The best tablets to buy on Black Friday 2023

Who it's for:

After spending some time with the Microsoft Surface Pro 9, we can see how it could make a Microsoft fan of even the staunchest Apple die-hard. Yes, it's a powerful device in its own right, but the name of the game here is versatility. If you're a student who needs a device that can do a little bit of everything, and do it well, look no further. It's a laptop, it's a tablet, and it's a powerful productivity machine. The note-taking features also make it indispensable in the classroom.

Why we picked this:

As a 2-in-1 laptop, the Surface Pro 9 is extremely impressive. It's a breeze to switch from laptop to tablet mode at a moment's notice, and with the help of the computer's 12th Gen Intel Core processor (which can be upgraded, along with a bunch of other customizable specs), you'll get fast and smooth performance whether you're going handheld or setting up home base at a desk. The Pro 9 is also the first Surface to offer 5G support, which is a welcome addition. Access to all your favorite Android apps, as well as Xbox Cloud Gaming, is here too, which only sweetens the deal.

We loved the new Slim Pen 2, which makes taking notes an enjoyable activity rather than a chore. The ability to handwrite messages and convert them to computer text never ceases to feel like magic, and pulling up your go-to note-taking app by clicking the pen's tip is a fun little gimmick that actually feels useful. Art students will especially love the Slim-Pen-2-Adobe-Suite synergy. The new kickstand is also improved, and feels much more balanced in tabletop mode than any of its predecessors (we still don't recommend using it on your lap, though — it's too unstable).

While we really loved the feel of the Pro 9's detachable keyboard, we couldn't help but feel like it was a little bit flimsy. Long story short, we don't think this thing is surviving any big falls, so we recommend playing it safe and getting a carrying case. One more minor gripe we had with the laptop-tablet combo was the angle it sits at in tabletop mode — it's not great for video calls and makes you look downright awkward on the other end of the camera feed (the camera quality is really good, though). As long as you're OK with everyone on the call staring at your chin, it shouldn't be a dealbreaker for you. Oh, and not having a headphone jack will always be a bummer to us. Sorry!

The anti-Apple (and Amazon) community can rock with Samsung's new flagship tablet, the Galaxy Tab S9, a premium and polished Android device that includes a compatible stylus — what a concept. Its 11-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate is the other highlight of its spec sheet, and what makes it especially great for entertainment (along with some built-in speakers that support Dolby Atmos). While it's not nearly as fast as one of the newer iPad's chips, its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip can zip between projects.

The newly updated Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids has a faster processor, a better front-facing camera, and a longer battery life than its predecessor, but comes in at $10 cheaper. Mom and Dad will love that new price tag — and the fact that it still has intuitive parental controls baked right into its operating system, making screen time limits, age filters, limited access to specific apps, and schedules easy to find and customize. (There's also a two-year worry-free guarantee in case of accidental drops or spills.) Kids won't even notice those guardrails because there's that much content to explore; it includes a year's worth of educational (and ad-free) books, shows, movies, games, and apps via Amazon Kids+.

The standard Fire HD 10 Kids is geared towards little tykes ages three to seven, while the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is designed for ages six to 12.

Read our full review of the Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet.

Our rating: 4.6/5

Obviously, iPads are top dog in the tablet world and Amazon is mostly known for making cheap tablets that aren't jam-packed with impressive features. But the Fire Max 11 is a little different from Amazon's norm. Contributor SaVanna Shoemaker called it the sleekest and largest Fire tablet yet, and it "packs some impressive specs behind the moderate price tag we’ve all come to expect." It's fast and ideal for entertainment, however; it's limited by the Amazon Appstore which has a small offering and lacks any Google apps.

Content creators can get plenty done on the go with the featherlight and ferocious Apple iPad Air, another winner of our coveted Mashable Choice Awards. Its M1 chip (also found on an older MacBook) provides enough oomph for editing 4K videos, and even some legit gaming. Overall, it's "elegant, powerful, and versatile enough for both casual users and professionals," writes senior editor Stan Schroeder.

Slightly bigger than the standard iPad, the iPad Air's 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display features True Tone, P3 wide color, and an anti-reflective coating, so all your work, art, and entertainment will come through with vivid visuals. It has the same 12MP wide rear camera and 12MP Ultra Wide front camera as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, plus Center Stage support for professional video calls. There's also a Touch ID sensor built into its home button for extra security.

Read Mashable's review of the 5th-generation Apple iPad Air.

When you think about tablets, chances are the standard Apple iPad comes to mind first. While this 10.2-inch model from 2021 isn't the newest version of it, it's far more affordable than its successor and remains our top recommendation for most people.

For starters, the classic iPad offers plenty of power whatever your tablet needs may be thanks to its A13 Bionic chip. You'll be able to multitask without the system sputtering out, whether you're watching YouTube videos, playing your favorite high-res games, or just have a habit of leaving your apps running in the background. It also packs a decent amount of storage space — the base model starts at 64GB, so there'll be no need to pick and choose what apps and pictures you want to keep stored. Speaking of, it sports an 8MP rear camera and a 12MP front camera with Center Stage, a feature that keeps you in frame during FaceTime calls.

Combine all these features with the functionality of iPadOS 17, and you have an iPad that looks unassuming but is anything but — and all for a pretty unbeatable price point. It's a fine choice to go for before splashing out on an iPad Air or Pro.

The new Google Pixel Tablet is a just-OK tablet on its own. Its real asset is the charging speaker dock that comes with it, which turns it into a smart display or a desktop TV when it's plugged in: "It just…works, especially if you’re like me and don’t want two or three big-ass monitors on your desk," said Mashable tech and games reporter Alex Perry. It's a weird little device, but a useful one nonetheless. You'll find a smooth Google Tensor G2 chip with 8GB of RAM under its hood and 8MP cameras on the front and back of it.

Read Mashable's review of the Google Pixel Tablet.