Android tablets make great gifts, and the best thing about them is that everyone can use them, from a three-year-old to your grandma. But with so many devices out there, how can you make sure you get the best Android tablet for your money? There are probably hundreds of Android tablets on Amazon, and avoiding the overpriced and the plain bad can be daunting. But it doesn’t have to be that hard.
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Just take a look at the tablets below – they are the very best Android has to offer, and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. Without further ado, here’s our list of the best Android tablets available so far in the year 2016.
See also: Best cheap Android tablets (January 2016)86
Google Pixel C
Google surprised many of us at its 2015 Nexus event when it unveiled the Pixel C, an in-house built tablet that’s made for productivity. While it may be a tad overpriced, the Pixel C does a lot right. It comes with a big 10.2-inch display, a 34.2WHr battery and Android 6.0 Marshmallow, all powered by NVIDIA’s Tegra X1 processor and 3 gigabytes of RAM. There are quite a few decent official accessories available for the tablet, too, like the official keyboard or folio keyboard.
Like we mentioned earlier, the Pixel C is overpriced for what it offers, though it’s still a great Android tablet if you have the extra money to spend. It’s available now from the Google Store starting at $499, with official accessories adding an extra $149 to your purchase.
Specs
- 10.2-inch LTPS LCD display with 2560 x 1800 resolution, 308ppi
- 64-bit 1.9GHz octa-core NVIDIA Tegra X1 processor
- 3GB of RAM
- 32/64GB of on-board storage, no microSD expansion
- 8MP rear camera, 2MP front camera
- Non-removable 34.2WHr battery
- Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
- 242 x 179 x 7mm, 517g
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Nexus 9
While it’s a little dated at this point, the Nexus 9 is still a great Android tablet. It was created by Google and built by HTC, which is basically an Android lover’s dream. It runs the latest version of Android, and will continue to receive timely software updates for another year or so.
The specs aren’t bad, either. It comes with an 8.9-inch display, a NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor, either 16 or 32GB of on-board storage, a big 6700mAh battery and weighs only 436 grams. Thanks to this device’s specifications, navigating around the device, switching applications, playing games and streaming movies or videos is a breeze. It also has a nice soft touch material on the back (similar to the original Nexus 5) that makes this tablet easy to hold, as well.
Specs
- 8.9-inch IPS LCD display with 1536 x 2048 resolution, 281ppi
- 64-bit 2.3GHz NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor
- 2GB of RAM
- 16/32GB of on-board storage, no microSD card expansion
- 8MP rear camera, 1.6MP front camera
- Non-removable 6700mAh battery
- Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
- 228.2 x 153.7 x 8mm, 436g
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 was one of our tablets of choice in the past, and its successor is here to make it an even better option. The Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 comes with a smaller 8.0-inch display, which makes it more portable without sacrificing too much on screen real estate. It’s also only 5.6 mm thick and 265 grams.
Don’t mistake it for the “little guy” in the playground, though. It has plenty of power to keep you going through all your tasks. It may be a bit too similar to an iPad, but it’s still a great Android tablet that many of you will enjoy.
Specs
- 8.0-inch Super AMOLED display with 1536 x 2048 resolution, 320ppi
- 1.9Ghz octa-core Samsung Exynos 5433 processor
- 3GB of RAM
- 32/64GB of-on board storage, microSD expansion up to 128GB
- 8MP rear camera, 2.1MP front camera
- Non-removable 4000mAh battery
- Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
- 198.6 x 134.8 x 5.6mm, 265g
Read more
- Opinion: Does the Galaxy Tab S2 have things going for it… or against?
- Impressions: the Galaxy Tab S2 is a curious “top-tier” tablet
- Galaxy Tab S2 vs Galaxy Tab S: what’s changed?
NVIDIA Shield Tablet K1
Did you love the original NVIDIA Shield Tablet? Well, you’ll probably feel just the same about the Shield Tablet K1, its direct successor. The specifications and design are pretty much the same with both tablets, aside from the addition of a rubberized surface next to the speakers and brushed metal lettering on the back of the K1.
