Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ review: 'Good enough' is still pretty good
A midrange tablet that neither stands out in any one area nor falls completely flat — it's just kinda there
A midrange tablet that neither stands out in any one area nor falls completely flat — it's just kinda there
Even with some neat features, Lenovo's budget tablet just can't keep up
Much like what we've seen from televisions in recent years, tablets seem to be getting cheaper and cheaper every day. Amazon's Fire lineup of slates is obviously a shining example of how to keep prices low by focusing on reading and entertainment, while the Samsung Tab A-series has gotten more and more competitive on cost over the last few years. Lenovo is another entrant in this discussion, with the Tab M9 coming in at only $140 with respectable specs to go along with it. Unfortunately, this budget tablet isn’t worth the hassle, even for the price.
The Libra 2 sits in the sweet spot of the Kobo lineup
Rakuten's Kobo e-readers have been steadily building a reputation as a solid alternative to Amazon's Kindle devices, which enjoy a virtual monopoly over the e-reader market. Over the years, Kobo's business strategy has been to undercut Amazon's current offering. Such was the case with its first e-reader, priced $100 less than Amazon's second-generation Kindle (and prompted Amazon to price the Kindle Keyboard at $60 less than the Kobo), and it continues to be the case today with the Libra 2 competing in the same niche as the Kindle Oasis, just at a lower retail price.
Easily read library books, access an affordable monthly book subscription, and store thousands of titles with Kobo's baseline level e-reader
No one can deny the charm of reading a physical book, even in an increasingly digital world. The rustle of paper slipping through fingers, little tokens of our journey left behind in the form of coffee stains and dog-eared pages — every bookworm certainly has nostalgic associations with the hobby. But readers haven't exactly suffered under the convenience and practicality afforded by e-ink reading tablets, and many choose to find a place for one of these undeniably handy little devices like the Rakuten Kobo Nia among their library shelves.
Finally, an Android tablet under $250 that dismantles expectations
There's a belief that if you've used a budget Android tablet — one priced under $300 — you've used all of them. There's truth behind that thought; most of the time, any Android tablet under that price point is going to have the same story. It will feature poor build quality, the internals will be outdated, performance will be slow, and after about a year, it will likely be little more than a flat paperweight. These are the reasons why I kept my expectations low when I was tasked with reviewing the new Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE.
Barnes & Noble finally added audiobook listening to the Nook, but we still don't have a perfect e-reader
It's no secret that e-readers changed the game for bookworms forever. We're no longer tied to shelves of physical paper. However, now that we're over a decade removed from the first-ever e-reading tablet, manufacturers are honing these devices with incremental improvements. Small details edge a product ahead of the competition, which is precisely what Barnes & Noble's Nook GlowLight 4 Plus (a longtime tooth-and-nail contender against Amazon's Kindle) brings to the table this year.
It's not flashy but the Note Air 3C fills an important niche
It's taken me a while to shake the idea that all E Ink devices are primarily for reading. Onyx offers a wide range of tablets with full Android capabilities, but its form factor still had me focusing on the core e-reader functionality —- until I used the Note Air3 C. It offers a wide range of features, making it a true companion device instead of simply an e-reader. It won't replace your laptop or iPad, but that's not Onyx's goal. If you're open to a different style of computing on the go, the Note Air3 C might be your next purchase.
The second OnePlus tablet hits the right chord — for the most part
OnePlus is diversifying its portfolio this year beyond great phones, unveiling its first foldable and its first tablet earlier in the year. The company is now making its tablet lineup even more versatile, with a budget option targeted at emerging markets like India, where cheaper tablets attract a sizable audience.
Great build quality, battery life, and software make for a solid midrange tablet
Samsung once stood as the default tablet manufacturer for anyone interested in Android, but in 2023, that is no longer the case. Android tablets have seen renewed interest over the past couple of years, especially in the $400-$600 price segment. With the introduction of devices like the Google Pixel Tablet, Samsung is no longer alone in this space. While the company still makes some of the best Android tablets on the market, especially if you are shopping for a premium tablet like the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra or an inexpensive one like the Galaxy Tab A8, you'll find more options than ever before.
Buying any tech for kids can be a daunting task for a parent. There are loads of devices out there, many of which are not recommended, especially if the item connects to the internet. One company that has been doing a great job of offering both parents and kids a safe and enjoyable experience with gadgets designed for children is Amazon.
