Best business tablets to buy in 2016

While most tablet manufacturers focus on the multiple entertainment and leisure applications of devices like the iPad, tablets can also play a viable role in the enterprise. Modern tablet computing distills the power of a laptop into hand-held form, opening up a whole new realm of enterprise mobility. 

Rather than lugging a heavy widescreen laptop around, a tablet can be the perfect solution to achieving business productivity on the move, whether it be by taxi, train or aeroplane. Working from a touchscreen also allows interactive content such as graphs, presentations and video to be accessed in an instant.

To help you make sense of the vast choice of tablets, we've put together this list of the best tablets for your business. No matter what your company needs, you'll find a device to suit your purpose here.

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Best Tablets 2016: Slimline

One of the key features of tablet computing is the inherent portability. Slim thickness and light weight make tablets perfect for slipping into a bag, allowing you to take all your emails, art and documents wherever you go. Each one a masterclass in design, these are some of the most razor-thin tablets on the market.

Apple iPad Pro 9.7 

The iPad Pro 9.7 might be Apple's new name for the iPad Air 3, but it remains the best all-round tablet you can buy. This is the thinnest, lightest iPad yet whilst still boasting the gorgeous 9.7in Retina display with a 2,048 x 1,536 resolution.

Apple has beefed up performance - using the latest A9X processor and loading the iPad with 2GB of RAM. The tablet now comes with Touch ID and despite shrinking the battery life to make the device lighter than its predecessor, the Air 2 retains the same 10 hour battery life.

The weight of the tablet is a huge selling point, as it can easily be carried around in a briefcase or handbag, and it's 6.1mm thinness also increases portability while not compromising on performance.

Price: From £399 (16GB, Wi-Fi)

Apple iPad Mini 4

Apple announced the iPad Mini 3 alongside the iPad Air 2, with much fanfare. However, the upgrades introduced were incremental at best, and its predecessor remains the better-value option.

As well as Apple's customarily stunning exterior, this iPad comes complete with a gorgeous 2046 x 1536 display. Despite the slightly older internal components, the iPad Mini 2 is still perfectly capable of handling basic-to-moderate tablet workloads with no problems whatsoever.

Price: From £319 (16GB, WiFi)

Dell Venue 8 7840

Billed as the world's tablet, this Android-based Dell tablet boasts a stunning scratch resistant display with an 8in 2560x1600 resoution.

The device runs Android KitKat 4.4.4 on an Intel Atom 2.3GHz chip. However, it is the inclusion of that Intel chip that means that Microsoft Office is conspicuous by its absence.

That aside, the performance acquits itself well in tests, putting it on par with Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact.

Price: From £369 (16GB, WiFi)

Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4

The tablet branch of Samsung's Galaxy range has consistently delivered high-quality devices at a mid-range budget. The Tab S 8.4 is one of its better examples, and sports a pretty spectacular display. This can be harnessed for multi-tasking, with Samsung's split-window functionality once again on show.

One of the Tab S 8.4's biggest selling points is its battery. It lasted 13 and a half hours in our continuous video test, putting it above the iPad Mini 2. It's also got a nicely compact form-factor, ensuring maximum portability. 

Samsung are consistently one of the best manufacturers of Android tablets, and this slate is a great example of why.

Price: From £319 (16GB, WiFi)

Best Tablets 2016: High-performance

Once upon a time, tablets were a poor relation to traditional laptops and PCs in terms of power. Now, however, many tablets have enough raw grunt to replace your laptop altogether. All of these devices will handle document creation and web browsing with ease, but are also more than capable of handling more demanding products like the Adobe Creative Suite.

Apple iPad Pro

Although Apple's main 9.7in iPad line of tablets has spawned the smaller iPad Mini, that smaller tablet can be used in almost the exact same way as its larger counterpart. The same can't be said for the 12.9in iPad Pro which is a very different beast to its two smaller cousins. The iPad Pro is Apple's most specialised and niche iOS device to date, with a high quality screen, excellent stylus and very fast performance. But where the iPad Pro really comes into its own is with the Apple Pencil - it's close enough to pen and paper to make it a must have for graphics professionals and budding artists alike.

Price: £416 ex VAT (32GB WiFi-only version, excluding Apple Pencil and keyboard cover)

Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet

While Sony no longer makes Vaio laptops, it still does tablets. The Xperia Z4 tablet comes with a keyboard docking station, allowing it to be used as a laptop as well. 

