Best Android tablets (August 2016)

Android tablets make great gifts, and the best thing about them is that everyone can use them, from a three-year-old to your grandma. But with so many devices out there, how can you make sure you get the best Android tablet for your money? There are probably hundreds of Android tablets on Amazon, and avoiding the overpriced and the plain bad can be daunting. But it doesn't have to be that hard.

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Just take a look at the tablets below – they are the very best Android has to offer, and you really can't go wrong with any of them. Without further ado, here's our list of the best Android tablets available so far in the year 2016.

Editor's note – We will be updating this list as more devices hit the market.

Update, August 2016: We removed the Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro from our list.

See also: Best cheap Android tablets101

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Google Pixel C

Google surprised many of us at its 2015 Nexus event when it unveiled the Pixel C, an in-house built tablet that's made for productivity. While it may be a tad overpriced, the Pixel C does a lot right. It comes with a big 10.2-inch display, a 34.2WHr battery and Android 6.0 Marshmallow, all powered by NVIDIA's Tegra X1 processor and 3 gigabytes of RAM. There are quite a few decent official accessories available for the tablet, too, like the official keyboard or folio keyboard.

Like we mentioned earlier, the Pixel C is overpriced for what it offers, though it's still a great Android tablet if you have the extra money to spend. It's available now from the Google Store starting at $499, with official accessories adding an extra $149 to your purchase.

Specs

• 10.2-inch LTPS LCD display with 2560 x 1800 resolution, 308ppi
• 64-bit 1.9GHz octa-core NVIDIA Tegra X1 processor
• 3GB of RAM
• 32/64GB of on-board storage, no microSD expansion
• 8MP rear camera, 2MP front camera
• Non-removable 34.2WHr battery
• Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
• 242 x 179 x 7mm, 517g

Read more

• Google Pixel C review
• Google Pixel C hands-on and first look
• Google Pixel C officially announced

Buy now at Amazon

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Nexus 9

While it's a little dated at this point, the Nexus 9 is still a great Android tablet. It was created by Google and built by HTC, which is basically an Android lover's dream. It runs the latest version of Android, and will continue to receive timely software updates for another year or so.

The specs aren't bad, either. It comes with an 8.9-inch display, a NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor, either 16 or 32GB of on-board storage, a big 6700mAh battery and weighs only 436 grams. Thanks to this device's specifications, navigating around the device, switching applications, playing games and streaming movies or videos is a breeze. It also has a nice soft touch material on the back (similar to the original Nexus 5) that makes this tablet easy to hold, as well.

Specs

• 8.9-inch IPS LCD display with 1536 x 2048 resolution, 281ppi
• 64-bit 2.3GHz NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor
• 2GB of RAM
• 16/32GB of on-board storage, no microSD card expansion
• 8MP rear camera, 1.6MP front camera
• Non-removable 6700mAh battery
• Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
• 228.2 x 153.7 x 8mm, 436g

Read more

• Nexus 9 review
• Best Nexus 9 cases

Buy now at Amazon

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 was one of our tablets of choice in the past, and its successor is here to make it an even better option. The Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 comes with a smaller 8.0-inch display, which makes it more portable without sacrificing too much on screen real estate. It's also only 5.6 mm thick and 265 grams.

Don't mistake it for the "little guy" in the playground, though. It has plenty of power to keep you going through all your tasks. It may be a bit too similar to an iPad, but it's still a great Android tablet that many of you will enjoy.

Specs

• 8.0-inch Super AMOLED display with 1536 x 2048 resolution, 320ppi
• 1.9Ghz octa-core Samsung Exynos 5433 processor
• 3GB of RAM
• 32/64GB of-on board storage, microSD expansion up to 128GB
• 8MP rear camera, 2.1MP front camera
• Non-removable 4000mAh battery
• Android 6.0 Marshmallow
• 198.6 x 134.8 x 5.6mm, 265g

Read more

• Opinion: Does the Galaxy Tab S2 have things going for it… or against?
• Impressions: the Galaxy Tab S2 is a curious "top-tier" tablet
• Galaxy Tab S2 vs Galaxy Tab S: what's changed?

Buy now at Amazon

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NVIDIA Shield Tablet K1

Did you love the original NVIDIA Shield Tablet? Well, you'll probably feel just the same about the Shield Tablet K1, its direct successor. The specifications and design are pretty much the same with both tablets, aside from the addition of a rubberized surface next to the speakers and brushed metal lettering on the back of the K1.

NVIDIA also removed the stylus holder on the K1, which brings us to our next point – the stylus is gone! So are the charging cable and wall adaptor. The big news here is that NVIDIA is trying to cut costs, and they did just that by not including a stylus or charger. With that said, this tablet is now only $200, which makes it not only one of the best Android tablets out there, but also one of the most affordable.

Specs

• 8.0-inch LCD display with 1920 x 1200 resolution, 283ppi
• 2.2GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor
• 2GB of RAM
• 16GB of on-board storage, microSD card expansion available
• 5MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
• Non-removable 19.75WHr battery
• Android 6.0 Marshmallow
• 221 x 126 x 9.2mm, 390g

Read more

• NVIDIA Shield K1 announced (quick hands on)

Buy now at Amazon

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Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet

Sony may be struggling in the mobile device market, but that's certainly not because of a lack of good products. The company has always done quite well in the high-end smartphone market, and that carries over to the tablet market as well. The latest flagship tablet to come from the company is the Xperia Z4 Tablet.

