Best Samsung tablets in 2022
The best Samsung tablets are vicious competitors that can stand tall in the ring against the highly praised Apple iPad line, offering spectacular features and convenient perks that will satisfy your tablet needs.
The best Samsung tablets offer large, bright screens that make your favorite shows on Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Disney+ and other streaming platforms look like a visual treat (*chef's kiss*). And if you're a digital artist, you can see your creative talents come to life in Adobe Photoshop Sketch and other artist-friendly apps. Productivity on Android is pretty easy, too, thanks to apps like Google Docs and Microsoft Office.
Samsung is a leader in the smartphone industry, so we're not surprised that the tech manufacturer can apply some of its machine magic to its tablet devices. And Samsung releases quite a few tablets a year, so it can be a little bit overwhelming to get a good idea of which tablet will tickle your fancy the most. That's why we've rounded up a list of the best Samsung tablets that we've personally reviewed and tested in our labs.
What is the best Samsung tablet?
The best Samsung tablet is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, according to our in-house testing, industry benchmarks and real-world experience. It's excellent for drawing thanks to its stylus (the popular S pen), which, unlike the iPad Pro, comes included in the box.
Samsung has given us one of the best Apple iPad Pro alternatives in the Android space at a time when Android tablets are beginning to lose steam. The Galaxy Tab S8 is a slick and slender tablet with a beautiful, visually pleasing 11-inch display and solid performance.
Our editor gushed about the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 as the best Samsung tablet, and even proclaimed that it would make an amazing laptop replacement if the detachable keyboard accessory was included with the device.
But if Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 doesn't meet your needs, and you're looking for something bare bones or something less pricey, this buying guide will give you a quick overview on the best Samsung tablets that will fit your desires.
The best Samsung tablets you can buy today
1. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
2. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE
4. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
5. Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 (8-inch)
6. Samsung Galaxy Book (12-Inch)
1. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
The best Samsung tablet overall
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB | Display: 11-inch, 2560 x 1600 | Size: 10 x 6.5 x 0.25 inches | Weight: 1.1 pounds
Bright and vivid display
Included S Pen
Solid performance
Excellent cameras for a tablet
Great battery life
Performance pales in comparison to iPad Air
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is arguably the best Android tablet on the market. For less than $700, this slate offers a bright, vivid display with a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth, seamless scrolling. It also comes with an S Pen for note takers and digital artists.
The Galaxy Tab S8 also delivers an incredible battery runtime of 12 hours and 53 minutes, so you don't have to worry about this tablet running out of juice too often. Finally, we were impressed with its cameras. Having the right hardware for video conferencing calls is a must these days, and with the Galaxy Tab S8 in hand, you don't have to worry about fuzzy, hazy picture due to poor camera quality.
The only downside you must consider is that the Galaxy Tab S8's performance pales in comparison to the iPad Air, but to be fair, the iPad Air is greatly overpowered. The Galaxy Tab S8's internals can manage most tasks without any issues.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 review.
2. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+
The Samsung tablet with the best battery life
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB | Display: 11-inch, 2560 x 1600 (S7), 12.4-inch, OLED (S7+) | Size: 10 x 6.51 x 0.25 inches (S7), 11.22 x 7.28 x 0.22 inches (S7+) | Weight: 1.1 pounds (S7), 1.3 pounds (S7+)
Improved S pen
Great speakers
5G support
No headphone jack
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 is one of the best Samsung tablets due to its battery life. This tablet can offer over 13 hours of battery life. Wow!
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ both have excellent cameras: an 13MP main camera and a 5MP secondary ultra-wide lens. On the front is an 8MP selfie camera. Check out our full review to see our editor's pictures with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus. Both tablets are updates of the Galaxy Tab S6 and feature an improved S pen that is included in the box. The Galaxy Sab S7 and Galaxy S7+ have faster processors and 5G connectivity.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ is one of the best Samsung tablets, too, with its 12.4-inch, 2800 x 1752-pixel screen, but due to its magnificent AMOLED display, there is a dip in battery life (it lasts 8 hours and 51 minutes).
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy Tab S7 Plus review.
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE
Best midrange Samsung tablet
CPU: Snapdragon 750G (5G); Snapdragon 778G (Wi-Fi) | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 64GB (only option for 5G), 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | Display: 12.4-inch, 2560 x 1600-pixel TFT LCD (60Hz) | Size: 11.21 x 7.28 x 0.25 inches | Weight: 1.34 pounds
S Pen included
Long battery life
Premium design
No fingerprint sensor
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE was a hit among Android users who wanted to get a taste of all the bells and whistles the S20 had to offer without spending a fortune. Naturally, Samsung thought it was a good idea to extend the "FE" series to its Galaxy Tab S7 line, giving consumers an opportunity to snag a great tablet without breaking the bank.
In our review, we were most impressed with the Galaxy S20 FE's battery life. It lasted 13 hours on our battery test, which will allow you to last all day with your tablet without remaining tethered to an outlet. We also love that the S20 FE comes with the beloved S Pen. We gave the Galaxy S20 FE a solid four-star rating because it's an excellent sub-flagship device that offers excellent, lightweight productivity.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE review.
4. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
The best Samsung tablet overall
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 128GB | Display: 10.5 inches, 2560 x 1600 | Size: 9.6 x 6.3 x 0.2 inches | Weight: 0.95 pounds
Fast performance
Integrated S Pen charging
BookCover Keyboard has a touchpad
Powerful speakers
No headphone jack
The Galaxy Tab S6 isn't just an excellent tablet, but it also solves some of Android's limitations with DeX mode, a desktop-like interface that supports up to 20 windowed apps at once. Also making the Galaxy Tab S6 a viable laptop alternative is the new keyboard, which now has a touchpad. As expected, Samsung nailed the hardware; The Galaxy Tab S6 has a gorgeous 10.5-inch display surrounded by slim bezels, fast performance and an included S Pen.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 review.
How to choose the best Samsung tablet for you
With the variety of options available on the market, it may feel daunting to choose the best Samsung tablet. But as long as you clarify what needs you'll want your tablet to fulfill for you, choosing the best Samsung tablet should be breeze.
If you're an on-the-go student or worker who is constantly away from a power source, you'll want to opt for a Samsung tablet that can last for more than 8 hours. A good choice in this case would be the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, which has a battery runtime of over 13 hours.
And maybe, more than anything, having a gorgeous, eye-catching display is the one feature that is most important to you. In this case, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 might be the biggest draw for you.
How we test Samsung tablets
To offer our readers a thorough and exhaustive review of the Samsung tablets that come through our labs, we dive into testing battery life, display quality, performance, multitasking muscle, and even audio quality. If there are additional accessories like an S pen or detachable keyboard, we give it a whirl through real-world experience to give our readers the best description of what they can expect from the Samsung tablet review unit.
For performance, for example, we use the Geekbench benchmark to test the tablet's processing power. We also measure Samsung tablets' graphics capabilities using the 3DMark benchmark.
We sift through the Samsung tablets' software to see what pre-installed apps and programs you'll get to play around with -- or delete -- once you get the Samsung tablet for yourself.
We also compare Samsung tablets with other competitors, such as the iPad Air 5 vs. Galaxy Tab S8, to give our readers a better perspective on which tablet would be the best slate for their needs.
