One of the easiest ways to run your favorite game or app on a different platform is using an Emulator, right?
Without spending any extra money, you can play games from Windows or iOS games/ apps on your Android tablet and vice versa. If you are looking for the Best Tablet for Emulation, then you are exactly in the right place because I’m going to help you pick the perfect tablet.
Today I’m going to talk about 9 amazing tablets with their pros and cons which are perfectly suitable for Emulation. Let’s get started to know what are those options.
Contents
- 1 Top 9 Tablets for Emulation
- 1.1 1. Apple iPad Pro 11
- 1.2 2. Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e- Best Android Tablet for GameCube Emulator
- 1.3 3. Apple iPad
- 1.4 4. Fire HD 10 Tablet- Best Affordable Tablet for Emulation
- 1.5 5. Asus ZenPad 3S 10
- 1.6 6.Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
- 1.7 7. Lenovo Tab M10 Plus
- 1.8 8. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7– Best Tablet for Dolphin Emulator
- 1.9 9. Microsoft Surface Pro (5th Gen)
- 2 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Tablets for Emulation:
- 2.1 1. Can tablets run emulators?
- 2.2 2. What tablets can run the Dolphin emulator?
- 2.3 3. Which tab is best for PUBG?
- 2.4 4. What tablet can play PS2 games?
- 2.5 5. Can you emulate it on iOS?
- 2.6 6. Which one of them is the Best Tablet for hearthstone?
Top 9 Tablets for Emulation
1. Apple iPad Pro 11
Well, I don’t think I need to introduce one of the most popular and best-selling tablets in the world i.e Apple’s iPad series.
This is the 2nd generation Apple iPad Pro 11 which offers an 11-inch HDR Retina Display with 1668x 2388 pixels resolution for an unmatched gaming experience with any of the Android Emulators.
The internal storage of the tablet starts from 64GB and goes way up to 1TB and the device is paired with 4/6GB RAM. The primary camera of the tablet comprises 12MP and 7MP as the primary one. Both cameras do an excellent job of capturing good photos and videos. Apple iPad Pro 11 runs on an A12 Bionic Chip that has finally made it possible for iPads to mimic the power and performance of iPhone features!
The elimination of the Touch ID and the addition of the Face ID feature has led to extended screen size and an even more appealing design of the device.
It has a powerful speaker and great graphics that give an amazing overall console gaming experience. You can easily place it on a tablet stand and attach a controller for precise retro console gaming and with the powerful A12Z Bionic chip. there is no fear of a lagging screen whatsoever.
Apart from gaming, it’s an incredibly versatile tablet that when paired with a smart keyboard or an Apple pencil (sold separately) can be used for artwork, watching movies, or any of your office work.
Here’s a full review of the iPad Pro by MKBHD himself.
2. Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e- Best Android Tablet for GameCube Emulator
If you don’t have the budget to go for the above iPad Pro 11 which is quite expensive and looking for a good android tablet for Emulators under $400, then you should definitely take a look at this amazing tablet.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e comes with a relatively smaller display i.e 10.5-inches compared to the iPad Pro 11 but still, you can enjoy playing games with the display without any issues. This is a super AMOLED display that is power-efficient and delivers true colors. Playing games on this display is surely going to be fun.
The Tab S5e weighs as little as 0.9 lbs (0.4 kg) which means you can travel with this tablet to your school/ college or even office without any extra bag at all.
When it comes to storage, you are getting two options i.e 64GB and 128GB. If you have a limited budget under $400, then I would suggest you go for the 64GB variant or If you have $100 more to invest for big storage, then I would definitely recommend you to for the 128GB variant. You can extend the storage up to 512GB via a Micro SD card If you want to have more data on your tablet
The processor under the hood is Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 which is accompanied by 4/6GB RAM. The performance on this machine is superb and it won’t let you down while running any Android emulator.
Samsung claims to offer 15 hours of battery life on this Galaxy Tab S5e and it is almost true. According to Kevin, he is getting 8 hours of battery while playing games and still there is a 50% charge left which I think is unbelievable.
