Top 12: tablets with a keyboard | 2023 release

What are the best tablets with a keyboard dock or cover? In this leaderboard you will find my test winners with Android, Windows 11 and iPadOS.

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What are the best tablets with a keyboard? Tablets with a keyboard dock or cover are popular, whether they run Android, iPadOS or Windows. The reason is clear: With just one device you get a classic tablet, but also a notebook. You can work productively on them because you don’t have to be satisfied with an on-screen keyboard. A touchpad is usually built in and the docks or covers protect the display when folded.

There are a number of tablets with keyboards. Almost every Windows tablet has one, but iPad Pro models and some devices running Android can also be purchased with a keyboard. I’ve been testing tablets for over 10 years and here are my current recommendations if you’re looking for one with a good keyboard. All individual test reports can be found here.

If you don’t feel like reading the whole article: I can particularly recommend the following three tablets.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is a great laptop replacement because it behaves like a normal notebook. Except that it’s also a tablet. The iPad Pro, on the other hand, is the better pure tablet if you are looking for one with a keyboard but still have a classic PC or laptop at home.

And the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook hardly anyone knows, I often call it an “insider tip”. It is very cheap, a keyboard is already included, and is particularly suitable for schoolchildren and students thanks to Chrome OS.

But there are many other tablets that are offered with a keyboard. All of the ones I can currently recommend are listed below, roughly sorted by price. Below you can read more details about the devices and there are also links to my test reports.

tablets with keyboards: an overview

Here is a quick overview of the test winners, which in my opinion are currently the best tablets with a keyboard.

Best Windows tablet with keyboard:

Microsoft Surface Pro 9. In my opinion, the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is the best Windows tablet with a keyboard cover. And if you’re looking for a tablet that can replace a full-fledged notebook, it’s probably the best choice for you. It offers a chic 13-inch display, the latest Intel Core processors, a high-quality design and, above all, a great keyboard cover.

Best iPad with keyboard

Apple iPad Pro. The 11-inch and 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro are the best keyboard-only tablets in my opinion. They’re not quite as good at replacing a laptop, but they’re better regular tablets than the Surface Pro 9. We get outstanding displays, the powerful M2 chipset, Apple Pencil 2 support, and with the Apple Magic Keyboard, there’s a good keyboard cover to choose from Accesories.

Best Android tablets with a keyboard

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series. The three tablets in the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series are not quite as powerful as the iPad Pro, but they are the best Android tablets on the market. They are packed with premium features like the S Pen, a Super AMOLED display of up to 14.6 inches and just like Apple, you can choose between two types of keyboard cases.

Great iPad Pro alternative

Apple iPad Air. If the iPad Pro is too expensive for you, I think the Apple iPad Air is an excellent alternative. Inside, the M1 chipset is almost as powerful as the M2, and it works with the same Apple Magic Keyboard. However, the Air is only available with a 10.9-inch display, so it is not an alternative to the 12.9-inch Pro.

Good Galaxy Tab S8+ alternative

Lenovo Tab P12 Pro. With its 12.6-inch AMOLED display, the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro is a slightly cheaper alternative to the Galaxy Tab S8+. It offers a very good keyboard cover that can also be used separately from the tablet. The performance is very strong and an active pen is included.

Good Galaxy Tab S8 alternative

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2. The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2 is an exciting and cheaper alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8. I think the optional keyboard cover is just as good, and the OLED display is even slightly better. In return, the performance and workmanship are somewhat weaker.

Great value for money

Lenovo Duet 3 Chromebook. The Lenovo Duet 3 Chromebook offers an excellent price/performance ratio and is particularly interesting for pupils and students. It’s exciting because Chrome OS, including the full desktop Chrome Browser, the operating system and a good keyboard cover, are included as standard. However, it is unsuitable as an entertainment tablet.

