Finding the Best Large Tablets and 11 -12 inch Tablets

Welcome to our current guide to the best large-format tablets you can buy, based on expert analysis, customer feedback and extensive market research.

The tablet market doesn’t have that much to offer when it comes to tablets with a screen size that is above 10-inches and customers looking for these monsters often have to settle for expensive tablet/laptop hybrids which have way more processing power than needed. Nonetheless, those with the money to spend get versatile devices which can do well as tablets and still double up as capable laptop replacements. Moreover, trend-setters like the 12.9-inch Apple Ipad Pro, the 18.4-inch Samsung Galaxy View and the budget-friendly 11.6-inch Rca 11 Maven Pro have given the niche a much needed, albeit insufficient push forward.

In this guide, we have gone deep into the world of large tablets to bring you the most impressive ones on the shelves today. While factors like design, performance and price may vary, all they have in common is being as big as tablets get. If you’re in the hunt for a particularly large hand-held device, you have come to the right place.

Top Picks >> Runners Up >>

Best Large Format Tablets – Top Picks

Microsoft Surface Pro 5 12.3-Inch

If you are looking for a premium tablet that doubles up as a portable Windows laptop, it’s hard to compete with Microsoft’s Surface Book line. The Surface Book Pro 5 is a 2017 model that has survived the test of time and it’s huge price reduction has made it an extremely attractive choice for anyone looking for a premium tablet and laptop experience on a budget.

Reviewers praised the Surface Book Pro 5 for it’s outstanding battery life, premium design and build quality, it’s extremely portable form factor and many improvements over previous Surface Book Pro models.

Under the hood it sports a high-resolution 2736 X 1824 screen, a 7th Generation Intel Core M3 dual-core processor and a 128GB SSD hard drive. In short, its hardware is powerful enough to run most modern apps with ease, though it may struggle with some advanced applications or multitasking. The 128GB is also relatively small so an external hard drive or memory stick comes highly recommended.

Overall if you are looking for a premium tablet that can double up as a mobile workstation the Surface Pro 5 comes with full Windows functionality and a Stylus Pen to boot.

Note: Keyboard and Stylus pen not included from all retailers. Please check retailer reviews carefully!

 

Apple iPad Pro 2020 12.9-Inch

The Apple iPad Pro 12.9-Inch is Apple’s latest large premium tablet and it certainly sets the bar high for its competitors.

Despite a hefty price tag, this iPad Pro packs the best performance ever seen in a tablet to date featuring a bionic processor with octa-core graphics. No this isn’t a Transformer movie. This tablet is powerful enough to do even advanced tasks such as 4K video editing, and Apple have gone on the record to say it can compete directly with desktop PC’s in terms of power.

If that’s not enough, the iPad Pro features the gorgeous displays that have always set the bar in terms of quality and this mode is no exception featuring a 2388 x 1668 120Hz screen. It’s thin bezels and form factor will make handling this large tablet easier than previous iPad models and it also features a host of exclusive nifty apps.

On the down side, for the price tag you could easily afford a premium laptop or desktop, and accessories such as a keyboard and touch pen will cost quite a bit extra on top of that.

Still, if you can afford one, it’s tough to argue against the iPad Pro when compared to other premium tablets.

Best Large Format Tablets – Runners-Up

Microsoft Surface Pro FJX-00001

The 2017 Surface Pro, which is technically a tablet with the performance of a laptop, is the improved next generation of the Surface Pro 4, and it has upped its quality and overall performance. This particular model of the 2017 Surface Pro that we are looking at is the Intel i5 with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage space. Needless to say, it performs exceptionally well thanks to the seventh generation Intel i5 processor. Multitasking and web browsing are a breeze with the 8GB of RAM and the build quality is great. The elegant finish gives it a very stylish quality much like its predecessor, but it does have fewer ports, like a USB Type-C port. It comes equipped with a single USB 3.0 Type-A connection, along with a mini-display port. Many pointed out that the kickstand is improved, and just under the kickstand is the microSD card. The speakers are front facing on each side of the display, with many noting how loud they are overall and how decent the sound quality is. The Surface Pen is said to be a lot more sensitive compared to the the Surface Pro 4, but it is not included, and it is pricier. The 2-in-1 laptop should also ideally be used with the keyboard, but even that is expensive. The Surface Pro ends up being pricier than the Surface Pro 4 when you factor in all these additional costs of essentials. The battery life has been improved by about 3 hours, amounting to around 13 hours compared to the Surface Pro 4, which only had around 10 hours of battery life. The 256GB SSD is fast, and it has Intel HD Graphics 620. Microsoft’s Surface Dial is also compatible with the Surface Pro, but it will cost you around $90 extra. The 2017 workhorse Surface Pro is stylish and a truly high performing 2-in-1 laptop, and it is an excellent follow up to the Surface Pro 4.

