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Best Android Tablet for 2023

Which tablet is right for you? Tested and reviewed by CNET, here are our best picks.

Though Apple’s iPad remains the go-to option for tablet buyers worldwide, there are plenty of reasons you might choose to go with an Android device. iPadOS isn’t for everyone, and some people prefer the Android operating system, especially because of its features. And that’s not to mention the budget-friendly options available that make Android tablets worth considering.

The best Android tablets can meet any casual or professional need, whether you’re interested in gaming, drawing or word processing. Some even work with a touchpad or mouse. And if you’re already invested in the Android operating system and Android app ecosystem, it makes even more sense.

So if you’re looking for a cheap tablet for media consumption or a premium tablet to serve as a laptop

 substitute, here are our picks for the best tablets running the Android operating system. We update this list periodically, so keep checking back.

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David Carnoy/CNET

Amazon has come a long way from the first Kindle Fire tablet. The Amazon Fire HD 10 is Amazon’s biggest tablet with a 10-inch screen size and powerful speakers. Just like its smaller 8-inch sibling, the Fire HD 8, the tablet is packed with benefits for Prime subscribers making it easy for members to stream and download movies, TV shows and games. Amazon’s Fire tablets don’t use a pure version of Android, but instead Amazon’s Android-based Fire operating system, which pulls apps from the Amazon App Store. You can still get apps from Google Play, but you’ll have to install the store yourself — meaning gaming enthusiasts have access to all of their favorite mobile games for an excellent gaming tablet experience. Also, this is probably the closest thing we have to a budget tablet on this best Android tablet list.

Read our Amazon Fire HD 10 review.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus

Josh Goldman/CNET

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus tablet might be in the middle of the Tab S8 lineup but it is our top pick. The 12.4-inch AMOLED display is bright with excellent color. It’s a great size for entertainment and gaming, while big enough for light productivity tasks and still small enough for travel. Updates to Samsung’s DeX software even makes the Tab S8 a possible laptop substitute, letting you connect to a mouse and even an external display. A keyboard cover isn’t included but one of Samsung’s fantastic S Pens is, so you can use the big screen for note-taking and content creation right out of the box. 

Read our Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus review.

samsuing-tab-1 samsuing-tab-1

Joseph Kaminski

Despite its more attainable price compared to the $850 Tab S7 Plus, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE retains an upscale feel. The S7 FE is the same size as the Plus, with a 1.3-pound aluminum body and slim bezels around its 12.4-inch display that has a 2,560×1,600-pixel resolution. Samsung carefully trimmed the features of the Plus, such as going from four stereo speakers to two and switching from an AMOLED display to an LCD screen. The result is a big-screen Android tablet that still performs well and has a premium look and feel for significantly less money. 

lenovo-smart-tab-product-photos-2 lenovo-smart-tab-product-photos-2

Tyler Lizenby/CNET

The Lenovo Smart Tab P10 combines a tablet and a smart display into one 10-inch device. This Lenovo tablet comes with Android Oreo, front and rear cameras, fingerprint scanner and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor. When you set it on the dock, the Lenovo Tab becomes a smart display a lot like the Amazon Echo Show.

Read more about the Lenovo Smart Tab P10.

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AI-Voiced Darth Vader Can Swear, Say ‘Skibidi Toilet’ in Fortnite: How to Find It

Expletives are apparently not off the table as a foul-mouthed AI Darth Vader is added to Fortnite.

It didn’t take long after Epic Games unleashed famous Star Wars Sith lord Darth Vader into the game Fortnite — complete with the AI-enabled voice of late actor James Earl Jones for conversations with players — for Vader to drop the F-bomb. 

As seen on multiple social-media videos, Vader can be prompted to say lots of things you wouldn’t find in a Star Wars script, such as curse words, «Skibidi toilet» and to share his thoughts on breasts.

 A representative from Epic Games pointed to a post on X saying that the company has already addressed the apparent lack of language filtering. The post reads, «We pushed a hotfix immediately and this shouldn’t happen again.»

But gamers were apparently able to capture footage of inappropriate banter from Vader in the time before the fix was issue.  Epic is asking gamers to report any additional problems.

Safety filters to stop the swearing

A representative for Epic Games told CNET on Friday that there are three layers of safety filters built into the feature to prevent this from happening again.

Also, parents must enable the option to «allow voice and written communication with AI features» for kid accounts to speak with Vader.

And even the Dark Lord of the Sith can still get kicked out of the game.

«If a player is repeatedly attempting to get Darth Vader to violate our settings and instructions, he will eventually leave the squad, and the player will be unable to recruit him again in that gameplay session,» the representative said. «If we become aware or receive a bug report that Darth Vader in Fortnite responded in a way he shouldn’t, we investigate it and if needed, make adjustments to avoid similar responses in the future.»

Where is this F-bomb dropping Vader?

It’s likely you’ve missed the window to have an R-rated conversation with Luke Skywalker’s father — although you can find clips that others have saved and posted on social media.

But Vader can still be found in Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode in the Samurai’s Solitude area in the southwest of the map. Your party can recruit the new Vader, who replaced Samurai Vader, and have an AI chatbot conversation with him. Epic used Google’s Gemini 2.0 Flash model for the responses. 

The family of Jones, who voiced the character since the first Star Wars movie, gave Epic permission to use his voice with AI models.

 «James Earl felt that the voice of Darth Vader was inseparable from the story of Star Wars, and he always wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience it,» the family said in a statement. «We hope that this collaboration with Fortnite will allow both longtime fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character.» 

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