To learn more about this tablet, I would suggest you watch the below video.
Video by: Nick Ackerman
3. Apple iPad
Don’t worry guys. This is not going to as expensive as Apple iPad Pro. In fact, this is almost half the price of it with similar specs and features. Let’s dive into it to know more.
This is the 8th Gen Apple iPad which offers a 10.2-inch retina display and has good color accuracy and viewing angles. The tablet weighs very similar to iPad Pro at 1.08 lbs and it is very easy to carry around anywhere you want.
You’ll be getting 128GB of storage on this device which is good enough to store a large amount of data and installing a good number of apps in Emulator. For multitasking, you’ll be getting 3GB RAM along with an Apple A12 Bionic chipset. As usual, the performance on this Apple device is very smooth and there is no question of lagging behind whatsoever.
Again, the battery life you can expect from this Apple device is between 8-10 hours for basic usage such as web browsing, office work such as MS Office, etc and for gaming, it can give you 7-8 hours of battery life which is pretty amazing in my opinion.
4. Fire HD 10 Tablet- Best Affordable Tablet for Emulation
The Amazon’s Fire HD series is one of the most affordable yet a powerful tablet which delivers good performance without any fuss. The Fire HD 10 Tablet is no exception. Let’s talk about that in detail.
The Fire HD 10 Tablet has got a 10.1-inch IPS display with a screen resolution of 1024 x 600 which offers excellent color accuracy for its pricing. It might not be par with premium tablets like the Apple iPad series but it is very good on its own terms. Amazon has left no room to complain about this display in any way for sure. Not to forget the weight of this tablet is 0.6 lbs (0.27 kg) which is extremely lightweight hence you can easily travel with it anywhere you want.
For Emulation, you need at least a decent storage to install a good number of apps and Amazon has got you covered on this Fire HD Tablet. You’ll be getting 64GB internal storage and you can expand it up to 512GB via an external SD card. That’s outstanding I would say. There won’t be a shortage of memory on this tablet for at least a couple of years.
There’s a 2GB RAM to run multiple applications at once which I think pretty adequate and it is paired with MediaTek Helio P60T 2.0 GHz Octa-Core Processor. As I said earlier, there is no question about the performance of this tablet whatsoever. You can rely on it for any kind of performance.
Amazon assures that you can get 12 hours of battery life on this tablet fire HD tablet but Skydiver has reported that you can easily get 10 hours of battery life without any problems.
Overall, I have to say it is one of the best budget tablets for emulation under a $200 budget.
5. Asus ZenPad 3S 10
Asus is very popular when it comes to gaming and this gaming tablet from Asus is surely going to win your heart with its offerings. Though the Asus Zenpad 3S 10 is a bit older tablet it is still relevant in the market. Continue reading to know more.
Asus ZenPad 3S 10 comes with a 10.1-inch HD IPS display which is quite impressive in terms of color accuracy and viewing angles. This is a perfect display for emulation, gaming, entertainment, and more. The tablet is made almost out of aluminum hence, the build quality of this machine is top-notch. Despite the rigid build, the tablet weighs only 1.04 lbs (0.47 kg).
Asus has offered 16GB as internal memory on this device which you may think isn’t adequate to run an Android emulator but the good news is, you can expand it up to 128GB via an external Micro-SD card. The 2GB RAM offered on this tablet is decent to run moderate to high demanding tasks. The processor inside the machine is MediaTek MTK 8163B which is going to ensure that you don’t any get performance issues.
The battery of this tablet takes 3-4 hours to fully charge and it last around 10 hours which is more than enough to play lots of game or streaming etc. One thing I personally don’t like about this Asus tablet is its pricing. It costs over $350 which is slightly overpriced in my opinion. Other than that there is nothing to complain about this device.
6.Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
If you are looking for a very affordable tablet from a reputable brand, then you shouldn’t definitely miss Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A7 which is reasonably priced with a lot of stuff to offer.
