How we test tablets

Watch the video above to find out what makes a tablet a Which? Best Buy, and why there is a big difference between the tablets we recommend and the ones we don't. 

We put every tablet through the same assessments in our lab, mixing technical tests and measurements with real-life ease-of-use testing. We get to the heart of how you actually use a tablet every day, so that every one of our tablet reviews will tell you what you need to know to make the right choice. This includes:

• How bright, clear and vibrant is the screen?
• How responsive is the touchscreen?
• How long will the battery last?
• Will the tablet handle all the latest apps?
• Is this tablet easy to use?
• Do the cameras take sharp and accurate pictures and video?
• Most importantly, should I buy it?

Find out which tablets make the grade and are worth your money – see our tablet reviews

How bright, clear and vibrant is the screen?

We use a panel of three experts to judge how good the screen is. They check that it’s sharp and bright across the surface, and that its colours are rich and vibrant.

We know that you’re not always going to be sitting on your sofa, so as well as testing the screen in a normally lit room, we see how it looks in bright daylight and under direct sunlight. Can you still see your apps or just the sunlight reflecting from the screen?

Not every tablet screen looks good if viewed at an angle, so we check to see if the detail and colour accuracy suffer if you're not sat straight on. 

How responsive is the touchscreen?

Most tablets don’t come with a physical keyboard, so a responsive, accurate touchscreen is crucial. We check how much force you need to use before the screen responds and assess how accurately it tracks your finger’s movement on the surface.

We also type on the on-screen keyboard to see whether you’ll be happy typing emails on it or frustrated by the number of mistakes.

How long will the battery last?

We run three sets of exhaustive tests. 

• First, we surf the web over a wi-fi connection until the tablet runs out of battery 
• After a full recharge, we then play video continuously until the screen goes dead 
• Last, we also charge the device for 30 minutes from flat to see how much life you can squeeze from a quick charge.

Some tablets last upwards of 16 hours from a full charge before they run dry; the equivalent of watching a whole season of House of Cards.

Will the tablet handle all the latest apps?

We don’t rely on subjective impressions of a tablet’s speed, but instead run technical benchmarks to see whether the tablet’s processor can cope with demanding apps – or with running several apps at the same time. 

This means we can tell you whether your tablet will cope with new versions of Android or the latest games and apps or if it’s likely to crumble and sputter out when you give it something tough to work on.

When we see tablets start to consistently ace these benchmarking tests, we rethink the software we use to make sure it's always a challenge and only the very best tablets do well. 

Is the tablet easy to use?

Three lab experts evaluate every tablet to determine how easy they are to use from the moment they're taken out of the box for setup. We then replicate the same tasks that tablet users will be doing every day, whether that’s setting up accounts, browsing the web, sending emails or making a video call, to see how easy it is and whether the tablet can cope with everyday tasks.

What is a Which? Great Value tablet?

To get a Great Value badge from us a tablet needs to score at least 65% and cost less than most other models.

Since tablets come in several different sizes, we treat each bracket differently.

So when we check the average price of a 7-inch tablet to determine what price we consider to be great value we don't include the cost of a 13-inch one. 

The size brackets are:

• 6 to 7.9-inch tablets
• 8 to 10.9-inch tablets
• 11 inches and above tablets

Seeing a Great Value badge on a tablet guarantees that it's good enough to consider buying and it costs less than most other tablets of similar quality. 

Great Value tablets can also be Best Buys, but don't have to be. A tablet needs a score of 81% or above to be a Best Buy, while a Great Value tablet needs to score at least 65%.

Should I buy it?

All these assessments figure in to a total test score, so that we can identify the best tablets from the worst and make meaningful comparisons between rival models.

We concentrate on processor performance, ease of use, screen quality, battery life and features, and we don’t take price into account. The final score breaks down as follows:

• 35% processor performance
• 20% ease of use
• 20% screen quality
• 15% battery
• 10% features

If a tablet receives a total test score of 81% or above, we’ll make it a Best Buy, while anything under 45% is a Don’t Buy. 

You can use our total test scores to easily compare rival tablets and make sure you only buy the best – see our tablet reviews.