Google tablets vs. iPads
If you’re debating whether to purchase a Google tablet versus Apple’s iPad, you’re certainly in good company. While many have pitted the Google-backed Android and self-produced Apple ecosystems against one another, both offer certain benefits to their users and have generally become accepted as the two most widely used tablet options.
Apple’s iPad became the world’s most iconic tablet when it popularized the touchscreen device in the early 2000s. However, in spite of Apple’s vast presence in the tablet world, a wide range of Google-run tablets also exist, and Android users often find them preferable to Apple’s iOS-run tablets which brought the device-style mainstream acclaim.
Google tablet
While Google has a small line of its own Google Pixel 2-in-1 tablets, many also refer to tablets with Android’s operating system as “Google tablets,” since the platform has been traditionally backed by Google, which is also why Android users download apps from the Google Play store.
Unlike Apple, which produces all of its own devices, Android tablets are produced by a wide variety of different consumer electronics brands, since Android refers to the operating system. Common Android tablet lines include the Samsung Galaxy, the Amazon Fire and the Lenovo Tab, among a slew of others.
Google tablet pros
The major benefit of Google and Android tablets is the wide variety of tablets offered by virtue of the operating systems working on multiple brands’ hardware sets — a benefit not shared by Apple’s tablet lineup.
Since it’s open-source, the Android operating system also gives the user more control over the way their system looks and functions, which many developers and tech fans prefer over Apple’s ready-built software. The widget functionality of Android is unparalleled by iOS, and it could be a tipping point for users who love to customize and optimize their device’s interface.
Google tablet cons
The Google Play app store can be a little chaotic, since Android doesn’t limit the apps that make it into the marketplace nearly as much as Apple does for its App Store. However, some Google tablets, like the Amazon Fire, include their own version of the software-downloading app, so users don’t have to use the Google Play store.
Google tablets also tend to be more prone to viruses than iPads, especially due to the open-source nature of the Android operating system.
Best Google tablet
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+: available at Amazon
Our take: This powerful tablet is the best of Google tablets, featuring the powerful Android 10.0 operating system, 256GB of storage and seamless enough performance to be used as a PC.
What we like: 12.4-inch, 2800 x 1752 AMOLED display. Can be bundled with a keyboard and Android stylus. Sleek silver design. Samsung also offers 11- and 10.4-inch varieties at lower price points. Fast performance. Purchase of Galaxy tablet comes with YouTube Premium.
What we dislike: Not as overtly user-friendly as the iPad.
Apple iPad
The Apple iPad represents the standard as far as tablets go, both because the company essentially created the device, and because they have continually set the bar higher for what a tablet can do. For iPhone users, the seamless ecosystem shared between Apple’s devices is a major selling point, and the iPad’s immediate ease of use is perfect for newcomers to the tablet world.
Apple iPad pros
Apple’s iPad is the most widely used tablet available today, which means it also has the most aftermarket products made specifically to its specs. In addition, most users find iOS, the tablet’s operating system, incredibly simple to pick up, even for those who aren’t super comfortable within the tech world.
Apple’s yearly iPad releases also keep the tablet’s specs moving forward year after year, often setting new benchmarks for competitors to keep up with. While the Android operating system has come a long way since the early days of the tablet, the iPad sets the bar for tablets by being the most user-friendly and high-performing operating system available.
Apple iPad cons
Perhaps the iPad’s biggest downfall for consumers is the fact that it offers less overall customization because of its ready-made, user-friendly interface. Apple is also more particular about the apps on its App Store, making it tougher for app developers to get their apps placed, and for consumers to get some of the apps they want.
Beyond being less customizable and having fewer apps — both of which explain why iPads are often less desirable for developers — Apple iPads also don’t support external storage like many Android tablets.
Best Apple iPad
Apple iPad Pro: available at Amazon
Our take: By far the highest-tier tablet of Apple’s iPad line, the aptly named iPad Pro is an excellent tablet pick for professional artists, avid gamers and TV/movie buffs.
What we like: Offers up to 10 hours of battery life per charge. Includes excellent cameras. Brilliant Retina display is the best-looking tablet screen on the market. Comes in 11- and 12.9-inch varieties. Well-regarded for its quick, PC-like performance.
What we dislike: Most of Apple’s hardware, like the Apple Pencil, keyboard and other devices, are sold separately at a hefty price.
Should you get a Google tablet or iPad?
At the end of the day, Apple’s iPad is a no-brainer for iPhone users, and it’s still worth considering even for those who don’t have an iPhone. The Apple ecosystem is incredibly user-friendly, the company’s hardware is well-designed and cohesive and it offers the best viewing experience of any tablet line with its brilliant Retina display.
While Google tablets feature a much wider array of hardware brands, their quality can be hit or miss — though sticking to brands like Lenovo and Samsung is a safe bet for getting the most out of any Android tablet.
The Apple iPad is the simplest, most straightforward tablet option for the modern device user, and the company’s wide price range allows buyers to get quality within any budget.
Zachary Visconti is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money
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