Every time Apple releases a new iPad Pro, it redefines the boundary of what a display should look like, the performance you should expect, and most importantly, what the experience of a tablet-computer form factor should feel like. We yearn for such a cohesive and powerful experience in other ecosystems. Nevertheless, in this article, we have curated the best iPad Pro 2021 alternatives that offer the best display, performance, and streamlined experience. So without any further delay, let’s hop on and find alternatives to iPad Pro 2021 in the Android, Windows, and Chrome OS ecosystems.
Here, we have mentioned both premium and affordable alternatives to the iPad Pro 2021 (11-inch and 12.9-inch). You can expand the table below and jump to the device of your choice with ease.
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 & S7+
- Lenovo Duet Chromebook
- Surface Pro X
- iPad Air 2020 (4th-gen)
- HUAWEI MatePad Pro
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite
- Lenovo Tab P11 Pro
- Surface Go 2 / Surface Book 3 / Surface Pro 7
1. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 & S7+: Best iPad Pro 2021 Alternative
If there is one company that gives stiff competition to Apple in any product category, it’s Samsung. Despite Google not putting effort behind Android to build a tablet-optimized OS, Samsung has taken it upon itself to optimize the Android OS for its tablet lineup. For the past few years, Samsung has been launching new and exciting tablets in the Android ecosystem that can truly compete with Apple’s best iPads.
All in all, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ starts at $735, and the iPad Pro 2021 (12.9-inch) starts at $1099. Considering the price difference, the Tab S7+ sounds like a great deal if you are looking to save some money. With that being said, if you regularly work outdoors, the iPad Pro 2021 will be a better match for you.
2. Lenovo Duet Chromebook: Most Affordable iPad Pro 2021 Alternative
Lenovo Duet Chromebook is one of the best iPad Pro 2021 alternatives. It does not have insane display specs like the iPad Pro 2021 but comes with a desktop-class browser, touch-optimized UI, gestures, and Android apps in a tablet-computer form factor. Apple always projects the iPad as its next computer that works like a traditional computer with an attached keyboard and a tablet.
3. Surface Pro X
Surface Pro X is kind of an experimental device, and I won’t recommend it to everyone. If you love to use Windows, then Surface Pro X is a decent alternative to iPad Pro 2021. What is unique about this device is that it does not run on an Intel processor. Instead, it comes with an ARM-based Microsoft SQ2 processor. The processor is built on Qualcomm’s 8CX Gen 2 SoC, which the company offers for desktop OSes like Windows 10.
4. iPad Air 2020 (4th-gen): Alternative in Apple Ecosystem
If you don’t want to leave the Apple ecosystem and invest in Android and Windows, I would suggest getting the 4th-gen iPad Air. Launched in 2020, it’s an affordable iPad with all the modern features you would find on iPad Pro 2021. It comes only in one size, with a 10.9-inch screen that makes it a suitable alternative to the 11-inch iPad Pro 2021. You also get a similar Liquid Retina display on iPad Air 2020 but miss out on the 120Hz refresh rate panel.
5. HUAWEI MatePad Pro
If you are from the UK, you can consider the HUAWEI MatePad Pro as an alternative to the iPad Pro 2021. It comes with a 2K display, a powerful Kirin 990 chipset, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage for the base variant. While we can’t evaluate the Kirin 990 chip with the Apple M1 SoC, we can confidently say that Kirin 990 is comparable to the A14 Bionic in multi-core performance.
6. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is an affordable alternative to the iPad Pro 2021. The tablet does not compete with the iPad Pro 2021 or even the Tab S7 in any way, but it brings a refined tablet experience to the masses. It costs only $364 and includes a 10.4-inch beautiful display, 4GB of RAM, 64GB storage on the base variant, a singular 8MP camera on the back, and a 5MP selfie shooter.
7. Lenovo Tab P11 Pro
Much like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, Lenovo has also launched a budget tablet PC called the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro. Specs-wise, it does not compare with iPad Pro 2021 on most parameters, but for users looking for an affordable tablet experience in the Android ecosystem, it suffices the need. The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro comes with an 11.5-inch OLED screen, and that’s commendable at its price point. The screen is HDR10 compliant with 500 nits of typical brightness.
At the core, the tablet runs on Snapdragon 730G, which is a mid-tier Qualcomm chip and nowhere close to the Apple M1 chipset. The base variant comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, a dual-camera setup, 20W fast charging, and more. The tablet is currently available in the UK, Europe, and India.
8. Surface Go 2 / Surface Book 3 / Surface Pro 7
Apart from the ARM-powered Surface Pro X, Microsoft has many offerings in the tablet-computer form factor. Let’s start with the Surface Go 2. It’s a 10.5-inch touchscreen Windows 10 tablet with a kickstand on the back. You can also separately buy a keyboard accessory and make it a full-fledged PC to use on the go. Surface Go 2 runs on low-powered mobile Intel processors such as the Pentium and M3. As is evident from the processor, the Surface Go 2 is best for lightweight tasks like media consumption and browsing the web. It starts at $399.99. Surface Book 3
