8 Best 10-inch Tablets in 2021 [Balanced Screen Size]

Display size is one of the most important factors to consider when purchasing a tablet. While many users prefer small-sized devices, some prefer large-screen tablets due to multimedia convenience and ease of working. However, around 38% of the potential tablet buyers prefer a 10-inch display.

In the last couple of years, tablets have become popular for productivity tasks as well as for entertainment devices. Whether it is to play games, read e-books, doing school work, college studies, manage your small business, or even keeping the kids entertained, these versatile devices can do it all and a lot more.

The 7-inch tablets are small-screen, while 8.9-inch tablets and above are considered large-screen. Even though they might be a smidgen weighty than small-screen devices, the extra weight pays off by being more functional and ergonomic.

Best 10-inch Tablets in 2021

The size is important, but it shouldn’t be the only factor to consider. For instance, is there any point in getting a device that won’t support the apps you use? That’s why after spending hours researching around 27 different devices, here’s a list of 8 best 10-inch models suited for diversified tasks.

1. Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

Launched last year, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is one of those tablets that retains a great price to performance ratio. It comes with an S-Pen that lets you take quick notes, draw digitally, and even helps you navigate through the system UI and apps.

Display

Samsung is known for its displays, and the S6 Lite packs in a stunning TFT display with a 2000 x 1200p resolution. This is paired up with an immersive experience provided by the AKG dual speakers with Dolby Atmos, thereby truly making it an entertainment powerhouse.

SoC & Performance

The S6 Lite comes equipped with the Exynos 9611, which powers most of the mid-range Samsung tablets and smartphones of the last year. This chipset clocks at 1.7GHz to stay on par with the basic to advance usage. And the result? A smooth 10.4 inches tablet from Samsung indeed handles almost anything thrown at it.

Keyboard & Stylus Support

Samsung has added its very own Dex mode with an OTA update, which gets activated when attached to a keyboard and gives you a desktop vibe to it. Hence, you can consider using this tablet as a 2-in-1 machine as well. But the S6 Lite doesn’t ship with a keyboard; you need to purchase it separately. However, the S-Pen is included in the box, and it gives relief.

Furthermore, if you choose to go with a Tablet + Bookcover, you get a dedicated space reserved for S-pen inside the cover. The stylus doesn’t require charging and has unique features such as air gesture control, speaker control, the remote shutter for the camera, amongst others. At the same time, it can still be efficiently used for taking down notes or making sketches or drawings.

Other Features

Coming to the camera, there is more to capture with the presence of an 8MP primary shooter, while there is a 5MP camera for selfies and video calling, ensuring you look crisp in your work from home meetings.

For security, the Tab S6 Lite comes with facial recognition that instantly unlocks the screen. However, you’ll definitely miss the fingerprint scanner that also could be used as a password for compatible apps.

Battery & Conclusion

When it comes to battery life, the S6 Lite is in a league of its own with up to 12 hours of backup, and it comes with a USB Type-C charger. The BookCover keypad (that has to be purchased separately) enables the desktop-like experience, making multi-tasking an absolute delight using the split view feature on this 10 inches tablet.

2. Best from Apple: Apple iPad (9th Gen)

This is the 9^th generation of the Apple iPad, and probably the last one with the predominant bezels on the head and the chin. The design would seem slightly outdated in 2021, considering the new M1-powered iPads feature a nearly bezel-less design, but let’s see whether it still holds up on the inside.

Display

The 9th Gen iPad sports a 10.2-inch IPS LCD screen with Retina technology. It produces vivid colors and is bright enough in both indoor and outdoor situations. Watching content should be a pleasing experience, thanks to the 2160 x 1620p resolution. Not just that, the display is scratch-resistant so that it won’t attract smudges so easily.

SoC & Performance

It’s one of the best educational tablets in the market, given the A13 Bionic chip that handles multi-tasking so well, studying for a course while simultaneously taking notes. Given the power of the A13 chip and iPad OS 14 optimization, the tab runs very smoothly. You can also connect your PS4 or Xbox controller to the game, making it a versatile device to own.