NVIDIA also removed the stylus holder on the K1, which brings us to our next point – the stylus is gone! So are the charging cable and wall adaptor. The big news here is that NVIDIA is trying to cut costs, and they did just that by not including a stylus or charger. With that said, this tablet is now only $200, which makes it not only one of the best Android tablets out there, but also one of the most affordable.
Specs
- 8.0-inch LCD display with 1920 x 1200 resolution, 283ppi
- 2.2GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor
- 2GB of RAM
- 16GB of on-board storage, microSD card expansion available
- 5MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 19.75WHr battery
- Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
- 221 x 126 x 9.2mm, 390g
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Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet
Sony may be struggling in the mobile device market, but that’s certainly not because of a lack of good products. The company has always done quite well in the high-end smartphone market, and that carries over to the tablet market as well. The latest flagship tablet to come from the company is the Xperia Z4 Tablet.
This is a sleek, thin and very attractive tablet offering from the company. It comes with a 10.1-inch display, a Snapdragon 810 processor, 3 gigabytes of RAM, plenty of on-board storage and microSD expansion up to 128 gigabytes. It also comes with a big 6000mAh battery that should be able to last a very long time on just a single charge. It should be noted that while this tablet still runs Android 5.0 Lollipop, Sony has plans to skip the 5.1.1 update and roll out Android 6.0 Marshmallow as soon as it’s ready. This isn’t the best news for some folks, as 5.1.1 brings many great bug fixes and performance improvements over 5.0. Still, a promised upgrade to Android 6 is the best Sony can do at this point, which is definitely more than what some other tablet makers can say about their devices.
Specs
- 10.1-inch IPS LCD display with 2560 x 1600 resolution, 299ppi
- 2.0GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor
- 3GB of RAM
- 32GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 128GB
- 8.1MP rear camera, 5.1MP front camera
- Non-removable 6000mAh battery
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
- 254 x 167 x 6.1mm, 389g
Read more
- Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet review
- Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet hands-on and first impressions
- Best Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet cases
Dell Venue 8 7000
Dell may not be the first name that comes to mind when talking about Android tablet OEMs, but the company really impressed us with its Venue 8 7000 series tablet. It’s one of the thinnest tablets available right now, measuring just 6.1mm thick. You’d think that in order to make a tablet this thin, Dell would need to sacrifice in the battery life department. However, we can honestly say that the Venue 8 7000 is really great with battery consumption.
Additional specs include an 8.4-inch OLED display, an Intel Atom Z3580 processor, microSD expansion and two really great cameras for taking quick shots. It’s also running Android 5.1 Lollipop, which may not be the latest version, but is definitely a sizable step above Android 5.0. It’s a tad awkward to hold, but that’s honestly one of the only downsides of this tablet. With an impressive performance and even better battery life, the Dell Venue 8 7000 manages to provide a lot, without the premium price point that would usually be associated with such a package.
Specs
- 8.4-inch OLED display with 1600 x 2560 resolution, 359ppi
- 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3580 processor
- 2GB of RAM
- 16GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 512GB
- 8MP rear camera, 2MP front camera
- Non-removable 5900mAh battery
- Android 5.1 Lollipop
- 215.9 x 124.2 x 6.1mm, 305g
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Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro
In an age where tablets are starting to get as little more boring, it’s manufacturers like Lenovo that we need in order to push things into new directions. The Yoga Tab 3 Pro is unique, much like other Lenovo devices, but this one is special. You see that hinge? We have seen it before, but this time around Lenovo added a full-blown projector and stand. It is truly a media powerhouse, too. Just look at the specs below to see what this tablet is all about.
The Yoga Tab 3 Pro is a tad expensive, but considering the big display, projector, built-in stand and decent software experience, this tablet might be worth every penny to some folks out there.
Specs
- 10.1-inch IPS LCD display with 2560 x 1600 resolution, 298ppi
- 2.24 GHz quad-core Intel Atom x5-Z8500 processor
- 2GB of RAM
- 32GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 128GB
- 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 10200mAh battery
- Android 5.1 Lollipop
- 247 x 179 x 4.68mm, 667g
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There you have it – our picks from the best Android has to offer right now. Missed anything? Tell us in the comments!
For more tablet information, head on over to the TabTimes blog for more tablet news, reviews and information.
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