Best tablets for older people to buy in 2022

By Jason Murdock

Published: Wednesday, 20 April 2022 at 12:00 am

Tablets are an attractive prospect for older users, and it’s easy to see why. Displays are bigger than phones, they are great for travelling and easily pack enough power for tasks without needing to rely on a cumbersome laptop or desktop.

In 2022, slates will come in a wide variety of screen sizes and price points. So whether you’re on the hunt for a new tablet, or are currently looking to buy a device as a gift for a friend or relative, there will definitely be a model for you.

The big temptation is to stick with Apple – thanks to the relative safety of the iOS App Store and general ease-of-use of its software – and we broadly agree this is a great choice for most older (or all!) users, although it is not the only option.

There are some models from Amazon, Samsung and Lenovo that are also worthy of your consideration. While they may lack the sheen and premium feel of Apple’s line-up, they are typically more affordable and provide more customisation.

Not sure if you actually need a big display after all and want to stick with a phone? Be sure to also check out our guide to the best smartphones for older people.

Still shopping? Here’s our breakdown of the best tablet of the year so far, and if you want to keep the costs down don’t miss our guide to the best budget tablet.

Best tablets for older people at a glance

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There’s a wide selection of tablets for older people
Getty/iStock

How to choose the best tablet for older people

Let’s get it out of the way upfront: the user may be older, but that doesn’t mean for a second that they don’t know their way around a tablet – or are somehow less able to use one as a result of age. There are, however, a few considerations that may be helpful to know before buying a device: display size and quality, accessibility features, battery life and how intuitive it is to navigate are some possible factors.

Many of these are normal aspects of shopping for shiny new tech but they may be more important for some that are more mature among us. Before hitting purchase, you want to consider why the tablet is needed. Is it for checking the news with a morning coffee? Catching up with some reading during a well-earned holiday? Or perhaps bingeing a new series or documentary on Netflix, Disney+ or Prime Video?

In most cases, narrowing down this why will quickly narrow down your options. If it’s portability, there are some small tablets. If it’s power, there are powerful tablets. If it’s general ease of use, there are some that offer simple navigation, and so on. It’s no different than buying for anyone else – just find out why the tablet is needed and that’s your starting point. The next major factor to consider is budget.

Luckily, accessibility is a key factor of both iOS and Android operating systems these days, so no matter which one you do go for there should be quite a few options built in. These will let you alter the user experience, such as changing the size of text, adding audio descriptions, magnifying the screen, text-to-speech and more.

Other notable mentions:

How much money should you spend?

The tablets we have chosen for this list range from around £200 to £1,000, so it is clear there is a massive variety in price points when it comes to buying a new slate. How much you spend will ultimately depend on the exact specs, storage space and display size you need. In general, the better the tablet, the more it will cost.

If the user needs a tablet for basic internet browsing, streaming and emails it’s fine to stay at the lower end of the spectrum – say between £200 and £600 – but anyone who needs more power or built-in storage will likely have to pay a bit more.

We highly advise sticking to well-known brands when buying a new tablet, so that will include Apple, Samsung, Amazon, Lenovo, Microsoft and Huawei (although check the specs for that last one before spending money as some may not play well with Google apps). The reason for this is simple: they are the most likely to be well supported in terms of future software and security updates, alongside customer support.

Best tablets for older people in 2022

Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch, £959

Best premium tablet

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The iPad Pro (2021) has a great 12.9-inch display

Pros:

  • Fantastic high-res display
  • Beautiful high-end design
  • iOS is easy to set up and use

Cons:

  • Expensive, especially for higher storage
  • Large frame is not the best for portability

If you need power over portability and don’t mind paying for the luxury, the iPad Pro (12.9-inch) is the best of the best. Priced from around £1000 this slate isn’t for everyone, but this iOS tablet is undoubtedly premium, sleek and easy to use. The high-resolution display is a high-point, and there’s a lot of customisation offered in the settings: screen zoom, text size, audio descriptions, motion sensitivity, call routing, voice control, support for the Apple Pencil 2, and so much more.

As we wrote in our review of the most expensive Apple tablet: “We’ve tried to push it to various limits, we’ve actively gone looking for faults, and the only one we can really point to is its price. Even then, though, the amount of premium technology on board this tablet goes a very long way towards justifying paying so much for it.”

Read the full Apple iPad Pro 2021 review.

Buy the Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021):