The Top Tablets for Seniors (Budget/Large Display/Android/Mini)

Don’t underestimate the seniors of today, they aren’t all complete technophobes! Many of the recently retired will have had experience with computers in their workplace over recent years.

A recent survey reported that 67 percent of adults in the US over the age of 65 regularly use the internet. Almost a third of the respondents use social media, with 70 percent of those checking it every day.

As tablet usage has increased among the senior population, so too, have the manufacturers’ efforts to cater for their needs. From larger-print characters to easier to use operating systems, there’s a whole host of features to help seniors stay connected.

Let’s take a look at what you should consider when choosing the best tablet for seniors.

What extra features might a senior or elderly user need? And finally, we’ll recommend our favorite five of the best tablets for seniors that you can buy today.

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The Benefits of Tablets for Seniors

The most common uses of a computer for most senior citizens are:

  • Sending or reading emails.
  • Watching movies, TV shows or YouTube videos.
  • Surfing the web.
  • Staying in touch with family and friends on apps like Facebook.
  • Reading books.
  • Checking things out on Google.

In one study, 25 percent of the senior citizens who responded even admitted to playing online video games.

Tablets are ideal for all these things. My mother never puts hers down, although I’m not sure she’s participating in Call of Duty marathons—more likely it’s Candy Crush Saga.

Internet Connectivity

A tablet is an ideal way for seniors to keep in touch with their loved ones. It can often be easier to buy a tablet with internet built in than have it fitted to your elderly relatives home. If they are in a residential home without Wi-Fi, a 4G connected tablet can be their link to the outside world.

Once hooked up to the internet, all those modern confusing trends can be Googled for clarification. Looking for an old recipe you once had, Google it! There are many “how to” videos available online for explaining unfamiliar tasks.

Seniors could even use their tablet to look up old friends from days gone by—they’re not going to be the only senior with a tablet. Facebook is a great place for finding old school friends or workmates. With built-in email, they can keep in touch with reacquainted friends as well as the family.

Photos and Memories

A tablet is ideal for those seniors who love to flick through and show their old photos. On a recent visit to my mother, my seven-year-old daughter tried swiping on the photos in her grandma’s photo album.

Most tablets now feature cameras, which they can take new photos with too. Memories are precious when you reach your twilight years, and taking photos of that ever-growing family when they visit is a great way of keeping up.

Tablets Instead of Books or TV

Books may have been a great love of an older person’s past, but failing eyesight can make it more difficult to read them. Tablets feature many accessibility options, like larger fonts or text-to-speech apps, which make it easier to enjoy reading again.

Another plus is that a tablet takes up a lot less space than a shelf full of books. Once a senior gets used to reading on the tablet’s display, it can open up a whole new world of literature to them.

A senior can also use their tablet, much like everybody else, for catching up with the latest TV series, or movies via Netflix or other streaming services. Next time you visit your elderly parent, why not treat them to a downloaded movie or box set—you could also give them a home movie of the grandkids to watch.

Tablets Tend to Be Easier to Use

The on-screen keyboards of smartphones can be difficult to type on, but tablets bridge that gap between a phone and a full computer. Large, on-screen keyboards are easy to use and a Bluetooth keyboard can be attached to most. Some tablets also come with a pen-like stylus for handwriting notes on the tablet.

The basics of learning to use a tablet are very easy for seniors. A usability study by the company Generations Online found 96.2 percent of seniors mastered a tablet in three to four sessions. 99 percent of those asked said that they would recommend a tablet to a friend.

Tablets can also be much easier to carry about as they are generally lighter and more compact than a computer. Many of today’s tablets are slim enough to fit in a handbag, or even in the side of a wheelchair.

What to Look for in The Best Tablet for Seniors

Three little words: a large display. One of the things which goes first as we get older is our eyesight. While smartphones often try to cram everything into a 5-inch screen, tablets offer greater readability with larger displays.

