Tabs have seen an up-and-down sales-chart trend in the 2020s. While the pandemic brought new opportunities with WFH and study-from-home lifestyles, tabs saw an upswing in demand. That demand cooled off slightly with hybrid and back-to-office trends. One thing’s clear, tabs are here to stay, even as our smartphone screens get bigger. Whether you’re looking for a ‘content consumption’ screen to catch up on your favourite shows or a productivity device that allows you to flit from play to work mode effortlessly, we round up the best tabs that can complement your routines.
Apple iPad Pro
If there’s one tab that’s made a strong case for a ‘content creation’ device, it’s been Apple’s iPad Pro line boosted by Apple’s iPad OS. The new gen iPad Pro is powered by Apple’s newest M2 chip, which features an 8-core CPU with advancements in both performance and efficiency cores. Apple also plays up the Pro’s 10-core GPU, that delivers up to 35 percent faster graphics performance than its predecessors. Our favourite feature is the new ‘Hover’ experience that opens up a whole new bunch of possibilities with the Apple Pencil.
Price: Rs 81,900 onwards
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8+
Even as we wait for Samsung’s 2023 refresh to its premium tab line, the Tab S8+ remains the one of the best Android tabs. It’s the middle child in Samsung’s Tab S8 line that also includes the massive Tab Ultra. We dig the vivid 12.4-inch (2800 x 1752 pixels) Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate; your perfect binge watch companion. It’s propelled by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, that teams up with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.
Price: Rs 66,999 onwards
Lenovo Tab P11 Pro (2nd Gen)
A serious contender as a work + play device, Lenovo’s new tab is ultra-slim and ultra-portable — it weighs just 480gm. Lenovo offers optional productivity accessories that add to its productivity creds. It’s the perfect gaming and binge-watch screen with it’s 11.2-inch OLED display (2560 x 1536 pixels / 15:9 aspect ratio / peak brightness - 600 nits) that’s complemented by a four-way speaker system by JBL. Colours are vibrant, the 120Hz refresh rate and HDR 10+ support keep things mighty smooth.
Price: Rs 39,999 onwards
Apple iPad mini
It’s been over a year since Apple launched the last iPad mini and yet it still remains the ‘go to’ option if you’re looking for a small screen tab that can slip into those tiny clutch bags or man purses. The 8.3-inch screen is perfect for e-books or gaming while its lightweight form factor makes it convenient to hold for hours together. It’s powered by the A15 Bionic chip while the second-gen Apple pencil (optional accessory) makes it a handy note-taking tool.
Price: Rs 46,900 onwards
Xiaomi Pad 5
A solid alternative if you’re looking for a productivity device under Rs 30,000. Xiaomi’s MIUI for Pad adds to its appeal as a work device with multi-tasking capabilities thanks to cool features like floating windows and split screens. Xiaomi’s optional accessories like the Pad Keyboard and Smart Pen are handy accessories if you need to get some work done on a day business trip or holiday when you’d rather leave your laptop behind.
Price: Rs 26,999 onwards
