The best small tablets of 2024: Expert tested and reviewed (2024)

Pros

• USB-C port for charging and data transfer
• Support for the second-gen Apple Pencil
• Touch ID in the top button

Cons

• Cellular connectivity is additional cost
• Expensive

iPad Mini tech specs: Display: 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display|Processor: A15 Bionic |Storage: 64GB or 256GB |Colors: Space gray, pink, purple, starlight|Cameras: 8MP rear, 1080p video. 12MP FaceTime camera with Center Stage |Weight: 0.65 pounds |Dimensions: 7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25 inches |Connections: USB-C |Battery life:10 hours

Apple's iPad Mini is our top pick for the best small tablet thanks to its A15 Bionic chip, making it a powerful tablet packed into a small package. The iPad Mini was last updated in the fall of 2021 with new features like support for the 2nd gen Apple Pencil, a slightly bigger screen size, and a USB-C port for charging and data transfer.

Review:Apple iPad Mini (6th Gen.) review

There's a spot on the right side of the tablet to charge the Apple Pencil, making it a great tablet to draw or write notes on. Customers who bought the iPad Mini reported in reviews that they were impressed by its battery life, durability, and its display, also noting its portability to fit in purses and bags, particularly for entertainment purposes.

ZDNET contributor, Jason Cipriani, went hands-on with the iPad Mini and said, "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't absolutely fascinated by it." "Its compact size is more manageable," Cipriani wrote. "I don't have to move my keyboard and mouse or trackpad out of the way to make room. Within a few hours, the iPad Mini quickly became my preferred device for taking notes."

Of course, you'll also get iPadOS 16 with features like shared tab groups, Stage Manager, and external display support if you ever need to see something on a bigger screen. Ultimately, you get all these things for less than what you would pay for an iPad Air or an iPad Pro.

Pros

• Affordable
• Good battery life
• Can double as an Alexa smart display

Cons

• Performance is slightly slow
• Cameras aren't as great as other options

Amazon Fire 7 tech specs: Display: 7-inch, 1024x600 display |Processor: MediaTek MT8168V/B |Storage: 16GB or 326GB |Colors: Black, denim, or rose |Cameras: 2 MP front and rear-facing cameras with 720p HD video recording|Weight: 9.9 ounces |Dimensions: 7.11 x 4.63 x 0.38 inches|Connections: 2 USB-C, 3.5mm jack |Battery life:10 hours

If you're looking for something even smaller than the iPad Mini -- and cheaper, too -- the Amazon Fire 7 tablet is a great budget tablet pick. The 7-inch screen has a 1024x600 display, so you can stream movies or play video games without hauling around a bulky tablet.

Review: Amazon Fire 7 (2022) review: Good enough for the basics

Cipriani also reviewed the Amazon Fire 7 tablet and said it offers "a well-rounded experience as long as you take the cost into account when setting expectations." Even though performance may be a bit slow, Cipriani said that's to be expected at a price point like $60, espeically considering the tablet double as a colorful Kindle, dedicated Alexa smart display, and a smart home controller, combined.

Along with the ability to ask Alexa questions, you can view and manage your Alexa-connected smart home devices. You can control cameras, lights, and outlets using your voice or by tapping the dedicated Devices button in the bottom navigation bar.

Overall, 90% of Best Buy customers who bought the Amazon Fire 7 tablet would recommend it to a friend, giving it an average rating of 4.5 out of 5.

Pros

• Long lasting battery life
• Gorgeous design and display
• Great templates for taking notes
• Easy reading

Cons

• Expensive
• Some complaints of lag

Boox Tab Mini C specs: Display: 7.9-inch screen, electronic ink |Processor: Advanced Octa-core|Storage: 64GB |Colors: Black|Cameras: None |Weight: 11 ounces |Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.4 x 0.33 inches |Connections: USB-C |Battery:5,000mAh Li-ion Polymer

Boox is an e-reader and drawing tablet with a vivid color display, so your e-book's illustrations will pop as you read and so, too, will your color-coordinated notes. Speaking of which, the note-taking templates on the Tab Mini C are incredibly useful. Whether you're a student taking Cornell-style notes, a desk job employee making an hourly plan for your day, a musician crafting a piece of sheet music, or a historian drafting a timeline, the Tab Mini C offers a template for that.

Another fun feature is the four customizable refresh modes you can use on the tablet, depending on whether you're streaming videos on YouTube and need a smoother display or are e-reading and don't mind a clunkier refresh. With adjustable warm and cool lights, you can customize your desired blue light level to tone the display down ahead of bedtime for an easier-on-the-eyes reading experience.

