Best gaming tablets in 2024

Android tablets are the perfect choice to play any of the best games on the Play Store. In 2024, there are more choices than ever. While all our favorite Android tablets have the hardware to handle light gaming, identifying the features suitable for gaming is difficult.

We’ve picked out the best gaming tablets by researching the ones that offer great refresh rates, battery life, resolution, and processing power. Best of all, the hardware found in these tablets means they are also suitable for web browsing and video streaming. Even if you’re gaming on a budget, you’ll find suitable options on this list for playing plenty of Android games.

Top tablets for gaming

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S9 is an impressive all-around premium tablet. It’s expensive but powerful enough to deliver the goods for any tablet-based Android gaming application. The 11-inch, 2560×1600 AMOLED display at 120Hz is well-suited to gaming, and there are excellent colors to boot. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU performs very well for gaming, and the base 8GB of RAM can be upgraded to 12GB if you’re truly hungry for memory.

Battery life also makes this tablet a contender; the Tab S9’s 8,400mAh battery is excellent and supports 45W fast charging. It also has 128GB of built-in storage that can be upgraded to 256GB or expanded via microSD. With a mouse and a keyboard, Samsung’s DeX Mode turns this tablet into something laptop-like — and, like the even pricier Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, the S9 is a strong multitasker (although the Ultra’s much bigger screen gives it a clear advantage when displaying two apps side-by-side). Water and dust resistance are a nice touch, too.

Other than the price, the Tab S9’s few gamer shortcomings include poor haptics and no 3.5mm headphone jack. While it may be tempting to upgrade to the more powerful Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, you’ll struggle to notice a noticeable difference in gaming performance. If you want to save some money, the Tab S9 FE is cheaper, but its Exynos 1380 chipset can struggle with demanding games.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 review.

The pinnacle of Samsung’s tablet line lives up to its price tag in many ways. Its massive high-resolution display and four built-in speakers pair well with gaming. A huge battery and 12 gigs of RAM don’t hurt either, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset can chew through any games on its plate.

The Tab S9 Ultra’s monumental, 14.6-inch, 1848×2960 AMOLED screen is a clear selling point for gamers. Ironically, however, certain Android games optimized for phones might look out of place on such an enormous screen. Other games might be hard to play on this expansive display, at least if you’re using the screen and not a controller. However, grab one of our favorite Android controllers, and you’ll have no trouble settling back in your chair while still being able to make out your game when resting on a table or your lap.

For multitaskers, the Tab S9 Ultra’s split-screen feature offers plenty of gaming possibilities while watching a video, reading a walkthrough, or chatting, especially with so much display. With a mouse and a keyboard, Samsung’s DeX Mode transforms this giant tablet into something approaching a large laptop. The 11,200mAh battery is appropriately hefty for this tablet’s size, although its 45W charging doesn’t live up to the much less expensive OnePlus Pad’s 67W charging.

However, the haptic feedback leaves something to be desired, and there’s no 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, although the Tab S9 Ultra is water and dust-resistant like the Tab S9. For the price, we recommend making the most of the Tab S9 Ultra by pairing it with one of the most graphically demanding games for Android.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra review.

The OnePlus Pad has plenty to like from a gaming perspective, especially in light of the tablet’s competitive price. The 11.6-inch display LCD sports a 144Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2,800×2,000 pixels. That 7:5 aspect ratio sets it apart from similar tablets on the market and could work well with certain games — or, it could be annoying for games optimized for 16:9.

Performance from the Dimensity 9000 CPU with 8GB of RAM is good for tablet gaming applications. Gamers will also appreciate the Pad’s capacious 9510mAh battery and 67W fast charging, which quickly fills that big battery backup. The four built-in speakers are powerful, but unfortunately, there’s no headphone jack.

OnePlus’ Oxygen OS has some quirks, but it does include a split-screen mode that could come in handy for gaming while multitasking. The Pad lacks a fingerprint sensor, and some might object to the unusual camera bump on the back. The pictured keyboard case is not included by default either, this will set you back an extra $150.

Read our full OnePlus Pad review.