Keyboard & Stylus Support

One of the main USPs of this device is the compatibility with Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard, which doubles up as a cover, giving it a 2-in-1 laptop vibe. It is compatible with the 1st Gen Apple Pencil and turns out to be great for note-taking and sketching, given its 10.2-inch Retina display. However, note that the keyboard and Pencil need to be purchased separately.

Other Features

Apple has provided a Touch ID fingerprint sensor on its home button to keep your documents and apps secured from unauthorized access. At the back, you have an 8MP wide camera. On the front, you have the 12MP ultra-wide camera, which is a huge upgrade from the 8th Gen iPad. When it comes to Zoom meetings, the iPad does an amazing job.

Battery & Conclusion

Coming to the battery, the 10-inch iPad provides a decent battery backup of up to 10 hours. Overall, the 9^th Gen iPad is a great value-for-money device for those who want to enter the Apple ecosystem without punching a hole in their wallet.

3. Best Windows Tablet: Microsoft Surface Go 2

The Surface lineup has usually been Microsoft’s answer to Apple in the tablet market, which is no different. Although Microsoft now uses the Surface tag for their ultrabooks, too, here we shall look at the Surface Go 2 which also qualifies as one of the best Windows tablets.

Display

It has a 10.5 inches screen with a PixelSense display, meaning each pixel is crisp. The display has a resolution of 1920 x 1280p, allowing you to have great viewing angles.

SoC & Performance

The Surface Go 2, unlike other tablets on the list, runs on a desktop-grade Intel Pentium Gold chip so that performance is not compromised even in the slightest. Complementing the powerful processor, Surface Go 2 offers a whopping 8GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD storage. This configuration ensures you can install plenty of apps and run them simultaneously.

Keyboard & Stylus Support

Laying it flat results in the tablet mode, slightly raised for studio mode, which enables you to make notes and sketch, and fully raised helps you work in laptop mode when connected with the type cover that comes with the keyboard. You also have the option to purchase the surface pen for all your note-taking and drawing needs.

Other Features

The tablet comes with a kickstand at the back, which can be used for three different modes. It runs on Windows 10 Home out of the box.

Battery & Conclusion

As for the battery life, the tablet provides around 10 hours of backup with balanced usage, which is a decent number in my humble opinion. The Pentium gold processor inside helps you achieve laptop performance in a tablet, with 4GB and 8GB RAM options, while keeping people familiar with the Windows experience that we are all so used to.

So, if you do not want to purchase a laptop but a tablet that can do it all, the Surface Go 2 is my go-to recommendation in this regard. It is a slim, lightweight, and one-of-a-kind offering in the sub $500 price segment.

4. Best Value for Money: VastKing KingPad M10

Several upgrades from its predecessor make this model better equipped to handle multitasking. The VastKing KingPad M10 packs the brilliant 2K display, cellular connectivity, and metal unibody that readily makes it one of the best 10-inches tablets sold in the $200 price range.

Display

A 10.3-inch 2K IPS display delivers high-quality visuals. The high resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels, translates to an immersive visual experience while viewing and editing photos. The narrow bezels mean a larger surface area at your disposal. There aren’t many tablets in this price range that feature such a crip and high-res display.

SoC & Performance

The KingPad M10 comes with a T618 chipset. It has eight cores and a maximum clocking frequency of 2GHz. In combination with the core unit, the dual GPU engine gives the requisite capacity to handle high-quality media, online games, and productivity tasks. The combination of 4GB RAM and 128GB storage complements its ability to handle multiple tasks.

Keyboard & Stylus Support

The model supports Vastking’s stylus with a 1.66mm tip that offers the comfort of easy interaction with a screen and simplifies your creative tasks. The stylus enabled palm rejection and the keyboard is also available for grabs to improve your productivity.

