Consumer Reports’ list of the top-rated tablets. Consumer Reports tested the current crop of tablets and assessed them based on display quality, camera quality, and performance, among other metrics. The company then rated the tablets on a scale of 0 to 100. In the latest data, which was released on Jan. 31, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab was the market leader. It was closely followed by Apple’s iPad Pro. Although Apple and Samsung dominated the list, they were joined by Lenovo and Asus, which were both able to capture spots in the top ten. This slide show will look at the 10 best tablets, according to Consumer Reports’ study. Note that some iPad models were combined for clarity.

With a score of 84 out of a possible 100, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S3 is the highest-rated tablet in Consumer Reports’ study. The tablet earned scores of “excellent” in a variety of categories, including performance, display quality, convenience, and camera image quality. It could only muster a “very good,” however, in Consumer Reports’ evaluation of its “versatility”—a measure of how easy it is to use it for a variety of activities. Both the WiFi-only and 4G versions earned marks of 84.

Not far behind was Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S2, the predecessor to the Tab S3. Samsung’s Tab S2 had similarly “excellent” ratings for its performance and convenience, but only earned a “very good” rating for its display quality. The Tab S2 also had a “good” rating for its camera video quality. It scored 81 out of 100 in the study.

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro version featuring 4G connectivity also scored 81 in the Consumer Reports study. The tablet earned “excellent” ratings for a variety of features, including its display and camera quality, but its “versatility” was only “good,” according to Consumer Reports.

Both the 32GB and 128GB versions of Apple’s iPad were earned a score of 81 in the Consumer Reports study. While they scored “excellent” ratings for performance and display quality, they were slightly behind the iPad Pro with a “very good” rating in camera video quality. The iPad’s “versatility” was also rated as “good.”

Apple’s 10.5-inch iPad Pro line tallied a score of 80 in the Consumer Reports study. The tablets all earned “excellent” ratings for their performance, display quality, and convenience of use, but had “very good” ratings for their camera quality. Versatility was rated as “good.” 

Apple’s line of WiFi-only 12.9-inch iPad Pro versions scored 80 in the study. The devices earned “excellent” ratings for convenience, display quality, and performance, but could only tally “good” scores for camera video quality and versatility. The 12.9-inch 4G iPad Pro models earned scores of 79.

Breaking from Apple and Samsung dominance, the Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus was able to secure a score of 77 out of a possible 100. The device earned an “excellent” rating for its “convenience” factor but only a “good” score for camera photo quality. Lenovo’s slate earned a “fair” rating for its video quality, which hurt its score.

With a score of 77, Apple’s iPad Mini 4 is tops among tablets with screen sizes of 8 inches or smaller. The device had “excellent” ratings for performance, display quality, and camera quality. However, on the versatility front, the iPad Mini 4 tallied a score of “good.”

The Asus ZenPad 3S 10 tied the iPad Mini 4 with a score of 77. The tablet, which has a 9.7-inch screen, earned high marks for its performance and convenience factor, and tallied “very good” grades on other features, including camera and display quality.

At a score of 76, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A was among the top performers in the Consumer Reports study. Although it earned an “excellent” rating for “convenience,” it had “very good” ratings for performance and display quality. The Galaxy Tab A’s video quality was rated “good” by Consumer Reports.