How Long Do Android Tablets Last? Here's What Users Say

Just because you're not willing to cash out the big bucks for the best iPad doesn't mean you can't get your money's worth out of an Android tablet. In fact, there are plenty of Android tablets more powerful than the iPad Mini you can acquire for the same price or lower. Are they equally dependable, though? How long do Android tablets last on average?

According to what owners say online, the expected lifespan is in line with most Android phones. Put differently, you can squeeze anywhere from three to five years out of a tablet, maybe even more. One user reported their Samsung S7+ ran perfectly at the five-year mark. In the same Reddit thread, an owner said that the Tab S and S7 tablets (both Samsung) can go for three to four years. The user went as far as to praise mid-tier tablets like Samsung's S9 FE, claiming they last at least three years. He also "besmirched" the M4 iPad Pro for lagging after one year of use.

This seems to be a trend online. A Redditor says that many tablets (regardless of the price point) can last five to seven years in terms of hardware. Another commenter added that the expected lifespan is psychological and is proportional to how fast you become hyper-focused on its shortcomings, but confirmed that four to five years is a reasonable expectation.

Generally speaking, the hardware is the more dependable part. Redditor MadCow333 owned multiple "no-name" tablets from Best Buy and reports only seeing a few hardware failures, such as broken ports. However, the user did raise a point about the difference between longevity and functionality. In his words, the tablet will inevitably lose its snappy nature as software updates become more demanding.

Not a surprise, really. When exploring how long Motorola phones last, for instance, many users reported that the short software support is the problem, not the hardware itself. Same thing with tablets. According to one Redditor, their mother rocked a Samsung Galaxy A5 for about eight years. They were forced to retire the device because, once the OS became outdated, they couldn't update apps like Chrome.

So, that's how long Android tablets last. If you take good care of it (especially the battery, as one user put it), you can get at least three to five years, easy. However, you'll eventually have to replace it once you hit the dreaded OS wall. Considering that you can get a powerful device for around $250, this actually isn't a bad deal, at least from the mileage standpoint.