Other Features

The lightweight tablet weighs close to 1 pound and measures ‎10.91 x 7.28 x 1.93 inches in dimensions fitting into bags with ease. Two high-quality cameras; 8MP on the front side and 13MP on the rear works to your advantage while attending virtual meetings and traveling.

Tablet comes with a USB Type-C port and a 3.5mm audio jack. Users get to exploit the fast cellular connectivity courtesy of a hybrid SIM slot. Share files, upload photos on the internet with WiFi-5 and Bluetooth 5.

Battery & Conclusion

The battery can last up to 12 hours of usage with balanced usage. It can last you a long working day or keep you entertained on long flights. Metal build, high-resolution display, cellular connectivity, affordability, and lightweight design make it one of the best value-for-money tablets out there.

5. Best with Chrome OS: Lenovo Chromebook Duet

In this version, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet gets upgrades to its processing unit and its display. Its convertibility and portability make it one of the best budget alternatives as a lightweight business laptop.

Display

The 10.1-inch screen has thin bezels, making the best use of the surface. Vibrant colors and crisp visuals result from a high resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels of FHD screen with 400 nits brightness.

SoC & Performance

Lenovo puts together an octa-core processing unit that can clock up to 2 GHz in a MediaTek Helio P60T chipset. An integrated GPU clocking at 800MHz offers a boost for your duet’s performance in handling quality visuals and gaming. 

The 4GB RAM comes in handy when you are multitasking. A 128GB flash storage is quick to load your applications. The absence of external storage demands a diligent usage of the storage space.

Keyboard & Stylus Support

Duet 2-in-1 comes with an inbuilt kickstand and an easily detachable keyboard. While the screen is suitable for Pen usage, there is no digital pen as a part of the package. The keyboard feels a bit cramped for space but acceptable considering the compact setup.

Other Features

Lenovo cuts a few corners with regards to connectivity to balance the price and features. The duet comes with one USB port. With WiFi-5 and Bluetooth, Chromebook Duet gets wireless connectivity

Battery & Conclusion

Lenovo comes with a battery life of 8 hours that should last you a workday with optimal usage. With an improving ecosystem of applications, Chrome OS brings a healthy ecosystem of apps for productivity and entertainment. The 2-in-1 convertible is amongst the best budget version of premium convertibles like Go.

6. Best Budget-Friendly: TECLAST M40

An upgraded processor and higher RAM give the impetus to handle loads of gaming to the TECLAST M40. Its processing capacity, coupled with the quality display, makes this one of the high-performance 10-inch tablets at this price.

Display

A full HD display outputs visuals at 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution. Thin bezels on all four sides, wide viewing angles, and a 2.5D touch screen improve your overall visual experience, be it either gaming or media consumption.

SoC & Performance

Teclast M40 works on the strength of an octa-core processor clocking at a minimum frequency of 2GHz. ARM Cortex processors work in tandem with a Mali-G52 Graphics processing unit offering the requisite power to handle graphics-oriented games.

The 6GB RAM and 128GB storage is essential for their seamless gaming experiences and a plethora of applications to keep you entertained.

Keyboard & Stylus Support

While it doesn’t come with an attached keyboard like its PRO version, it does works with an external keyboard via Bluetooth. The display offers a solid surface to handle stylus operations.

Other Features

The M40 puts together a dual camera; 8MP on the front, and 8MP on the rear. It makes a great makeshift tool for virtual meetings and outdoor photography.

Dual-Band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 ensure fast wireless connectivity to keep you connected to accessories and the world of the internet. The tablet comes with a 3.5mm audio port, sim card slot, and microSD storage.

Battery & Conclusion

In M40, TELCAST puts a powerful battery that can last up to 10 hours of mixed usage, including gaming and media playback. It puts together an excellent combination of processing power, connectivity, display at a price that makes it one of the best gaming tablets.

7. Best Budget Samsung: Samsung Galaxy Tab A7

Launched in 2020, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 is one of the more affordable offerings in the Samsung tablet lineup. Unlike the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, which I reviewed above, this device comes loaded with a mid-range Qualcomm processor. Now, shall we find out if it is a good 10-inch tablet for budget seekers?

