If you're looking for the best tablet to fuel your love of gaming, we're here to help you with your search.
What makes a great tablet for gaming? We think a high-definition screen is preferable, and you'll also want a decent amount of power from the chipset and enough RAM to run games smoothly too.
As usual, we've looked closely at reviews, specs and any other additional features to bring together this list of our top picks, to give you a hand with your search for the best tablet for you.
And we've also tackled some of the most common questions when it comes to gaming tablets and even highlighted some upcoming tablets towards the end of the article.
Let's get straight to it!
Best Tablet For Gaming
- Apple iPad Air 4
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+
- Amazon Fire HD 10
- 2021 Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch
- Microsoft Surface Pro 7
- Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
Best Tablet For Gaming Apple - Apple iPad Air 4
The 4th Generation iPad Air is certainly a tablet to consider on your search, especially if you're into all things Apple, and marks itself out as one of the best iPads available, too.
Including the A14 Bionic chipset, which features in some of the best iPhones to date and is extremely powerful meaning should have no issues running graphically intense games smoothly.
Thanks to the AppStore included with Apple tablets, you'll have your pick from over 1 million apps optimised specifically for iPad usage.
When it comes to the screen, you should be able to immerse yourself fully in any game thanks to the stunning 10.9-inch liquid retina display which provides a resolution of 1640 x 2360 pixels.
The iPad Air 4 also has a USB-C input which will allow you to expand your display using a brilliant USB-C monitor and experience games on an even bigger screen.
Best Tablet For Gaming Android - Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+
When it comes to gaming the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ is a solid choice, and it's one of the best Android tablets that money can buy right now.
This tablet has an outstanding 12.4-inch display with a whopping 120Hz refresh rate, which should allow you to keep up with all the action with ease.
On top of the ultra-fast display, the Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset should also provide some serious power and produce minimal lag when gaming.
Another standout feature of this tablet is the battery with a whopping 10,090mAh power bank. This may be ideal for those that are often on the go and want to game without worrying about charge.
The Galaxy Tab S7+ is certainly a contender when it comes to gaming.
Best Tablet For Gaming Budget Choice - Amazon Fire HD 10
If you're after one of the best budget tablets for gaming that doesn't break the bank, the Amazon Fire HD 10 may be for you.
Under the hood, this tablet includes a Mediatek chipset and Octa-core processor which together with 3GB of RAM provide a nice amount of power, which should be enough to run games smoothly.
The screen is also sizeable offering a 10.1-inch FHD display and boasting more than 2 million pixels which means your games and entertainment should look remarkably sharp.
The Fire HD 10 also includes up to 12 hours of battery life, a USB-C port and Dolby Atmos speakers, and all for under 200 pounds or dollars, this tablet is a real winner in our eyes.
Best Tablet For Gaming Premium - Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2021)
If you're after a tablet that'll serve you well both for gaming and a number of different uses, the 2021 Apple iPad Pro could be what you're looking for.
This iPad is exceptionally powerful thanks to the M1 chipset which is taken straight from some of the best Apple Mac's, providing you with ample power for the highest level of tablet gaming.
The screen also boasts some impressive specs, with a resolution of 2048 x 2732p, 120Hz refresh rate and up to 1,600 nits of brightness, your games should look sharp, vibrant and run smoothly.
This tablet also provides you with up to 2TB of storage, which should be more than enough space to store all your games, photos, videos and have room left over.
If you can stretch to the price, we think the iPad Pro is one of the best tablets to date and could be well worth it.
Best Tablet For Gaming Windows 10 - Microsoft Surface Pro 7
Another standout choice is the Microsoft Surface Pro 7, which we think is not only one of the best tablets for students but offers some excellent gaming capabilities too.
As this tablet uses Windows 10 to operate you'll be able to run PC games from platforms such as Steam, or Epic Games.
In terms of power, this tablet can provide up to 16GB of RAM and in its highest configuration includes an Intel Core i7 Processor which should be decent when gaming.
This tablet also includes USB-C and USB-A ports which means you can attach some of the best external SSD's to store all your games, on top of the provided 128GB/256GB of storage.
The Surface Pro 7 is also super lightweight and can provide up to 16-hours of battery life, making it highly portable which may be ideal if you're looking to game on the go.
Best Tablet For Gaming xCloud - Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
When using a tablet for xCloud, some specs can feel like overkill while playing games via the cloud.
This is why the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 is among the top gaming tablets for xCloud, as its budget pricing combined with a strong battery life makes it perfect for cloud gaming.
However, this doesn't mean the Galaxy Tab A7 is a pushover in terms of specs. It can still run some of the top mobile titles out there and has room for a 1TB storage upgrade via MicroSD if needed.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 also features a headphone jack - a rare occurrence in the modern tablet world, but an addition we're quite fond of.
Upcoming Gaming Tablets
While there are a ton of excellent tablets currently available for gaming, here are some exciting devices heading our way soon.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
It looks like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 could be heading our way soon.
Reportedly, the tablet could be on its way sometime in early 2022, alongside the release of the Samsung Galaxy S22 smartphone.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is expected to include the Snapdragon 888 chip alongside other upgrades, which should make a great option for gaming.
While we have no official release date yet, we'll be sure to update you once it's live.
ASUS ROG Flow Z13
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is an upcoming gaming laptop and tablet in one.
There are three different versions of the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 heading our way, each of them offering some impressive gaming power.
While there is no confirmed release date as of yet, the 2-in-1 laptop is expected to arrive sometime in Q2, 2022.
Read More: Asus ROG Flow Z13: Release Date, Price And Specs
Frequently Asked Questions About The Best Tablet For Gaming
When it comes to finding the best gaming tablet for you, there are a number of questions to consider.
Is 32GB enough storage for a tablet?
If you're looking to game on a tablet we'd say 32GB is an absolute minimum when it comes to storage however we'd recommend upwards of 64GB to give you the best experience.
While 32GB may seem like a decent amount of storage, it will fill up very quickly when downloading games, as many of the most graphically intense titles require upwards of 2GB storage.
How much RAM is enough for a gaming tablet?
While many tablets nowadays may come with as little as 2GB we'd say at least 3GB of RAM is needed for gaming with upwards of 4GB being preferable.
Not only do more graphically intense games on a tablet require more memory but tablets can be fantastic devices for multitasking and in order to get the best experience you need more RAM.
What is the best screen size for a gaming tablet?
Screen size can be an important factor for many people, however, this largely comes down to personal preference.
If you're looking for a tablet that is compact enough to be easily portable as well as great for gaming then we'd say a screen size around 10 inches is good.
If you're wanting to get the best immersive experience and portability is less important then we'd recommend going for as large a screen as possible which are usually 12-inches and above.
Not only is screen size important, but it is also worth considering display resolution and refresh rate, we'd recommend at least 1080p and 60Hz.
What is the ideal refresh rate for a gaming tablet?
Most tablets operate on a standard refresh rate of 60Hz which is equivalent to most computer monitors and can be perfect for light gaming.
For those more intense titles though and games that require a little more power, you'll want something 120Hz and upwards like the 2021 Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch which will offer a smoother and punchier experience both in and out of games.
READ MORE: Best Phone for Gaming: Top Picks For Mobile Gaming