Best tabs for festival shopping: Check out Apple, OnePlus, Samsung, Xiaomi and Lenovo tabs

Apple’s top-of-the-line iPad Pro is packed with hardware that leaves most laptops in the shade

Portable binge watch screen? Productivity tool? Flagship tablets have never been more versatile. The debate around content creation on tablets might continue but premium tablets continue to build a case for their productivity credentials with handy accessories like keyboards and stylus pens as well as user experience updates that make multi-tasking easier than ever before. Most of these premium tabs are geared for those short business trips or holidays when you might need to occasionally flit to work mode.

Growth in the tab space might have stagnated after the highs of the pandemic. According to Statista, the tablet segment is poised to grow at a modest 1.72 percent annually (CAGR 2023-2028) but that hasn’t slowed the launches down. We’re seeing quite a few launches in the premium segment. If you’re looking at upgrading your tab or adding a new gadget to your portfolio, our list might come in handy:

Apple iPad Pro

Probably the tab to beat. Apple’s top-of-the-line iPad Pro is packed with hardware that leaves most laptops in the shade. The headline feature is Apple’s formidable M2 chip that powers Macs and MacBooks. It features an 8-core CPU — up to 15 percent faster than M1 — with advancements in both performance and efficiency cores. The chip also boats of a 10-core GPU. Apple claims that it delivers up to 35 percent faster graphics performance for the most demanding workflows. It’s ready for intense work flows like video-editing. It comes in two screen sizes (11 and 12.9-inches) and offers a range of internal storage options from 128GB all the way to 2TB.

Price: Rs 81,900 onwards

OnePlus Pad

OnePlus Pad; Price: Rs 36,999 onwards

OnePlus’ first foray into the tablet segment is one of our favourite Android tablets. It delivers on all key fronts with a strong value for money proposition. It comes in just one shade – a gorgeous shade of green. OnePlus shakes things up with a unique 7:5 ratio screen; it creates a book-type experience. Flipping through graphic novels and eBooks is a great experience on this tab. The 11.4-inch LCD display is one of the standout features of the OnePlus Pad with a 144hz refresh rate. It’s backed by a solid spec sheet and comes in two storage options; at its heart is a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 processor.

Price: Rs 36,999 onwards

Xiaomi Pad 6

Xiaomi Pad 6; Price: Rs 26,999 onwards

Pitched as a productivity accessory, Xiaomi’s newest flagship tab is also one of the most portable Android tabs out there. Xiaomi has reduced the heft under 500 gm and has redesigned the rear camera module. It comes in two cool shades including a chic Mist Blue. Xiaomi’s optional accessories are a handy add-on and include a Pad 6 keyboard and the second gen Smart Pen. The tab makes multi-tasking easier with MIUI for Pad, Xiaomi’s home-grown OS that offers split screens and floating windows. The 11-inch 2.8K display with a 144Hz refresh rate adds to its appeal as a binge watch screen.

Price: Rs 26,999 onwards

Apple iPad mini

Apple iPad mini; Price: Rs 49,900 onwards

It’s been a while since Apple unveiled the 6th gen iPad mini powered by the A15 Bionic Chip. And yet this is the small tab to beat. It can double up as a productivity tool with support for the second gen Apple Pencil and a range of third-party keyboards. But you’re more likely to use as a screen for gaming and eBooks. It’s the tab’s compact form factor that makes it a compelling option. The 8.3-inch screen is large enough to dash off emails or annotate documents or PDFs. It’s also the perfect size to make notes with the Apple Pencil.  It’s powered by the A15 Bionic chip while the second-gen Apple pencil (optional accessory) makes it a handy note-taking tool.

Price: Rs 49,900 onwards

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra; Price: Rs 1,08,999 onwards

This one redefines the binge-watch tablet experience with a massive screen. It’s the 14.6-inch (2960 x 1848 pixels / WQXGA+) display that is the talking point of the all-new Tab S9 Ultra. There’s a massive 11,200 mAh battery under the hood and yet the device weighs under 750 gm. This one’s also ready for the pool deck – it’s the first IP68-certified Samsung tablet. It’s a hardware power house and also comes with the all-new S Pen in the box.

Price: Rs 1,08,999 onwards

Lenovo Tab P12

Lenovo Tab P12; Price: Rs 32,999 onwards

Lenovo’s flagship tab is the perfect screen for catching up on your favourite movies or shows. It features a 12.7-inch 3K screen with four JBL speakers that are Dolby Atmos-tuned. This immersive screen is backed by a robust 10200 mAh battery. We approve of the design – it’s wrapped in a chic metal unibody and comes in two gorgeous shades (Storm Grey and Oat). Its powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7050 octa-core processor in a choice of two variants – 8GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB.

Price: Rs 32,999 onwards