Another important consideration when choosing a tablet for seniors is how easy it is to hold. Tablets should be both lightweight and comfortable, with an anti-slip grip where possible. One option is to make sure you can buy a cover which is anti-slip and may also feature a stand for propping up the tablet on a table.

Finally, consider the operating system a tablet uses. Both Apple and Android have accessibility features to make a tablet more suitable for a senior. Apps like Oscar Senior (iOS & Android) provide enlarged text and bigger icons, for surfing the web, watching videos, getting the latest news and more.

Which is the Best Tablet for Seniors?

We have kept the reviews pretty short, focusing on the features seniors will find helpful on these tablets. None of the following tablets were specifically designed for seniors, but you can find more comprehensive reviews elsewhere on our website. Here are our five top tablets for seniors.

Apple iPad Mini

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There are a few things that seniors need when it comes to technology. It’s not that they can’t enjoy all of the benefits that top-notch technology brings, but there are elements that don’t suit them that well. For instance, a bigger screen, more contrast, the ability to type easily and to access media content without any delays is crucial for seniors. When choosing a device that they will use for entertainment, reading or relaxing, it is important to take all of these factors into consideration.

The iPad Mini is a small tablet suitable for someone who is looking forward to read a lot, play games and check the news, for instance. It isn’t suitable for someone who is planning to write or work, as its screen is quite small. Being released in 2015, it leaves buyers with the impression that it is outdated, but the reality is that it is a useful device that comes with nice features. The iPad Mini is portable thanks to its size and weight, comes with Wi-Fi and 4G LTE connectivity, has touch ID for security purposes and offers a really nice overall experience.

What seniors like to do the most is maintain contact with their close ones. This device includes an 8 MP rear camera, as well as a front camera, as well as 2 GB of RAM. Therefore, users can install apps such as Skype and call their friends and family. The quality of the image during video calls will be satisfying enough. With a screen as small as 7.9 inches, there is enough space on the display for reading, social media, games and other types of apps, but it will not be suitable for more complex activities.

The great thing about this small tablet is that it supports multitasking features that most iPads have. It is compatible with the Apple Pencil that allows users to take notes, doodle and sketch should they want to do so. The downside is that, due to the screen size, panning and pinning-to-zoom must be done a lot more often than on a tablet with a larger screen. Larger than a phone and smaller than Pro tablets, the iPad mini can be used to play 3D games, to edit photos and to store a lot of materials to read and analyse. It is also nice for entertainment and video consumption.

Microsoft Surface Pro 3

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If you want to buy your senior family members a tablet that is easy to use, intuitive, yet performant and comfortable to carry around, then the Surface Pro 3 from Microsoft is a good option. This tablet is portable, that it has a thin and lightweight design and has a 12-inch display that is larger than most tablets in its class.

The screen resolution and font size will be ideal for seniors, as well as for other users. It is a true pleasure watching video content on it, thanks to its high screen resolution. Holding it in front of you, reading from it and enjoying media content is a joy thanks to its kickstand that eliminates the need to use your hands at all times.

Its main advantage is the fact that it includes a keyboard cover. Not only is this keyboard practical and comfortable to use, but it is also one of the most responsive ones that the market has to offer at this price. More than that, it includes a pen that can be used for writing directly on the screen, navigating, zooming in and out and drawing.

The Surface Pro 3 has quite some powerful software. Thanks to its powerful processor and GPU, multitasking is possible at nice speed, watching a movie and reading a book is pleasant, while editing video footage or writing is smoother than with previous versions.
This model got very close to being a premium model. For some people, it is easy to replace a laptop with this tablet, as its keyboard is comfortable to use, its pen is high-quality and it is portable. The Pro 3 is lighter than the previous model, weighing only 800 grams even though it has a larger screen.

