It’s been a while since Xiaomi offered up a slate on the global stage but its return to the tablet space in 2021 – in the form of the Xiaomi Pad 5 – is pleasingly compelling.

The tablet boasts a thin design that’s fronted by a gorgeous 2.5K 120Hz display and comes backed up by great stereo speakers and solid performance to boot.

Just as with its phones, Xiaomi’s tablet-optimised take on its MIUI user experience won’t suit everyone but it’s wholly usable, and while the added connectivity found on the Chinese models doesn’t make it to most markets internationally, there’s still little else on the Android side of the fence we’d highly recommend, especially around the Pad 5’s asking price.

It might not be hugely different from the previous entry-level iPad, or as big as the new 2022 model but Apple has yet again created a tablet that’s very hard to complain about and will be an easy decision for many people as the cheapest way to get an iPad – even with a price increase on the original RRP.

If you’ve got the seventh or eighth-gen iPad, there might not be enough to tempt you, but there’s a lot to love here if you’re coming from an older device or want to dip your toe into the iPad experience.

It’s got everything you need from a tablet to do all the daily things you’d want, featuring a 10.2in TrueTone screen, A13 Bionic chip and 64GB of storage as standard.

Apple has since launched an updated 2022 model with refreshed 10.9in design, but we think the 10.2 is the better value buy with its much lower price.

The sixth-gen iPad Mini ditches the old form factor for something more akin to the iPad Air and Pro ranges; with an angular design, stereo speakers, Centre Stage technology and much smaller bezels than before.

The Mini’s 60Hz display has jumped to 8.3in, but without changing the physical size of the tablet – allowing for more display real estate without affecting its portable nature. It’s a gorgeous display too, with the highest pixel density of any iPad right now, even if it is a bit on the small side for true split-screen multitasking.

It’s powered by the same A15 Bionic silicon as the
iPhone 13 range, making it more powerful than the iPad Air at a similar price.

The Touch ID sensor has been moved to the Power button – like with the iPad Air – and there’s support for the second-gen Apple Pencil to boot. However, the lack of a Smart Connector on the rear means that it doesn’t have its own Magic Keyboard; a real boon for the iPad Air and Pro ranges, and the only real chink in the Mini’s armour.

Those looking for a premium Android experience should seriously consider the Galaxy Tab S8. It’s expensive but still the most sensible option compared to the Tab S8+ and Tab S8 Ultra.

You get a lot for your money including a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, plenty of RAM and storage making it more powerful than the rest of the Android market. It’s also one of the only ones to come with a stylus included in the form of the S Pen.

As well as Samsung’s trademark high standard of design and build, you’ll benefit from long software support with no less than four years of OS updates. One of our main gripes is the lack of an AMOLED screen, especially at this price, but this will only bother serious creatives and cinephiles.

Other caveats include Samsung not including a charger and 5G is a tricky situation as you can’t get it in the US and in the UK it’s a sizeable upgrade in terms of cost.

The latest iPad Pro in the larger size is the most capable tablet on the market, sporting Apple’s desktop-level M2 chip that provides unmatched power, one of the best displays around with a 120Hz refresh rate and mini-LED backlighting that allows it to compete with OLED displays while being much brighter.

The experience is improved even more with the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard, with the latter turning the tablet into a fully-fledged laptop replacement. However, those are optional extras when the tablet has already gone up a whopping £250 in the UK for the cheapest model.

If you really will use all the raw power and creative features such as Hover mode on the Apple Pencil, then you may be able to justify it. Otherwise, look to the 2021 model or another iPad from the range.

If you rely on Windows or want a great tablet for productivity, the Surface Pro 9 is the best choice – provided you go for an Intel model.

A move to 12th-gen chips is the only upgrade of note (aside from removing the 3.5mm headphone jack), but that’s easy to forgive after the big upgrades introduced on the Pro 8. It maintains a sleek, premium design, with the 120Hz display the star of the show.

Other highlights include solid battery life, a great webcam and excellent accessories, even if the latter are still sold separately.

You might have see that there’s a new ARM-based model for 2022, which improves battery life, adds new video calling features and brings 5G to the Surface Pro for the first time. But the effect on performance and how some third-party apps run simply isn’t worth it for most people.

The Galaxy Tab A8 makes an impressive return to Samsung’s tablet range, sporting an attractive design and other standout qualities, including impressive audio chops.

The display and the limited internal storage are its biggest shortcomings, holding it back from being an instant affordable media player recommendation, but it still offers respectable battery life and offers a fairly balanced all-round experience, especially for the price.

OnePlus took its sweet time launching a tablet but the wait, on the whole, was worth it.

We like the fetching premium design and, more importantly, it’s top-notch screen even if it isn’t OLED, it has a 144Hz refresh rate outpacing rivals.

Combined with amazing audio and reliable battery life, the Pad is an excellent choice for all forms of entertainment. It’s not so good for productivity, though.

Only one storage capacity is a shame, as is the lack of a fingerprint scanner, but many buyers won’t notice these downsides. Overall, the OnePlus Pad is a solid first effort if you want a mid-range Android tablet.

For something a bit different to your traditional tablet, the ReMarkable 2 is well worth a look. This E-Ink slate might look like a stylish rival to the Amazon Kindle but you can do a lot more than read books on it.

The stunningly thin design is a highlight here and the custom OS makes tasks like note taking very easy indeed and there’s clever cloud syncing, screencasting and online storage too.

On the downside, you have to pay for a subscription for everything to work and sadly ReMarkable doesn’t include a stylus and the screen doesn’t have a backlight for using the tablet in the dark.