Tablets

What tablets are

A tablet does much of what a laptop does, in a single flat package. You control it with gestures on the screen instead of a mouse, touchpad and keyboard.

• Slates and minis: Most tablets are one flat slab; slates start at about 6 inches, and mini tablets sit between 7 and 8 inches.
• Close to a phone: Tablets and phones are cousins; a bigger screen and, on many tablets, no cellular radio set them apart.
• Laptop-like features: Tablets add Wi-Fi, Bluetooth for keyboards and other accessories, and USB ports for charging and wired connections.
• Who makes them: Apple, Samsung, Amazon, Lenovo, OnePlus and Microsoft all sell tablets that reviewers rank among the best.
• The best seller: Apple had sold 677.7 million iPads by 2022.

How they work

Inside, a tablet is a phone-style computer behind a larger screen. Most tablets released since mid-2010 run on ARM processors, chosen for long battery life.

• Capacitive touch: Since the mid-2010s most tablets sense a fingertip through capacitive multi-touch glass; older resistive screens needed a stylus.
• One main chip: A single chip holds the processor, graphics and AI engines; Apple builds the iPad mini’s A20 Pro on a 2-nanometer process.
• LCD or OLED: LCD panels are lit from behind; OLED controls light pixel by pixel, for much deeper blacks and higher contrast.
• A pen option: Many tablets take a stylus; Samsung puts the S Pen in the box, while Apple sells its Pencil separately.
• Lithium-polymer battery: A flat battery fills most of the body; the 11-inch iPad Air carries 28.93 watt-hours.
• The software: iPads run iPadOS, split from the iPhone’s iOS in 2019; most other tablets run Android, and detachables like Surface Pro run Windows.

Types

• Full-size slates: Screens of about 10 to 13 inches, such as the iPad Air and Galaxy Tab S11, for video, reading and light work.
• Mini tablets: Small enough to use with one hand; the iPad mini’s OLED screen measures 8.5 inches.
• 2-in-1 detachables: A tablet with a keyboard that comes on and off; Wikipedia lists the iPad Pro and Microsoft Surface Pro as examples.
• E Ink tablets: Paper-like screens for reading and handwritten notes, such as reMarkable and Amazon’s Kindle Scribe.
• Media and kids tablets: Amazon’s Fire tablets focus on streaming and reading at low prices, with kid editions in the line.
• Wi-Fi or cellular: Cellular models add a 5G modem and GPS; current iPads use eSIM only, with no physical SIM card.

What to look for

• Weight: Most 11-inch tablets weigh about a pound; the 11-inch iPad Air is 464 g and the iPad mini (A20 Pro) 255 g.
• Battery claims: Makers test with a looping movie; Apple’s 10-hour figure comes from a 2-hour 23-minute film played at 50% brightness.
• Screen brightness: Measured in nits; Samsung says the Galaxy Tab S11 reaches 1,000 nits in High Brightness Mode for outdoor viewing.
• Glare control: Apple’s nano-texture glass cuts reflections in bright light, but only on some storage sizes.
• Water and dust rating: IP67 and IP68 mean the tablet passed lab immersion tests; Apple’s spec pages list no IP rating for the iPad Air, iPad or iPad Pro.
• Room for downloads: Movies for the flight live on the device; the Galaxy Tab S10 FE also takes a microSD card of up to 2TB.
• Cellular or Wi-Fi only: A cellular model connects where there is no Wi-Fi; Apple says iPad data plans are sold in over 190 countries and regions.

On the plane and on the trip

• Out at security: TSA asks you to take electronics larger than a cell phone out of your carry-on and place them in a bin; TSA PreCheck lets laptops stay in the bag.
• Keep it in the cabin: The FAA recommends lithium-ion devices travel in carry-on bags; a tablet may be checked only when powered off and protected from switching on.
• Airplane mode: The FAA requires airplane mode or cellular off in flight; Wi-Fi is allowed if the plane has it and the airline permits it.
• Takeoff and landing: Since October 31, 2013, the FAA has let airlines allow devices in all phases of flight; heavier devices may have to be stowed for takeoff and landing.
• Cabin altitude: Apple tests the iPad mini (A20 Pro) to 10,000 feet; airliner cabins are pressurized to no more than 8,000 feet.
• Charging abroad: Apple USB power adapters run on 100–240 V at 50–60 Hz; Apple’s travel kit swaps only the plug for each country.
• Data abroad: iPad cellular models hold eight or more eSIMs and can add a day, week or month of data from the device itself.

Limits and care

• Heat and cold: Apple rates iPads for use at 0–35 °C (32–95 °F) and says not to leave one in a parked car.
• Self-protection: When too hot, an iPad may slow or stop charging, dim the screen and cut performance until it cools.
• Water ratings fade: Apple says splash, water and dust resistance is not permanent and can decline with wear; never charge a wet iPad.
• Damaged batteries: The FAA bars damaged or recalled battery devices from flights unless made safe; tell the crew at once if a device overheats, swells or smokes.
• Cleaning: Turn the tablet off, unplug it and wipe it with a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth, keeping moisture out of openings.
• Cleaners to avoid: Apple warns against window and household cleaners, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives and hydrogen peroxide.

A short history

The idea came before the hardware. The film 2001: A Space Odyssey showed flat tablets in 1968, the year computer scientist Alan Kay began sketching a portable computer for children he later called the Dynabook.

• September 1989: Grid Systems releases the GridPad, the first commercially successful tablet computer; it weighs 4.5 pounds.
• 2002: The first Tablet PCs built to Microsoft’s specification ship with Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.
• April 3, 2010: The first iPad goes on sale after its January 27 introduction.
• November 5, 2010: Samsung releases the Galaxy Tab 7.0, its first Android tablet, shown at IFA Berlin in September.
• November 2, 2012: The first iPad mini goes on sale with a 7.9-inch screen.
• May 7, 2024: Apple moves the iPad Pro to a tandem OLED screen in a 5.1 mm body, which it calls its thinnest product ever.
• October 26, 2026: Apple announces an iPad mini with an 8.5-inch OLED screen and an IP67 rating.