The target public of this tablet is extremely wide, as it has great technical capabilities, a good screen and accessories that can be used for daily work. At the same time, it is easy to use and has a lot of accessibility functions. It is a great tablet for seniors that wears the Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit operating system and has an Intel HD graphics chipset.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

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The 10.1 inch Galaxy Tab A has a nice design, good, durable casing and superb features that seniors and not only can enjoy on a daily basis. This tablet was designed to fulfil the needs of those who need portability in their lives. It is great for someone who wants to draw and take notes constantly, but also for a binger video watcher and a heavy reader. It comes with a newer S Pen version that helps with navigating and note-taking.

If, normally, average users would complain about the fact that this tablet is heavier than the competition, as well as thicker, seniors will actually enjoy this. You may be surprised, but the truth is that the elderly feel safer and more comfortable with devices that they can actually feel.

When it comes to the screen resolution, clarity and contrast, seniors actually need good features more than younger users. Seeing the content on the tablet properly, not having to strain their eyes is extremely important for their health and comfort. This screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1200, a pixel density of 224 pixels per inch and touch capabilities is comfortable to use for anyone.

Watching videos, navigating the web and word processing are more easily done thanks to the 16:10 aspect ratio. This helps a lot, especially in landscape mode. Another reason why this is a good tab for seniors is the fact that it has kept its home button. Seniors find it hard to unlock devices with nothing more than their fingerprint and enjoy pushing buttons.

Additionally, this tab has back and overview buttons printed on the front.For pics and video calls, seniors will find that the 8MP rear camera 2MP front camera are quite useful. The rear camera has a flash, so users can take pictures and share them with their close ones.

Overall, this is a good tablet for its price. It has a high resolution screen, its processor makes multi-tasking possible, light games can be played on it and writing and sketching comes easily thanks to the included accessories. More than that, this device has a long battery like that you can rely on.

Asus Memo Pad FHD

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Sometimes, it can be difficult to determine what the ideal tablet for seniors is, as it depends on their personality and experience with smart devices. However, an affordable tablet that fits most seniors’ requirements is the Asus Memo Pad FHD 10. It isn’t the thinnest model that you will find, but for its size, it is very comfortable. It is lighter than other tablets, such as the Google Nexus 10. It has a nice finish, combined with the texture that does not slip, provides a comfortable pocket experience.

Given its price, one of the tablet's most surprising features is its 1,920 x 1,200-pixel IPS display. While it isn’t t a screen that comes with the highest resolution, it renders nice HD content, clear images and wide viewing angles. In addition to its high resolution, the screen generally responds quickly touch.
Seniors love to relax and play games at times. Light games such as Angry Birds, Candy Crush and Riptide GP can be played comfortably on the Asus Memo Pad. Heavier games can be played, too, but the loading times are longer than usual. This device comes with a 5 megapixel rear camera that is capable of taking crisp pictures and is incredibly fast when using the autofocus function.

When taking photos and recording videos, the object you want to focus on can be manually selected using the touch screen, even during shooting. The dimly lit photos were gritty, but when taken in environments with good lighting, the rear camera is able to capture precise detail, even though they are a little faded. The front camera is not very clear, but still manages to take good pics and recordings that seniors can share with their friends and family.

The Asus Memo Pad FHD 10 is a tablet that is easy to use, comes with features that justify its price and doesn’t have sophisticated specifications. However, compared to other tablets in its class, it has a better screen, multimedia features and it is quite lightweight.

Lenovo Tab 10

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A basic tablet with nice features, note-taking capabilities and a keyboard that is comfortable to use, was designed to fulfil the needs of users who don’t want to mess with high-end technology they don’t need. It is a model that incorporates both basic and advanced features, that is portable and can be used for media consumption, writing, reading, web surfing, video calls etc.

The keyboard isn’t your average type cover that can be seen in other similar tablets. It has slightly concave keys with an accent point that isn’t seen often in such accessories. Due to the fact that the manufacturer chose this design for the keyboard, it flexes a bit when typing, especially if the user is a loud typist.