Good mid-range tablet with keyboard

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE . If all of these premium tablets are too expensive for you, then take a look at the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE. We have to do without many premium features here, but the S Pen is still included and it works with exactly the same keyboards as the Galaxy Tab S8+. It’s a very good mid-range tablet.

Mid-range iPad with keyboard

The Apple iPad 10 is a stripped down iPad Air that works with a completely different keyboard. Although the Apple Magic Folio Keyboard is quite expensive, it works great. The iPad 10 itself is a good tablet to work with, only the display has a weak point.

Inexpensive Android tablet with keyboard

Lenovo Tab P11. The Lenovo Tab P11 is the cheapest Android tablet with a keyboard cover that I can recommend. It is similar to the Galaxy Tab S7 FE in many respects, but is smaller at 11 inches and is a bit weaker in many respects. It’s also cheaper for that. The optional keyboard cover is pretty good, and you can get it with a stylus if you want.

Cheapest iPad with keyboard

Apple iPad 9. The Apple iPad 9 is Apple’s cheapest tablet and they also offer an official keyboard case for it. I think the official keyboard is the worst on this list, but the ones from Logitech for the iPad 9 are pretty good. Although the design looks a bit dated, the performance is outstanding for the price and you can use it with the Apple Pencil 1.

Cheapest Windows tablet with keyboard

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3i. The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3i is the cheapest Windows tablet that I can currently recommend. While the performance is comparatively weak, if you’re just looking for a cheap tablet with a keyboard and Windows, I think it’s a viable choice.

How to choose the right tablet with keyboard

There are quite a few good tablets that come with a good keyboard cover or dock. So which one is the right one? It’s different for everyone.

The most important question is: Do you want to replace a desktop PC or a full-fledged laptop with the tablet? Everyone can do that a bit, but in my opinion iPadOS and Android are not really good at it yet. In this case, I would go for a device with Windows 11 – and my recommendation is the Surface Pro 9.

Chrome OS is quite suitable as a notebook replacement and that’s why tablets like the Duet 3 Chromebook can be great for students. Or in general for anyone looking for a small, compact tablet with a keyboard for a small price.

I love Android and I love iPadOS. Both have very good keyboards, you can even connect mice, and I can be amazingly productive with both. But I can only fully recommend tablets with the operating systems as a second device. Do you have a desktop PC or a large laptop at home and are you looking for something small and light to take with you on the go? Then iPads and Android tablets are great.

Tablets with keyboards: all the details

Now let’s look at all the recommendations in detail. If you would like to know more, you will find a link to my detailed test reports under each one.

Microsoft Surface Pro 9: Best Windows Tablet with Keyboard

Microsoft Surface Pro 9

The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is, in my opinion, the best Windows tablet out there and since you can get it with an excellent keyboard cover, it’s also the best Windows tablet with a keyboard.

It sits at the top of this list because you can definitely replace a very high-quality notebook with it and without being able to make any big compromises. The operating system is Windows 11 and together with the keyboard it behaves exactly like a laptop, but without it it can also be a pure tablet.

For the Surface Pro 9, Microsoft has released a new keyboard that is not compatible with the Pro 7 and is now called the Surface Pro Signature Keyboard. However, it is built to the same high quality as its predecessors and is connected via a magnetic connection. When folded, the display is protected and you can charge the Slim Pen 2 in the keyboard.

I was immediately able to type on the keyboard very comfortably, as it is a normal-sized keyboard with good key travel. Underneath is a touchpad, which isn’t as big as a laptop, but big enough for a tablet.

Together with Windows 11 and Office 365, the Surface Pro 9 is a very good office tablet. Since Windows 11 is a desktop operating system, I don’t consider it to be as good a “pure” tablet as the iPad Pro or Galaxy Tab S8 without a keyboard.

The Pro 8 has 12th generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, we get between 8GB and 32GB RAM and a 128GB to 1TB SSD. You can even change them yourself.

