Tablets are in everyone's hands these days, having largely taken over from the laptop as an easily portable, yet convenient and functional computer. They allow a high quality of technology and software to be accessible to almost everyone, on a device that's designed like a smartphone.

But they're a bit bigger and more heavy-duty, although not by too much: the average smartphone these days is over 5 inches long, where every tablet on this list is around the 10-inch mark (as, you know, the title would suggest).

But enough about what a tablet is, I know that, I hear you say. What I really need to know is, which one should I buy? Well that, dear reader, is where this article comes in.

There are many tablets out there – both from big-name brands like Apple and Samsung to more mid-tier companies like ASUS, and lesser-known brands like Dragon Touch. And all these tablets have various great features, but it can be difficult singling out exactly which has the best.

If only someone had compiled some of the best 10-inch tablets available and written a guide to them in one handy article. What's that, you say? They have?

Look no further than here for all your tablet needs, with some of the most popular devices available explored in depth, and their key benefits highlighted.

Top-Rated 10” Tablets - Comparison Table

Best 10-Inch Tablet Reviews

1. Apple iPad Air 2 MH0W2LL/A

Apple is always a solid choice when it comes to technology: a reliable brand name that always delivers an easy-to-use product. But how does their latest tablet hold up?

Well, with an astounding 20448x15356 hi-def resolution on its 9.7-inch screen, it certainly looks the part – and that's just as well. How else would you get the most the iPad Air 2's 8-megapixel camera? The Camera on this iPad is its main feature and is certainly something to behold: not only is it high quality, the optics, sensors, and face detection technology, etc. are designed to make sure the photos being taken are the best they can be every time.

This high-tech camera also allows for 1080p videos, along with the regular features you find on other Apple products with cameras (i.e. iPhones) like slow-motion recording (120fps to be precise) and a time-lapse feature; as well as geotagging.

Being an Apple product, the iPad Air 2 also has features like a fingerprint detector for a high level of security, compatibility with the iCloud, Apple Pay, and FaceTime, the video chat software tailor-made for Apple devices (which of course makes full use of the tablet's camera).

So if you're familiar with and like Apple products, and are looking for a tablet with a great camera, the iPad Air 2 may be the best 10-inch tablet for you.

Features at a Glance

2. Samsung Galaxy Tab A

The main advantages Android tablets have over Apple ones are microSD functionality and support of third-party apps. While I obviously can't go too much into detail on the latter, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A supports microSD cards of up to 200GB capacity, which is pretty staggering considering its basic memory is 16GB (the same as the iPad Air 2).

Battery-wise, it also has the edge on the iPad Air 2, as the power lasts up to 13 hours (dependent on various factors, of course), even when connected to the Internet.

The Galaxy Tab A is also a great tablet for cross-device use if you have other Samsung products, as videos and photos can be sent to and from any post-2015 Samsung Smart TV model easily, making it convenient to pick up where you left off during a binge-watching session if you need to pop out.

In addition to this, files and data like contacts, or music, can be easily transferred from some older Samsung devices (a list of compatible devices is available on Samsung's website) directly onto the Galaxy Tab A.

While the Tab A clearly has the edge for seasoned Samsung users (who will certainly get the most out of it), it's also a pretty good all-round tablet for general use, and a solid choice if you're looking for a new 10-inch tablet.

Features at a Glance

3. ASUS 10.1" ZenPad

Like the Samsung tablet, the ASUS 10.1 ZenPad also has a microSD slot, but only supports cards of up to 64GB, which would double its available storage capacity, so it has more internal storage, to begin with.

Its 2 megapixel/5 megapixel front and rear cameras are put to full use with the tablet's VisualMaster image processor, designed to render photos taken to create as accurate a portrayal of the real thing as possible.

The camera's Low Light mode also allows for brighter pictures to be taken at night or in the dark, without flash, which gives it the edge on many of the best 10-inch tablets out there. So while it may not be quite as high-tech as the iPad Air 2's camera, the ZenPad certainly has some of the best features available, camera wise.

Outwith the camera, the tablet combines the Android 6.0 operating system with Asus' own ZenUI technology to create a tailored experience for you as a user of this tablet. The ZenPad also gives you 100GB worth of free storage on Google Drive for 2 years, which more than makes up for the lack of support for larger microSD cards than 64GB.

