The humble tablet has undergone quite a revolution during its decade and a half of popularity.
What began as a simple entertainment device has become a mobile computing powerhouse, allowing many people to give up their laptops and PCs entirely.
However, for all that change, the fundamentals of a great tablet remain the same: a great display, reliable performance, solid battery life and intuitive software.
Plenty of impressive tablets have launched in 2025, including high-profile devices such as the iPad Pro M5 and Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra. But our three favourites have an extra ingredient – affordability – that makes them even easier to recommend.
Best New Tablet of the Year – Winner: Apple iPad Air (M3)
Foundry
Apple still has the slight upper hand when it comes to tablets, and the iPad Air is the jewel in its crown.
This is the sweet spot for most people. Stunning performance from the M3 chipset combines with a top-quality 11- or 13-inch display – you really don’t miss the lack of OLED or a high refresh rate.
Its design is every bit as premium as you’d expect from Apple, yet with a thickness of just 6.1mm and a weight starting at 460g, it’s easy to take anywhere with you.
Apple still has the slight upper hand when it comes to tablets, and the iPad Air is the jewel in its crown
The iPad Air also impresses when it comes to battery life, closely matching Apple’s 10-hour claim and ensuring a full day of work on a single charge is well within reach.
On the software side, iPadOS 26 is the best it’s ever been, with useful multitasking features and an unrivalled selection of dedicated apps.
The iPad Air isn’t perfect, with the lack of Face ID a big miss and all accessories sold separately. But it offers everything most people are looking for in a tablet at a fraction of the price of premium slates.
Read our full Apple iPad Air M3 review.
$449
$449.99
$542.17
$559
$599
$599
Best New Tablet of the Year – First Runner-Up: Xiaomi Pad 7
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
The Xiaomi Pad 7 is an incredible tablet for the money. Despite starting at just £369 (and regularly found discounted), it offers a complete Android tablet experience that will satisfy all but the most power-hungry users.
It offers an excellent 11-inch, 144Hz display and quad speakers, which combine for a top-tier setup for movies and gaming on the go. The Snapdragon 870 chipset might not seem like much, but it provides plenty of power for work and play.
Throw in a premium design, intuitive software and a wide range of top-notch optional accessories, and the Xiaomi Pad 7 is clearly the best-value tablet from 2025. A missing fingerprint scanner is the only real compromise here, which says a lot when you’re paying so little.
Read our full Xiaomi Pad 7 review.
$339.50
$384.99
Best New Tablet of the Year – Second Runner-Up: OnePlus Pad 3
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Completing the trio of mid-range devices is the OnePlus Pad 3, which helps to reimagine what an affordable tablet can do.
Plenty of its features are indistinguishable from flagship slates, including a vibrant 13.2-inch display, incredible Snapdragon 8 Elite performance and superb battery life from the massive 12,140mAh cell.
With a premium build, dedicated multitasking features and no fewer than eight speakers, the Pad 3 has a lot going for it.
Its accessories need work, and software support could be longer, but the device essentially grants you a flagship tablet experience at a fraction of the cost.
Read our full OnePlus Pad 3 review.
$599.99
For more great options, see our full guide to the best tablets you can buy. We’ll be announcing more 2025 winners for phones, tablets, wearables and more over the coming days.