The Razer Edge is engineered for gaming, with good performance and an excellent attachable controller included, but the reason this gaming tablet doesn’t top our list of the best gaming tablets is that it struggles to function as a regular Android tablet. The bundled, high-quality Kishi V2 Pro controller with pass-through charging is the biggest point in the Edge’s favor and places it in a category of its own compared to competing tablets — although it’s expensive compared to some other Android gaming handhelds. No other tablet on this list offers snap-on controllers, so this offers a fantastic gaming experience straight out of the box. However, if you already game on a large-ish Android phone, you could simply buy a Razer Kishi V2 controller and get a similar gaming experience for less money.

Performance for native Android games is very good, thanks to the Snapdragon G3x Gen 1. The more expensive 5G model also has 8GB of RAM instead of 6GB. In terms of storage, the Edge holds 128BGB out of the box, with microSD expansion capacity up to 2TB. Its 5,000 mAh battery is smaller than many of the other batteries on this list, but then again, so is the display. One standout feature worth mentioning is that the Kishi V2 Pro controller includes a headphone jack.

The Edge’s 6.8-inch OLED display runs at an attractive resolution for the size — 2400×1080 — with a refresh rate of up to 144Hz and well-defined colors and blacks. However, the 6.8-inch screen is tiny compared to other Android tablets; it’s not a good choice if you enjoy playing strategy games like Civilization VI or Total War: Medieval II. Many games also don’t support the Edge’s 20:9 aspect ratio, making an already small screen smaller by adding black bars on either side of the game. Plus, the Edge’s curved screen corners can cut some content off at the 20:9 aspect ratio.

Read our full Razer Edge review.

Considering its budget price, the Galaxy Tab A8 is a clear choice for undemanding tablet gaming. The Tab A8’s 10.5-inch, 1920×1200 pixel LCD screen is good value for the money, but it could be brighter and isn’t ideal for gaming in direct sunlight. The tablet sports four speakers and has a headphone jack — something its big brothers, the Galaxy Tab S9 and S9 Ultra, can’t boast.

But the Tab A8 can’t multitask like its more expensive siblings, and it will struggle to run more graphically intense games on its Unisoc Tiger T618 processor. Base storage of 32GB is limited, but upgrades are available to 64GB or 128GB. The possibility of microSD storage expansion is a bonus.

The 7040 mAh battery is understandably smaller than the batteries in many more expensive tablets but should still be able to handle hours of gaming. However, 15W charging could slow things down for gamers on the go. Despite its technical limitations, the Tab A8 delivers good value for money: it’s ideal for casual gamers, kids, or anyone on a budget. And multiple color options add some fun to the package.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 review.

If an excellent display is your biggest ask for tablet gaming, Lenovo’s Tab P11 Pro Gen 2 has you covered. For just a wallet-friendly price, you’ll get an impressive 11.2-inch OLED display at 2560×1536 pixels running at 120Hz with excellent contrast and color. That’s hard to beat for the cost, although display visibility drops off in direct sunlight.

The Tab P11 Pro’s four built-in speakers produce solid sound output, although (like so many other tablets these days) a 3.5mm headphone jack is nowhere to be found. Other gaming-friendly features on this modestly priced tablet include a generous 8,200 mAh battery that fully charges in less than two and a half hours with the included 20W charger, as well as a microSD slot that allows expanding the 128 GB of built-in storage to 1TB.

The Tab P11 Pro can handle demanding games, although you may have to turn down your graphics settings. However, the MediaTek Kompanio 1300T CPU may experience some slowdowns under heavy load. The base model’s 4GB of RAM is reasonable for the price point, but this tablet has some trouble with multitasking. An extra 2GB of RAM is available, but our review discovered a CPU bottleneck that prevented that upgrade from achieving its full potential.

Read our full Lenovo Tab P11 Pro review.

The Pixel Tablet is a smart home hub designed to hang out in its included magnetic charging speaker dock and control your smart devices. Even though this tablet isn’t designed specifically for gaming, the Google Tensor G2 processor and 8GB of RAM can handle games smoothly. (However, it might warm up a bit during long sessions.) Storage space can also be upgraded from 128GB to 256GB at a cost.

The tablet’s resolution on the nearly 11-inch LCD is 2560×1600 pixels, which works for gaming. Unfortunately, the refresh rate on the screen is limited to 60Hz, while several less expensive tablets in this guide are 120Hz. Audio from the built-in speakers is underwhelming, and audio from the dock isn’t phenomenal either. Charging through the dock is also slow, although that might not be a big issue if the Pixel sits in its dock most of the time. However, the dock is a brilliant platform for gaming; charging your tablet while holding the screen at the perfect angle, all you need is a controller.

