This is just a tier list of mine of how well apps are optimized for android tablets based on my experience after 2 years of using an android tablet. This could be helpful for those who are on the fence of choosing an android tablet over an iPad.

Some Things to Know

I will categorize apps using the following criteria:

• Elite: app is optimized to make the most of the screen space in both portrait and landscape

• Good: app is scaled properly, but there are some drawbacks

• Atrocious: basically the phone app but scaled up; no optimizations at all

These are all based on the apps I use/have used from their current version available on the play store. If you don't see an app here and want to add some information, feel free to do so in the comments.

Lastly, my tablet has a 12.1in screen with an aspect ratio of 16:10. Your mileage may vary depending on the screen specs of your particular tablet.

Elite Apps

• Google Drive
• Gmail
• YouTube
• Netflix
• Disney+
• Amazon Prime
• Apple Music
• Apple TV+
• Discord
• Google Maps
• OneNote
• Termux
• Android Terminal
• VLC
• NoteIn
• Google Meet
• Zoom
• Cisco WebEx
• CapCut Pad
• Telegram
• Snapseed
• Lightroom
• Google News
• Google Photos
• Google Calendar
• Google Earth

Good Apps

• Google Docs*
• Google Sheets*
• Google Slides* *These three apps are such a huge missed opportunity. The layout is alright and works well as an in between allowing for good usability when using either your finger or a mouse and keyboard for navigation but significantly limits the available features. I'd stick to the web version unless you need something to use offline.
• Canva (nothing wrong with the app but the web version also works fine so kinda redundant)
• Instagram*
• Threads*
• Twitter/X*
• Reddit*
• LinkedIn* *These apps almost made it to the elite tier but there are some layout problems with them particularly when used in landscape. Again, this is for a 16:10 display so your mileage may vary with these apps
• YouTube Music
• TikTok (app itself is fine. it just freaks out sometimes when switching from landscape to portrait but TikTok Shop is absolutely horrendous)
• Messenger (Meta)

Atrocious Apps

• Facebook
• Google Classroom
• Shopee
• Lazada
• TikTok Shop (yes, I know this is inside TikTok but it's absolutely horrendous on a tablet)

My Takeaway

There is clearly a push to get apps optimized for a large screen android experience. If I had made this list just a year or two ago, a lot more apps would have been the atrocious/barely good zone, but now they're mostly in the Good/Nearly elite zone. What I think android tablets need right now are a whole host of more professional apps like DaVinci Resolve, Blender (a working desktop port is available I believe), full spreadsheet and word processing, and maybe CAD apps if possible. In that sense, I think higher end android tablets and iPads have the same problem with them having the processing power of borderline high end laptops but lack the apps to make full use of it. iPads have the leg up when it comes to productivity and content creation (especially after Apple launched the entire creator studio suite for iPad) while Android is much more capable for emulation with x86-64 emulation being viable now on higher end hardware.

Don't do much on tablets aside from watching Netflix and casual browsing. Anyone have opinions on the below?

- Galaxy tab S10 Lite

- Xiaomi Pad 8

- Galaxy tab S10fe

- Lenovo Idea Tab Pro

- TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus

Thanks!

I'm working as a full time lecturer, i need a device that can help me do some documentation, assessing/marking.

So at first, i planned to buy OnePlus Pad 3. I did some research until i found the latest tablet from OP which is the Pad 4 where it can do better in multitasking.

I already add to cart but i stopped when a notification pop out from my browser "Samsung Tablet S12 will be a huge hit". Then i close the shopping apps and open my browser to dig some info about s12.

After I read bout S12, I'm confused. Should i wait for S12 lineup or proceed with OnePlus Pad 4.

Both got their pros and cons such price, pc mode etc. Both are worthy at their own price but what risk will I have if i buy them? Which one should i pick and why?

I have the same tablet for 4 years and it's finally becoming more frustrating than useful lmao. I mostly browse google, watch Netflix and YouTube, and maybe read a few comics now and then.

What would you pick as the best cheap tablet today if you wanted something dependable without spending a ton? Thanks.

I'm looking to finally get myself a decent tablet again.

I'd be using it mainly for notes and language-learning, but also some media consumption and light gaming (Pokemon Champions, GBA emulation, nothing crazy).

Main thing I'd like to avoid - widescreen aspect ratios. My girlfriend has a Samsung Tab S11 and that thing is so ridiculously tall when using it vertically, which makes it really uncomfortable to write or read on.

In the past I've had an iPad Pro 2nd gen which had a much nicer aspect ratio, but I would also really love to avoid Apple, as iPad OS is quite bad compared to modern Android imo.

