(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)

As a Mac user, you'd think that my MacBook Air's daily use would drive me towards buying an iPad, naturally. But, actually, I've found that's not the case.

It's part of my job, as a tech reviewer, to test the latest slates for work – I've seen a number of the best iPad models over the years, of course – and the latest Apple models are undeniably brilliant.

They're often undeniably pricey, too, which is the one key reason that, personally, I've deviated towards Samsung's mid-tier Fan Edition (or 'FE') slate instead. It's a great balance of performance to budget – and now it's cheaper than ever, as you can see in the deal, below.

I'm also an avid fan of the best Android phones, true enough, so being on that ecosystem from a mobile perspective makes using an Android slate nice and easy for me.

Others might want an iPad instead of a laptop – a potentially great 'all-in' student option, for example. You can check out the best iPads for students here, which considers student discounts.

Otherwise, what alternative tablet options are there also worth considering?

What are the best tablets right now?

If you're thinking of using a tablet for lots of work then I'd suggest that Apple has the upper hand, as its incoming update later in 2025 will make the iPad even more Mac-like – which I think is a great thing.

I don't do a huge amount of work on tablets, though, using an Android slate almost as if it's a larger phone – which is great for watching content, I find, and using various apps, answering emails and so forth.

For me, therefore, I don't need the scale and super-power of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, nor an Apple iPad Pro. Both are great, laptop-level devices, but both are outside of my personal budget needs.

Step down to more affordable options and the OnePlus Pad 3 is a stellar Android tablet, while Apple's iPad Air and entry-level 10.9-inch models do a decent enough job, too.

So why is the Tab S10 FE best?

This is going to depend entirely on your perspective. If Android is a good match, lower pricing is what you want, and you don't need the higher-end, laptop-like uses out of the product, then the FE is ideal. And much cheaper now too.

It's nice and slim, comfortable to use, with a 10.9-inch display measure that matches up to the entry-level iPad in terms of scale. It's got Samsung's own Exynos processor on board which, despite initial doubts, is plenty powerful for gaming tasks.

Of course, it's very much a personal choice, as well as a budgetary decision. With a tablet product, I'm happy with a 'less is more' approach – especially now that applies monetarily, too – in part to save me cash on the latest headphones, portable speakers and suchlike. That's all coming in the best Black Friday sales, after all.