ZDNET editor Nina Raemont, who contributed to this article, has been using the tablet to manage her work life calendar, build lists for grocery shopping, meeting agendas, and more. It's become Raemont's deskside companion and staple note-taking device -- and because of its light weight and effortless portability, it replaced her trusty Moleskin notebook she avidly used to plan her day.

The strong battery life lasts many days to a week or two, and the tablet comes with a magnetically attached stylus with pressure detection for drawing. The design of the tablet is sleek with a minimalist feel and careful use of popping colors. However, Reddit users note that you may have to tinker with the tablet's settings to get the most out of your experience.

Pros

• Same features expensive Kindle models
• Super lightweight and portable
• Dark mode

Cons

• Web browser functionality could be better
• No warm light option

Amazon Kindle tech specs: Display: 6-inch, 300ppi glare-free | Storage: 16GB | Colors: Black or denim | Weight: 5.56 ounces | Dimensions: 6.2 x 4.3 x 0.32 inches | Connections: USB-C | Battery: Up to 6 weeks

The upgraded 11th generation Kindle offers 16GB of storage instead of 8GB, 300ppi instead of 167ppi, six weeks of battery life compared to four weeks, and charging via USB-C instead of a micro-USB.

The new Kindle is the smallest and most lightweight Kindle out of any of the models, which verified Amazon customers note was one of the main reasons they bought this small tablet. The previous generation clocked in at 6.1 ounces, but this new one weighs only 5.56 ounces, and it's drastically easier to carry and hold than an actual book (especially those thick hardcovers).

Review: The new entry-level Kindle has officially converted me to e-readers

Its 300ppi is the same display as the Kindle Paperwhite and the Kindle Oasis. The anti-glare display makes it easy to read in any light, and dark mode is a warm welcome when you're trying to read at night without letting blue light interrupt your sleep cycle.

I was able to go hands-on with this Kindle and was impressed by pages loading quickly and easily, the exceptional backlight, and the long-lasting battery life, which was at about 70% after one week of frequent use. I almost exclusively read on my Kindle now, and have pretty much retired my hardcover book habit.

Pros

• Industry-leading amount of pressure sensitivity levels
• Customizable keys
• Included stylus

Cons

• Need an external screen to use
• Need to replace stylus tip often

Wacom Intuos tech specs: Display: 7 inches |Memory: N/A| Weight: 0.99 pounds|Dimensions: ‎ ‎10.6 × 6.7 × 0.3 inches |Connections: USB-C and Bluetooth

When it comes to drawing tablets, Wacom is one of the industry leaders. With virtually no lag and 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity in the battery-free pen included, this no-screen tablet is the best one on the market for professional artists looking to create while providing a natural drawing experience. And it just so happens to be small and portable at just 7 inches.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to creativity with the Wacom Intuos Pro tablet. It comes with fully customizable ExpressKeys located on the side of the active area. These buttons allow artists to add their most-used tools to them for easy access.

Read the review:This Wacom drawing tablet feels like putting pen to paper

I went hands-on with the Wacom Intuos Pro, and my experience with this tablet was fairly easy and enjoyable (especially for someone who is not a professional artist). The pen makes it easy to fine-tune details and brush strokes in any drawing program you are working on.Reddit users notethat the Pro Pen 2 is better than anything they have experienced in a stylus and that it alone is worth buying the Wacom Intuos Pro for.

You'll get free access to drawing-specific apps and services, like Clip Studio Paint Pro for two years, Boris Optics for one, and have the option to test Corel Painter Essentials 8 and Corel AfterShot Pro 3 for 90 days. The tablet also connects to both Windows and Mac devices.

Pros

• Expandable storage
• Low price point
• Long-lasting battery

Cons

• Performance could be better

Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite tech specs: Display: 8.7-inch, 1340x800 display|Processor: MediaTek MT8768N|Storage: 32GB or 64GB |Colors: Gray|Cameras: 2MP front and 8MP rear |Weight: 0.81lbs|Dimensions: 8.37 x 4.91 x 0.31 inches |Connections: 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C |Battery:10-12 hours

Samsung's tablet lineup spans all aspects of price, capability, and screen size. The Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is a small Android tablet that combines affordability and usefulness. The 8.7-inch screen features a 1340x800 display, making it a small tablet worthy of streaming, working, and more.

Also: The 5 best Samsung tablets

The lightweight design and small display make it portable enough to take anywhere, especially if you're using it to entertain kids with educational apps. Plus, the Tab A7 Lite has a metal frame for some added ruggedness.

In addition, you can expand your storage beyond the 32GB or 64GB allotted. The tablet allows for up to 1TB of expandable storage, which is twice as much as the previous model. Overall, 91% of Best Buy customers would recommend buying this tablet, and gave it an average rating of 4.5 out of 5.