It's been a long time since Windows tablets have been a thing. Today, Windows tablets really aren't meant to be used as standalone devices like iPads or Android tablets. They're meant to be connected to a detachable keyboard as a 2-in-1 laptop, not necessarily just as a touch device.
That being said, there are still a few good options, including the latest development in Windows tablets, which include devices with foldable screens.
The best premium Windows tablet
Microsoft Surface Pro 9
- New colors look great
- Design and build quality are top notch
- SQ3 is a solid alternative
- Type Cover keyboard is excellent
- High resolution webcam
- No headphone jack
- Upgrades still too expensive
- Limited performance improvements
If there's one company keeping the Windows tablet ecosystem around, it's Microsoft. The Surface Pro 9 is the latest in the line, despite having come out in 2022 and using an older Intel processor. The good news is it has all the premium goodness that the Surface Pro has always exuded. The display, design, and build quality are all top notch — as is the excellent Type Cover keyboard.
The one change I didn't love in this version is the lack of a headphone jack. Not everyone needs a headphone jack, and perhaps it's understandable on something that's considered a mobile device. But it should be mentioned, as it's likely to be an inconvenience for some.
While we await the Surface Pro 10, hopefully coming early in 2024, the Surface Pro 9 remains one of the best Windows tablets you can buy.
The best Windows gaming tablet
Asus ROG Flow Z13
- Bright, beautiful screen
- Amazing portability
- Ingenious design
- Surprisingly good performance
- Comfortable keyboard and touchpad
- Poor battery life
- Dorky aesthetic
- Mediocre webcam, no Windows Hello
The idea of a Windows gaming tablet might sound silly on the surface. But with the ROG Flow Z13, Asus took the concept totally seriously and came up with something incredibly innovative. It's a 2-in-1, just like a Surface Pro, but this one has a discrete RTX 4060 graphics card inside, ensuring that it can actually game. Throw in a bright, 165Hz screen and a surprisingly comfortable keyboard — and you have the complete package.
One of the most interesting benefits of this design is not only its portability, but also the thermals. Because the guts of the computer is built into screen, the keyboard doesn't get hot like normal gaming laptops do. No sweaty palm rests or vents blowing hot air by your hands.
The best foldable Windows tablet
HP Spectre Foldable PC
- Exquisite design
- Solid build quality
- Excellent foldable OLED display
- Great keyboard
- Plenty of usable formats
- Above-average battery life
- Extremely expensive
- Tablet mode is overly large
- Clamshell display resolution is relatively low
Here is our first example of a Windows tablet with a foldable screen, and the latest and most refined iteration of the form factor. It's a large 17-inch tablet that can be folded in half and used in a variety of different modes. You can use it as a tablet, a laptop — or my favorite, in "desktop" mode, where you can use the large screen with the wireless keyboard detached.
HP has really nailed the design this time around, taking the ThinkPad X1 Fold and Zenbook Fold one step further, while also delivering some solid performance to back it up. If only it wasn't so expensive, the Spectre Foldable would be the premiere example of Windows foldable tablet.
The best budget Windows tablet
Microsoft Surface Go 3
- Excellent build quality
- Superior display for a budget machine
- Great Active Pen support
- Small and light
- Surprisingly good real-world performance
- Can get expensive
- Mediocre battery life
- Keyboard and touchpad are cramped
Microsoft is the only company still making a budget-friendly Windows tablet. This compact, 10.5-inch tablet takes what's great about the Surface Pro and shrinks it down. Despite having a cramped keyboard and touchpad, all the hardware here is surprisingly premium, whether that's the screen or the build quality — both punch above their weight for the price.
So, while you probably don't want to buy this and use it as a main work computer, as a student device or a secondary more casual device it's a solid option. In fact, when it comes to Windows tablets, it's really your only option.
The best dual-screen Windows tablet
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i
- Dual-display flexibility is actually useful
- Two superior OLED displays
- Origami stand works well
- Great external keyboard
- Solid and attractive build
- Outstanding pen support
- A few glitches
- A lot of components to carry around
- Battery life could be better
The Yoga Book 9i is a great example of how inventive and experimental Windows tablet designs are getting. This one attaches two OLED tablet together with a stiff hinge that can be leaned up against the foldable "origami" stand. That probably sounds like a lot to conceptualize, but in reality, it functions a lot like a foldable tablet, such as the HP Spectre Foldable. But with the Yoga Book 9i, there are even more modes available, made possible by the two separate screens.
The idea is to make it better at multitasking, whether that's side-by-side or stacked vertically. It's the kind of device that has to be seen to be believed, and a demonstration of the kind of innovation happening in the space.