It’s one of the fastest Windows tablets on the market, but Apple’s M2 chipset is more powerful. However, the performance is great, especially for Adobe Photoshop and for simple video editing in Premiere Pro.
It’s one of the fastest Windows tablets on the market, but Apple’s M2 chipset is more powerful. However, the performance is great, especially for Adobe Photoshop and for simple video editing in Premiere Pro.

Read: My Microsoft Surface Pro 9 Review

Apple iPad Pro: The best iPads with a keyboard

Apple iPad Pro

In my opinion, the Apple iPad Pro cannot replace a laptop quite as well as the Surface Pro 9, but it is a much better pure tablet. I think it’s the better choice if you’re also looking for an entertainment device for games, Netflix and co, and if you’re also looking for a keyboard mainly for occasional work.

Apple offers two different types of keyboards for both sizes.

If you still want to replace a notebook with the iPad Pro as best as possible, the 12.9-inch model is of course the better choice. Especially with the Apple Magic Keyboard as an accessory, this is similar in size to a 13-inch laptop. This keyboard is really well done, it’s a keyboard dock of sorts, designed so that the tablet almost floats over the keyboard. The keys have good key travel and the touchpad is also good.

Apple offers exactly the same keyboard for the 11-inch iPad Pro. However, due to the smaller 11-inch display, the Magic Keyboard is not the normal size, but a bit smaller. It takes a little getting used to before you can write on it quickly and fluently.

For both sizes, Apple also offers a Smart Keyboard Folio, which is more of a keyboard case. This keyboard is significantly lighter and thinner, but is not quite as comfortable, especially in the long run.

The iPad Pro runs iPadOS, which is now surprisingly easy to work with. In addition, due to the large number of apps specially optimized for tablets, it is simply the better pure tablet.

Interestingly, it is more powerful than the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 due to the Apple M2 chipset. The performance is also clearly superior to any Android tablet.

In addition to the M2 processor, we get 8GB or 16GB of RAM and 128GB up to 2TB of storage. 5G is also an option. On the iPad Pro you can play the latest and most demanding games with the highest graphics settings.

The 11-inch iPad Pro has a classic LCD that is very bright at 600 nits and offers a resolution of 2388 x 1668 pixels. The 12.9-inch model with its Liquid Retina XDR display, which has just as good black levels as an OLED, is a little better. Here the resolution is 2732 x 2048 pixels and both support 120Hz. You can write on both with the good Apple Pencil 2.

Read: My Apple iPad Pro Review

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series: The best Android tablets with a keyboard

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, Galaxy Tab S8+ and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra are the best Android tablets out there. Similar to Apple, Samsung offers two types of keyboards for all three models. A thin keyboard case and better, but also more expensive keyboard cover, whose keyboards are more similar to the Surface Pro 8 and the Apple Magic Keyboard. So they are also the best Android tablets with a keyboard.

Similar to the iPad Pro, the Galaxy Tab S8 tablets are, in my opinion, better pure tablets than the Surface Pro 8. What’s cool here is that we get the Samsung DeX desktop mode, which means that the tablets can also be used more like laptops. However, the processor performance is noticeably weaker than Apple’s.

As I said, there is a keyboard cover for the three tablets, which is definitely okay for occasional work. It’s pretty thin and lacks a touchpad, but it’s also cheaper.

More exciting to work with are the Samsung Book Cover Keyboards, which have pretty good keyboards and built-in touchpads. Here we get a separate back with a folding stand, which can also be used without a keyboard.

The keyboards for the 12.4-inch Galaxy Tab S8+ and 14.6-inch Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra are roughly the same size as the Surface Pro 8 and typical laptops.

With the 11 inch Galaxy Tab S8 it is of course much smaller, just like with the 11 inch iPad Pro and many other tablets. Personally, I like 11-inch devices because I like to use them as a second device and they are lighter, which is why I like to take them with me to the café.

A Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, which has access to 8GB, 12GB or 16GB RAM and the internal memory is between 128GB and 512GB, ensures good performance. Samsung also offers 5G versions.

