There are many Windows 10 tablets on the market, and it can be hard to sort through all the rubbish. But we love Windows, and we love tablets, and we put in the work. Here are our picks for the best Windows 10 tablets you can buy, with the Surface Pro X being our pick for overall best.
Best Overall: Surface Pro X
The Surface Pro X is everything we've ever wanted out of a Windows 10 tablet. Rocking a custom-built Microsoft SQ1 ARM processor on the inside, this is a device that has LTE built-in, and instantly wakes when you tap the power button, just like a tablet should. It has a huge 13-inch display with a screen resolution of 2880x1920 for crisp and clear image quality. It has super thin bezels along the sides, and a slim 7.3mm chassis with a built-in kickstand too.
Ports include two USB-C and one Surface Connect port for fast charging. It also has an upgradable SSD, so if you ever need to swap out your drive for a new one, you can do just that without having to break open the entire device to do so. Battery life is pretty good, with usage lasting around seven to eight hours on a single charge. Thanks to the ARM processor, when you put it to sleep, it consumers little to no battery. So it should get you through a day just fine.
You can get the Surface Pro X configured with either 8GB or 16GB of RAM, and 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage out of the box. Just like any other Surface Pro, it also has an optional pen and keyboard accessories, with support for wireless charging the pen inside the keyboard cover itself.
This is our pick for the best Windows 10 tablet as it's the closest thing to a real tablet, something that we think can rival the iPad in form factor and functionality.
Pros
- Instant wake
- Good battery life
- LTE built-in
- Super thin and light
Cons
- Not the most powerful
- No headphone jack
- Compatible with new accessories only
Best overall
Surface Pro X
A device that does it all
From $999 at Microsoft Store From $999 at Amazon
If you like Surface Pro but are looking for a smaller PC, take a look at Microsoft's new Surface Go. It's cheaper too.
Best for power: Surface Pro 7
Featuring an incredible 2736x1842 3:2 display, 10th gen Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors, up to 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD, you can't go wrong with the Surface Pro 7 for photo editing and more. It's a sturdier alternative to the Surface Go, with a larger 12-inch screen and beefier internal specifications.
This is the tablet for those that don't just browse social media and check email. It can be obscenely powerful if you configure it to be as such. Even on the entry-level model, you should be able to get by with medium to heavy multitasking, a few light edits in Photoshop, and home video editing at 1080p.
It's considerably more expensive than the Surface Go. Just like the Surface Go, it also doesn't come with the Type Cover bundled at that price. Considering the size of the display, you're going to want to buy the Type Cover to take advantage of everything the Surface Pro 6 has to offer.
Battery life on the Surface Pro 7 can depend on the tasks you're doing. It should get you through a workday with no problem; however, thanks to the 10th gen Intel processors that are much more battery efficient in routine tasks. It also finally has a USB-C port, meaning you can charge either with Microsoft's proprietary Surface Connect port or through USB-C. It also supports fast charging too!
Pros
- CPU is substantially more powerful
- Good battery life
- Black is awesome
- Excellent build quality and design
Cons
- No Thunderbolt 3
- No LTE option
- Odd pricing levels
Best for power
Microsoft Surface Pro 7
From $749 at Microsoft Store From $793 at Amazon
Deceptively light, incredibly versatile
The Surface Pro 7 is a true 2-in-1 that feels like a tablet, with the bonus of becoming a laptop when you need it.
Best small tablet: Surface Go
The Surface Go is the successor to 2015's Surface 3 and features a 10-inch high-quality display in the same magnesium chassis you know and love.
On the inside, it features an Intel Pentium GOLD processor with 8GB RAM, but it remains quiet while running. It also features a slightly more rounded design than its predecessor. It has a truly stunning display, and a digital pen is included for all the handwriting and drawing you might want to do. If needed, you can choose a higher-end model with more storage if you need the extra room. There's also a microSD card expansion slot for additional storage when needed.
The best bit about the Surface Go is that it's super cheap compared to other Surface products on the market. Don't be fooled by its affordable price, though, as this is still one incredibly premium tablet. The price does start to climb if you're interested in the additional accessories for it. The Type Cover will set you back an extra hundred, as will the Surface Pen, so you'll be spending closer to six-hundred for everything.
Battery life is okay. It'll get you through a working day, but don't expect any miracles. It gets about 6-7 hours at most, which is mostly because this isn't a Windows 10 on ARM device, meaning it's using an Intel processor that isn't as battery efficient.
Pros
- Small form factor
- Beautiful touch display
- Surface Pen is a joy
- Type Cover
- Cheap compared to other Surface products
Cons
- Type Cover and pen not included
- Battery life just OK
- No Thunderbolt 3
Best small tablet
Surface Go
A device that does it all
From $399 at Microsoft Store $440 at Walmart
If you like Surface Pro but are looking for a smaller PC, take a look at Microsoft's new Surface Go. It's cheaper too.
Best Always-connected: Samsung Galaxy Book2
If you're the kind of person who's always on the go and needs access to the internet at all times, check out the Galaxy Book2. It runs on a Snapdragon 850 processor and has LTE capabilities, meaning you can connect to 4G when out and about.
It's also an ARM-powered device, meaning it's fantastic when it comes to battery efficiency. A Windows 10 on ARM device lasts much longer than a regular Windows 10 device thanks to ARMs ability to go into a low-power sleep state just like your smartphone, which wakes instantly and remembers all the things you left open.
