There are some really great tablets out there, but a lot of them suffer from expensive prices. Pricing usually declines to a reasonable point, but only after those models are no longer shiny and new. If you don’t want to wait, or don’t have to, here are four tablets that offer a high-end experience for a premium price.
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Microsoft Surface Pro 4
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/microsoft-surface-pro-4/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: The Surface Pro 4 fits a larger screen with a higher resolution into a slightly slimmer body than last year’s model. The pen and keyboard cover are also improved, and this is one of the first mobile systems shipping with Intel’s latest processors.
The bad: Microsoft still refuses to include the Type Cover keyboard by default, forcing a separate purchase. Battery life still isn’t enough for a full day.
The cost: $623.97 to $1,051.67
The bottom line: A host of small refinements cements the Surface Pro 4’s position as the best-in-class Windows tablet — so long as you’re prepared to pay extra for the required keyboard cover accessory.
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Lenovo Yoga 910
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/lenovo-yoga-910/review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: The Lenovo Yoga 910 premium convertible has a gorgeous display that spans nearly the entire lid and delivers solid performance and long battery life for the category. It’s a really cool looking laptop, too.
The bad: The right-hand Shift key is poorly placed and sized. Webcam is at the bottom of the screen. No direct video output or SD card slot. Separate USB Type-C ports for power and video-out kill the option for a single connection all-in-one dock.
The cost: $999.99 to $1,084.98
The bottom line: With a beautiful design, excellent performance and battery life and a great display, the Lenovo Yoga 910 is one head-turning hybrid.
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iPad Pro
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/apple-ipad-pro/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: The iPad Pro is the biggest and fastest Apple tablet to date. The pressure-sensitive Pencil stylus offers superior sketching and drawing, and the Pro’s gorgeous giant screen and quad speakers are ideal for split-screen apps, multitasking and watching movies.
The bad: At launch, very few apps are currently optimized to take advantage of the iPad Pro’s full potential. Its large size makes it less portable than other iPads. Once you’ve paid for the Pencil and keyboard peripherals, the iPad Pro costs as much as a good laptop, but lacks its flexibility.
The cost: $599.99 (32GB, refurbished) to $799.00
The bottom line: The iPad Pro is a dream machine for graphic designers and media mavens, but this elegant tablet needs more optimized apps and accessories before it can fully achieve laptop-killer status.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/samsung-galaxy-tab-s3-review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is an elegantly designed tablet that comes with a capable stylus. It has a stunning AMOLED screen, fingerprint sensor for extra security and satisfyingly loud quad speakers. It’s also the first HDR-ready tablet.
The bad: Despite the hype, HDR content is not available on the tablet yet. Large games take time to load. The keyboard add-on is an expensive extra.
The cost: $549.99 to $599.99
The bottom line: Samsung packs buzz-worthy features like S Pen and HDR support into its new premium Galaxy Tab S3, but without a keyboard packed in, it’s still more about content consumption than creation.
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The following CNET staff contributed to this story: Section Editor Dan Ackerman, Associate Editor Xiomara Blanco, Senior Editor Joshua Goldman, Senior Editor Scott Stein and Senior Editor Laura K. Cucullu. For more reviews of personal technology products, please visit www.cnet.com.
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