The Stuff Gadget Awards 2022: Premium and budget tablets of the year

It was at the time of the awards that we paid tribute to the most gifted rectangle we pushed, doodled and worked hard not to give up this year. Join us as we crown the best tablets of 2022.

Obviously this year has brought us a variety of new iPads, and they’re certainly great, but we’ve always been determined to make sure this part doesn’t completely Fruit themed. For many users, Android tablets are a better fit for their needs, and this year’s best Google tablets keep Apple on their toes on both ends of the tablet market.

These devices vary widely in price and features, so we’ve divided the awards into two categories, which are pretty self-explanatory. No matter how much you’re willing to spend, our winners are all-around great performers, and if you choose to pick one, they’ll keep you happy for years to come. So without further ado…

Premium Tablet of the Year: Apple iPad Air 5th Gen

surprise! The best tablet of 2022 is the iPad, but for the second year in a row we don’t give that award to the Pro, despite its undisputed brilliance. No, the iPad of choice this year is the latest iPad Air. While it looks almost indistinguishable from last year’s model, the 5th-gen Air is a more ferocious beast under its familiar full-screen hood. To our surprise, Apple has generously supplied the midrange Tab with the same M1 chip as its big brother, which means it will happily repel anything you throw at it.

5G is now an option on cellular models, the 12MP ultra-wide selfie cam is a big improvement, and while the 10.9-inch display still lacks ProMotion (hey, the clue in the name), it’s still great for your latest Netflix binge. iPadOS It’s constantly improving, so if you cram this thing into the Magic Keyboard, you’ve got a more capable laptop replacement.

Highly Commended: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra

Think the iPad Pro is overkill? Apple’s top-quality tablet is a kitten next to Samsung’s beast. With a 14.6-inch display, you won’t be using this tablet one-handed. But prop it up and you’ve got the ultimate portable entertainment center, especially with its AMOLED panel and quad speakers. Featuring the S Pen, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra delivers the lowest 2.8ms latency to date on any Samsung tab, which is as good for busy artists as it is for moviegoers. It’s certainly not cheap, but that money can buy you the ultimate Android tablet.

Also shortlisted: Huawei MateBook E

Windows tablets may never really take off, but Huawei’s hybrid machine captivated us with its powerful OLED display.

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Budget tablet of the year: Honor Pad 8

If we told you that the first Honor tablet to be released internationally had a 12.9-inch display, you might think it was for a piece of the pie. But in reality, the big-screen Honor Play 8 is aimed at entry-level iPads, as well as tablets like the impressive Lenovo Tab P11. Why are our winners? Well, it’s hard to get rid of that panel, definitely the biggest you can get your hands on with the least cash.

We love watching movies on it thanks to the black bar’s shattering 10:6 aspect ratio, and its meaty 7250mAh battery will make it easy to watch a reasonable-length trilogy. It’s certainly not the most snappy or sharpest tablet around, and the duo of 5MP snappers isn’t much to predict, but the Honor Pad 8’s solid build and sheer size make it a unique entry-level proposition.

Highly Commended: Apple iPad 10th Gen

For some time now, there’s been a very clear line between the basic (and most popular) iPad and the Air and Pro lines that sit above it. In short, the iPad has been clinging to the Home button, while more expensive models abandoned it long ago. But that distinction is gone, as Apple finally dragged its cheapest iPad into the modern era, making the Home button a multi-colored iPad that, at least at first glance, was hard to tell apart from the iPad Air. The screen tech isn’t even as good as the 2020 Air, but the iPad has the same A14 Bionic chip as the tablet, it’s very powerful, it can now charge via USB-C, and it even has its own Magic Keyboard that’s better than the iPad Pro in some ways. The basic iPad has never felt so complicated.

Also shortlisted: Amazon Fire HD 8

If you’re after a cheap tablet, Amazon is always a good choice, and this year’s updated Fire HD 8 is faster and longer-lasting than ever.