However, this doesn’t have an impact on the overall experience. What is a bit annoying is the fact that it doesn’t have backlight. The keyboard includes a ClickPad that features multitouch functions. It measures 9 x 4.3 cm, being large enough for gesture input. Its surface is nice to touch and not rough, as expected.

Compared to other similar tablets, this one has the advantage of featuring a storage space for the pen. This way, the risk of losing it decreases considerably. The ActivePen stylus has two buttons and charges when placed in its slot. Another great feature is the touch screen support for finger input.

The 10.1-inch screen of the Lenovo 10 is large enough for activities that seniors usually like to have. It has a plain design, which is good, because it doesn’t become confusing. In case you were wondering if this tab’s performance is good enough for multitasking, you should know that it is equipped with a Celeron N4100 processor. This is the equivalent of the Core i3 CPUs of the previous generation. Therefore, it can be used for office and Internet programs.

Best Overall Tablet for Seniors—Apple iPad 2018

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Apple tablets are known for being easy to use, with little option for messing up the software. It’s not like the old-fashioned PCs, where you get conflict errors or confusing system directories you need to tweak. As Steve Jobs used to say, “It just works.”

A large, 9.7-inch HD display features one of the highest pixel counts for a clearer text and is easier on the eyes. The screen is bright with a color range which really stands out. You can adjust the settings for larger text or on-screen keyboards, and this latest model even features stylus support for easier input.

With the latest iOS, you get access to all the standard apps a senior could want, including Skype and Facetime for keeping in touch with the family. A wide choice of easy-to-use apps on the App store will keep your beloved elderly relative entertained for hours.

Pros:

  • Easy to read 9.7-inch display.
  • Sleek design, lightweight, and comfortable to hold.
  • Stylus support enabled.
  • Decent cameras for taking photos or video calling.
  • Long battery life.
  • Intuitive and easy-to-use interface. Plenty of customization options for the elderly.

Cons:

  • More expensive than most entry-level tablets.
  • Restricted to the movies you can play in the Apple ecosystem.
  • Memory can’t be expanded if it fills up with photos or the like.

Check it on Amazon

Best Budget Tablet for Seniors—Kindle Fire HD 8

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If you’re not really looking at spending too much, the Amazon Fire HD 8 is an ideal budget purchase. It may not offer the power of the iPads or Samsung tablets of this world, but a senior can do almost anything they need on it.

For the visually impaired senior, VoiceView text to speech reads out what’s happening on the screen. Other features include one-tap screen magnification and larger fonts in the settings display. A high-contrast screen is easy to read, with much of the Amazon content coming with Closed Captions, which is great if hearing is impaired too.

Alongside all the Amazon content, seniors can enjoy apps like Skype, Facebook, and other popular apps. It even includes a front and rear facing camera for those video call moments. So much more than an e-reader, the Fire HD is a cheap tablet, with many options for seniors.

Pros:

  • HD 8-inch screen with many accessibility features. Even supports an optional Bluetooth braille reader.
  • Built-in Alex support for voice control or syncing with any Echo devices. A friendly voice in the often lonely golden years.
  • Extra long 12-hour battery life and expandable storage if it gets filled up.
  • Plenty of digital content to explore with the Amazon store.

Cons:

  • Uses a proprietary version of Android with no access to the Google Play store.
  • Some apps may not be supported.

Check it on Amazon

Best Larger Display Tablet for Seniors—Samsung Tab A 10.1 Inch

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If your senior relative wants a tablet but not an Apple device, the Samsung TAB A 10.1 is an affordable Android tablet. It even comes complete with an S Pen, which can make entering text easier, or just scribbling down a shopping list.

The Tab A 10.1 isn’t the latest Samsung device, but still offers a decent performance. Android may not be the easiest system to use as it needs plenty of launcher customization for a more intuitive interface. There are, however, many apps on the Google Play store designed especially for seniors’ ease of use.

