Notebookcheck's Top 10 Windows Tablets

If the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 can be considered as a tablet, it achieves a high 88% and also takes the lead in our Windows tablet charts.

The Pro model of the Surface not only stands out with a steep price, but it also claims best possible performance. Performance-wise, it is supposed to be an adequate laptop replacement, which renders clamshell computers redundant. We have reviewed variants with the frugal Core m3 (Skylake), Core i5 (Skylake) and Core i7 (see face off). The first place went to m3, since it remains cooler, is silent (fanless) and delivers a longer battery life.

The tester was delighted: Lower power consumption, silent operation and longer battery life than the Core i5 model are apparent advantages. However, what is really positive is that the experienced performance is hardly different. The benchmarks show a tolerable disadvantage of only 20%.

There is no question that this is by far the best rendition of the Surface concept to date and the first one that, despite limitations inherent to its design, might legitimately be considered as a suitable replacement for a conventional laptop.

Once again, the display has been improved compared to the predecessor: Not only is it significantly brighter, but also delivers higher resolution, lower color shift, and a bigger gamut. The Type Cover has also been improved. Instead of a mediocre keyboard replacement, you will get a great input device, which can now keep up with Ultrabooks. For the first time, this is also true for the touchpad. In addition, the Surface pen is also included in the scope of delivery now. Compared to a laptop, the connectivity is poor with only a single USB 3.0 port and a DisplayPort. The price is quite high and can easily exceed 1000 Euros (~$1123) with the Type Cover.

It is still up to the user to decide whether the device a tablet or a convertible. The Surface Pro 4 can be purchased with or without the Type Cover. Although the Surface Pro 4 was launched almost a year ago, it is considered a reference and a milestone ever since: No other competitor has launched such a balanced Windows tablet or convertible to date, which combines mobility and suitability for work. See our Windows Convertible top list.

Scalability is very important in the business world. Many laptops are scalable, and the manufacturer can configure hardware and security functions extensively. Dell also aims to follow this approach in the Latitude 11 5175 (see review) and offers many options for enhancements. Keyboard and Active Pen do not appear to be a big deal here, but the manufacturer goes on: Dell Tablet Dock v2.0, genuine M.2 SSD, 8 GB of RAM, Full Size USB 3.0 and Type-C USB as well as an 8 MP main camera with quite good quality. Hardware-wise, the SoC (Core m3, m5), RAM and the hard drive can be configured. Unlike the Dell Venue 10 Pro (5056) (6th place), components cannot be replaced by the user here.

The tablet is a good entry in the business sector. However, there is no way around the need for the proprietary accessories to work more productively with Dell's 11 5175. The keyboard dock should at least be on the shopping list.

Why should you prefer a Latitude over a Venue? With the fanless cooled Intel Core m5-6Y57 and the fast 256 GB SSD, the manufacturer might see the Latitude 11 5175 as a subnotebook replacement rather than as a tablet only. It is the most powerful Windows tablet in this Top 10 after the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core m3, if you do not consider the rugged Panasonic ToughPad FZ-M1.

The processor is frugal and ensures a good battery life of seven hours. Unfortunately, the CPU performance is disappointing, although it should actually be a reason to buy the Latitude 11 5175.

The processor's performance is not fully available. Thus, significant performance losses have to be expected. Microsoft's Surface Pro 4 equipped with a Core m3 runs faster in comparison. The screen is not recommended for professional use since the color-space coverage is only on a mediocre level.

In the meantime, we also reviewed the 11 5179's keyboard dock, supplement battery and digitizer pen. The battery life has increased by up to an hour and the pressure sensitive pen has improved the ease of use. Despite the short travel, the keyboard appears smart, but the touchpad occasionally fails to respond, which is annoying. We have added a detailed description to the review: Latitude 11 5175 (see review).

With a price tag of about 400 Euros (~$449), the 8-inch HP Pro Tablet 408 G1 L3S97AA is a relatively cheap device. Nevertheless, it is a good choice, since not every cheap Windows tablet delivers good camera modules, relatively large storage space, native pen input, and a 3G modem. With the Atom Z3736F, the Pro Tablet 408 G1 no longer features top modern hardware. Prospective buyers have to adjust to basic performance for simple web or video playback tasks. The HP Pro Tablet 608 G1 with Atom x5 in the 5th place is slightly faster, yet still not a race horse.

HP offers an interesting device here. The combination of Windows 10 (upgrading is free), 3G modem (including a monthly data volume), 64 GB of storage, a decent battery life and an optional stylus also makes the tablet attractive for private users.

Unlike the 8-inch HP Pro Tablet 408 G1 above, the Pro Tablet 608 G1 is an all-rounder for multi scenario use with a 7.9-inch screen. HP offers many docking or keyboard solutions, for example for POS terminals. For this reason, the tablet comes with 4 GB of RAM. The same is true of the premium Sharp panel with a resolution of 2048x1536 pixels. The reviewer was disappointed by the performance under load. The battery life in our Wi-Fi test is not too high, but appropriate for the Windows tablet world. The price of about 500 Euros (~$562) is too high for the consumer market, yet appropriate for business users looking for special solutions. The high-end model for example features LTE and 128 GB flash memory.

The great screen, strong battery, good accessory range, Windows Pro, 4 GB of RAM and good communication options are valued greatly in the vertical markets.

Usually, the second generation improves upon its predecessor or at least fixes issues, in order to give customers an even better product. Or is it? The Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 10 2nd Gen is not as successful as we had hoped in terms of waste heat due to the new Intel Atom x7-Z8700 that exhibits waste heat problems. We measured temperatures of over 50 °C (122 °F) during the stress test and the problem is similar under normal load. By the way, the Atom x7-Z8700 is also used in the Microsoft Surface 3 (no longer in the Top 10 after 12 months), which is also available with numerous configuration options including 4 GB of RAM and 128 eMMC. However, the Microsoft model achieves better performance. The Cinebench scores are 28, 37 and 149%, respectively, higher than the ThinkPad Tablet 10 2nd Gen's. Is this just theory? Unfortunately not, the ThinkPad has problems with multitasking. The reviewer praised the build quality, the touchscreen with included pen, and the battery life of a day.

The tablet is suitable for writing, but it is not sufficient as a notebook replacement. In particular, the similarly priced Microsoft Surface 3 and Dell Latitude 11 5175 performed better in many respects (display, performance) and is a better choice in our opinion. The in-house rival is the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet with Core m7 and 12-inch display (2.160 x 1.440 pixels). In the meanwhile, the ThinkPad 10 Gen2 has been updated to an Atom x7-Z8750. However, this SoC does also not bring a real performance gain.

The HP Pro Tablet 10 EE G1 originates from the market for educational institutions. It is a robust 10-inch device with a thick rubber frame. The ports are behind a cover. The HP features a slot for the Stylus Pen (included) and a SIM card slot. As with the HP Pro Tablet 408 G1, it also comes with a 3G modem. The reviewer was delighted with the very bright and viewing-angle-stable IPS panel. Prices vary greatly from 300 to 550 Euros (~$337 to $618). The smallest variant features 32 GB and Windows Bing Edition, while the biggest one comes with a 3G modem - but also features only 32 GB. Thus using Cloud storage is unavoidable.

It features a robust build and should therefore survive drops. Connecting to the outside world is possible via Wi-Fi or 3G modem. The tablet's viewing-angle-stable screen pleases with high brightness and decent contrast.

Those looking for a robust, affordable Windows tablet cannot go wrong here. The cheap HP Pro Tablet 408 G1 might be an alternative, which is significantly lighter weighing 375 g (~0.8 lb).