The Galaxy Tab A7 is equipped with a 10.4-inch IPS LCD display which might not stand out from the top tablets in the market but it is good in its own terms. It has average color accuracy and viewing angles which is sufficient to play games or run any apps on your Emulator. The body of the tablet is made out of aluminum which makes it more premium and solid yet it weighs just 1.05 lbs (0.45 kg).
Samsung has delivered this tablet with 64GB of internal memory which you can expand up to 1TB via external SD. That’s huge I would say. Along with that, 3GB RAM on this tablet is more than enough to run multiple apps simultaneously. The processor under the Galaxy A7 is Samsung’s own Exynos 9611 which can help you run moderate to high demanding games with few modifications. You can’t push too hard on this processor. Keep that in mind.
The battery life of this Galaxy Tab A7 is also phenomenal. You can expect it to last anywhere between 8-10 hours of moderate usage. Overall, it is one of the top tablets for Emulation under the $250 price range which you shouldn’t ignore for sure.
Here’s the full video review of this Galaxy Tab A7 by Shane Symonds to learn more about it.
7. Lenovo Tab M10 Plus
The Lenovo Tab M10 Plus is again one of the well-priced tablets on the market which is suitable to play lightweight gaming in Android emulators. Read more to know why.
The display on the Tab M10 has a 10.3-inch IPS panel which has decent color reproduction but it is not an ideal display for gaming and entertainment due to its screen resolution restriction. Lenovo has to seriously think about this issue because it may annoy many users like you and me.
Coming to the storage part, you’ll be getting 128GB internal memory and is expandable up to 256GB via SD card. You can also opt for the 64GB variant if you have a limited budget because it will save you at least $70-$80. The processer you are getting on this tablet is MediaTek Helio P22T along with 4GB RAM. Just like the above Galaxy Tab A7, you won’t be able to play heavy games with this processor. You have to compromise here and there to play some heavy demanding games.
While performing lightweight tasks such as browsing, you can expect 7-8 hours of battery life and while doing any duty tasks you can only 4-5 hours which is pretty good I would say.
Here is the full video review of this tablet to know more.
Video by: My Next Tablet
8. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7– Best Tablet for Dolphin Emulator
I know this is the third Samsung tablet on this list and some people might be annoyed with this but I promise you that it will be the last one. Unlike other Samsung tablets on this list, this one is a premium. It is well-built, attractive, and made for high-end users like you who want a beast of a performance. Let’s talk about that in detail below.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 offers a beautiful 11-inch Super AMOLED screen which is stunning to look at. Streaming or watching videos on this gorgeous display is unmatchable and playing games on this display will give you an amazing gaming experience. One of the major things I like about this tablet is, it comes with S-Pen without paying anything extra money. The pen works perfectly well with the tablet which will help you take notes or drawing anything.
The tablet also weighs very lightweight at 1.1 lbs (0.5 lbs) and it won’t make you uncomfortable while traveling.
The Galaxy Tab S7 comes with 256GB internal memory with 8GB RAM. You can add up to 1TB of data via an SD card. The processor offered on this Tab 7 is Snapdragon 865+ which is one of the best performing chips in the market right now. It can deliver super-fast performance without lagging you behind. Playing games on this tablet is a soothing experience as it comes with Adreno 650. Samsung hasn’t let anyone down with the gaming experience of this tablet.
Just like the above Galaxy Tab 5Se, here also Samsung is claiming to offer 15 hours of battery life which is quite hard to get. It is safe to assume 12 hours of moderate usage with this kind of display and performance.
9. Microsoft Surface Pro (5th Gen)
This is again an expensive yet premium option of a tablet for emulation which provides good value for your money. If it isn’t under your budget, I would suggest you look at the other options from our list.
Note: Keep in mind that this is a Windows tablet and not an Android one. Don’t get confused between them. I’ve written a post on the Best Tablet for MS Excel too, do check it out.
The 5th Gen Microsoft Surface Pro comes with a 12.3-inch Microsoft PixelSense display which offers crystal clear images and videos. The kickstand offered on this device will surely help you while watching videos on this wonderful display. This is the heaviest tablet on this entire list which weighs 1.7 lbs (0.78 kg).
