10 Android Tablets Making Mobile Life Better: The 2022 CRN Mobile 100
Android tablets have a lot going for them – there’s a whole range of products that offer a wide array of performance and value. CRN takes a look at some of the best Android tablets on the market in 2022.
Many competitors would love to dethrone Apple as the leader in tablets, and with the number of competitors chasing the crown, we get to see a lot of solid efforts. The tablet market is cooling off and finding a new middle ground after two years of solid pandemic-spurred growth. According to IDC, 2021 saw an overall growth of 3.2 percent over 2022 numbers with 168.8 million units shipped, the market’s highest number since 2016.
“Though 2021 was a great year for the tablet market, shipments have begun to decelerate as the market has moved past peak demand across many geographies,” said Anuroopa Nataraj, a senior researcher at IDC, in a statement. “Shipments in the near future will remain above pre-pandemic levels as virtual learning, remote work and media consumption remain priorities for users.”
Samsung, Lenovo, and Amazon are all top contenders in the tablet space, making up more than 35 percent of the market share combined. While they still have a ways to go before toppling the mighty iPad, the competitors are giving it their all with great specs and unique features.
As part of CRN’s 2022 Mobile 100, here’s a look at some of the coolest tablets shaping the 2022 Android market:
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
Samsung’s value-packed Galaxy Tab A7 makes a real run at iPad’s entry-level offering with cheaper pricing and (almost) evenly matched specs. The Galaxy Tab 7 hits the starting gate with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 SM6115, 32GB of storage and 3GB of RAM – plenty of horsepower for most people’s needs. The display comes in at 10.4 inches, with a resolution of 2,000x1,200 pixels. The camera is 8 megapixels with no flash but can capture 1080p video at 30fps. It’s not going to win performance awards, but at $229.99 directly from Samsung, there’s not a ton to complain about here.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
Be prepared for the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra to knock the wind out of you. The largest Samsung tablet to date is a serious machine packing the gut-punching Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, and up to 512GB of storage with up to 16GB of RAM. The stunning Super AMOLED display is truly a sight to behold and a monster to hold at an ultra-wide size of 14.6 inches refreshing at a rate of 120Hz. This 5G-enabled tablet is what top-of-the-line is all about. Two main cameras pack more punch than some flagship smartphones and two selfie cameras will handle wide and ultrawide shots. It’s a worthy opponent to the iPad Pro and some might prefer that beautiful wide-viewing experience. It’s a premium product commanding a premium price of $1,399.99.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
The Tab S8 series are designed to be iPad Pro line killers – a lofty goal indeed, but Samsung is up to the challenge. The Tab S8 is the smallest of the series at 11-inches and gives up the excellent AMOLED display of its larger siblings in favor of a toned-down LCD. The Tab S8 offers S Pen functionality, quad speakers, a USB-C port, a microSD card slot and a fingerprint sensor. While the LCD screen is a bit of a downgrade, it’s still a very good display at 2,560x1,600 pixels and a brightness of 600 nits with 120Hz refresh rate for smooth video playback. For its entry-level top-of-line tablet series, the S8 will get you in the door at a bit of a painful $699… adding just a keyboard and mouse will get you near the $1,000 mark.
Lenovo Tab P11 Plus
With a balance of honest pricing and great features, Lenovo makes a strong statement with its P11 Plus tablet entry. This tablet gives you the sweet spot 11-inch HD display, Dolby Atmos speakers, and a great battery at an almost absurdly low price of $259 msrp. This is a great solution for anyone looking for a tablet that can handle most productivity and entertainment needs without the lofty premium price tag of competitors’ flagship offerings. Powered by the respectable MediaTek Helio G90T processor, the P11 can handle just about any app. And while we are in the inflation cycle, having a few affordable options might be just the thing we need.
Lenovo Yoga Tab 13
Lenovo’s Yoga Tab 13 is its premium tablet offering that banks on versatility and features to attract those looking for a higher end productivity machine. With a built-in kickstand that will be perfect for those long video calls, this is a workhorse of a worker tablet. Technical specs have it trading blows with Apple’s iPad Pro 12.9-inch tablet with 8GB of Ram and 128GB of storage. Lenovo has priced the Yoga Tab 13 at a reasonable $629. The Yoga Tab 13 Sports a beautiful IPS LCD screen, giving you a bit more space than the iPad Pro offering.
Lenovo Smart Tab P10
Lenovo’s Smart Tab P10 is an interesting entry into the tablet game, because it’s meant to be a hybrid device, serving dual duty as an Amazon Echo Show. The 10-inch tablet has a removable dock. Starting at just $300, this is not meant to be a high-end productivity machine, and that shows in the specs. It comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The device runs on the older (and slower) Android 8.1 Oreo. It is the underclocked Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor that drags on the P10’s performance. But, as we said, this is meant more as a general entertainment device that works seamlessly with Amazon Echo Show, so don’t expect blazing speeds to power your gaming needs.
Amazon Fire HD 10
Amazon’s affordable Fire HD 10 gives you a decent tablet experience under $200. It’s a bare bones device that’s meant to let you control Amazon’s Alexa and use as a reader. If you’re only interested in some light tablet uses, this might be the machine for you. Running on the Amazon Fire operating system, the Fire HD 10 is, as you would expect, very Amazon-ish. That’s not a bad thing. If you like working with Amazon products, this is a fantastic accessory and has decent enough speed to do some web browsing while you’re at it. Running the MediaTek Helio P60T with 32GB of storage, the tablet gives you plenty of performance for just $150.
Amazon Fire HD 8
It’s small. It’s not the fastest tablet. And there are limited apps compatible. But the one thing the Amazon Fire HD 8 does give you is a decent machine for $89. Don’t take off your glasses, you read that right. Running on the Mediatek MT9168A with a storage capacity of 32 GB, the specs on the Fire HD 8 are not meant to impress. But with ample battery life and compatibility with other Amazon products, we have another inexpensive gadget that lives up to the mantra: Sometimes, good is good enough.
Nokia T20
The Nokia T20 does a great job at being slightly above average at a below average price. This tablet has a nice, bright screen, metal construction, decent (but not great) performance, and a price point of just $249. This is a device that looks the part of a much more expensive tablet. The T20 uses a 10.4-inch IPS LCD panel display with a maximum 400 nits of brightness (or dullness depending on your perspective). The standard 60Hz refresh rate won’t be giving you the smoothest playback – but it’s fine for casual viewing and web browsing.
Xiaomi Pad 5
Now that we’ve explored some good value options, let’s jump up a few levels with the Xiaomi Pad 5 – a tablet that stands up the market leaders Apple and Samsung’s offerings with excellent specs. The Pad 5 gives you a beautiful 2.5K, 120Hz IPS LCD display, sleek design, and admirable technical specs. Pad 5 lets you choose the top-of-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 860, a blazing chip that powers some of the best Android tablets on the market along with up to 256GB of storage, and 6GB RAM. The Pad 5 gives all-day battery performance and option for 33W charging. The unit’s price is just shy of $400.