Display

It comes with a 10.4-inch WUXGA+ TFT screen with a resolution of 2000 x 1200p. This enables you to watch movies in the right manner given the 16:10 aspect ratio, and therefore nothing would be cut from your screen. Accompanying this visual is the quad-speaker setup with Dolby Atmos surround sound.

A unique feature about this setup is that it auto-adjusts the speaker output based on the orientation you’re holding the tablet in.

SoC & Performance

Coming to the performance part of Tab A7, the SM6115 Snapdragon 662 built on 11nm process powers the device. It’s a capable chipset from Qualcomm that can handle pretty much everything and feels smooth during daily operations.

Other Features

The tablet stacks in a 5MP front-facing camera and an 8MP rear camera to fulfill your photo/videography needs. Although it’s nothing extraordinary, it’s not bad either. Rest assured, you would definitely enjoy video calling on this one.

Battery & Conclusion

The tablet sports a 7040mAh battery which the company claims to last for 10 hours, and I found it accurate. To speed up the charging process, the company also claims it supports fast charging. However, I would rather consider a 15W charging to be a convenient solution in 2021. Overall, the tablet is a good option at what price it comes.

8. Cheapest 10-inch Tablet: Fire HD 10

A tablet right from the Amazon ecosystem, the latest release of Fire HD 10 is an excellent bet for those who want an affordable tablet for reading comics, eBooks, or just watching YouTube videos. It comes with a plethora of features, so let’s check them out.

Display

Compared to the 2019 & 2020 releases of Fire HD 10, this variant finally packs a 1080p Full HD display measuring 10.1 inches. The screen has got a resolution of 1920 x 1200p, being the highest-rated display on Fire tablets launched by Amazon till date.

SoC & Performance

Under the hood, we have a Mediatek Helio P60T octa-core processor paired with 3GB of RAM. It starts with 32GB for storage, and there’s also a 64GB option available at an increased price. Running on FireOS 7, this is a version based on Android 9, so you can access the Google Play Store to download apps and use them. Performance is definitely better when compared to previous-gen Fire tablets.

Other Features

The Fire HD 10 comes with basic 2MP front and rear-facing cameras. This barely gets the job done for the video calls. But it is really far off by today’s standards. Some of the unique features of the Fire HD 10 include having something called Discover Amazon Kids. This feature allows parents to set a usage time limit for kids, set educational goals, etc.

Moreover, with increased use of Alexa in controlling smart home appliances to regulate temperature, switch on/off the lights, amongst other things. If you want an Alexa with a screen, this is the device to go for.

Battery & Conclusion

It comes with a 12 hours long battery life. Given that this is an Amazon product, it has its very own BlueShade, a specific lighting mode that can be used to read and make the tablet seem like a kindle to make reading easier. Overall, it’s a worthy device to own that simplifies your content consumption needs at a pocket-friendly price.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

We are now witnessing a shift from larger laptops to medium-sized tablets. As more and more tablets become powerful, the balanced screen size becomes more desirable. They are lighter and much more comfortable to hold in hand. I hope this article helped you find a perfect 10 inches tablet for your needs.

If you’re still confused and unable to make a final decision, here are my top picks that will help a different set of users picking the right device:

• The Microsoft Surface Go 2 remain the most powerful 10-inch tablet on this list, given your preference for Windows OS. It’s lightweight and should enable you to ditch your laptop for improved productivity and portability.
• The runner up pick would definitely be the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite running on the Android 10. It comes loaded with an excellent set of features that readily becomes my most favorite tablet from this list.
• If you’re into Apple’s ecosystem, the 9th Gen Apple iPad is the only 10-inch option available in the market, at least as of now. Although newer iPads are better in every aspect, they come with a bigger screen.
• Lastly, if you need an affordable yet highly capable tablet for everyday tasks and light gaming, you can’t go any wrong with TECLAST M40. It’s a performance-friendy tablet that I can’t hesitate recommending it to my readers.