The best Android tablets and iPads for Zwift are among several options to get your indoor training environment up and running. Zwift and most other training apps will also run on a laptop computer, smartphone, smart TV and more, and we'll cover those too.
The immersive experience and ride-anytime offering of indoor cycling mean that it has become a real alternative to outdoor riding for many cyclists, and if you've splashed out on one of the best smart trainers, an app will help you get the best out of it and keep you motivated, making the experience interactive, rather than just following a workout profile on a cycling computer.
Zwift, TrainerRoad, Wahoo Systm and many other training apps can be run on devices ranging from smartphones to fully-fledged gaming PCs. They're constantly adding features and new routes to keep you interested and developing the technology platform that underpins them.
If you're not sure which training app to go for, you'll find our guide to the best indoor cycling apps very useful.
It's not just a question of subscribing to Zwift, or one of the Zwift alternatives, you'll need to ensure that you've got the hardware and operating system software to make it happen smoothly and realistically to avoid a frustrating, sub-optimal experience. Faster devices help apps to run more smoothly, which can be helpful if you want to ride at peak times.
Here are our picks of the best computer, tablet and smart TV technology to get your pain cave set up. However, if you're not sure what to look for, scroll down for our guide on how to choose the best computer or tablet for indoor cycling.
Best tablets, computers and smart TV tech for Zwift
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Best tablets for Zwift
A tablet or an iPad for Zwift is a solid option to run the app, which will usually give you reasonable graphic performance. The touchscreen interface is handy when you've worked a sweat up and also makes things fairly wipe-clean. A tablet or iPad is also fairly easy to perch somewhere where you can view it easily and the best smart exercise bikes usually include a place to put your tablet where it's easy to see and access.
The disadvantages of this setup include what can be a relatively small screen unless you're prepared to spend a significant sum on a larger format device and potentially limited connectivity to the trainer and other indoor training peripherals.
iPad Air
The latest iPad Air is a surprising performer when it comes to Zwift, offering smoother graphics and detail than quite a few laptops that are double the price. While the graphics run smoothly, i.e. don't get jerky on a crowded group ride, you do lose a bit of detail like rider shadows and reflections. As with the Apple TV, you can only natively use Bluetooth, and if you'd like to use ANT+, you'll need a converter.
With a 10.9in Retina Display and a zippy chipset, the graphics are surprisingly crisp and boot times are lightning-fast. Plus with the claimed 10-hour battery life, the iPad Air won't leave you running for a charger mid-ride.
iPad Pro
If you're looking for a larger screen to display your ride, the iPad Pro offers a 12.9-inch version.
The other major upgrade is the M2 chip in place of the iPad Air's M1 chip and there are also larger storage offerings, with up to 2TB available if you're prepared to pay for it, even the base model doubles the Air's capacity to 128GB.
If you're planning to use your iPad for other duties besides Zwifting, this might be useful as Zwift requires a minimum of 4GB of free space and the iPad Air's 64GB is likely to soon fill up.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
The Galaxy Tab S8's 11-inch screen is bright, sharp and responsive, even with sweaty hands, and both the 125GB and 256GB models have more RAM available than the iPad, so the app runs smoothly — even when Watopia is crowded.
You can up your screen real estate by heading up to the S8+ with a 12.4-inch screen. The S8 Ultra gives you a 14.6-inch screen and up to 518GB storage and 16GB RAM, but this is an expensive option.
With the latest Galaxy Tab S9 pushing the S8 down the pecking order, there are some useful discounts and extras available with the S8 at the moment and its hardware and software should support Zwift for some time to come.
Best laptops for Zwift
A laptop is an alternative to using a tablet, which may give you a slightly larger screen. Depending on the model, performance may not be that much better than a tablet though, plus you have to contend with the risk of sweat finding its way onto the keyboard and the keypad/mouse interface may be less easy to use while exercising.
Apple MacBook Pro
If you're a dedicated Mac user, you can run Zwift on a MacBook or a MacBook Air. Experience varies, with newer machines able to run at higher settings, but MacBooks more than a couple of years old are likely to limit you to the lower settings in Zwift.
With Apple having switched to its M2 chip range for its latest computers, Zwift requires Mac OS 10.14.4 or higher.
