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There's no doubt about it, mobile gaming continues to climb to incredible heights - both in active player numbers and revenue. With Microsoft insisting that even your toaster is an Xbox, the days of waiting to get home before enjoying your favorite titles on a console may well be behind us. But are tablets the best way to take advantage of this portable shift? Perhaps not. Handhelds are rapidly taking over the portable gaming space, shunting mobile thumb tappers out the way with full Triple-A releases right at your fingertips. But the best gaming tablets still have their place on the shelves - even if they've had to fight for it over the last few years.
These devices provide larger screens, more RAM, and better battery life than mainstream smartphones, but while mobile gaming continues to shoot for the moon, tablet sales are keeping their growth modest. A couple of years ago, this industry was in danger of slipping into decline. In February 2024, it was revealed that both Apple and Samsung experienced a shrink in their tablet shipments over the course of 2023 (IDC), with -29.3% decline for the former and -6.6% for the latter - mobile gaming revenues took a smaller -2.1% hit in the same period (Newzoo). Both sectors are back on the up, but mobile gaming is moving faster - by 2029, Statista expects the number of mobile gamers worldwide to reach 2.4bn, continuing an annual growth rate of 5.56% compared to the 2.82% tablet growth rate in the same period (Statista).
It's no surprise that the responsibility of this mobile gaming market's growth looks set to be split by tablets and smartphones, but with more gaming handhelds hitting the market, and the Nintendo Switch 2 now firmly on the horizon, the gaming tablet could fade into irrelevance. I'd argue that would be the case if it weren't for two big factors; the re-emergence of mid-market games (helping tablets run more games natively) and the rise of streaming (opening tablets up to larger experiences separately).
Double-As are on the comeback
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, Lies of P and It Takes Two are just a few examples of Double-A titles re-emerging as some of the most popular and talked about games of the last few years. These are simpler than Triple-A blockbusters but are still visually impressive and mechanically satisfying experiences that can feel high-end without requiring top-of-the-range specs to run well. That also means they'll generally run fine on a tablet, and as more of these midmarket releases hit the shelves more players will tune into the fact that they don't need a console or gaming PC to play some of the biggest releases of the year anymore.
Apple's Arcade service is still largely indie-focused (though let's not forget that Balatro took the world by storm last year, earning itself a stack of awards in the process). But more midmarket titles are being added to the App Store itself all the time - Alien Isolation, Monster Hunter Stories, and Divinity Original Sin 2 are already mobile mainstays. If developers want more of these easier titles out on the market, and hardware brands are hungry for less demanding games to show off their shiny screens with, things could move fast in the next few years.
Stream if you want to go faster
Whether you love it for its convenience or hate it for its impermanence, streaming is here to stay - and it could be one of the first reasons you consider buying a gaming tablet. No, Microsoft, not everything is an Xbox - but it's undeniable that the Game Pass streaming service has changed things. It's the only subscription I regularly keep up with, and it's become the model for the likes of PS Plus and Amazon Luna.
With internet speeds rising, servers growing in power, and service systems becoming more sophisticated, it's now entirely possible to stream the year's biggest releases, without dropping a penny on hardware. You can do that via your existing laptop's browser or your phone, but if you're looking for a portable device with the screen specs to keep up with your favorite games, a tablet is a clear consideration.
The handheld problem
The state of both the midmarket industry and streaming services seem to be pointing towards a move towards more efficient games less dictated by hardware - but there's one problem. The gaming hardware market is moving with it. In the last few years alone we've seen a massive explosion of dedicated handhelds hitting the shelves - and different models will do a better job at running your games (both natively and streamed) than a gaming tablet.
And this is where we really get to the crux of the question. Should you buy a gaming tablet in 2025? Only if you need a tablet first and foremost.
If you need a slab for browsing the web, watching your favorite shows and movies, taking notes in class, and firing off the odd email, but you also want a device to play a selection of native games and stream the year's biggest hits, a gaming tablet is the most cost-efficient and rewarding options you can choose. The future's looking bright for these dedicated devices, and with cheap Bluetooth controllers and on-screen controls growing in power and dropping in price, the sky's the limit at the moment. There's never been a better time to be a casual player.
However, If you just want a device to play your games on the go or whenever the TV's already booked, a gaming handheld is going to serve you much better overall. These devices have built-in controls, game-ready refresh rates, VRR features at a lower price, graphics-oriented processing systems, and a level of control over individual power and cooling settings that you just won't find in a tablet - no matter how gamified its marketing has been.
After a smaller screen? Check out the best gaming phones on the market right now. Or, for more portability options, take a look at the best gaming earbuds and the best mobile controllers available.
