4 Best iPad Pro Alternatives with Android in 2018

Microsoft gets the credit for creating the tablet that could replace a laptop, but it was Apple’s iPads that pioneered tablets. The iPad made tablets modern, effortless to use and a must-have household item. The iPad Pro was a category defining device even if it didn’t arrive before the Surface Pro 4 became the best productivity tablet ever. Therefore, it is no surprise that iPad Pro alternatives with Android are slowly growing in number.

The iPad Pro has two incarnations, both of which are the best in their class. The larger, 12.9-inch iPad Pro was the first to launch. It is dominated by a 2732 x 2048 resolution display and a TouchID fingerprint reader. The 9.7-inch model has a 2048 x 1536 resolution display on its front. A fast Apple A9X chip keeps both devices speedy when opening apps or multitasking in Apple’s iOS. Ports along their edge allow them to effortlessly pair with a keyboard cover that is a lot like the Surface Pro 4 keyboards that Microsoft and its partners offer. There’s also the completely optional Apple Pencil, which gives users a natural way to write notes and create digital drawings.

Read: iPad Pro Review: Why I Returned the new iPad

The best iPad Pro alternatives with Android offer many of these features. What’s more, these tablets have some unique ideas on what being a Surface Pro 4 alternative is all about.

Why We Need iPad Pro Alternatives with Android

We need good iPad Pro alternatives with Android for two reasons, mainly.

Chief among these reasons is price. Apple isn’t exactly known for offering its hardware at reasonable prices. The cheapest iPad Pro 12.9 costs $799.99. The lowest priced iPad Pro 9.7-inch costs $599.99. That’s without the Apple Pencil or the tablet’s add-on keyboard. That’s also with as little storage as possible. Android hardware makers have a knack for making devices that have a similar fit and finish to Apple’s products while not costing nearly as much.

Read: Apple Smart Keyboard Review: an iPad Pro Necessity?

There’s also consistency to consider. Apple dominates smartphone profits, but devices running Android collectively outsell the iPhone quarter after quarter. iPad Pro alternatives make a lot of sense for users who already own an Android phone. One operating system across all your devices makes managing accounts and digital purchases a lot easier.

What Makes Good iPad Pro Alternatives with Android

Great iPad Pro alternatives with Android give you all the basics of the iPad Pro, sometimes without the lofty price tag. They each offer access to the latest versions of Android. Staying relatively current with the latest version of Android is key. Apple upgrades its devices in lockstep with new hardware at the end of every year.

Read: Android Tablets vs Windows 10 Tablets: What to Buy

Pen or keyboard support are important too since those are two things that were key to the Surface Pro 4 and iPad Pro’s appeal. At the very least, good iPad Pro alternatives offer keyboard support so that users don’t have to worry about tapping on their touchscreens when they need to write an email or create a document.

Here are the 4 best iPad Pro alternatives with Android.

4 Best iPad Pro Alternatives with Android.

1. Google Pixel C
2. Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
3. Lenovo A12 Android Tablet
4. Lenovo Yoga Book with Android

Google Pixel C - $599

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Google’s own answer to the success of the Surface Pro 3, the Google Pixel C is the premiere Android tablet for those that need to stay productive on the go. Read: Google Pixel C: 5 Things I Learned the First Day The Pixel C runs Google’s Android 7.1 operating system, giving you access to all the apps and games that you use on your smartphone. It’s dominated by a 10.2-inch 2560 x 1800 resolution display. There are two cameras, one 8-megapixel rear-facing camera for taking pictures of everyone else and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera for taking pictures of yourself. There’s 3GB of RAM, a gyroscope and a USB Type-C port for charging and connecting accessories. Read: Google Pixel C vs Surface 3 $599 gets shoppers the Google Pixel C with 64GB of internal storage. A magnet behind the metal back of the Pixel C locks the tablet in place when used with the $99 Google Pixel C Keyboard. [ Buy the Google Pixel C for $599 ]

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