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 CR3-00001 12.3-inch

Microsoft’s latest premium tablet features an incredible design and even more incredible hardware, which results to one of the most desirable handheld devices on the market today. A casual look might lead you to mistake this model for its predecessor the Surface Pro 3, but you will definitely feel the difference in design when you pick it up. The Pro 4 is significantly lighter than its older brother and keener fingers will notice the full-millimeter reduction in thickness. Some changes are less subtle however, like the new docking system for the pen which employs a much stronger locking magnet. The display here is a 12.3-inch PixelSense panel with a 2736 x 1824-pixel resolution. To the naked eye, text and images look consistently sharp, color accuracy is excellent and brightness is sufficient. The stereo speakers are not powerful enough to compete with dedicated sound systems, but they are well above average for a tablet. Depending on your needs and wallet, there is a generous array of configurations to choose from and for the best balance between performance and price, we have picked the one equipped with a 6th Generation Intel Core i5 CPU with integrated Intel HD graphics 520, 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. Thanks to this high-end hardware composition, the Pro 4 is one of the fastest hybrids around, providing a snappy Windows 10 experience and decent 3D gaming capabilities. Not many are fans of taking photos on tablets, but Microsoft has gifted the chosen few with a capable 8-megapixel rear camera and a 5MP sensor at the front. With average use and auto-brightness on, the Pro 4’s full battery will last you 9 hours before it completely drains out, which is not great by iPad and Android tablet standards, but is pretty impressive for a Windows device.

Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi

While the Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi has successfully proven itself as one of the best convertible laptops around, but even tossing the keyboard dock away, it is a very impressive large tablet. For starters, its gorgeous aluminum design and ananodized finish make it premium in both look and feel. Weighing just 1.6 pounds and thinning at 0.3 inches without the keyboard, it competes very well with its high-end counterparts in the portability department. Powered up, the Transformer Book sports a 1920 x 1080-pixel resolution display, which gives out splendid picture quality and contrast. It doesn’t get as bright as the QHD panels in more premium products, but it has great color balance and accuracy. The IPS technology also means great viewing angles so you can choose any posture you want and the T300 will still be usable. As a multimedia device, this tablet is only let down by its stereo SonicMaster speakers, whose audio output is less than stellar. Tablet lovers will be generally satisfied with the T300’s array of ports but if you are looking for a true laptop replacement, you will be disappointed by the lack of a full-sized USB port and a full-sized SD card slot. Performance is offered by an 800MHz Intel Core M 5Y10 CPU, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. In everyday web browsing and document processing, the T300 labors on like a champ, but it will likely struggle with intensive multitasking, demanding software and gaming. It is only natural to expect great battery life from an averagely-powered device and because of that, the T300’s 7-hour endurance is rather disappointing. Nonetheless, it is not far off from the 8-hour average for tablets in its class.

Microsoft Surface 3

The Microsoft Surface 3’s display may be smaller than other devices in this article, but it still offers a great viewing experience and is one of the brightest panels you will find anywhere. This brightness significantly increases its outdoor visibility, and its 1920 x 1280p resolution fits multi-windows comfortably for a great multitasking experience. An built-in kickstand complements the screen with three settings, for multimedia consumption and while using the device as a traditional tablet with its type cover. Microsoft’s type cover continues to impress; it is by far the best keyboard cover on any tablet hybrid. It, unfortunately, still does not come included and has to be bought separately. However, this iteration of the Surface saw one major upgrade; it runs a full version of Windows 10, unlike previous versions which run the reduced RT version. This allows it to run full desktop applications rather than “touch-friendly” versions from Microsoft’s store. However, its modest specs will not allow you to run heavy professional applications and games, as it is geared more towards power efficiency. Lasting up to 10 hours of continuous video playback, you can see why Microsoft chose the chipset, and it is ultimately up to you to decide whether the performance hit is worth the extended battery life.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch

Just like other critically acclaimed products in Apple’s long list, it is easy to see that no stone was left unturned in the quest for design perfection. A few of the design features are: a full-metal and glass design to give it that premium look and feel, slim bezels to reduce its overall size, and curved edges for comfortable handling. Probably its main selling point, the iPad Pro’s 12.9-inch display, is brilliant. Its 2732 x 2048p resolution make it super sharp and it offers ample estate for side-by-side windows. Apple fit four stereo speakers into the device, which deliver a large amount of volume with no distortion and punchy bass. This makes for an entirely immersive experience when combined with the screen. The iPad Pro also supports the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard, which are both great. However, they do not come included and add to an already significant price tag. Featuring the Apple A9X chipset with 4GB of RAM, the devices absolutely demolishes any task you throw at it; games are butter and multitasking is a breeze. It has a lot of potential professional uses. Unfortunately, running on iOS, users do not have access to desktop apps that Windows tablets enjoy, and hence it is difficult to utilize the device’s power fully.