While the performance is not as good as the iPad Pro, the performance is good enough for intensive multitasking, Samsung DeX and even the latest games.

The 12.4-inch and 14.6-inch Super AMOLED displays with deep black levels are particularly great. That’s why the Galaxy Tab S8+ and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra are particularly suitable as entertainment tablets.

With the Galaxy Tab S8, on the other hand, we get a classic 11-inch LCD. All three support 120Hz, as do Apple and Microsoft. In this case, the S Pen stylus is included and does not have to be purchased separately.

Read: My Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Review

Apple iPad Air: Great iPad Pro alternative with keyboard

Apple iPad Air at

The Apple iPad Air is an excellent alternative to the iPad Pro, especially if you want to save some money and can do without a few features. It’s very similar to the 11-inch iPad Pro with its 10.9-inch display, and the Apple M1 chipset is almost as powerful as the M2.

The Air also works with the exact same Apple Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio.

That’s right, the keyboard experience of the iPad Air is just as good as that of the 11-inch iPad Pro. The software is also identical and the workmanship is almost as high. It’s just a shame that Apple doesn’t offer a 12.9-inch version of the Air.

The difference between the Air and the Pro is the slightly smaller 10.9-inch display, which is also slightly darker at 500 nits. In addition, it only supports 60Hz instead of 120Hz, so it looks as if the Apple Pencil 2 does not react quite as smoothly. But it is also exactly the same pen. If you can do without the 120Hz, you almost only have to live without Apple Face ID and get the Touch ID fingerprint reader in return.

As I said, inside is exactly the same Apple M1 chipset. There is also 8GB of RAM and, depending on the version, 64GB or 256GB of internal storage. There are no more storage options, but there is built-in 5G if desired. The performance is still great for all games and the Air is therefore more powerful than the Surface Pro 8 and Galaxy Tab S8.

Read: My Apple iPad Air Review

Lenovo Tab P12 Pro: Good Galaxy Tab S8+ alternative

Lenovo Tab P12 Pro

The Lenovo Tab P12 Pro is a pretty exciting alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+. It won’t get software updates for quite as long, but it’s often a good deal cheaper and the keyboard cover makes it more exciting. This can also be used separately from the tablet via Bluetooth.

Apart from that, it is a normal premium tablet with Android that has a productivity mode and can therefore also be used comfortably with a mouse and keyboard.

I think the keyboard cover is very similar to Samsung’s. It consists of a back with a built-in folding stand, which can also be used separately from the keyboard. Then you can connect the keyboard via a magnetic connector.

But you don’t have to connect the keyboard. It has a built-in battery and can therefore be connected via Bluetooth and used separately from the tablet. So the tablet can stand on the table and the keyboard can sit on your lap. Really cool.

We’re getting a pretty snazzy 12.6-inch Super AMOLED display here, so it’s only slightly smaller than the Surface Pro 8 and 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro. It’s a stylish display with good contrast and deep black levels.

You can write on the screen with the Lenovo Precision Pen 3, which is already included with the device. While the stylus works well, it’s not quite as outstanding as the first three on this list.

A Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor with 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of internal memory, as desired, ensure good performance. You can also get 5G on request. The performance is just below the Galaxy Tab S8 series and well below the iPad Pro. However, games like Fortnite can be played smoothly with high graphics settings.

Lenovo offers us numerous premium features such as a metal casing, fingerprint reader and good speakers. It will ship with Android 11 and there will be updates until 2024. That’s a disadvantage, because the previous tablets on this list will probably receive updates for a much longer time.

Read: My Lenovo Tab P12 Pro Review

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2: Good Galaxy Tab S8 alternative

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2 is a good alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 if you want to save some money. You can get the 11.2-inch tablet with an optional keyboard cover that’s about as good as Samsung’s.