There's no waiting for the device to boot up again once you press the power button. It's on instantly, and you're back doing whatever it is you need to do with minimal battery drain. Paired with the S-Pen and keyboard cover, this tablet can turn into one productive machine when you need it to.
The display is a beautiful sAMOLED display, which means colors pop and can get plenty bright. Audio in the Book2 is also excellent, featuring front-facing speakers for clear and consistent sound.
Pros
- sAMOLED display
- Great battery life
- Good S-Pen
- Solid audio
- Stylish
Cons
- Pen magnet is weak
- Fingerprint reader is just OK
- Keyboard looks cheap
- No eSIM and semi-locked to carriers
Best for battery life
Samsung Galaxy Book2
The best Always-Connected PC available right now
Want excellent battery life in a 2-in-1 with instant-on, and that's always-connected? You can't go wrong with Galaxy Book2.
Best for business: Lenovo ThinkPad X1
If you're looking for a Windows 10 tablet that's designed for business use, the ThinkPad X1 from Lenovo is a great choice. Rocking an Intel 8th gen processor with a high-resolution 3000x2000 13-inch touchscreen display, all your content is going to look excellent on this device.
We're also rocking a 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM, meaning this device is well equipped for work in Microsoft Office and multitasking with email, web browsing, and more. On the outside, the tablet is designed to look minimalistic and modern, meaning there are no daring designs here. It will look professional on any desk or conference room. It features a built-in kickstand too.
It also has a fingerprint reader for secure biometric login, and also supports a keyboard and touchpad accessory that attaches to the base, just like a Surface Pro! This enables better productivity when working in Office, a must-have for a business-orientated device. Also, it also has pen support for inking on the go.
Our ports selection includes two USB-C with Power Delivery 3.0 support, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Pros
- Sleek design
- Keyboard comes inbox
- Beautiful display
- Build for business
Cons
- Pricey
- No face unlock
- No full-size USB-A
Best for business
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 tablet
The best tablet built for business.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 has been crafted as a tablet for business users, featuring a slim design, powerful specs, and keyboard and pen accessories to match.
Best budget pick: CHUWI 10
If you're on a tight budget, the CHUWI HI10 AIR is a great choice. It's all-metal, making it feel premium in the hands, and features a larger 10.1-inch full HD display, making for an adequate experience.
The CHUWI HI10 also supports a detachable keyboard cover and pen, sold separately, that turns the tablet into a little productivity machine for writing. It's super handy being able to attach a keyboard when required, unlike some other tablets out there.
It also has 64GB storage and 4GB RAM, along with a 2.4 GHz Atom Z8350 Intel processor. It's not a powerful machine, but it should be more than enough to get you through light web browsing, email, and social media use.
This isn't the best choice if you're planning to do any heavy work, like editing photos or videos. If you just want a Windows 10 tablet for tablet-y type things, then this should be more than fine. Battery life is good, but nothing mind-blowing like on the Galaxy Book2.
Pros
- Cheap
- Nice size screen
- Full HD display
- Metal chassis
Cons
- Low-end specifications
- Not very fast
Best budget pick
CHUWI HI10 AIR
Cheap and chearful
If you're looking for a no-frills Windows tablet that costs less than most options here, Chuwi's Hi10 AIR is a reliable option.
Summing up
There are many different tablets with Windows 10 out there, but choosing what's best for you can be difficult. We think the Surface Pro X is the best all-round Windows 10 tablet you can buy right now; featuring the same instant-on and LTE capabilities found in devices like the iPad, while still being versatile and productive enough to get work done using Windows.
Of course, the Surface Pro X isn't for everybody, which we why we also recommend the Surface Pro 7 for those who need a bigger screen and more power. If battery life is of most importance, the Samsung Galaxy Book2 is your best bet thanks to its Snapdragon 850 processor, allowing it to last all day. If you're price-conscious, the CHUWI HI10 is the best you can buy with its metal chassis, sizeable 10.1-inch display, and 64GB storage with 4GB RAM.
Credits
Zac Bowden is a senior editor at Windows Central, which means he covers a wide array of software and hardware here at Windows Central. Joining Mobile Nations in 2016, you can usually find him playing with new Windows 10 builds or secret unreleased prototype devices. Hit him up on Twitter: @zacbowden.
Cale Hunt is a full-time writer for Windows Central, focusing mainly on PC hardware and VR. He is an avid PC gamer and multi-platform user, and when he has some free time, you can usually find him practicing guitar or reorganizing his ever-growing library. If you hear him say, "Sorry!" it's only because he's Canadian.
There are many Windows 10 tablets on the market, and it can be hard to sort through all the rubbish. But we love Windows, and we love tablets, and we put in the work. Here are our picks for the best Windows 10 tablets you can buy, with the Surface Pro X being our pick for overall best.
Best Overall: Surface Pro X
The Surface Pro X is everything we've ever wanted out of a Windows 10 tablet. Rocking a custom-built Microsoft SQ1 ARM processor on the inside, this is a device that has LTE built-in, and instantly wakes when you tap the power button, just like a tablet should. It has a huge 13-inch display with a screen resolution of 2880x1920 for crisp and clear image quality. It has super thin bezels along the sides, and a slim 7.3mm chassis with a built-in kickstand too.
Ports include two USB-C and one Surface Connect port for fast charging. It also has an upgradable SSD, so if you ever need to swap out your drive for a new one, you can do just that without having to break open the en... by: Zac Bowden via https://www.AiUpNow.com/
