Here at TechRadar, we have our own ranking of the best tablets around. So when I discovered it was possible to view a list of Amazon’s best-selling tablets, I was intrigued to see if it bore any relation to the tablets we regarded most highly.
There are some obvious points of deviation. We tend to focus on tablets for adults, and there are a number of kid-focused models in Amazon’s ranking. Similarly, whereas Amazon bundles ereaders in with tablets, we have them in a separate best ereader ranking.
It also makes sense that Amazon’s own models sell especially well on the platform, given that they tend to get the best discounts. I’m not surprised to see the Kindle Paperwhite taking the #2 spot, for instance, when we put two Kobo models above it in our list.
Although the iPad (A16) 11-inch — Amazon’s #1 bestseller — isn’t our favorite tablet, we still scored it very highly in our review. We were less enamored with Amazon’s #3 slate, the Fire HD 10 (2023), awarding it three stars and declaring it “only smoldering”. It is, however, relatively cheap, which helps explain its popularity here.
Scroll down for a list of Amazon’s best-selling tablets (as of 22 September, in the US), in order. Hit the View details button to see what we thought of them in our real-world testing — and learn which ones are worth buying.
Top tablets
- A16 chip is very capable
- Now starts with 128GB of storage
- iPadOS 18 runs smoothly here
Amazon
Kindle Paperwhite 12th Gen 2024
- 7-inch display is great
- Fastest Paperwhite yet
- Excellent battery life
- Expensive for a mid-range ereader
- Ads on lock screen in some markets (unless you pay extra)
- Cheaper than many rivals
- Incredibly hardy
- Handy Alexa command center
- Tiny changes from 2021 model
- Stuck to Amazon ecosystem
- Lots of unremovable apps
Apple
iPad 10.2 (2021) (renewed)
Read our full review(non-renewed version)
- Excellent value
- Upgraded selfie camera for video calls
- True Tone display
- No Face ID
- Doesn’t support newer accessories
- Lacks recalibrating speakers
Amazon
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024)
- Snappier interface means faster menus and smoother zooming
- The best e-reader if you buy books from Amazon
- Design feels out-of-date and cheap, lacks buttons
- Once you see the Kindle Colorsoft, it’s hard to go black and white
Read our review of the 13-inch version
- M3 chip provides plenty of power
- Vibrant screen
- Strong battery life and audio
- Still no ProMotion display
- No major changes to design
Amazon
Fire HD 8 Kids Pro tablet
Apple
9.7in iPad (early 2018) (renewed)
Read our full review (non refurbished model)
- More affordable
- Good screen quality
- Powerful for the price
- Apple Pencil costs extra
- Design unchanged
- M4 chip delivers excellent performance
- Vibrant, sharp screen
- Great cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity
- No major design changes
- No ProMotion display
- Cheap HD screen
- Rugged build
- Fantastic warranty
- Perfectly portable
- Excellent build
- Lovely screen
- A great Pencil Pro companion
- Pricey for the size
- Aging design
- FaceTime camera still on the short side of the screen
NOVOJOY
10-inch Android Tablet
Samsung
Galaxy Tab S10 FE (Wi-Fi)
- Slight yet sturdy water-resistant build
- Bold, vibrant display
- Innovative productivity tools
- Lengthy 20-hour battery life
- Screen not the brightest
- Middling gaming performance
- Somewhat creepy Face Effects