The Surface Pro which I’m talking comes with Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, and 256GB internal memory. The Surface Pro supports both type cover and pen but you have to buy them separately which isn’t a good sign for most people especially the ones who have a very limited budget.
The battery life you can expect on this tablet is about anywhere between 5-7 hours by doing moderate to heavy demanding tasks such as gaming. While doing small tasks which doesn’t require much power, you can expect it to last a little longer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Tablets for Emulation:
1. Can tablets run emulators?
Absolutely. I’ve mentioned the 4 Best Emulators below If you are confused about which emulator to choose.
2. What tablets can run the Dolphin emulator?
Almost all the tablets which I’ve mentioned above can easily Dolphin Emulator but my personal recommendation would be Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 as it has a fairly big screen and can deliver good performance.
3. Which tab is best for PUBG?
If you want to play PUBG along with some retro games on Emulation, then I would suggest you go with Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 as it comes with a powerful Exynos 9611 processor and comes with a 10.4-inches screen which is good enough to play high profile games like PUBG.
4. What tablet can play PS2 games?
Most of the tablets in this list can easily play PS2 games and you can choose any of them. However, If you are on a limited budget, then Fire HD 10 Tablet is the Best tablet for ps2 emulation. You can go for it without any hesitation.
5. Can you emulate it on iOS?
Yes. You can emulate it on iOS. I’ve also named few emulators for iOS below. Do check it out.
6. Which one of them is the Best Tablet for hearthstone?
For hearthstone too I’m going to recommend Fire HD 10 Tablet as it is cheap and doesn’t require much power to run the game.
Choosing the Best Emulator for Android Tablet:
Just like picking the best tablet for emulation, it is also important to select the right emulator to smoothly run apps and games on your tablet. If you aren’t familiar with any good Android emulator, then don’t worry at all. I’m going to quickly share 4 popular emulators which you can use right now.
1. RetroArch
RetroArch is one of the most popular and powerful Android emulators which was founded in May 2010. It is available on multiple platforms such as Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. They release a timely update to their apps hence you can enjoy the new features. RetroArch is completely free and you can use it without paying a penny. It also supports console games, game engines, and many more. Download RetroArch from its official website.
2. Dolphin Emulator
Dolphin Emulator is also a popular emulator which was primarily developed for Windows but later they release their Android versions for mobile and tablet users. Currently, Dolphin is available for Windows, Linux, Android, and Mac OS. You can easily run most of the modern games with this emulator and the best thing is, you don’t need powerful specifications to run it.
I’ve shared a simple guide on how to add games and the best settings for Dolphin Emulator to run games smoothly. Do check it out.
3. PPSSPP
Don’t get confused because “PPSSPP” isn’t any spelling error because it has been shortened from his full name i.e “PlayStation Portable Simulator Suitable for Playing Portably“. It is created by one of the co-founders of the Dolphin emulator. Just like the Dolphin, PPSSPP is also very simple to use and supports multiple platforms such as Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Nintendo WiiU, Nintendo Switch, BlackBerry 10, MeeGo, Pandora, and Symbian. It even supports many of the outdated or discontinued operating systems which is a very good thing.
You can follow my guide on Best Tips to Improve the Gaming in Experience in PPSSPP If you are planning to use this app for gaming.
4. ePSXe
The ePSXe is a premium Emulator for Android tablets that can run almost any app or game very smoothly. It has been rated 4.7/ 5 in Google Play Store which tells you a lot about the popularity it has got over the years. You have to pay a small fee of just $3.75 to access the app which is pretty much affordable for everyone. I would highly recommend you to try this premium android emulator once to enjoy games and apps on your Android tablet.
Final Words:
So these are some of the Best Tablets for Emulation which you can consider for purchase. I have picked these tablets after a lot of research hence, you can go for any option from this list. If you liked any of the above tablets, I would like to know in the comments section. Do not hesitate to leave your thoughts below. Thank You.