This is a sleek, thin and very attractive tablet offering from the company. It comes with a 10.1-inch display, a Snapdragon 810 processor, 3 gigabytes of RAM, plenty of on-board storage and microSD expansion up to 128 gigabytes. It also comes with a big 6000mAh battery that should be able to last a very long time on just a single charge. It should be noted that while this tablet still runs Android 5.0 Lollipop, Sony has plans to skip the 5.1.1 update and roll out Android 6.0 Marshmallow as soon as it's ready. This isn't the best news for some folks, as 5.1.1 brings many great bug fixes and performance improvements over 5.0. Still, a promised upgrade to Android 6 is the best Sony can do at this point, which is definitely more than what some other tablet makers can say about their devices.

Specs

• 10.1-inch IPS LCD display with 2560 x 1600 resolution, 299ppi
• 2.0GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor
• 3GB of RAM
• 32GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 128GB
• 8.1MP rear camera, 5.1MP front camera
• Non-removable 6000mAh battery
• Android 6.0 Marshmallow
• 254 x 167 x 6.1mm, 389g

Read more

• Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet review
• Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet hands-on and first impressions
• Best Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet cases

Buy now at Amazon

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There you have it – our picks from the best Android has to offer right now. Missed anything? Tell us in the comments!

For more tablet information, head on over to the TabTimes blog for more tablet news, reviews and information.

Next: Best Android phones (February 2016)445

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Apple posts first annual decline in 2016, but smartphone sales are up 5 percent

It's no surprise to anyone following the tech industry that smartphone sales are getting pretty tough. The market in developed countries is fairly saturated, and even China's once-booming market is starting to cool off substantially. However, smartphone sales are actually up 5 percent in 2016, and where they're really moving may surprise you. 

Researchers at Canalys are pointing to the Asia Pacific market as the primary regions of growth in the smartphone market over the course of the last year (excluding China). India and the Philippines are the markets really hitting it out of the park, showing a respective growth of 21 and 26 percent from 2015 to 2016.

See also: Uh oh, Apple is about to 'invent' augmented reality74

"Smartphone penetration in these markets remains low, meaning there is a big opportunity for vendors," says Ishan Dutt, a research analyst. "Growth in established markets is harder to find but, despite shipment declines in the first two quarters, we expect Western Europe and North America to return to growth in the second half of the year. Both regions will end 2016 with single-digit percentage shipment increases, helped by the launch of a new iPhone."

However, in spite of this iPhone boost, Apple is finding themselves in increasing trouble on a global scale. China is especially a hard sell for the American tech giant. Even though the launch of the iPhone 6 caused a serious spike in product sales in China last year, the company hasn't maintained that momentum. The iPhone 6s aimed to keep that fire stoked, but companies like Huawei and Vivo are offering similarly specced products that have much-desired features like waterproofing and wireless charging, all at a lower price.

Apple needs to catch up with the competition if it wants to compete.

The iPhone 7 is expected to produce a similar spike in 2016, but whether or not the company succeeds in maintaining that momentum over the course of the coming months will hinge on how well they are able to adapt to the changing market.  This year is the first time that Apple is reporting an annual decline.

"Apple needs to catch up with the competition if it wants to compete," says analyst Jessie Ding, indicating that local players have seriously stepped up their game in recent years.

What are your thoughts regarding the boom of smartphone sales in the Philippines and India? Will Apple be able to evolve and stay successful in this changing market or are they, like the CEO of LeEco recently declared, "outdated?" Give us your thoughts in the comments below!

Next: 97% of smartphones in India run Android154

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Samsung confirms Galaxy Tab S3 debut for September

If you're a fan of  Galaxy Tab S line of tablets and have been waiting to hear about the Tab S3, you'll be glad to hear that Samsung has just confirmed its existence. Last month, we caught wind that the Tab S3 was set for an IFA 2016 announcement (like the Tab S2 before it), but that was just a rumor. There's now find official word directly from Samsung's website…well, a post on its Colombian website, that is.

See also: Impressions: The Galaxy Tab S2 is a curious "top tier" tablet57

There isn't much said other than the fact that it will launch in September and that it will have better specs than its Tab S2 predecessor (no duh!). Via a quick translation, Samsung says the S3 has "similar qualities to its predecessor, the Galaxy Tab S2, but with some innovations so far not known." We'll likely have to wait until next month to find out the specific improvements and "innovations" made to the Tab S formula.

The post doesn't specifically point to IFA 2016 in regard to the Tab S3's release (rather, that it will drop with the Note 7's launch in that country), but we don't think Samsung would want to miss out on showing it off at one of the largest electronics trade shows of the year.

The Tab S2 was a solid tablet, with mid-to-high-end specs and some productivity considerations, and so we imagine a similar overall experience will be present in the Tab S3. Any Samsung tablet users out there eyeing the Tab S3 for an upgrade?

Next – Best cheap Android tablets

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