Amazon’s new Alexa Tablet 12 Pro promises to combine powerful hardware, AI smarts and Google Play Store access – but how does it compare to the entry-level iPad?
Is the reason you’d choose one over the other based on the age-old Android vs iOS debate? Or are there more factors that might sway you either way?
We’ve compared the specs of the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro to the iPad so you can decide which tablet will likely suit you best. Otherwise, our round-up of the best tablets and best Android tablets reveals our current favourite models.
Price and Availability
The Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro has a starting RRP of $499.99/£449.99 and is available to buy now across the US, UK, Canada, Mexico and other European countries.
In comparison, the entry-level iPad (11th Gen) has a similar starting price of £429/$429 for the 128GB iteration. While deals are rare, we have seen the iPad drop in price over the past year or so – especially during sales events like Prime Day and Black Friday.
Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro has two display options
Not only is the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro slightly larger than the iPad, at 12-inches compared to 11-, but it also comes with a choice between two display options. Alongside the standard display is Amazon’s Nanomatte alternative which promises a “first-of-its-kind cinematic viewing experience”.
Amazon explains that it has partnered with Corning, the brand behind Gorilla Glass, on a process that etches pixel-aligned texture into the glass to help preserve detail and colour accuracy. This means the Nanomatte option should look great both indoors and outdoors too.
In comparison the 11-inch iPad sports the same Liquid Retina display as its predecessor, the iPad (10th Gen) with True Tone technology and up to 500 nits of brightness. It’s decent enough, however it does lack an anti-glare coating which means it can be trickier to use it outdoors or in bright conditions.
Finally, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro benefits from a 120Hz refresh rate, which means on-screen animations, scrolling and gaming should feel smooth and lag-free. Annoyingly, the iPad isn’t equipped with Apple’s ProMotion technology and still makes do with just a 60Hz refresh rate.
Android vs iPadOS
One of the biggest differences between the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro and the iPad is with their respective operating systems. While the iPad runs on Apple’s iPadOS, and supports the recently launched iPadOS 27, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is powered by Android.
This means that not only will the Alexa Tablet connect to all your Amazon accounts like Amazon Music, Prime Video and Kindle, but you’ll also benefit from the full Google Play Store so you can download the likes of YouTube, Netflix, Gmail and more.
However, and perhaps most notably, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro comes fitted with Alexa+ – the refreshed iteration of Amazon’s voice assistant – which means you can ask Alexa questions and receive relevant and personalised responses. In addition, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro introduces On-Screen Intelligence that allows Alexa to see what you’re doing on-screen and offer support.
The iPad doesn’t quite offer the same AI smarts as the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro as it doesn’t support Apple Intelligence and, as a result, doesn’t include the new Siri AI function. That means if you ever want to control the iPad with just your voice, then you’ll need to make do with the older Siri. While this shouldn’t necessarily be a deal-breaker, as Apple Intelligence itself isn’t quite the established AI toolkit we’d have expected, the lack of support means the iPad isn’t future-proofed.
Alexa Tablet 12 Pro promises a longer battery life
Amazon claims that the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro will see up to 16 hours of video playback on a single charge while Kindle mode can eke out up to 20 hours too. As we’re yet to review the Tablet 12 Pro, we can’t verify Amazon’s claims, but it certainly sounds promising.
In comparison, the iPad promises to see up to 10 hours of either web browsing or watching video, although this drops to nine hours with the cellular iteration.
iPad comes in more vibrant colours
If you’re looking for a more eye-catching tablet, then the iPad (11th Gen) is the easier one to recommend. Unlike its more muted iPad Air and iPad Pro alternatives, the iPad comes in a choice between four shades: Silver, Blue, Yellow or Pink.
The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, in comparison, only comes in Graphite, though it does benefit from an aluminium frame and is impressively thin too, at just 6.5mm. In fact, at seven-inches, the iPad is actually slightly thicker.
Alexa Tablet 12 Pro has a dedicated Kindle mode
The beauty of the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is that while it’s primarily an Android tablet, it can double as a dedicated Kindle. Simply open a book in the Kindle app and the Tablet 12 Pro will silence notifications, reduce blue light and, as mentioned earlier, stretch the battery life up to 20 hours.
Plus, if you opt for the Nanomatte display, then you’ll benefit from a more paper-like feel and sharper text. Even so, both the standard and Nanomatte options allow you to choose a display theme that best suits your reading preferences, from warmth with natural colour to pure grayscale too.
As we’ve also noted in our Alexa Tablet 12 Pro vs iPad Air comparison, keep in mind that you can also access the Amazon Kindle app on an iPad. You just won’t benefit from more battery or the matte display.
With no support for Apple Intelligence, a lack of ProMotion technology and a smaller battery life, the iPad (11th Gen) is undoubtedly starting to show its age. It’s still a solid choice for those who want an easy to use tablet, but we’d recommend trying to find a deal for it before splurging.
The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, on the other hand, seems like a well-rounded Android tablet that’ll suit most users. However, we’ll have to wait until we review the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro before we provide a conclusive verdict.