The Best Android Tablet for Gaming: Top Recommendations

If you intend to improve your mobile gaming experience, the Best Android Tablet for Gaming will provide perfect specifications, power, and compatibility for gaming.

Most of all, the larger screen size on new Android tablets will provide a nice view of your game on screen.

However, the tablet field is crowded with very many options to choose from, which can be confusing for many gamers and enthusiasts.

There are many brands making Android tablets, but most will be good for other reasons but lag when used for gaming. Very few manufacturers make Android tablets good enough for gaming.

This article will highlight a list of the best Android tablets for gaming available on the market today.  Additionally, we will explain what you need to consider when choosing the best one for you.

What is the best tablet for gaming?

Top Android Gaming Tablets

1. Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+: Best overall
2. Samsung Galaxy Tab A8: Best budget
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+: Cheap Gaming Tablet
4. Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra: Best Samsung tablet for games
5. Razer Edge: Best for Tablet for Gaming
6. Lenovo Tab P11 Pro (2nd Gen): Best Value
7. Asus ROG Flow Z13: best for playing games
8. Amazon Fire Max 11: best cheap tablet

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+: Best Android tablet for gaming overall

1. Screen Size: 12.4”
2. Resolution: 2560 x 1600 pixels
3. Type: Dynamic AMOLED 2X
4. Refresh rate: 120 Hz
5. GPU: Adreno 740
6. Brightness: 650 nits
7. Storage: 256 GB, 512 GB
8. Expandable to 1 TB using a MicroSD card slot
9. Connectivity: WiFi 7
10. OS: Android OS 13
11. Processor: Snapdragon 888 processor
12. RAM: 12 GB
13. Pen: S Pen
14. Battery Life: 6 to 8 hours when gaming
15. Camera: 13 MP + 8 MP rear and 12 MP front camera with Auto Focus

The Galaxy Tab S9+ features a large Dynamic AMOLED 2X 12.4 inches screen size with 2560 x 1600 pixels resolution. It offers a crisp and clear view with rich vivid color displays for any of your gaming endeavors. For gamers the high120 Hz screen refresh rate allows for seamless navigation from one view to the other without any lags.

If you like playing your games in an outdoor setting the Tab S9+ features a high 650 nits brightness levels that allows usage in both low and high light environments. However, it is not as bright as the iPad Pro at 1000 nits or the Galaxy S9 Ultra at 930 nits.

When you continuously run games on the tablet, you will have up to 6 to 8 hours battery life continuous usage which is almost equal to a full working day. The battery will last longer when used for other simpler tasks like streaming videos.

The sound experience is also rich thanks to the Dolby Atmos speaker interface. Long battery life allows you to play on the go without having to always recharge.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8: Best budget tablet for gaming

1. Screen size: 10.5 inches
2. Resolution: 1200×1920 pixels
3. Brightness: 327 nits
4. Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
5. Processor: Octa-core
6. GPU: Mali G52 MP2
7. RAM: 3 GB, 4 GB
8. Battery Life: 9 hours
9. Storage Space: 32 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB Expandable Using MicroSD
10. Camera: 8 MP Rear and 5 MP front
11. Weight: 508g
12. No Stylus Support 
13. OS: Android 11, upgradeable to Android 13

If you are just looking for a tablet for basic gaming, we recommend the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8. It will run basic games perfectly, but will hang when you run very powerful games. The screen is also really small, at 10.5 inches in size and lower in resolution.

Choose the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 if you want a simple and portable tablet that will play basic games and perform simple tasks.

It comes with a 10.5-inch FULL HD (1200×1920 pixels) TFT screen, which provides a colorful display and is big enough for streaming and gaming.

Unfortunately, the screen lacks the OLED technology found on more expensive Samsung tablets. The LCD TFT screen is still clear and bright, making it ideal for reading Comics.

For processing power, it features an octa-core processor that is quite good for common tasks like photo editing or reading. Although this is powerful, you will only be able to run basic games and software.

The tablet’s RAM memory was underwhelming, with only 3 GB and 4 GB options available. Luckily, you will have a dedicated graphic processing unit, which is the Mali G52 MP2, which speeds up the tablet a little more.

Just like many Samsung tablets, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 features an expandable option for storage space, making it very flexible. You will have 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB of storage space, but you can expand it to 1 TB using a MicroSD card. 

Unfortunately, you will have to buy the card separately. However, this will not be too much because the tablet comes at a very affordable price.

If you are looking for a tablet that you can carry around out of the office, this will be a perfect pick. You will have up to 9 hours of battery life, which is more than a full 8-hour working day.

Charging time is relatively fast, taking between 3 hours and 50 minutes and 2 hours and 10 minutes to fully charge. Additionally, the solid build and simple plastic body of the tablet make it easy to carry around.

Like many other tablets, unfortunately, the cameras are not the best. They are not as good as many Smartphones with an 8 MP rear camera and a 5 MP webcam camera for conferencing.

