Speed is one of the key selling points of a tablet. Knowing how quickly you can scoot around your favourite web pages and open your beloved apps is important to a lot of people. That's why we test every tablet for exactly this.
Using the industry-recognised Geekbench software to measure tablet speed, we've found the fastest tablets available. The good news is that some of them are incredibly fast, with Microsoft taking both Gold and Silver with models in its Surface Pro 4 range. The bad news is that they come at a price. Read on to find out how ten of the most popular tablets did in our test.
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Our tablet speed test The speed test for tablets consists of putting each one through its paces with a series of identical tasks, reflecting real-world use – exactly the sorts of things you would be doing with them on a daily basis.
This is then converted into a numerical score – and, as you might expect, the higher the number, the faster the tablet. Anyone who has owned a sluggish tablet in the past will know full well that, while waiting for an app to load may seem trivial, it can be frustrating in the long run. The top scorers in our test will flit from website to website at breakneck speed, and you won't find faster models.
It's the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 range that tops the table, with the Surface Pro 4 256GB (i7) in pole position, seeing off competition from Apple's flagship iPad Pro series by some margin. While the Apple iPad Pro 12.9 is undeniably quick, it's still eclipsed by the Surface Pro 4 in our tests.
Elsewhere, the Google Pixel C just pips the Apple iPad Air 2, although kudos to the Air 2 for staying in the race – it's a couple of years older than the Google Pixel C and still capable of speeds that other tablets envy. This model might be due an upgrade, but it's certainly got long legs.
How the tablets scoredHere are the Geekbench scores for the tablets in our race:
Of course all that speed comes at a price. The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 256GB (i7-8GB) will set you back £1,300, so it's a big investment. The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 seems a relative snip by comparison at around £650 – not something you can usually say about Apple products.
Speed isn't everythingWhile we may clamour for the fastest tablet, it's important to remember it isn't the be all and end all. Hypothetically, you could have the world's fastest tablet but, if the screen is poor and the interface clunky, you'll be in for a miserable time. That's why we make sure to test every other facet of the tablets we send to our lab.
The best tablets are a perfect blend of speed, usability, screen quality, portability and battery life. That's a lot to ask, and we cover it all in our tests.
While Geekbench numbers are a useful gauge for speed, they shouldn't overshadow the other elements of a tablet. Even the slowest model in our race – the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 10″ – will be fast enough for general day-to-day use, and you won't have any problems with browsing the web or watching Netflix on it.
More on thisBest Buy tablets – discover the tablets that scored best in our lab testsLaptop reviews – models to consider for more powerful computingHow we test tablets – find out more about what makes a Best Buy tablet
Source: Can Microsoft beat Apple in our tablet speed race?
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