The biggest selling point of this tablet is the larger, 10.1-inch Full HD touchscreen. This adds to the usability for seniors, with lively colors and a pinpoint sharpness to text and movies. Large stereo speakers are easy to hear and it also features Bluetooth for those who prefer headphones.

With two cameras, an octa-core processor and Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS, seniors could use this tablet for video chatting and any other social apps. The Samsung combines power with a portable form which is comfortable to carry yet large enough for easy use.

Pros:

  • The large 10.1-inch display is ideal for seniors or the visually impaired.
  • Soft touch finish to the back of the case is more comfortable on the hand than hard metal.
  • Slimmest and lightest 10-inch Android tablet.
  • Front and rear facing camera, both HD.
  • Excellent 13-hour battery life and memory can be expanded with MicroSD
  • Bargain price including a stylus.

Cons:

  • The S Pen is pretty small and can be difficult for seniors with mobility issues to grip.
  • The touchscreen is reported to be oversensitive which can cause confusion.
  • Plenty of installed software, but can’t be removed from the screen.
  • Android can be initially confusing to set up.

Check it on Amazon

Best Android Tablet for Seniors—ASUS ZenPad 3S

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If you’re a bigger fan of Android than Apple, you may be better getting your elderly relative a tablet with the OS you are familiar with. Or maybe they already own an Android phone and know the interface. This tablet from ASUS offers a powerful alternative to the iPad.

The 9.7-inch 2K display features ASUS TruVivid technology for a sharper visual experience, ideal for seniors. At nearly 400 nits, it’s brighter than most tablet screens. The tablet is also covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, for more damage-resistant protection.

With front and rear cameras better than those found on competing Android tablets, it’s the ideal tablet for family video calls. A fingerprint scanner adds a useful easy security to the tablet for those in shared home environments. With the powerful octa-core processor and Android 7.0 out of the box, seniors can enjoy all the apps they need.

Pros:

  • The 2K IPS display is easy to read even when magnified.
  • USB-C port for connecting to other accessories or displays.
  • Fingerprint scanner for security.
  • Powerful Octa-core CPU speeds through apps, even mobile gaming.
  • Expandable storage.
  • High-quality cameras.

Cons:

  • Heavier than similar tablets, at nearly one pound.
  • No stylus or native keyboard support.
  • The touchscreen can be overly sensitive.

Best “Mini” Tablet for Seniors—Apple iPad Mini 2

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Thanks to Apple’s constant upgrading of their range, you can now purchase an iPad Mini, refurbished by Apple, for a bargain price. It features the same functionality of the larger iPad, minus the stylus capability, with a not-so mini 7.9-inch screen.

As we said earlier, Apple iOS tends to be the easiest interface to use for seniors with little or no computer experience. Large colorful icons on the screen are easy to press for instant launching of many apps. The best feature is the 4G functionality which offers internet in those areas where you don’t enjoy a Wi-Fi signal.

Pros:

  • Compact size but still a reasonable 7.9-inch Retina display.
  • High pixel density for easy-to-read text.
  • 10 Hours of battery life.
  • 32GB of RAM
  • Intuitive UI with added accessibility features.
  • Always on a 4G wireless connection.
  • Siri, a voice-activated assistant, is installed as standard.

Cons:

  • Not as powerful as the newer iPads.
  • Can’t video call and surf the web at the same time.
  • Memory can’t be expanded.
  • Digital content has to use Apple formats.

Our Choice

We may be starting to sound like an Apple fanboy, but our choice for the best tablet for seniors would have to be the Apple iPad from 2018. Experienced computer users and novices alike can use this tablet. There’s very little you can do to break the software.

Changing the size of the text is so easy, with just a simple visit to the settings panel. One touch magnification is ideal for browsing the internet, and everything just seems to look clearer on that Retina screen.

Apps like Oscar Senior can even allow an administrator family member to make video calls to the senior which are auto-answered.

Embracing new technology has never been easier or more useful for seniors. And if they want to play a bit of online Grand Theft Auto, why not?