It might look like a Kindle, but the missing store holds it back
The Onyx Boox Page reminds me of the Atari Jaguar video game console from the 90s. It featured great hardware and a lot of cool capabilities, but without great games to play — it was a tough sell.
One of the best E Ink tablets for writing, marred only by its lacking e-reader functionality
When the original reMarkable paper tablet launched in 2017, it wasn't received well thanks to a laggy experience plagued with loading problems. Fortunately, the company has proven that everyone deserves a second chance, with the reMarkable 2 paper tablet providing a stellar writing experience across the board, as well as robust battery life and a slick, comfortable design that will make it even harder to put down.
Not too small, not too expensive, the Tab S9+ is juuuuuust right
These days, you have a few choices when it comes to purchasing an Android tablet. But if you're looking for the cream of the crop, your options are drastically less. Samsung is a consistent front-runner when it comes to high-end Android tablets, offering some of the very best devices with the Tab S-series, all pushing top-of-the-line specs. But how much can a tablet be improved every 18 months? Well, to be honest, not all that much this year.
All the specs are here, but the lack of a store holds the experience back
When I use a product from Onyx, I feel like someone who chooses Donkey Kong in Mario Kart. He can’t accelerate to save his life, and his handling is garbage, but if you can overcome that, his top speed is absolutely glorious. It’s a niche playstyle. And, if you know what you’re getting into, it can be effective and a lot of fun.
A killer media machine, but you'll pay for the privilege
Samsung's hardware seems to have peaked recently: the company's phones, smartwatches, and tablets all get just a little better with each new release. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is no exception. It's almost indistinguishable from the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra Samsung released in early 2022, with the same 14.6-inch AMOLED display, the same size and shape, the same quad speakers... you get the idea.
With an AMOLED display and great performance, the only question surrounding the Tab S9 is whether it's worth $800
Tablets are hitting a point of no return in their ongoing identity crisis. The earliest models of the modern tablet — the first-gen iPad and its Android-powered rivals — were centered around media consumption above all else. But the arrival of Microsoft's Surface brought with it a new focus on an ever-growing lineup of productivity tools, including keyboards, styluses, and larger screens to better compete against standard laptops.
Amazon's most expensive tablet yet is held back by a pitiful app experience
For years, Amazon's Fire tablet lineup has split into three models. Despite the low entry costs for the Fire 7 and Fire HD 8, it was tough to avoid the siren song of the Fire HD 10. The biggest, baddest Amazon slate was nearly always the most usable of the bunch, thanks in part to a 1080p panel and faster hardware. But the toy-like design — not to mention the lack of Google Play Services — was always enough to turn off some potential buyers, no matter how cheap the price.
A beefier Snapdragon chip and Android 13 make this Samsung's 'Goldilocks' tablet
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S6 Lite raised quite a stir when it arrived on the scene three years ago, offering a solid alternative to the ever-dominant iPad for those who preferred to stay within the Android ecosystem. While it naturally didn’t pack in everything that the more premium Galaxy Tab S6 had to offer, Samsung cut just the right corners to make it an affordable — and popular — choice.
Despite Apple's restrictions, the iPad is still one of the best values in tablets
It just works. Nothing causes an Apple critic’s blood to boil faster than those three words used to defend a product from Cupertino. And while that phrase has practically become a meme, not enough people understand what it means to the average user. It’s not to imply Apple products are bug-free — they aren’t. It certainly isn’t meant to suggest that Apple always makes decisions in the best interest of the customer — it doesn’t.
It's a fine midranger, but the Pixel Tablet's best ideas are half-baked
We're all familiar with Google's rocky relationship with tablets: after early success with the affordable Nexus 7, the company struggled to maintain momentum. Following poor commercial and critical reception of 2018's ChromeOS-based Pixel Slate, Google gave up on tablet hardware altogether for quite some time.
Merging Android with E Ink and a splash of color is pure magic
Onyx is continuing its crusade in the name of e-reading, though it might be more appropriate to call its devices E Ink Android tablets, as they don't come running locked down operating systems like Amazon's Kindle e-readers or reMarkable's tablets. One of the latest models from Onyx is the Boox Tab Ultra C, and it puts a colorful spin on the Boox Tab Ultra we reviewed in March, which is already an appealing device.