On top of this, the ZenPad may also be the way to if you have children: its Bluelight Filter reduces the amount of eye-damaging blue light (which younger users are more susceptible to) from the screen, and it has a Kids Mode where several parental controls can be set.

Features at a Glance

4. ASUS ZenPad 3S 10

Another ASUS tablet in the ZenPad range, the 3S 10, has a slightly smaller display than the previous two tablets on this list at 9.7 inches, but makes up for it with its processing ability.

The 3S 10 has a powerful and fast hexacore processor (actually two processors, a dual-core and a quad-core, combined) and a GX6250 graphics card. This, coupled with the TruVivid technology in place to improve the visuals on the 3S 10, the screen's 2K display, and the Corning Gorilla Glass 3 cover glass which makes its screen especially scratch-resistant, mean this tablet is ideal for anyone using it for gaming purposes.

It's incredibly small and thin, weighing under a pound and being only 0.23 inches thick. It also features a dual front/rear camera, at 5 and 8 megapixels respectively, which feature the Low Light mode also present on other ASUS products; as well as the Bluelight filter; and a superior storage ability to the other ZenPad, as the 3S 10 can handle up to 128GB microSD cards.

In addition, it's compatible with ASUS' ZenStylus, a handy tool which can be used for writing and drawing on the tablet (although it must be bought separately), and features fingerprint recognition technology similar to the iPad Air 2's. If it's a higher-end ASUS tablet you're after, look no further.

Features at a Glance

5. Fire HD 10 Tablet with Alexa

Amazon's own Fire tablet's main advantage is its implementation of Alexa, a voice-controlled service that allows access to many forms of entertainment and information, without you even having to touch a button.

On a somewhat irrational, strangely sentimental level, having a semi-human voice respond to you talking at a tablet also makes for a comforting, warm, experience.

The Fire HD 10 is a tablet that's at its full potential if you already subscribe to Prime, as Prime members have access to a multitude of content across many media at no additional cost. Furthermore, Amazon Video content can be streamed easily onto a TV with Second Screen.

Though the Fire tablet can have up to 64GB of internal storage (depending on the model), it also provides unlimited cloud storage for Amazon content, as well as photos taken with the device's 5-megapixel camera.

The Fire HD 10 also has an impressive battery life, at up to 8 hours, and has been tested to be twice as durable as the iPad Air 2, so might be the best 10-inch tablet for the clumsy among us.

It's not as high-caliber as some tablets on this list, but it's certainly sturdy and does the job, especially for Prime subscribers.

Features at a Glance

6. Lenovo TAB2 A10

The Lenovo TAB2 excels in its sound quality, featuring dual speakers and Dolby Atmos-enhanced sound, as well as a 10-hour battery life. These are the main advantages it has over other products, as the rest of its features are fairly standard, with dual cameras (2 megapixels and 5 megapixels), and an HD 10.1-inch display.

It has a pretty sleek, slim design and is understated and possibly an option for the frugal, performing just as well as some higher-end tablets but without a lot of excessive features (minus the advanced sound quality). Its major downfall is its lack of microSD support, which leaves the user with only 16GB of available storage and no ability to modify this.

It's still a functional tablet with the same lot of great features you might expect, it's just not as flashy as some other 10-inch tablets on the market right now. If you're okay with that and want something simpler, the Lenovo TAB2 could be for you, but if you want something more sophisticated, one of the other tablets on this list might suit you better.

Features at a Glance

7. Lenovo ZA1N0007US Yoga Tab 3 Plus

A more high-end Lenovo device, the Yoga Tab 3 includes some of the better attributes of the TAB2, notably the Dolby Atmos-enhanced sound (in conjunction with four front-facing speakers) with some more heavy-duty features, like an octa-core processor, 32GB of storage space, and a 2560x1600 HD screen display (10.1 inches).

It also features a staggering battery life, being usable for up to 18 hours at a time, and comes with a 24W fast charger so this extended battery life is never far away.

The Yoga Tab 3 is also customer designed for portability and ease of use, meaning it's easy to either stand the tablet up, tilt it, hang it from somewhere, or simply hold it in your hand – whatever's easiest and most convenient for the particular use at the time.