For music lovers, however, you will experience a cool immersive sound experience thanks to the inbuilt 4x Dolby Atmos speakers system.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra: the best Samsung tablet for gaming

1. Screen Size: 14.6 inches
2. Resolution: 2560 x 1600 pixels
3. Brightness: 930 nits
4. Refresh rate: 120 Hz
5. RAM: 12 GB
6. Storage: 512 GB expandable with MicroSD card
7. Rear Camera: 13 MP
8. GPU: Integrated
9. Operating System: Android
10. Interface: Touch screen
11. Stylus pen: S Pen
12. Weight: 2.42 pounds

If you are looking for the very best Samsung tablet for gaming, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is the best, according to many gamers. It has 120 Hz screen refresh rate that is perfect for complex gaming while 930 nits brightness levels makes it possible to use the tablet both indoors and outdoors.

The screen is huge at 14.6 inches, making for a unique gaming experience. For some gamers, however, the size is too big and may limit portability.

A powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, large RAM, and large 1 TB of storage ensure your tablet can play any game, even graphically intense games, without problems.

Unfortunately, this is a premium tablet and does not come in cheap. It will, however, easily replace your laptop thanks to its versatility and power.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+: The Best Gaming Tablet Under $200

1. Screen Size: 11 Inches
2. Resolution: 1920 x 1200 pixels
3. Brightness: 570 nits
4. Refresh Rate: 90 Hz
5. Storage Space: 64 GB Expandable with a MicroSD
6. Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor
7. RAM: 4 GB to 8 GB
8. Rear Cameras: 13 MP
9. Front Camera: 8 MP

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ is the best tablet you can buy for under $200. It was released as an affordable entry-level tablet for beginners, but with excellent specifications.

It features a small 11-inch screen, which is medium-sized for easy portability. Despite this, the screen is still of a premium level, with a high 90 Hz refresh rate that allows for quick updates when using the tablet for gaming.

Additionally, it has a high brightness level of 570 nits, which allows you to use it both indoors and outdoors with minimal glare and brightness issues.

This tablet is not as good as an iPad Pro, but both of these specifications—the refresh rate and brightness levels—are almost as good as the more expensive iPad Pro.

The iPad features 1000 nits and 120 Hz, which is not too different but for a significantly higher price range.

You will be able to view your work in rich colors and on a vivid display thanks to the 1920 x 1200 pixels resolution, which is better than a full HD display.

If you are looking for a tablet that you can use with Photoshop or for complex tasks, we recommend you choose the 8 GB RAM and Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor.

For streaming and basic tasks, you will have a smaller 4 GB RAM option. Overall, this is a powerful tablet with great features and specifications.

One limitation is that the 64 GB of storage space that the tablet comes with is limited, which may be a problem if you like saving heavy files on your device. However, the storage space is expandable using an external MicroSD card, just like on other Samsung tablets.

If you like using your tablet as a camera device, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ is a great pick for both photography and video conferencing.

This is made possible by a powerful 13 MP rear camera for taking photos and an 8 MP front selfie camera for webcams and selfies.

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro (2nd Gen): Best Value for Money

1. Screen Size: 11.5 inches
2. Resolution: 2000 x 1200 pixels (2K)
3. Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
4. Brightness: 600 nits
5. Processor: MediaTek Octa-Core
6. RAM: 4 GB
7. Storage Capacity: 128GB
8. Front Camera: 8 Mp
9. Rear Camera: 13 Mp
10. Operating System: Android 12L (or later)
11. Included Accessories: Keyboard and Pen
12. Average Battery Life: Up to 10 hours

If you need an affordable tablet for gaming that still packs enough power for complex gaming, this is the one for you.

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro (2nd Gen) is more powerful than the budget pick but not as expensive as the Samsung Galaxy S9+ or S9 Ultra.

It features a good-sized 11.6-inch screen with a 2.5K resolution. The OLED screen features a 120 Hz refresh rate, just like the expensive iPad Pro or Samsung Galaxy S9+, although not as expensive.

The vibrant screen and quad JBL speakers will ensure you enjoy an immersive gaming experience that is both clear and immersive while still being cheap.

Although the screen is slightly smaller than most of the others in this review, it makes up for it with its high resolution and low price point. The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro scored was impressive especially in 3Dgraphics display, it had a nice display for gaming graphics thanks to its 2K resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate.

Asus ROG Flow Z13: Best tablet for playing games

• Screen size: 14.6 inches
• Resolution: 2960 x 1848 pixels
• 165Hz refresh rate
• Brightness: 500 nits
• Processor: Intel Core i9
• RAM: 12 GB
• Storage: 128 GB or 256 GB, expandable to 1 TB
• Battery Life: 6.5 hours

The new Asus ROG Flow Z13 is a unique tablet compared to others highlighted in this list. It is a hybrid between a tablet and an Asus gaming laptop.

It comes with the latest 12th generation Intel Core i7/ i9 processor, which is more powerful than most laptops. Additionally, it has a dedicated NVIDIA Geforce RTX 3050 graphics processing unit. When you add this to 16 GB of RAM, you have a powerful device.

The Asus ROG Flow Z13 handles complex gaming perfectly thanks to its powerful Intel Core i7/ i9 processor plus NVIDIA Geforce RTX 3050 GPU.

