Top 10 Best – Android Tablets and 2-in-1s: October 2016 Edition

With the Fall now well and truly upon us, and a particularly prickly Presidential Election ahead of us, it’s time to think about long nights drawing in, and perhaps some presents for the Holiday. While there haven’t been any major tablet releases in 2016 just yet, there are still some excellent choices from last year available, and now these are often a little cheaper. Of course, since we mixed this list up a little bit with 2-in-1s running Chrome OS and Android, there’s even more choice to choose from.

10. Amazon Fire 7

There’s really not much you can get for $50 these days, but Amazon is willing to sell you a fully-functional Android tablet. The Amzon Fire 7 might not run Google’s vision of Android, but with some great Amazon apps as well as the majority of your favorite apps from the Amazon Appstore, there’s not much to worry about here. As a tablet for a gift, or something to have lying around the living room to check things or browse the web, this is $50 well spent. There’s also a kids version to purchase as well, and with a 1024 x 600 display and a quad-core CPU, the specs here really aren’t all that bad, either.

09. Acer Chromebook R11

With an 11.6-inch display and a display resolution of 1366 x 768, the Chromebook R11 isn’t going to win any awards as a straight-up laptop. When you consider how little it costs, as well as its ability to run Android apps and the speedy performance, then the Chromebook R11 starts to sound even better. There’s an Intel CPU on the inside here and with the power of the Desktop Chrome browser as well as the flexibility of the Play Store and its millions of Android Apps, the Chromebook R11 is a great option, especially for someone that’s in the market for a laptop, as well as a tablet, but can’t decide on either.

07. CHUWI HiBook Pro 2-in-1 Ultrabook

As we discovered in our recent review, the HiBook Pro from CHUWI might not be the best-looking piece of hardware out there, but it does offer some of the best value for money. With both Windows 10 as well as Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow in the same machine, this opens up a world of possibilities to its users. As does the keyboard dock, which turns the whole package into a laptop. An Intel Atom CPU and 4GB of RAM keeps the show running, with a 10.1-inch 2560 x 1600, making it among the sharper displays in this list. Sure, this only comes with 64GB of storage, which can be trying across two different operating systems, but with a microSD card slot as well as some excellent value all round, this is one option that’s definitely worth looking into further. Especially if you find Android to be too limited on its own.

07. Samsung Galaxy View

If the current crop of Android tablets just doesn’t do it for you, then perhaps the 18.4-inch Galaxy View might be the one different option that does. The Galaxy View is essentially a portable Smart TV masquerading as an Android Tablet, but with all the same apps as other Android tablets out there, the Galaxy View could be used as a replacement computer, a smart display or just a massive way to browse the web on the sofa. Regardless of what you want to use the Galaxy View for, Samsung have one of the more interesting options available on the market, but good luck finding a messenger bag to comfortably carry this around in.

06. Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet

As powerhouse Android tablets go, there’s a lot going for the Xperia Z4 Tablet, and while there’s a hefty price to tag to go with it, this has everything you could want. With a 10.1-inch Quad HD display, waterproofing, a thin profile at 6.4mm thick as well as an included keyboard dock, there’s little that the Xperia Z4 Tablet doesn’t offer users. The Snapdragon 810 and 4GB of RAM give this some of the best performance out there, and Sony have made some thoughtful adjustments to Android that make it a little more useful in a form factor such as this. For a lot of users, this might be too expensive, but if you want an Android laptop, that’s also an Android tablet, then the Xperia Z4 Tablet is a great option, and one that has a great display to go with it.

05. Lenovo Yoga Book

Lenovo was the one firm that had something new to share this year on the tablet front, and the Yoga Book is something that will intrigue all manner of users. The graphics tablet and touch keyboard part of the “book” is what makes the Yoga Book interesting. With the ability to draw whatever you want on it, as well as turn on a touch keyboard to start typing up your next novel. The 10.1-inch display might be “only” Full HD at 1920 x 1080, but with a quad-core Intel CPU and 4GB of RAM, the Yoga Book is a powerful Android tablet that also tries to do something new, and they should be commended for that.

04. NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet K1

If power and affordability are the two big things you’re looking for in a tablet, then the SHIELD Tablet K1 is what you’re looking for. The Tegra K1 CPU inside of this 8.0-inch HD tablet handles games at better graphics and performance than anything else in this list. The hardware itself might not be the most attractive out there, and the display could be better, but given is asking price, and the excellent job that NVIDIA have been doing with their updates and such, the SHIELD Tablet K1 is well worth your time. With the SHIELD controller as well as the option to connect it to a TV, this is a flexible gaming option, as well as an affordable Android tablet for the everyday, too.

03. ASUS Chromebook Flip

With a quality look and feel that you wouldn’t expect from something that costs so little, the Chromebook Flip is one of the better options out there when it comes to Chromebooks, and thanks to the compatibility with Android apps, it’s a good alternative to Android tablets, too. It’s got a fairly standard 1280 x 800 10.1-inch display and 2 or 4GB of RAM and a rockchip CPU, but what it lacks on the inside it makes up for in overall flexibility. It can run Android apps, it’s very affordable, and has a good looking display overall. While it doesn’t have a lot going for it in terms of specs, it’s a great option for those looking for a computer as well as tablet without breaking the bank.

02. Google Pixel C

The Pixel C might not be the latest Pixel device on the market, but it is one that shares some common DNA with the new phones. The overall designs are similar, and this Pixel happens to have its own magic tricks, such as the slick magnetic keyboard that charges itself from the tablet, as well as offering a number of different angles to type on. The tablet itself is good-looking, well-built and has a great display that’s closer to the size on A-series sheet of paper. Software wise, Google have made subtle changes to Android, and with the new Android 7.1 Developer Preview, the Pixel C continues to get better and better.

01. Samsung Galaxy Tab S2

Available in both 9.7-inch and 8.4-inch sizes, the Galaxy Tab S2 is notable for a lot of reasons, but the Super AMOLED display is chief among them. Easily the best display to grace a tablet ever, the Quad HD Super AMOLED panel here looks excellent, and won’t disappoint those looking for a great way to watch movies or play games on the move. Thanks to Samsung’s own adjustments to Android, there are some excellent features that make this great for the everyday as well, and the hardware itself is well made and good-looking.