It's splashproof, which is handy as it means you take it out in the rain without worrying too much about repercussions.

Another great feature of the Yoga Tab 3 is its compatibility with Lenovo Media Cast, meaning media can be cast to your TV, as on some other tablets – the difference being that with the Yoga Tab 3's superior battery life, this can be done without fear of your tablet running out of juice halfway through the latest episode of Better Call Saul.

Features at a Glance

8. Google Nexus 10

The Google Nexus 10 is a very simple tablet that's not best equipped for heavy processing duty like a lot of other devices available, but it's still a pretty solid, decent device for those who want a tablet that's easy to use for smaller tasks like browsing the web, or reading articles, books, and documents.

Like most other tablets, it features a front-facing camera (1.9 megapixels) and a rear-facing camera (5 megapixels), which are both perfectly able to do the job they've been designed for. Like the Lenovo products talked about above, it doesn't have a microSD slot, but it has 32GB of storage space which is a pretty significant amount for a tablet this no frills, and is certainly enough for the uses the Nexus 10 is intended for.

Despite its relative simplicity, it does have a larger screen with a great resolution (details below), which makes it ideal for using video sites including Netflix, or even YouTube.

It's not as multi-purpose, high-end, or heavy-duty as other devices spoken about elsewhere on this list, but if you're looking for something simple, it's not a terrible choice.

Features at a Glance

9. Dragon Touch X10

Something of a dark horse, the Dragon Touch X10 is exceedingly powerful, with an octa-core processor of 2GHz (where most tablet processors on this list sit somewhere on the 1.2GHz or 1.5GHz mark).

It's designed for multi-tasking, where its heavy-duty processor comes in handy.

It's also designed to make everything easy, whether it's with h.265 decoding to improve Wi-Fi connection that improves loading speeds and streaming content; or it's mini HDMI port that removes the need for casting.

Sometimes simple things like this make for the easiest to use, as the Dragon Touch X10 combines simple technology like HDMI ports with an impressively high-duty processor to create a device that gives you the best of both worlds.

The Dragon Touch X10 doesn't have too much in the way of storage capacity, at only 16GB (with no microSD support), and only has a 1366x768 display, which pales in comparison to some other tablets on this list, but its powerful processor and easy-to-use nature make it the best 10-inch tablet for anyone planning on running many apps at the same time and being able to swap between them with ease.

Features at a Glance

10. Microsoft Surface 3 Tablet

The Microsoft Surface 3 is another solid tablet that while useful and decent, doesn't quite hold up against more technologically equipped high-end tablets.

It does have a pretty large amount of storage space, with 128GB (along with microSD support) in its larger model (64GB in the smaller one, which is still good), and an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera (with an autofocus feature).

The Surface 3 also, being a Microsoft product, operates on Windows 10, so might be an option for the Windows-savvy among us, as one of the few devices that doesn't run on iOS or Android software.

Like the ASUS 3S 10, it has its own (bought separately) stylus that it's optimized for, the Surface Pen, which allows ease in drawing or writing with the Surface 3.

It also has a fairly large display and resolution, at 10.8 inches and 1920x1280, although this resolution isn't as clear as other devices on this list. While a solid tablet, the Surface 3 may only hold any real advantage for hardcore Windows and Microsoft users.

Features at a Glance

Conclusion

So there we have it...an extensive guide to some of the best tablets available right now, accounting for many different intended purposes. Though there's not, objectively, a number one best tablet available, this article will have hopefully given you a good idea as to what these tablets offer, and which, if any of these, suit your needs best.

Whether you want a top-notch, hi-def camera, a gaming platform, a portable media hub, or just something to browse the Internet that has a clearer picture than your phone (and isn't as clunky as a laptop) out of your new tablet, there should be something on this list that suits you.

Every tablet on this list would be a sound investment, although some have a more extensive list of features and are better at performing more tasks than others. That's okay though – sometimes a simpler tablet is what you want, which is the reason there's such a wide and varied range here.

Think carefully and study these options before deciding, though, as a tablet can be an expensive thing, and something you'll probably be using it on a daily basis.

Whatever tablet you choose, I hope this list has been helpful and that you enjoy and the convenience and technological marvel that goes along with owning one!