You will be able to play any complex game without problems or unnecessary lags. To save your files, you have 500 GB of storage space on purchase, but you can boost it with an external device if it is not enough.

Such powerful tablets regularly overheat and make some operational noise. The Asus ROG Flow Z13, however, is very quiet when working. This is thanks to a well-planned fan system that is quiet and ambient.

Display is also very important when it comes to gaming. You need a large and clear screen with a fast refresh rate for gaming. The Asus ROG Flow Z13 comes with two screen options, both great for gaming.

One comes in at 13.4 inches in size, which is slightly larger than an iPad Pro but with an equal 120 HZ refresh rate. Finally, for the resolution, this tablet matches up to a large desktop computer. You have a clear Full HD 1920 x 1200 pixels or a 4K display resolution.

As mentioned, you can either use this hybrid tablet in tablet mode or combine it with a magnetic keyboard, touchpad, and stand for laptop mode.

The overall look of the tablet looks cool and baking-like, with a colorful glass view into the tablet.

Because of its power and hybrid nature, plus its gaming look and feel, this Windows tablet is our best overall pick. However, the price is quite high, and because it is too close to a laptop in terms of usage, many will prefer to go for a laptop instead.

Amazon Fire Max 11: Best cheap tablet for gaming

• Screen size: 11 inches
• Resolution: 2000 x 1200 pixels
• Processor: Octa-core processor
• RAM: 4 GB
• Storage: 64 or 128 GB of storage, expandable up to 1 TB using a micro-SD card.
• 60 HZ refresh rate
• Battery Life: 14 hours

If you are on a budget and only need a budget-level tablet for basic gaming, we recommend the Amazon Fire Max 11.

It is not the best option for complex games, but it has some decent features that will allow you to play basic games like Roblox or stream Fortnight with ease.

The Amazon Fire Max 11 comes with a large 11 inches and clear 2000 x 1200 pixels resolution. Additionally, it features a 60-Hz refresh rate, half of what you find on the more expensive iPad Pros at 120 Hz.

This will be ideal for simple games but might lag if you try to edit 4K footage or play heavy games. Processing power is also not the best with an Octa-core processor and only 4 GB of RAM. If you need a tablet to use with Photoshop or Illustrator, this is the one for you.

For complex gaming, however, you need 8 GB of RAM and above for the best experience. The low price range for this tablet and its long 14-hour battery life make it stand out as the best budget gaming tablet available today. Compared with other Fire tablets, it features the largest screen size and resolution.

Choosing a good gaming Tablet for Your Budget

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing the best option for your gaming experience. Below are some of the most important ones.

Operating System

Choose a tablet with a modern and powerful operating system. Most gamers prefer an OS that is easily upgradable to the latest versions. This ensures security and seamless compatibility with most games and gaming consoles.

Battery Life

You need a tablet that is able to run continuous gaming for at least 8 to 10 hours for the best user experience. This is equivalent to a full working day. Additionally, to avoid dependence on a power source, you need a tablet that is able to charge to full capacity within a short time at least 2 to 3 hours. This capability together with a compact light weight build allows for easy portability.

Display and Resolution

Consider a tablet with a large screen for comfortable gaming. However, make sure to balance between comfort and portability. If it is too big portability will be highly limited. We recommend at a screen size between 10 and 13 inches for the best experience.

Higher screen resolution on modern screen types will provide a better user experience than a lower resolution screen. We recommend a Full HD resolution screen and above with 2K and 4K resolution being the best we found.

Screen Refresh Rate and Brightness

The screen refresh rate and brightness affect the ability to quickly switch from one view to another plus the ability to play even in high light conditions like outdoors. Some tablets feature up to 165 Hz refresh rate or 1600 nits brightness. While these are optimal conditions, 300 nits brightness and above and 100 Hz refresh rate and above will still provide an enjoyable experience.

Processing Power

The operating system influences a gaming tablet’s compatibility to complex games. If you want your tablet to play games without lags, choose a tablet with a powerful processor, large RAM and an integrated GPU.

Conclusion

When considering a gaming tablet, several factors come into play to ensure an optimal gaming experience. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ emerges as a top choice, boasting a seamless blend of gaming prowess and everyday functionality. 

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ features an elegant design, is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, and has commendable battery longevity. It delivers an impressive package. 

For those seeking the pinnacle of gaming tablets, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra elevates the experience even further, although investing in a durable case is advisable to safeguard such a premium device.

For a more budget-friendly option without compromising on performance, the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro (2nd Gen) and the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 are worthy contenders, catering to diverse usage needs. 

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro (2nd Gen) excels at supporting demanding gaming sessions while serving as a versatile everyday tablet akin to the Galaxy Tab S9 series. Conversely, the Galaxy Tab A8 strikes a balance, making it ideal for casual gaming endeavors.

The 5 Best Android Gaming Tablets

1. Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+: Best overall
2. Samsung Galaxy Tab A8: Best budget
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra: Best Premium
4. Razer Edge: Best for Tablet for Gaming
5. Lenovo Tab P11 Pro (2nd Gen): Best Value

Frequently Asked Questions