The options for tablet and 2-in-1 devices may not be quite as plentiful as flagship smartphones, with less companies offering them on the whole, but that’s not to say there aren’t some brilliant options out there.
Many people will arguably think of the Apple iPad when they think of a tablet, but Samsung also has some excellent slabs, and when it comes to 2-in-1s, there are some great models that are perfect for working on the go and entertaining.
Here are the tablets and 2-in-1 devices that have impressed us over the last 12 months. There could only be one winner of the EE Pocket-lint Awards 2022, but the shortlist had some fantastic options, all very worthy of their spot.
Tablet / 2-in-1 of the year: Apple iPad Air (2022)
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The Apple iPad Air (2022) took the crown as the tablet of the year for the Pocket-lint Awards 2022, but it had some very tough competition, including from Apple’s own portfolio. The iPad Air (2022) and its M1 chip is an exceptional tablet though, delivering the goods where it needs to in terms of design, performance and connectivity.
Not much might have changed in what it looks like compared to the 2020 model, but under its hood, the iPad Air (2022) – and its plethora of accessories – means this year’s model will last you considerably longer than your last iPad when it comes to running those ever-increasing power-hungry apps and it looks fabulous while doing it.
Read the Apple iPad Air (2022) review
Highly Commended: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
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Taking Highly Commended at the 2022 Pocket-lint Awards for best tablet / 2-in-1 device is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, and it’s very much deserved. The huge slab moves boldly into unknown territory with its massive screen size and what a glorious screen it is.
Whether or not the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra works for you very much depends on how you envisage yourself using it. If you see yourself using a tablet to create – whether it be digital artwork, video editing or writing – the big screen and optional stylus make the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra a very compelling canvas for those kinds of tasks.
Read the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review
The best of the rest
While Apple might have taken the top spot for its Apple iPad Air, there was another tablet from the company on the very accomplished shortlist and that came in the form of the Apple iPad (10th generation). This model borrows from the iPad Air in terms of design and while it drops the power down, it is a brilliant tablet that delivers great performance.
Elsewhere, the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro is a great – and cheaper – alternative to an iPad Pro 12.9 or Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+, while like Apple, Amazon also had two brilliant devices on this shortlist. The Amazon Fire 7 (2022) remains one the cheapest tablets on the market, giving access to entertainment like movies, browsing and games for a low cost, while the Amazon Fire HD 8 does the same but in a slightly bigger format.
What are the Pocket-lint Awards?
The EE Pocket-lint Awards take place annually to celebrate the best of tech from the previous 12 months. Products need to be fully reviewed by the Pocket-lint team to be considered for the Awards, with judging taking place towards the end of the year. Through a process of longlisting and shortlisting, the panel of expert judges scores the devices to result in the overall winner and a Highly Commended runner-up.
The Pocket-lint Awards was run for 19th time in 2022.