There are many Windows 10 tablets on the market, and it can be hard to sort through all the rubbish, especially if you rely on it to work from home. But we love Windows, and we love tablets. More importantly, we want you to be using the best you can buy. Here are our picks for the best Windows 10 tablets on the market right now, with the Surface Pro X being our top pick for best overall.
Best Overall Windows 10 Tablet: Surface Pro X
The Surface Pro X is everything we've ever wanted out of a Windows 10 tablet. Rocking a custom-built Microsoft SQ1 or SQ2 ARM processor on the inside, this is a device that has LTE built-in and instantly wakes when you tap the power button, just like a tablet should. It has a huge 13-inch display with a screen resolution of 2880x1920 for crisp and clear image quality. It has super thin bezels along the sides and a slim 7.3mm chassis with a built-in kickstand.
Ports include two USB-C and one Surface Connect port for fast charging. It also has an upgradable SSD, so if you ever need to swap out your drive for a new one, you can do just that without having to break open the entire device to do so. Battery life is pretty good, with usage lasting around seven to eight hours on a single charge. Thanks to the ARM processor, it consumes little to no battery when you put it to sleep. So it should get you through a day just fine.
You can get the Surface Pro X configured with either 8GB or 16GB of RAM, and 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage out of the box. Like any other Surface Pro, it also has an optional pen and keyboard accessories, with support for wireless charging the pen inside the keyboard cover itself.
This is our pick for the best Windows 10 tablet as it's the closest thing to a real tablet, something that we think can rival the iPad in form factor and functionality.
Pros
- Instant wake
- Good battery life
- LTE built-in
- Super thin and light
Cons
- Not the most powerful
- No headphone jack
- Compatible with new accessories only
Best Overall Windows 10 Tablet
Surface Pro X 13"
A device that does it all
From $799 at Microsoft Store From $799 at Amazon $979 at Walmart
If you like Surface Pro but are looking for a smaller PC, look at Microsoft's new Surface Go. It's cheaper too.
Best Windows 10 Tablet for Power: Surface Pro 7
Featuring an incredible 2736x1842 3:2 display, 10th gen Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 processors, up to 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD, you can't go wrong with the Surface Pro 7 for photo editing and more. It's a sturdier alternative to the Surface Go, with a larger 12-inch screen and beefier internal specifications.
This is the tablet for those that don't just browse social media and check email. It can be obscenely powerful if you configure it to be as such. Even on the entry-level model, you should be able to get by with medium to heavy multitasking, a few light edits in Photoshop, and home video editing at 1080p.
It's considerably more expensive than the Surface Go. Just like the Surface Go, it also doesn't come with the Type Cover bundled at that price. Considering the display's size, you're going to want to buy the Type Cover to take advantage of everything the Surface Pro 6 has to offer.
Battery life on the Surface Pro 7 can depend on the tasks you're doing. It should get you through a workday with no problem; however, thanks to the 10th gen Intel processors that are much more battery efficient in routine tasks. It also finally has a USB-C port, meaning you can charge either with Microsoft's proprietary Surface Connect port or through USB-C. It also supports fast charging too!
Microsoft also has the Surface Pro 7+ for sale, though that product is for commercial customers only. The Surface Pro 7+ features Intel's 11th-generation processors, paired with Intel's new Iris Xe graphics for a huge boost in GPU performance. Get this if you need to do video editing or light rendering work while on the go.
Pros
- CPU is substantially more powerful
- Good battery life
- Black is awesome
- Excellent build quality and design
Cons
- No Thunderbolt 3
- No LTE option
- Odd pricing levels
Best Windows 10 Tablet for Power
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 12.3"
From $750 at Microsoft Store From $799 at Amazon $779 at Walmart
Deceptively light, incredibly versatile
The Surface Pro 7 is a true 2-in-1 that feels like a tablet, with the bonus of becoming a laptop when you need it.
Best Small Windows 10 Tablet: Surface Go 2
The Surface Go is the successor to 2018's Surface Go and features a 10.5-inch high-quality display in the same magnesium chassis you know and love.
On the inside, it features an Intel Pentium GOLD or Intel Core M3 processor with up to 8GB RAM, but it remains quiet while running. It has a truly stunning display, and it has support for Surface Pen for all the handwriting and drawing you might want to do. If needed, you can choose a higher-end model with more storage if you need the extra room. There's also a microSD card expansion slot for additional storage when needed.
The best bit about the Surface Go 2 is that it's super cheap compared to other Surface products on the market. Don't be fooled by its affordable price, though, as this is still one incredibly premium tablet. The price does start to climb if you're interested in the additional accessories for it. The Type Cover will set you back about a hundred bucks, as will the Surface Pen, so costs increase accordingly.
Battery life is okay. It'll get you through a working day, but don't expect any miracles. It gets about 6-7 hours at most, mostly because this isn't a Windows 10 on ARM device, meaning it's using an Intel processor that isn't as battery efficient.
Pros
- Small form factor
- Beautiful touch display
- Surface Pen is a joy
- Type Cover
- Cheap compared to other Surface products
Cons
- Type Cover and pen not included
- Battery life just OK
- No Thunderbolt 3
Best Small Windows 10 Tablet
Surface Go 2 10.5"
A device that does it all
From $399 at Microsoft Store From $400 at Amazon $399 at Walmart
If you like Surface Pro but are looking for a smaller PC, look at Microsoft's new Surface Go. It's cheaper too.
Summing up
There are many different tablets with Windows 10 out there, but choosing what's best for you can be difficult. We think the Surface Pro X is the best all-around Windows 10 tablet you can buy right now, featuring the same instant-on and LTE capabilities found in devices like the iPad while still being versatile and productive enough to get work done.
Of course, the Surface Pro X isn't for everybody, which we why we also recommend the Surface Pro 7 for those who need a bigger screen and more power. And if you're looking for something small that doesn't break the budget, the Surface Go 2 is for you.
Credits
Zac Bowden is a senior editor at Windows Central, which means he covers a wide array of software and hardware here at Windows Central. Joining Mobile Nations in 2016, you can usually find him playing with new Windows 10 builds or secret unreleased prototype devices. Hit him up on Twitter: @zacbowden.
Cale Hunt is a full-time writer for Windows Central, focusing mainly on PC hardware and VR. He is an avid PC gamer and multi-platform user, and when he has some free time, you can usually find him practicing guitar or reorganizing his ever-growing library. If you hear him say, "Sorry!" it's only because he's Canadian.
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