Thanks to the productivity mode, I think it’s a good choice if you’re looking for a solid secondary device with a good keyboard at a reasonable price.

The display is better than the Galaxy Tab S8, because we get an 11.2-inch OLED screen here. It offers a better black value and is even a bit brighter at 600 nits. It supports HDR 10+ and 120Hz and the resolution is similarly high at 2560 x 1536 pixels. You can write on the display with the Lenovo Precision Pen 3, which works well.

The performance of the MediaTek Kompanio 1300T chipset is a bit weaker, which is supported by fairly large storage options with 6GB to 8GB RAM and 128GB to 256GB. Performance is more than adequate for games like PUBG Mobile and Fortnite, but not always on the highest graphics settings.

I think it’s great that Lenovo wants to update the tablet from Android 12 to Android 13 and Android 14. The manufacturer rarely does this.

Read: My Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2 Review

Lenovo Duet 3 Chromebook: great value for money

The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook offers a very good price/performance ratio, especially for pupils and students. For me it is a kind of insider tip, because the tablet is not particularly well known. But it should, because the keyboard cover is included for an RRP price of around 400 euros.

The second highlight of the tablet is Chrome OS, which will be updated directly by Google until 2030. The heart of the operating system is the full desktop Chrome browser that we know from Windows and macOS. This is particularly useful for web apps like Google Docs. Thanks to the Google Play Store, Android apps can also be installed.

As I said, the keyboard cover is included and consists of two parts, as is typical for Lenovo. There is a back with a built-in kickstand that attaches magnetically to the tablet and works without a keyboard. Then there is the keyboard with built-in touchpad. Since Chrome OS was originally developed as a desktop operating system, it is easier to use with a mouse and keyboard than Android and iPadOS.

A Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 processor with 4GB or 8GB RAM and 64GB up to 256GB memory ensures sufficient performance. The display is 11 inches and has a resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels. You can’t write on it with a USI 1 pen, but you can with a new USI 2 stylus. They work, but they’re not as good as the competition from Samsung, Apple, and Microsoft. I wouldn’t buy it because of the pen.

Read: My Lenovo Duet 3 Chromebook Review

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE: Good mid-range tablet with a keyboard

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is significantly cheaper and therefore not a premium device but a mid-range tablet. You can see it as a cheaper and slimmed down version of the Galaxy Tab S8+. In fact, the display here is also 12.4 inches and it works with the exact same keyboards of the S8+. If you want to work properly with an Android tablet, you can do that on the S7 FE almost as well as on the more expensive brother.

Samsung also offers two different types of keyboards for the Galaxy Tab S7 FE. A thinner keyboard case without a touchpad, intended for more casual tasks. Then there’s the Book Cover Keyboard, which has a built-in kickstand, a decent-sized keyboard, and a touchpad. You can also turn on the exact same Samsung DeX desktop mode.

For the rest, we don’t quite get the top quality of the S8+. So we only get a simple 12.4 inch LCD display instead of a Super AMOLED panel. 120Hz is also not supported, only the usual 60Hz. But the S Pen stylus is included and works almost as well. Because of the 60Hz screen, it just doesn’t look like it’s reacting quite as quickly. But Samsung Notes remains.

A Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G processor ensures sufficient performance in the WLAN version and a Snapdragon 750G chipset in the 5G version. There is also up to 6GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of storage. The performance is good enough for normal applications and most games. However, demanding games like Fortnite cannot be played with the highest graphics settings.

The software is almost the same as the S8+ and I expect the S7 FE will be updated for a long time as well. We even get a premium metal chassis, but it lacks a fingerprint reader and the speakers aren’t quite as good.

Read: My Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Review

Apple iPad 10: mid-range iPad with keyboard

Apple iPad 10

With the iPad 10, Apple has released a cheaper but also much slimmer version of the iPad Air. Although the design looks the same at first glance, it does not work with the Apple Magic Keyboard. Instead, you can buy the Apple Magic Folio Keyboard for the iPad 10, which doesn’t currently work with the Pro, Air, or Mini.

