In 2025, we have good varieties of tablets that are so good when it comes to gaming, and in this article we’ll be looking at the top 5 best small tablet for gaming in 2025.
In this article, I will be truthful and give you the best, and not try to just sell affiliate links.
Best small tablet for gaming
The best small tablet for gaming includes the followings;
- Redmagic astra gaming tablet.
- Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 4
- Apple iPad mini 7
- Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE 8.7
- Xiaomi Redmi K Pad
- Samsung Galaxy Tab A9
These are the list of small-inch tablets you can see in the market today. However, they differ from one another, and also, the Redmagic Astra tablet is 9 inches in size.
In the list of small-inch tablets, my very best are the Redmagic Astra tablet and the Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 4.
The two tablet features the latest Snapdragon Gen 4 or Snapdragon 8 Elite, cooling system which is good for long time gaming session, and high refresh rate especially the Redmagic Astra tablet.
Why i love these two tablet is because of their size, and the processor which is the latest Snapdragon Gen 4 or Snapdragon 8 Elite. This processor is so good whennit comes to gaming, be it native mobile gaming or emulation.
Below are their features;
1. Redmagic astra gaming tablet
The RedMagic Astra Gaming Tablet is designed specifically for gamers who want flagship power in a compact form.
It features a 9.06-inch 2.4K OLED display with a 165 Hz refresh rate and 2,000 Hz touch sampling, making gameplay ultra-smooth and responsive.
Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and RedCore R3 Pro, it delivers top-tier performance with configurations up to 24 GB LPDDR5T RAM and 1 TB UFS 4.1 Pro storage, ensuring fast load times and multitasking without lag.
To keep performance stable, the Astra uses an advanced ICE-X cooling system, including a 20,000 RPM turbo fan, vapor chamber, graphene, and liquid metal, which allows it to maintain high frame rates without overheating.
This feature is very good and useful especially if you’re the type that enjoys a long gaming session.
Check out the price of Redmagic Astra tablet on Amazon.
| Specs | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Performance | Snapdragon 8 Elite, up to 24 GB RAM, 1 TB UFS 4.1 Pro |
| Display | 9.06″ 2.4K OLED, 165 Hz, 2,000 Hz touch, 1,600 nits |
| Cooling | ICE-X system with fan, vapor chamber, liquid metal, graphene |
| Battery | 8,200 mAh, fast charging (~80 W), long endurance |
| Audio & Haptics | DTS:X Ultra, stereo speakers, dual linear motors |
| Design & Controls | Transparent metal body, RGB lighting, Magic Key, USB 3.2 Gen 2 |
| Software | REDMAGIC OS 10.5 (Android 15), Game Space, 3–5 years updates |
| Price | From ~$499–$549, highly competitive |
The reason why the Redmagic Astra tablet is my number 1 is because of the OLED display, large battery capacity, high refresh rate, and the cooling system, which is good for a gaming tablet.
However, the tablet has no microSD expansion, which isn’t bad for me as long as the internal storage is up to 512GB or 1TB.
2. Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 4
The Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 4 is a sleek and powerful 8.8-inch Android gaming tablet launched in mid-2025.
Its vibrant IPS LCD display offers a sharp 3040 × 1904 resolution with a smooth 165 Hz refresh rate, 360 Hz touch sampling, 600 nits brightness, 12-bit color depth, and DCI-P3 coverage, delivering ultra-responsive visuals.
It’s powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, paired with up to 16 GB LPDDR5X RAM and up to 1 TB UFS 4.1 storage, plus a microSD slot for up to 2 TB expansion.
For sustained performance, Lenovo uses a 12,000 mm² vapour chamber with their Centre Cooling Architecture 2.0, and has a robust 7,600 mAh battery supports 68 W fast charging and bypass charging which is ideal for uninterrupted gaming.
One good feature about the Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 4 is the dual USB-C port, though I don’t necessarily see it as “wow.”
| Specs | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 8.8″ IPS LCD, 1904×3040, 165 Hz, 360 Hz touch, HDR, 600 nits |
| Processor & RAM | Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm), Adreno 830, 12 GB / 16 GB RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB UFS 4.1, microSDXC expandability |
| Cooling | 12,000 mm² vapor chamber with Centre Cooling Architecture 2.0 |
| Battery | 7,600 mAh, 68 W fast charging, bypass charging |
| Build | ~7 mm thin, 340 g, glass and aluminum, stylus support |
| Cameras | 50 MP rear (PDAF), 8 MP front (1080p video) |
| Audio & Ports | JBL-tuned stereo, dual USB-C (one DP), no headphone jack |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth — no cellular/NFC/GPS |
Don’t Miss:
3. Apple iPad mini 7
For iOS lovers, we have the Apple iPad mini 7, which is a good, powerful tablet even though it’s 8.3 inches in size.
So far, the iPad mini can play any iOS games thrown at it, especially high-graphics games like Sniper Elite 4, Resident Evil 4, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, etc.
The iPad mini 7, officially released October 23, 2024, features Apple’s A17 Pro chip, offering a 6-core CPU (2 high-performance, 4 efficiency cores), a 5-core GPU, and a Neural Engine that’s twice as fast, delivering up to 30% faster CPU and 25% faster GPU performance over its predecessor.
It sports an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display (2266 × 1488 px, ~326 ppi) with 500-nit brightness, P3 wide color, True Tone, and ultra-low reflectivity—ideal for vibrant visuals on the go.
Storage starts at 128 GB, doubling the base capacity of the previous model, with options up to 512 GB and it includes 8 GB RAM.
