The 10 Coolest Tablets Of 2016

Top Tablets

2016 has been the year of the 2-in-1. Traditional standalone "slate" tablets were much less of an emphasis than in previous years, as tablets paired with a detachable keyboard came into vogue.

The success of Microsoft's Surface Pro series paved the way, while Lenovo, Samsung, HP and even Apple have been among those that launched major new offerings in the category this year.

In the following slides, we've rounded up the 10 coolest tablets – whether 2-in-1s or slates – that we came across in 2016.

Acer Switch Alpha 12

What it is: 12-inch Windows tablet with a detachable keyboard

Starting price: $599, keyboard included

What's cool about it: This would be the one device on our list where the ’coolness’ is a literal selling point. The Switch Alpha 12 distinguishes itself by including liquid cooling technology instead of a fan. That allows Acer to describe the device as the first 2-in-1 that is both fanless and also offers Intel’s powerful sixth-generation Core processors – i3/i5/i7 (many tablets offer less horsepower). The device’s 2,160- by 1,440-pixel resolution display isn’t too shabby, either.

Apple iPad Pro (9.7-inch)

What it is: 9.7-inch iOS tablet, optional detachable keyboard (sold separately)

Starting price: $599 (Wi-Fi), $729 (Wi-Fi + Cellular); prices for tablet only

What's cool about it: Normally the introduction of a new size for a tablet wouldn’t be cause for too much excitement, but that’s not the case when the tablet maker in question is Apple. In March, Apple – in recognition of the fact that the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is not for everyone – released a smaller version of the tablet for professionals. Along with Retina display and compatibility with the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro has some serious processing power – a 64-bit A9X chip that "rivals most portable PCs," according to Apple – while weighing less than a pound.

Dell Latitude 12 7275

What it is: 12.5-inch Windows tablet with a detachable keyboard

Starting price: $1,049, keyboard included

What's cool about it: Surface Pro 4 may be the dominant force in 2-in-1s for business, but Dell is out to prove that mobile professionals should, at the very least, consider their options. The Latitude 12 7275 is, of course, one of those options. For starters, the device weighs just 1.61 pounds without the keyboard – below the 1.73 pounds of the Surface Pro 4. And speaking of the keyboard, it’s full-size, something on-the-go professionals tend to favor. Also, upping the cool factor is that the device is designed to be free of latches and locks; it uses magnets for switching between its tablet and laptop modes.

HP Pavilion x2 (12-inch)

What it is: 12-inch Windows tablet with a detachable keyboard

Starting price: $599, keyboard included

What's cool about it: HP was onto something with the original 10-inch Pavilion x2, which brought what is perhaps the ultimate combination in mobile computing – portability, performance and affordability. So in contrast to Apple’s trajectory with the iPad Pro – from a large tablet for business to a smaller one – HP took its Pavilion x2 and gave it a larger 12-inch version targeted for increased productivity (while still being comparatively affordable). And like Dell’s Latitude 12 7275, this device has a latchless magnetic connector for mode-switching and comes with a full-size keyboard.

Huawei MateBook

What it is: 12-inch Windows tablet, optional detachable keyboard (sold separately)

Starting price: $700, for tablet only

What's cool about it: While it’s the first 2-in-1 offering from Huawei and is aimed at business users, the MateBook isn’t content to just play it safe and try to clone the Surface Pro 4. One key differentiator is the sleek design of the device, which features an iPad Pro-like gold color scheme on the outside – white with a gold hue. The device also weighs just 1.4 pounds, boasts a display with 2,160- by 1,440-pixel resolution and can be configured with up to 8GB of RAM for serious productivity.

Huawei MediaPad M3

What it is: 8.4-inch Android tablet

Starting price: $299

What's cool about it: This competitor to Apple's iPad Mini in the Android universe offers plenty of style – including an aerospace-grade aluminum body – with nice specs for a comparatively low cost. The IPS display offers 2,560- by 1,600-pixel resolution while some significant horsepower is available from Huawei's HiSilicon Kirin octa core processor (2.3GHz). The tablet also offers louder volumes than many tablets thanks to its inclusion of Harman Kardon speakers.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet

What it is: 12-inch Windows tablet with detachable keyboard

Starting price: $809, keyboard included

What's cool about it: Lenovo's 12-inch ThinkPad X1 is a 2-in-1 convertible tablet that might seem like a copy of the Surface Pro 4 on the face of it, but that's not the case. The X1 tablet stands out by connecting to special modules such as the Productivity Module, which extends battery life by five hours and the Presenter Module, which turns the tablet into a projector. That added functionality is hugely useful, said Lawrence Cruciana, president and chief systems engineer at Charlotte, N.C.-based Corporate Information Technologies. "In my view, it fit a hole in the market that was there, and I think [Lenovo] nailed it with this," Cruciana said.

Microsoft Surface Book i7

What it is: 13.5-inch touchscreen Windows display with detachable keyboard

Starting price: $2,399

What's cool about it: Is it a laptop, or is it a detachable tablet? Those lines are perhaps nowhere blurrier than with Microsoft's Surface Book. This fall, the company launched an updated new version of the device, known as the Surface Book i7 (or, the Surface Book with Performance Base). The device features a sixth-gen Intel Core i7 processor, a GeForce GTX 965M for graphics and up to 16 hours of battery life on a charge.

Panasonic FZ-F1

What it is: 4.7-inch rugged Windows tablet

Starting price: $1,499

What's cool about it: This device is probably considered a tablet more because of what it doesn’t do than what it does. At just 4.7 inches, the FZ-F1 is smaller than many smartphones, and that’s the point – it’s designed not to be a phone, but to be a device that can easily be held in one hand (and typed upon by the other) in rugged environments. Adding to the ruggedness is the ability to withstand a drop of six feet or submersion in three feet of water for up to a half hour.

Samsung Galaxy TabPro S

What it is: A 12-inch Windows tablet with detachable keyboard

Starting price: $899, keyboard included

What's cool about it: A first thing to note about the TabPro S is that it represents a shift on Samsung’s part – a shift with implications for the workforce. This 2-in-1 embraces Windows as an operating system over Samsung’s usual mobile go-to OS, Android. Other touches that cater to the needs of on-the-go professionals include its portability (1.53 pounds) and its full-sized keyboard.