The Magic Folio Keyboard is similar to Samsung and Lenovo keyboard cases. It consists of a separately usable back with folding stand and a keyboard with touchpad. The keyboard cover works really well, also because you can now work surprisingly solidly with iPadOS. Sure, the accessories are expensive, but if you’re looking for a better tablet than the iPad 9 running iPadOS, the iPad 10 is a solid option.

It’s not quite as powerful as the Pro range with the M2 due to the Apple A14 processor, but it’s snappier than any Android tablet currently available. In my opinion, most of them don’t have to make any compromises in terms of performance compared to an Air or Pro.

However, that changes with the display. The 10.9-inch IPS display is high-resolution, very bright with 500 nits and also looks chic. But it is not laminated. An air gap is visible between the IPS panel and the touchscreen, which can be particularly annoying with the Apple Pencil 1. And with the Apple Pencil 1, it is annoying that it only works with an extra 10 euro adapter. Otherwise the stylus is good as usual.

Read: My Apple iPad 10 Review

Lenovo Tab P11: Cheapest Android tablet with keyboard

Lenovo Tab P11

The Lenovo Tab P11 is the cheapest Android tablet with a keyboard cover that I can currently recommend. It’s smaller and a bit weaker than the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE, but it’s also a lot cheaper. The keyboard has to be purchased separately and works similarly well to the Lenovo Duet Chromebook. There is also a productivity mode here.

When it comes to the design of the keyboard cover, manufacturers like to copy each other, although to be fair, Lenovo was a pioneer here. We get a back with a built-in folding stand and a keyboard with a touchpad that is connected separately. The keyboard cover works very well, I was able to type with it quickly and comfortably. The touchpad is small again, but that’s the way it is with tablets.

A Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 processor with 4GB or 6GB RAM and 64GB or 128GB memory ensures sufficient performance. The CPU performance is similar to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, while its graphics performance is better. I think the S6 Lite 2022 is better in many ways, but it doesn’t have a good keyboard cover. However, the performance of the Lenovo Tab P11 is sufficient for most applications. You just can’t play high-end games well.

We get an 11 inch LCD screen with 60Hz and a resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels. I think the display is okay, especially for the price. It’s cool that you can write on it with the Lenovo Precision Pen 2. You have to buy it separately and I would say it works similar to the Lenovo Duet Chromebook. And that also means that the Galaxy Tab S7 FE is the better pen tablet.

We also have to do without premium features here. There is no fingerprint reader, but the metal body and the speakers are sufficient.

Android 10 runs out of the box on the Lenovo Tab P11 and that is one of the downsides of the tablet. While there is a productivity mode, it will likely only get a major software update.

Read: My Lenovo Tab P11 Review

Apple iPad 9: The cheapest iPad with a keyboard

Apple iPad 9

The Apple iPad 9 is the cheapest iPad with an official keyboard cover. While I find Apple’s Smart Keyboard Folio adequate for casual typing, it’s not as good as the Apple Magic Keyboard Pro series. And that doesn’t work with the iPad 9. I find the Logitech keyboards for the iPad 9 more exciting and if you want to work properly with the tablet, I would use them. In terms of software, however, the iPad 9 is just as good as the Pro or Air.

For the iPad 9, Apple offers the Smart Keyboard Folio, which is more of a thin keyboard case. They also offer one for the Pro and Air, but that’s mainly a case with a keyboard as a side function. But you get a real keyboard cover with the Logitech Combo Touch for the iPad 9. Then you have a decent keyboard and a touchpad. Keep in mind that iPadOS can now also be operated properly with a mouse and keyboard.

In one respect, the iPad 9 belongs to the top class, despite the low price, and that is in terms of performance. Inside is an Apple A13 processor which makes it more powerful than many Android tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7. That’s really impressive. Even games like Fortnite and PUBG Mobile can be played with the highest graphics settings. And fast multitasking is also possible.