If you don’t need the versatility of the dock, it seems like an expensive extra from a gamer’s point of view — replacement docks cost $129 each — and you can’t buy the tablet on its own to save some money. The OnePlus Pad would be a better option for gaming on the go, and it’s a bit less expensive than the Pixel.

Read our full Google Pixel Tablet review.

Typical of high-end Apple products, the iPad Pro is a very expensive piece of powerful, well-designed hardware. For gamers, the biggest advantage here is something Android tablets just can’t offer: access to the world of iOS-exclusive games.

All 12.9-inch iPad Pro models come with Apple’s blazing-fast M2 chip. Base model storage is 128GB with 8GB of RAM, and Apple will sell you up to 2TB of built-in storage, but not for cheap. The wallet-busting 1TB and 2TB models include 16GB of RAM — but at those price points, you could buy a nice gaming laptop.

The 12.9-inch, 2732×2048 pixel mini-LED LCD refreshes at 120Hz, ideal for gaming. The iPad Pro has four built-in speakers but no headphone jack. This tablet is also available with 5G connectivity, which opens up options for online gaming away from a Wi-Fi connection. Unlike its larger, premium tablet competitor, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, the iPad isn’t rated for dust or water resistance. Still, there’s a reason iPads are so popular; they’re excellent tablets with killer apps.

The Lenovo Duet 3 is a Chromebook with a detachable keyboard. While the software doesn’t look the same as Android tablets, access to the Play Store means you have the same range of apps and games. The 11-inch 2000×1200 screen is better than we expected for the price, but this comes with the sacrifice of low-quality speakers. You’ll need a pair of headphones that offer good audio quality to enjoy your games’ audio on the Duet 3.

The detachable keyboard means you can enjoy playing games that require a keyboard and mouse. While the Duet 3 doesn’t support Steam, you can stream games via apps like Xbox Game Pass and Steam Link. This may be the best option for playing intensive games, as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 struggles to handle graphically demanding games.

The Duet 3’s battery will last around eight hours with regular use and charges reasonably quickly at 29W. For its price, the Duet 3 offers a versatile gaming platform, ideal for strategy games or streaming. However, you will want to skip it if you primarily play demanding games with a controller.

Read our full Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 review.

For under $200, the Fire HD 10 Kids is a good choice for your child. While the lack of Google Play services is problematic for adults, it is a non-issue for children who can access many kid-friendly games on the Amazon App Store. The 10.1-inch 1080p is good value for the money, and the tablet has a 3.5mm headphone jack, so your kid can enjoy their games without blaring sound out of the speakers.

The biggest problem with the Fire HD 10 Kids is the paltry 32GB storage. If your kid enjoys downloading movies alongside their games, this will fill up quickly. Fortunately, this can be expanded with a microSD card up to 1TB.

The Fire HD 10 Kids also offers a range of parental controls, letting you control what your child can install on the tablet. Once set up, the battery will last up to 13 hours and can charge in less than four hours with the included 9W charger.

Read our full Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids (2023) review.

A gaming tablet to fit your circumstances

Tablets have several potential benefits over smartphones for mobile gaming: bigger displays, better battery life, and more processing power can make it worth the upgrade. They can also stream media, manage your smart home devices, or work. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 is our top choice for tablet gaming as it has few compromises, but plenty of other options offer a reliable gaming experience.

Like other contemporary wireless products, most high-end Android tablets lack a wired headphone jack. Sadly, it doesn’t look like those jacks are coming back into style — but several Android tablets still have them, and that’s welcome news for headphone enthusiasts.

Which one is best for you?

Among the Android tablets on this list, the Galaxy Tab S9 is our top overall choice for gaming, with excellent all-around performance and a gorgeous display.

The Tab S9 Ultra takes everything that makes the S9 great and supersizes it for big spenders; it’s a formidable gaming tablet. For gamers weighing power against value, OnePlus’ inaugural tablet, the Pad, strikes a welcome balance of features with a reasonable price tag. And while it’s technically a Chromebook, the Lenovo Duet 3 is an exceptionally versatile device that won’t break the bank.