The Best Tablets for Work and Play

The best tablet can be a portable TV screen around the house and a way to get light work done away from your desk. Tablets are not essential, but are nice to have around. With a wealth of apps for drawing, painting, and making music, they’re also a great outlet for creative impulses.

The iPad’s ease of use and best-in-breed software make it the obvious choice for most people—that's why our top pick is the 11th-gen iPad—but if you don’t want an Apple tablet, there are other options. Android tablets have made a comeback in the last couple of years. Amazon’s Fire tablets are also an affordable way to watch movies and browse the web, as long as you don’t mind their limitations. There are even great E Ink slates for jotting down notes or sketching. We've tested dozens of tablets ...