The 10.2-inch display is nice and bright at 500 nits and also has a decent resolution of 2160 x 1620 pixels. However, it is unfortunate that the screen is not laminated. An air gap is visible between the IPS panel and the touchscreen. A lot of people don’t notice it, and it’s often not a bad thing. But it gets annoying when you write or draw with the Apple Pencil 1. Because of the air gap, it looks as if you are not touching the display directly.

Although the iPad 9 has an old design, it has two good speakers, a TouchID fingerprint reader and a high-quality metal housing. As I said, I would rather use a third-party keyboard like the Logitech one.

Read: My Apple iPad 9 Review

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3i: Inexpensive Windows tablet with keyboard

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3i

The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3i is the cheapest Windows tablet I can recommend. The performance is rather too weak, especially for more demanding programs such as Adobe Photoshop. However, it is quite usable as an office tablet – mainly because it often only costs around 400 euros and the keyboard is included at this price. It is exciting as an alternative to the Lenovo Duet Chromebook if you prefer to use Windows 11 instead of Chrome OS.

Like the Surface Pro 8, the Duet 3i has a kickstand built in. The keyboard cover is then connected magnetically, which protects the display when folded. This is 10.3 inches in size and the keyboard is correspondingly small. With a little getting used to, you can write on it just as well as with the 11-inch Apple Magic Keyboard, for example. A touchpad is also installed.

The Duet 3i runs Windows 11 Home in S Mode. Ex works, only apps from the Microsoft Store can be installed. But you can simply switch off the S mode and then you can also install other programs. This small Windows tablet then behaves just like a Windows laptop. You can connect printers and other Windows accessories.

Depending on the version, there is an Intel Celeron N4020 dual-core processor or an Intel Pentium N5030 quad-core chip inside. There is also 4GB or 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage. I had the cheapest version in the test and it is sufficient for simple office work. But it is clearly not a gaming tablet. I only find it good enough for office work and surfing the web.

The display is good for the price. It is a 10.3 inch LCD with an aspect ratio of 16:10 and a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. If you want, you can write on the screen with an active stylus. I didn’t have that for my test, so I can’t say much about it. As I said, I think the performance is too weak for productive Photoshop work.

Read: My Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3i Review

Which is the right tablet with keyboard for you?

The first thing you should think about is what kind of tablet you need. There are many different types of tablets with keyboards, and each one has a better choice.

Some keyboards are so good together with their tablets that they can be used as a good replacement for high-quality premium notebooks. These include, for example, the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro 6.

Others, such as all Apple iPads or the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6, are ideal as a second device. They’re great tablets with good keyboards that are nice and light and portable. But I wouldn’t completely replace a laptop with them. At least not if you often have to write longer texts.

If you have answered this question, you may already know which device is the better choice for you. Next, you can consider how much money you want to spend and whether you absolutely need a very specific operating system. There are programs that only run on Windows, only on iPadOS and some are only for Android. However, most common apps are available for all three systems.

This is how I test tablets with a keyboard

I test pretty much every tablet that appears in Germany. And if there is an official keyboard for the device, I will try to buy and test that as well. For my tests, I run many standard tests such as benchmarks and battery tests. In order to be able to get a comprehensive picture, I also use each one privately and professionally. I use the devices to watch YouTube and Netflix, surf the Internet, read and answer emails or play a few games. But I also work with every model, at least somewhat, even with those for less than 100 euros – that can sometimes be painful.

Well, I work a lot more with the tablets that have an official keyboard. I write articles for work almost every day and then I do that on my test devices. I was able to work very well with all the models on this list. Otherwise they would not have made it onto this list. I write almost all of my reports in Microsoft Word, which is available for Android, iPadOS and of course Windows.

You can follow my exact test process in my individual test reports, which are linked under my recommendations.

FAQs

In the following section, I’ll answer a few questions I get regularly about this topic.