Are you looking for a kid-friendly tablet, one that you can pack in your suitcase before work starts, or the Best Small Tablets to take on your next trip? Look through our tried-and-true favorites.
Even if our flexible and foldable smartphones might soon take a bigger share of the market, many people now choose smaller tablets. An excellent digital companion is a little tablet. They’re fantastic for amusing the kids on lengthy car journeys, watching videos, and reading on the beach. With display sizes ranging from around six to ten inches, these compact devices can be just as powerful as their larger counterparts, offering brilliant screens, quick performance, and access to your favorite apps.
Consider one of these compact, lightweight, and frequently reasonably priced tablets if you’re seeking to buy your first one. The iPad Mini and Amazon’s Fire tablet range are two of our favorites.
What is the best small tablet right now?
The iPad Mini (7th gen) is my choice for the greatest compact tablet because of its 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display and slightly less than one pound weight. Furthermore, Apple tablets have long been regarded as among of the best available.
As we create our list of suggested tablets, ZDNET conducts thorough in-person testing using a variety of tablets in all sizes. For individuals seeking a more portable option, we have investigated and evaluated small tablets from Samsung, Apple, Amazon, and other manufacturers.
Discover our top picks for the top small tablets of 2025 by reading on.
READ MORE: Top 10 Best Tablets for Every Social Group
The Best small tablets of 2025
Apple iPad Mini (seventh-gen)
Our top choice for the greatest little tablet is Apple’s iPad Mini, a small, potent gadget that fulfills a lot of needs.
Why we enjoy it: The iPad Mini’s A17 Pro Chip, which is compatible with Apple Intelligence and has the same potent CPU as the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, is why we prefer it.
New features were added to the iPad Mini last year. These include support for the Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Intelligence features including the Clean Up tool in Photos, Priority Notifications and Messages, Writing Tools, the new Siri, Summarization tools, and Smart Reply.
For people who appreciate the ability to sketch or take notes, this tablet is an excellent choice because it has a place on the right side for charging the Apple Pencil. In their reviews, customers who purchased the iPad Mini expressed their admiration for its display, durability, and battery life.
Additionally, they praised its portability, which makes it possible to fit in bags and purses, especially for entertainment purposes.
Who it’s for: “The iPad Mini 7 is small and quick, and its Apple silicon processor is made to last for years,” WE concluded after testing the iPad Mini. “Purchase the iPad Mini 7 for the entertainment tablet it is,” she also said. Therefore, take this alternative into consideration if you want an all-arounder and a gadget that can be used for streaming and other entertainment.
Who needs to look elsewhere? Check out my other top choices if you don’t like the Apple ecosystem.
iPad Mini tech specs: Display: 8.3-inch liquid retina screen | A17 Pro processor | 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage | Space gray, blue, purple, and starlight colors | Cameras: Rear: 4K, 12MP footage Dimensions: 7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25 inches; Weight: 0.65 pounds; Connectivity: USB-C; Battery life: 10 hours; Front: 12MP UltraWide with Center Stage
Advantages
- Small and light
- Encourages For enhanced note-taking capabilities, use the Apple Pencil Pro with Apple Intelligence.
Drawbacks
- costly improvement over the previous generation
Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet
The Amazon Fire 8 tablet is a fantastic low-cost tablet option if you’re searching for something even more compact and affordable than the iPad Mini.
Why we enjoy it: With the Fire tablet’s 8-inch, 1280 x 800 HD screen, you can play video games or stream movies without having to carry along a heavy device.
It is an improvement over the Fire 7, a fantastic low-cost tablet. This updated edition comes with enhanced processing speed, up to 13 hours of battery life, and 32GB of storage that can be increased to 1TB. A front-facing camera and a rear-facing camera are also included.
You can view and control your Alexa-enabled smart home gadgets in addition to asking Alexa questions. Using your voice or touching the Devices button located on the bottom navigation bar, you may manage outlets, lights, and cameras.
For: Anyone looking for a low-cost, compact tablet that can be used for reading, streaming, and entertainment outside of the Apple iOS ecosystem.
The price of $65, which is more than fair for a little tablet, can be found on Amazon. You can disable lockscreen ad support for a little extra money.
Who needs to look elsewhere? Instead, think about an Apple iPad Mini if you want additional power.
Technical specifications of the Amazon Fire 8: Weight: 11.8 ounces | Dimensions: 7.94 x 5.4 x 0.37 inches | Processor: Hexa-core 2.0 GHz | Storage: 32GB+ | Colors: Black, hibiscus, emerald | Cameras: 2MP front 720p, 5MP with 1080p HD video recording | Connections: 2 USB-C | Battery life: 13 hours
Advantages
- Improved speed and page-turning
- Extremely portable and light Dark mode
Drawbacks
- The functionality of web browsers should be improved.
- No option for warm light
Amazon Kindle (12th-gen)
You might consider Amazon’s Kindle if you’re looking for a tablet that you can use mostly for reading at night or when traveling.
Why we enjoy it: With a few new features, the improved 12th generation Kindle has most of the features of the prior model. These include a brighter front light, a greater contrast ratio, a faster page-turn rate, and two outer colors: matcha and black.