Check out the cheapest price on Amazon.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Display | 8.3-inch Liquid Retina, 2266 × 1488 (~326 ppi), 500 nits, P3 color, True Tone |
| Processor | Apple A17 Pro (6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, faster Neural Engine) |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| Storage Options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours (Wi-Fi web/video) |
| Charging | USB-C (10 Gbps transfer speed) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E, eSIM (no physical SIM) |
| Apple Pencil | Supports Apple Pencil Pro + Apple Pencil (USB-C) |
| Security | Touch ID (top button) |
| Audio | Stereo speakers |
| Cameras | 12 MP rear, 12 MP Ultra Wide front (Center Stage) |
| Colors | Space Gray, Starlight, Blue, Purple |
4. Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE 8.7
The Redmi Pad SE 8.7, released in August 2024, is a compact and affordable Android tablet designed to deliver a solid multimedia experience.
It features an 8.7-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 800×1340, up to 90 Hz refresh rate, around 500 nits typical brightness, and peaks at 600 nits in outdoor mode ideal for use in bright environments.
It runs on the MediaTek Helio G85 octa-core chipset (2 × 2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 + 6 × 1.8 GHz Cortex-A55) with a Mali-G52 MC2 GPU (12 nm process), paired with Android 14 and Xiaomi’s HyperOS interface.
RAM and storage configurations include 4 GB + 64 GB, 4 GB + 128 GB, or 6 GB + 128 GB, all using eMMC 5.1 and supporting microSD expansion up to 2 TB.
The tablet is lightweight (370–375 g) and slim (8.8 mm), with a Gorilla Glass 3 front and aluminum back, sporting an IP53 rating for dust and splash resistance.
Its 6650 mAh battery supports 18 W fast charging (though only a 10 W adapter is included in some regions).
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Display | 8.7″ IPS LCD, 800×1340, 90 Hz, 500–600 nits |
| Protection | Gorilla Glass 3, IP53 |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G85, Octa-core, Mali-G52 MC2 |
| Memory Options | 4 GB + 64 GB / 4 GB + 128 GB / 6 GB + 128 GB |
| Storage | eMMC 5.1 + microSD (up to 2 TB) |
| Rear Camera | 8 MP, f/2.0, 1080p |
| Front Camera | 5 MP, f/2.2, 1080p |
| Audio | Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos, 3.5 mm jack |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C, IR, FM radio |
| Battery | 6650 mAh, 18 W fast charge |
| OS | Android 14 with HyperOS |
5. Xiaomi Redmi K Pad
The Redmi K Pad is Xiaomi’s sleek and compact flagship tablet launched in June 2025, designed for premium portability and strong gaming performance. It sports an 8.8-inch 3K IPS LCD display (3008 × 1880) with a blazing 165 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+/Dolby Vision support, and up to 700 nits peak brightness.
The tablet runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ and a 3 nm octa-core processor with a high-performance Immortalis-G925 GPU. Options for 8–16 GB LPDDR5X RAM and up to 1 TB UFS 4.1 storage ensure speed and multitasking capabilities.
The tablet houses a 7,500 mAh battery with 67 W fast charging, including bypass and even reverse charging.
Audio is powered by dual stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos, USB-C ports, Wi-Fi 6/7, Bluetooth 5.4, and stylus support—making it versatile for gaming, productivity, and streaming.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Display | 8.8″ IPS LCD, 1880×3008 px, 165 Hz, ~700 nits |
| Processor & GPU | Dimensity 9400+, Immortalis-G925 |
| RAM & Storage | Up to 16 GB LPDDR5X, 1 TB UFS 4.1 |
| Cooling | 12,050 mm² vapor chamber + Turbo Engine 4.0 |
| Cameras | Rear 13 MP (4K), Front 8 MP |
| Battery & Charging | 7,500 mAh, 67W fast (with bypass) |
| Audio & Haptics | Quad stereo w/ Dolby Atmos, dual X-axis motors |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7, BT 5.4, dual USB-C, IR, tri-antenna |
| Software & Extras | Android 15 (HyperOS 2), stylus, accessories |
6. Samsung Galaxy Tab A9
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 is an affordable yet capable Android tablet designed for everyday use, offering a balance of portability, performance, and multimedia features.
It features an 8.7-inch LCD display with a resolution of 1340 × 800 pixels, making it suitable for web browsing, video streaming, and light productivity tasks.
Under the hood, the Tab A9 is powered by the MediaTek Helio G99 processor, paired with 4GB or 8GB RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD card.
This ensures smooth multitasking and reliable performance for apps, games, and daily activities.
Battery life is another strong point, with a 5,100mAh battery that provides all-day usage, charged via USB-C. Supporting Dolby Atmos audio through dual stereo speakers, the Tab A9 delivers an immersive entertainment experience, making it a great budget-friendly choice for media and study.
Check out the price of Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 on Amazon.
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Display | 8.7-inch TFT LCD, 1340 × 800 (WXGA+), 60Hz, 15:9 aspect ratio |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G99 (6nm, octa-core, up to 2.2GHz) |
| GPU | Mali-G57 MC2 |
| RAM | 4GB / 8GB |
| Storage | 64GB / 128GB (expandable up to 1TB via microSD) |
| Rear Camera | 8MP Auto Focus |
| Front Camera | 2MP |
| Battery | 5,100mAh, 15W fast charging (USB-C) |
| Audio | Dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C, LTE variant available |
| Software | Android 13, One UI 5.1 Core |
| Special Features | Multi-window, Samsung Kids Mode, Knox security |
These are the best small tablet for gaming you can get on the market today. However, if you’re looking for the best 8 inch gaming tablet in 2025, I recommend the Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 4 or the Apple iPad. mini 7 if you prefer apple product.
Generally, my very best is the Redmagic Astra tablet, followed by the Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 4, and lastly the Apple iPad mini 7.