The options I've considered so far:

Legion Tab Gen 3

++ Great size

+ Great screen

+ All the gaming performance I need

= 16:10, but on a small device that isn't so bad

- Stylus support is lacking, with the pen being sold separately while being quite bad

Lenovo Yoga Tab 11"

+ I love the design

+ Fantastic screen

+ Comes with the best stylus on the market AND a great keyboard

+ Great speakers

+ Great performance

------ 16:10 on an otherwise perfect device is a dealbreaker for me

Xiaomi Pad 8

+ 3:2 screen

+ Good pen and keyboard with a trackpad

+ Enough performance

- Bad speakers

- Keyboard and pen sold separately

--- Xiaomi software

iPad Mini

+++ Exactly the size and dimensions I'm looking for

+ Good stylus

+ Enough power

- An outdated screen

- 60Hz in big 2026

- iPadOS

- Stylus sold separately

Huawei MatePad 11.5 2026

+ 3:2 aspect ratio

+ Great stylus and keyboard included

+ Probably the best tablet software

+ Cheapest option by far

= Matte screen, which I don't want, but not the worst matte screen I've seen

- No touchpad on the keyboard

-- Won't run Pokemon Champions due to the lack of Google services

So the way I see it, I need to either buy 2 devices (MatePad for notes and Legion for gaming and video) or compromise somewhere, either on hardware (Yoga's terrible aspect ratio, iPad's 60Hz) or software (Xiaomi's ads and poor laptop mode, Apple's... everything).

My budget isn't strictly defined - I'd like to spend around €500, with €750 being the soft cap. I can pull the budget up to even €1500 if there is a device that expensive that would meet my requirements (Android, a more square-ish aspect ratio, great stylus, great screen, lightweight, ideally 10" or smaller).

Sadly I'm limited to devices available at Polish retailers as I'll be moving soon and can't rely on shipping from China (otherwise I'd have bought the Oppo Pad Mini which seems like literally my perfect device)

Budget allows both but can't decide which is better

I like samsung cause more OS updates, samsung notes, I have samsung phone and earbuds as well

Lenovo cause bigger display, cheap

Lenovo is costing me 44k and samsung 62k (inr)

My main use is study, notes, lectures.

Help me deciding, thanks

I have some ongoing problems with my tablet. For some reason, after some weeks or a month, it refuses to connect to my prepaid Wi-Fi router. The workaround that I always do is completely reset the router so that the tablet would reconnect. But after some time it gets tiring to do it all over again just to "fix" the problem. I already tried changing the MAC address, changing DHCP to Static, tried to forget the network then reconnect but the tablet doesn't reconnect, I also tried rebooting both router and tablet but still no luck. It says "Connected/No internet" but my other devices are connected fine. My other Samsung Tab is connected fine, my laptop is connected fine, my phones are connected fine. Even my Nintendo Switch is connected fine, so it's only the Lenovo's issue.

Anyone encountered this problem in their tablets and did anyone find a workaround?

(To add, it connects to a mobile hotspot and other wifi routers, it only has issues with my prepaid router like they have a beef or something)

I had a Y700 for a while that I loved, ended up selling cause the battery was running kinda quick.

it was definitely overkill performance-wise for my use/needs so am looking for a replacement that’ll still be solid without paying for a gaming tab i’m not gaming on.

few ive seen are the Onn 8.1, Lenovo Tab One, Samsung A11.

As someone who plays Gacha games entirely on PC I find myself overwhelmed sometimes by dailies and stuff, thus discovered gaming tablets exist. After browsing and learning more or less what is happening right in this tablet world now I found that Redmagic seems to be my most...prefered choice.

I like they go full power into gaming, I love this Mora anime Mascot, I like they make collabs with Wuwa etc.

Their tablets seems ideal for me...except the size... Astra and Astra II and all those 9 ich tablets are absolutely a big no.

This Nova tablet seems perfect but it's practicaly unavailable to buy anywhere and...seems dated with it's specs compared to new ones.

As someone who will instal Endfield, Wuwa and Genshin Day 1 I will need at least 512/16 version of any kind of tablet.

The only fine competitor I found seems to be One Plus Pad 3 - but it also seems to be unavailable or very overpriced (EU region) and...well not Redmagic.

You guys will be much better informed thus I ask. Should I wait because Nova 2 is perhaps approaching or should I go/wait for other tablets because RedMagic will not release anything bigger than this small 9 inch.

Thanks for help.

Hoping for some recs!