When compared to previous versions, the new Kindle’s lightning-fast performance really impressed ZDNET editor Nina Raemont, who also tried it out firsthand.
Amazon is offering the 12th generation Amazon Kindle for a reasonable $90.
Who it is for: Anyone looking for a tablet that is more comfortable for reading than what is often found on tablet screens.
Dark mode is a wonderful addition when you’re attempting to read at night without letting blue light disrupt your sleep cycle, and the anti-glare 300ppi display makes it simple to see in any light. Additionally, because it weighs only.35 pounds, it may fit in the majority of backpacks and luggage.
Who needs to look elsewhere? Take into consideration one of my other suggestions if you’re looking for a tablet that is more focused on productivity or entertainment apps.
Amazon Kindle tech specs:
Features include a 6-inch, 300ppi glare-free display, 16GB of storage, black or denim colors, a weight of 5.56 ounces, dimensions of 6.2 x 4.3 x 0.32 inches, USB-C connections, and a battery life of up to six weeks.
Pros
- Improved speed and page-turning
- incredibly portable and light
- In dark mode
Drawbacks
- The functionality of web browsers should be improved.
- No option for warm light
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite
A compact Android tablet that blends price and functionality is the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite.
Why we enjoy it: Samsung offers a range of tablets in terms of cost, functionality, and screen size. With a 1340×800 resolution, the 8.7-inch screen is suitable for streaming and simple chores.
Especially useful for entertaining children with instructional programs, the Tab A7 Lite is portable. The metal frame also provides a bit of toughness.
Furthermore, you have the option to increase your storage capacity beyond the 32GB or 64GB allocated. The tablet has twice as much expandable storage as the previous generation, with a maximum capacity of 1TB. With an average rating of 4.5 out of 5, 91% of Best Buy customers would suggest purchasing this tablet.
Who it is for: In order to assist a family member in launching a new company, WE chose this model. Why? It can easily accomplish daily duties like reading email and utilizing mobile apps, is reasonably priced, and is compact enough to fit into a handbag.
This tablet is available on Amazon for $160.
Who needs to look elsewhere? This might not be the best choice if you want a tablet for reading or intensive resource use. Here’s one more of my favorites.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite tech specs: The device has an 8.7-inch, 1340×800 display, a MediaTek MT8768N processor, 32GB or 64GB of storage, gray colors, two front and eight rear cameras, a weight of 0.81 pounds, dimensions of 8.37 x 4.91 x 0.31 inches, a 3.5mm headphone port, and a 10- to 12-hour battery life.
Advantages
- Storage that can be expanded
- Low cost
- Long-lasting battery
Drawbacks
- The performance could be improved.
Lenovo Tab M8 Gen 4
This could be the ideal tablet for you if you’re searching for a reasonably priced device with the features you need to keep your kids safe.
Why we enjoy it: With the many features this 8-inch HD tablet offers, your children may learn and be delighted without unintentionally coming into contact with dangerous material.
The Family Link software lets you control the content screen, parental control settings, establish screen limits, and keep an eye on usage. You can also create Google Kids Space, which offers books, educational materials, and apps that are carefully chosen for younger people.
For added safety, a free stand and glass cover have been included in case your youngster inadvertently damages the display.
Although there have been some reports of technical issues, customers think this tablet is quite affordable.
For whom: Parents are searching for a tablet that is kid-friendly and with parental settings that are simple to comprehend and set up.
This tablet is presently on sale for $78 (a 7% reduction) if that piques your curiosity.
Who needs to look elsewhere? It’s appropriate for children, but as I mentioned in my suggestions, there are better options available for adults. Instead, choose a Kindle, an iPad, or a Samsung device.
Lenovo Tab M8 Gen 4 tech specs:
It has an 8-inch, 1280 x 800 display, a Mediatek Helio A22 processor, 32GB of storage, gray colors, two front and five rear cameras, weighs 1.6 pounds, measures 4.72 x 7.79 x 0.35 inches, has USB-C connections, and has a 16-hour battery life.
Advantages
- Suitable for children
- Controls by parents
- Light and slender
drawbacks
- Minimal storage
- Reasonably priced
FAQs About the Best Small Tablets
Q1. What size is considered a small tablet?
A small tablet typically has a screen size between 7 to 9 inches, making it compact, lightweight, and easy to carry compared to larger models.
Q2. Which small tablet is best for reading and streaming?
Popular options like the Apple iPad Mini, Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite, and Amazon Fire HD 8 are top picks for reading eBooks, browsing, and streaming shows due to their portable size and strong performance.
Q3. Are small tablets good for kids?
Yes. Small tablets are excellent for children because of their size, ease of use, and parental control options. Many brands, like Amazon Fire Kids Edition, even include kid-proof cases and safe content features.
Q4. Can a small tablet replace a smartphone or laptop?
A small tablet can’t fully replace a smartphone or laptop, but it works well as a secondary device for entertainment, reading, video calls, and light productivity tasks.
Q5. What should I look for when buying a small tablet?
Key features to consider include battery life, display quality, storage capacity, operating system, and budget. If you plan to use it for gaming or streaming, also check for processor speed and RAM.
