Despite the ever-increasing number of smartphone displays, tablets are still very popular. In the new comparison by Stiftung Warentest, none comes close to the older top models. However, there are still great devices for small budgets in particular.
Reading on the couch, watching a series on the train or just working on an e-mail: Tablets are versatile everyday companions because of their combination of light weight and large display. The selection is now very large. Ten current models were therefore put to the test at Stiftung Warentest.
What is immediately noticeable: Apple is completely missing in the test. The reason is simple. The new models of the iPad Pro (tested here by us) and the new entry-level iPad (also tested by us) came onto the market quite late this year. Too late to make it to the test lab. Although Warentest has managed to make an exciting selection, one effect of Apple’s failure is immediately noticeable. The average price has dropped significantly, even the most expensive model in the test is less than 300 euros. That’s almost a third less than even the cheap current entry-level iPad costs.
Warentest recommends older tablets
However, none of the new tablets comes close to the best devices from older tests. The iPad Pro (11-inch) model that was released in spring 2021 and the Galaxy Tab S8 5G from Samsung that went on sale this spring perform better than all current models with an overall rating of “good” (1.7). According to the product test, the iPad was particularly convincing with its very good display and everyday use. The Samsung model can score with the handling and the great battery life.
However, they are also significantly more expensive. The cheapest version of the Galaxy tablet starts at around 550 euros, and the iPad is currently available for no less than 950 euros. For only 20 euros more you can get the current, even faster model.
Good savings models
However, the currently tested models do not fare significantly worse. And are probably even the better choice, especially for bargain hunters. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S6 Lite comes out on top. Whether it’s the display, the functions, the handling or the battery life of almost 13 hours when watching videos: the tablet with a 10.4-inch display performs well in almost every category. The testers only see room for improvement when it comes to versatility – Stiftung Warentest evaluates the included accessories and software here.
However, there is only one other device that performs slightly better in this category. Samsung is the only device in the test that can score with an included stylus. The overall rating is therefore clearly “good” (2.0). The model tested by Warentest with mobile phone reception and 128 GB of memory is not a complete bargain with a price starting at 370 euros. If you want to save money and can do without LTE, you can get the WiFi version for just under 90 euros less.
At around 180 euros, the savings tip costs another hundred less. The Lenovo Tab M10 Plus (3rd generation) is already available from 180 euros. It performs similarly well to the Samsung device in almost every respect, with minimal compromises in everyday handling and versatility. In addition, there is no cellular option. The overall rating “good” (2.2) is really impressive given the very low price.
Interesting: According to the overall rating and the prices determined by the testers, Warentest should actually recommend another device – namely the Huawei Matepad 10.4 (2022). In terms of display and battery (more than 14 hours of video), it performs even better than the test winner, with “good” (2.1) achieving a better overall rating than the price tip. However, it has one severe limitation: Because the Chinese manufacturer is not allowed to install Google apps due to US sanctions, the important Playstore is missing – and with it a lot of apps. At the current prices, however, it is less attractive than the Lenovo model anyway: It costs a little more at 190 euros. And is simply not worth the compromise.
You can find the complete test for a fee at test.de.
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