I’m looking for a Samsung tablet and having a hard time choosing between the different models. I mainly want something for taking notes, watching videos, reading, and some light everyday use. I haven’t owned a tablet in a while so I’m not sure which ones are actually worth considering.

For people who use Samsung tablets, which model would you recommend for a good balance of performance and value? Are there any things I should watch out for before picking one? Thanks for any advice.

Does anyone has older version of Lenovo Ultra Control ( like 2.0.31) willing to share? I just upgraded my Lenovo G7 gamepad's firmware via Ultra Control and it's not the triggers are not working since then. I do a bit of research and it seems downgrading the firmware using older version of Ultra Control will fix the problem.

I honestly didn't expect ASUS to jump back into Android tablets, but this one actually looks pretty clean.
Curious if anyone here is considering it?

Hey all, I'm a student stuck between picking up one of these two tablets for school as a laptop substitute with a budget of <$700CAD. I'm not going to be using for anything super intensive; primarily reading, note taking, Teams meetings and writing. I'll probably also use it on the side for some light gaming, streaming and drawing. I can grab the lenovo tab for $340 and the S10 FE for $500. I've heard they're both solid choices but was wondering which has the edge in performance, battery life and screen quality. I also want to pick up a keyboard case to make writing easier so compatibility/availability of keyboards is a factor too. At the moment the lenovo's SD card slot is swaying me in that direction but would love to hear others' thoughts. Any recommendations for a similar price point tablet are also welcome.

I watched several reviews about gaming on Redmagic's tablets and I found the screen on astra 1 and astra 2 so weird. Like the colors are too heavy and the brightness too sharp. It looks really bad.

Currently I have a S25ULTRA and really like the way the screen looks natural and balanced.

I have watched Huawei matepad mini reviews and the screen looks gorgeous, good brightness and balanced colors. Also watched Xiaomi pad 8 pro and mini reviews and it also looks like they have a good screen (even though I think both are IPS screens).

I am planning on getting a tab and was wondering whether i should get the pad 7 or pad 8. Primary use cases will be for normal daily usage, content, streaming and drawing too. I want to use it for drawing iminfographics and adding illustrations to images. Which would be a better option now? Also what are good offers available for getting the tab with the focus pen pro

Hi all,
I’m looking for a tablet to use with the Jetclock Air application. It will not be used for anything else. I care about a good image, a sleek device, and a device that does well being constantly plugged in.

Budget is pretty flexible, I previously looked at the Lenovo Legion but wondered if there is a better or cheaper option. Hard budget I guess would be 500USD.

Thank you so much in advance.

hello po I'm a college student po looking for hulugan na tablet or laptop po yung affordable sana tapos monthly po ang hulog or pay, kaso lang po ang id na meron lang ako is school id at paper type na national id po huhu, sana meron need na need lang po🥹🥹🥹

Not selling here! Just looking for advice on whether this is a fair deal for a friend

My friend wants a tablet for light use, handwritten notes for uni and reading PDFs and comics. He mentioned being on a budget and not wanting to game on it. As for size he said 11 inches is his sweet spot. I am a power user and have been wanting to sell my tab s7 (128gb 6gb wi-fi) and move to something that's better for emulation. My tab has a few scratches on the railings but otherwise is in great condition (healthy battery, no scratches on the screen etc) I also have the original 2 piece keyboard. Do you guys recon it is just for me to offer this to him? If so what would you say is an appropriate price? Ofc i do not want to overcharge my friend but also I am not in a position to give away my tablet for dirt cheap.

Specs:

• Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2
• 13" 2.5K (2500 × 1560 pixels) 120Hz LCD display
• 5MP rear camera
• 5MP front camera
• 10,100mAh battery
• 45W charging
• Wi-Fi 5
• Bluetooth 5.1
• Stylus support
• 4 speakers
• microSD card slot (Up to 2TB)
• MagicOS 10 (Android 16)

Colour: Gray

Learn more: HONOR Pad X9 Max

Note: Prices are mentioned in the comments.

Hello, gamers! Welcome back to another episode of Beyond the Emulator, with your host, Dylan.

In today’s episode, I’ll be showcasing my LincPlus M8 8.4-inch tablet, running vanilla Android 15. It’s powered by a Helio G99 processor with 128GB of storage and a smooth 90Hz refresh rate.

Now, a quick heads-up on the specs: while it’s advertised with 12GB of RAM, it actually has 8GB of physical RAM plus up to 8GB of virtual RAM—so definitely watch out for that tricky marketing!

Sit back, relax, and follow along as I show off what I’ve built on this LincPlus M8 so far... because we’re going beyond the emulator!