The Android Lollipop OS-based tablet also comes with a Windows-style start menu and mini-apps that can be positioned anywhere.

Price: From £499

HP ElitePad 1000

For users wanting the longest lasting Windows 8.1 tablet - look no further than the ElitePad 1000.

HP offers up 'Jackets' which can be slotted onto the device to increase functionality and increase battery life. If you get the Expansion Jacket with the second battery, you get expect at least 15 hours of usage without needing to reach for a charger. That's impressive for a 10.1in device.

Price: From £720 (Atom processor, 64GB storage)

Surface Pro 4

Part Ultrabook, part tablet - the Surface Pro 4 claims to be a 2-in-1 that will replace your laptop. 

Although it has some excellent specifications including a gorgeous 12.3in (2160 x 1440) , choice of Intel Core processors and a full-sized USB port. The Pro 3 also comes with a stylus - making it useful for taking notes or sketches.

Bright, high quality screen, comfortable keyboard and an adjustable built-in kickstand: if you do invest in the Pro 4, it could save the need to buy separate tablet and laptop. 

Price: From £749 (128GB storage) + £109 for Type Cover

Nvidia Shield

It can be tempting to dismiss the debut tablet from GPU manufacturer Nvidia as purely a gaming device. You'd be doing the Shield a pretty major dis-service, however - it's a seriously capable tablet.

True, it's built primarily to run high-end mobile games and ports of desptop titles, but in order to power them, it's got a powerful 2.2GHz Tegra K1 quad-core processor as its beating heart, along with 2GB of RAM. 

This means it's more than equipped to handle mobile workloads and multi-tasking, in addition to light artwork duties courtesy of the in-built stylus.

Price: £200 (16GB WiFi-only)

HP Pro Slate 8

This Android-based tablet comes with a stylus and HP Notes and Corel Painter Mobile apps preinstalled. 

It also supports hardware-accerated encryption and can be managed via HP's own Touchpoint Manager software, allowing administrators to remote lock and locate lost or stolen tablets. 

It boasts an 8in screen (7.9in according to HP) with a resolution of 2048x1536 pixels as well as an 8-megapixel camera.

Price: £288

Best Tablets 2016: Budget

It can be tempting to drop vast amounts of money on a shiny new tablet, complete with all the bells and whistles. It's often simply not necessary though. Advances in components and manufacturing have led to tablets getting smaller and cheaper than ever before. All of these models will be perfectly suited to light-to-moderate use, and are all available for a wallet-friendly price of under £200.

Google Nexus 7 (2013)

Despite its age, the Nexus 7 remains a great choice for those after a budget tablet. The fact it's getting a little long in the tooth also means you'll likely be able to pick one up for a song.

Building upon everything which went well in the first edition, the Nexus 7 (2013) offers an impressive Android based slate at a cheaper price than most others on the list. It's got a 7in IPS display with a superb 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, 323ppi.

That stunning display doesn't eat up the battery life quickly either, it's 3,950mAh. IT Pro set it up on a video loop and found it lasted just under 12 hours. Plus, being a Google product, it's upgradable to Android Lollipop 5.0.

Price: From £183 (16GB, Wi-Fi)

Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6

While Amazon's line of tablets may not be as successful as its Android competitors, the Kindle Fire HD range are among some of the best budget tablets out there.

Although Amazon's App Store lags behind competitors in terms of selection, it's still got all the essentials. What's more, Amazon have included some nifty software tweaks of their own.

However, what's most enticing about this is tablet is the price. Weighing in at under £100, this tablet is a fantastic bargain, even if you choose to go for a more advanced model.

Price: From £79 (8GB, WiFi)

Tesco Hudl 2

Tesco's second effort at an own-brand tablet is a sterling example of a budget device that avoids feeling cheap. Admittedly, the build quality isn't premium by any means, but it feels perfectly sturdy and pleasantly functional.

Taken purely on specs, it's underwhelming in the extreme; benchmark performance was underwhelming at best, multitasking is a downright slog, and to top it all off, it's still running Android KitKat.

All of that can safely be ignored, however, thanks to this tablet's £99 price tag. It's an absolutely phenomal deal, and can be brought down even further with tactical use of Tesco's Clubcard system.

Price: From £99

This article has been updated and restructured multiple times (most recently on 13/05/16). 

Source: Best business tablets to buy in 2016