Looking for a solid tablet but not sold on the headline-grabbing flagships? News Of Fort Worth tested dozens of slates this year and found seven worth your cash-if the price is right.
> At a Glance
> – Last-gen iPad Pro M4 dips to $899 and still boasts OLED 120 Hz panels
> – Lenovo Idea Tab Pro hits $280 on sale but stops at Android 16
> – Galaxy Tab S10+ and Ultra deliver multi-day power for $900
> – Boost Celero 5G is the cheapest cellular tablet we’ve seen at $200
> – Why it matters: Each model nails a niche-price, display, 5G, or battery-so you can spend smarter
These runner-ups don’t top our charts, yet they punch above their weight when discounts land.
iPad Pro M4 (2024): Flagship Lite
Pick the 11- or 13-inch iPad Pro M4 when it falls to $899. You still get:
- Blazing M4 speed matching MacBook levels
- Face ID and optional nano-texture glass
- Support for iPadOS 26 multitasking
Skip only if you crave this year’s marginal upgrades.
Android Alternatives Under $350
Lenovo Idea Tab Pro
- 3K 12.7-inch LCD and quad-speaker boom
- Stylus in the box-great for Lightroom edits
- Android 16 is the final version; four years of security patches promised
- Buy only under $300; current street price is $328
Lenovo Tab Plus
- 11.5-inch screen with built-in kickstand
- $240 entertainer that travels light
- Uninstall the pre-loaded bloat to stop pop-up ads
Boost Celero 5G Tab
- $200 with 5G radios-a rarity this cheap
- Expect stutter; fine for Netflix and light games
- Grab it only via Boost where plan bundles cut cost further
Mid-Range Splurges
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Series
Old but gold: Tab S10+ and S10 Ultra hover near $900 and deliver:
- Multi-day battery and vibrant 120 Hz displays
- Four OS upgrades already pledged
- Performance barely trails the Tab S11 line
Google Pixel Tablet with Charging Speaker Dock
- $399 hybrid docks to become a smart display
- Native Cast and eight-user fingerprint profiles
- Wait for sales-MSRP no longer feels fair
Honor MagicPad 2 (UK-Only)
- £360 buys a 144 Hz OLED panel at 1 600 nits
- Eight-speaker cinema experience
- 66 W fast-charge, but CPU lags behind iPad power
Quick Spec Table
| Tablet | Price | Best For | Downside |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPad Pro M4 | $899 sale | Raw speed, OLED | Still spendy |
| Idea Tab Pro | <$300 | Big-screen editing | Android 16 limit |
| Celero 5G | $200 | Cheapest 5G | Laggy chipset |
| Tab Plus | $240 | Kickstand media | Bloatware ads |
| Tab S10+ | $900 | Battery life | Last-gen chip |
| Pixel Tablet | $399 sale | Smart home hub | Dock adds bulk |
| MagicPad 2 | £360 | OLED on budget | Not sold in US |
Key Takeaways
- iPad Pro M4 (2024) delivers flagship speed and OLED for $400 less than the newest model
- Lenovo Idea Tab Pro is a bargain photo-editing slate-but only if you can live with two Android versions total
- Boost Celero 5G is the cheapest cellular tablet available today; accept performance hiccups in exchange for always-connected freedom
- Galaxy Tab S10+ remains a battery marathon champ with years of updates left, making it the safest Android holdover
- Pixel Tablet doubles as a smart-home hub, but wait for discounts
Score the right discount and these runner-up tablets transform into budget heroes without headline hype.