Huawei MateBook W19 12-inch

With devices such as the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 and Samsung’s Galaxy TabPro S becoming so popular in recent years, Huawei decided to dive right into the Windows tablet market with its 12-inch Matebook. Its all-aluminum design is absolutely gorgeous, and at only 6.9mm thick and 640g heavy, it is the most portable large-screen Windows tablet you will find. Keyboard covers have become popular amongst large screen Windows tablets and Huawei has their own Portfolio keyboard to offer. However, it comes at an extra cost, and the use of magnets as a securing mechanism makes it randomly fall over. Luckily, the screen puts on a better show. At 12 inches and with a 2160 x 1440p resolution, the display is razor sharp, and its high brightness and contrast give it excellent outdoor visibility. An Intel Core M processor is at the core of the device and is what made it possible for Huawei to design the Matebook so slim. You can expect performance on par with the Surface and TabPro, but gaming capabilities are highly limited because the chip is designed for efficiency rather than power. However, the slim nature of the device has reduced the number of ports to a single USB-C, and the small battery does not fare well either.

Samsung Galaxy View

With its massive 18.4-inch screen, the Samsung Galaxy View is definitely a media consumption oriented tablet. This is further reinforced by the fact that its unorthodox stand is always deployed; it was clearly not designed for hand use. This stand allows the device to be stood upright or with its top side slightly raised off the table. No flat mode, however. Being a media device, the View had to have an impressive screen, and it is. The panel delivers rich colors that are accurate as well, and it is also sharp as well despite its 1080p resolution. The rear-mounted stereo speakers are incredibly loud as well, though sound reproduction is not very accurate. Samsung customized the Android Lollipop interface and included a plethora of TV apps and widgets such as Hulu and Showtime. The default Android home screen has been replaced with a grid of such apps, with the app layout changing depending on which app is running. The large screen size is supreme for gaming, especially when the device is paired with a controller. However, its modest specs will not allow you to play graphically demanding games at high settings. At over 8 hours, the device’s battery life is impressive, especially considering that you will not be carrying it around with you. This allows you extended periods of binge watching; exactly what the device is made for.

HP Slate 17-l010 17.3-inch

The HP Slate 17-l010 comes with a 17-inch screen, a 0.62-inch thick frame and weighs 5.4 pounds, making it almost as heavy as a 15-inch laptop but more portable because it has no attached keyboard. It has a sleek design with curved edges and narrow screen bezels. The long speaker grill at the bottom of the screen occupies extra space making the tablet larger than it should be. While the Beats audio is advertised as “room filling”, it isn’t particularly remarkable with many believing the speaker volume to be very low compared to other tablets. The tablet has white surfaces in the front and around the edges, and all-black back cover with two retractable kickstands that can be propped up at 1200, 1700 or simply laid flat. The 17.3-inch touchscreen supports a Full-HD display resolution, accurate colors with excellent viewing angles. The overall touch response is smooth and there is no lag when performing on-screen gestures. It houses a quick Intel Celeron N2807 processor, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of flash memory that can be expanded via SD card slot. The system scored well on various benchmarks and handled almost all Android operations without even a stutter. Gaming and multitasking both are possible but you might experience lag from time to time if you are running a particularly heavy game or app. This large tablet is equipped with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, a full-sized SDCard reader and a USB 2.0 port under the kickstand. Despite its large screen, it has battery life of almost 7.5 hours, which is the same as many small-sized tablets. There are other options which offer better battery life, a faster processor and the latest Android OS, but those cost significantly more unless you go for a no-name manufacturer. All in all, If you need a portable media center to carry around your house, the Slate 17-l010 serves this purpose well without going overboard on costs.

Conclusion

That’s it for our large tablets buying guide and we are certain that you are now well knowledgeable in this rather uncommon class and you are well equipped to get a product of your own. However, before reaching for your wallet, it is advisable to have in mind what you want regarding processing power and value. If all you need is a large device for basic day-to-day tasks, you are likely better off settling for a 9-10 -inch screen size and as such, our best 10-inch tablets buying guide will be most useful. Any questions or comments? Drop us a line or two here. We’ll be happy to hear from you.