The MacBook Pro starts off at a 13-inch screen size, which might be a bit small for the optimum Zwift experience, the 14-inch and particularly the 16-inch models will give you that bit more screen real estate than a tablet and you can perhaps justify the extra cost if you're using your MacBook for work too. There's always the option to hook up an external display.
Dell G15
Pretty much any laptop with at least 4GB of RAM and a moderate graphics card will run Zwift or any other indoor cycling app, although Zwift recommends 8GB. A lower spec may struggle to render smooth visuals, especially if the servers are busy. It's in these aspects that gaming laptops excel if you're looking to get the best performance on Zwift.
You can spend thousands of dollars on a top-end gaming laptop, but when it comes to bang for the buck, we like the Dell G15. With a 15.6-inch screen, it has an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor and its NVIDIA GeForce RTX Graphics Processing Unit allows it to support a 60fps refresh rate at 1080p and above. Plus, it’s also a regular computer, so it can double up as a work or study option.
Asus Vivobook Pro 16
A higher-spec laptop could improve your Zwifting. With the largest tablets having a 14-inch plus screen size, a larger 16-screen laptop will give you a little more screen real estate and may not cost a lot more.
The Asus Vivobook Pro 16 also gives you a high-end graphics card and Intel Core i9 processor along with the option for 32GB of RAM for smooth rendering. There's a large battery and fast charging as well.
Depending on your Zwift set-up the 180-degree hinge might be handy and its antimicrobial coating may prove useful if you sweat on your laptop accidentally.
Best TV set-ups for Zwift
A television offers the largest screen real estate to view Zwift. You'll need something to drive it though, which potentially means yet another device such as an Apple TV box or small format computer.
A smart TV can usually be driven from a phone, making an effective, low-cost alternative to a small format computer. Depending on the phone model, this may tax its capabilities though and it may also limit the connectivity into your training set-up.
Apple TV
If you're looking to jump into Zwift and already have a TV that you'll use, Apple TV is cheaper than a computer or tablet to run the app. When Apple TV support was added to Zwift, many (including this writer) wrote it off, but the tiny black set-top box handles the load surprisingly well, offering smooth graphics, even on crowded bunch rides that cause a MacBook Pro to sweat.
You'll be limited to two Bluetooth connections (or three if you unpair the remote), with the Apple TV capable of full trainer control. Most newer sensors are either Bluetooth only or connect via both ANT+ and Bluetooth, but if you've got an older ANT+-only sensor, there are workarounds as described below.
Intel NUC
If you have a spare TV lying around in your basement, a mini PC like the Intel NUC allows you to take advantage of the screen without having to pay for display — though you will need a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. The Intel NUC has about the same form factor as the Apple TV, it also offers a bit of extra computing power to render graphic details like rider shadows, reflections and sun flares. The Intel NUC also has a USB port so you can use an ANT+ stick if that better suits your indoor riding setup.
The other advantage is that it's a computer and can run TrainerRoad or Wahoo X, and then, of course, a web browser to watch Netflix, YouTube or whatever else. NUC computers are very customisable and you can pick graphics chips, RAM and internal memory, and, the Intel Unit with 16GB of RAM and Iris Plus Graphics 655 GPU is well up to the task.
Smart TV
Finally, if you want the real large screen experience while riding, a smart TV with phone mirroring will allow you to stream Zwift from your iPhone or Android phone to your television screen.
It's a feature that's widely available. The Samsung QN90C, for example, gives you mirroring and the option of six screen sizes from 43 inches all the way up to 85 inches.
There's a huge amount of other tech built into the Samsung TV, including a QLED screen with 3,840 x 2,160 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, while the ultra-slim format won't take up too much wall space.
How to choose
What hardware and software requirements do I need for Zwift and other apps?
If your laptop, desktop or tablet was purchased within the past couple of years, it will more than likely run Zwift or any other training app with no issues. But, as a whole, cyclists are a group that struggles to leave 'good enough' alone. If you are using a device you already own, make sure all the software and the Zwift app are up to date, and there is at least 4GB of free space on your hard drive.
If you're running Zwift on a laptop or PC, the Graphics Processor Unit or GPU will have a significant impact on how the graphics are rendered. Our friends over at Zwift have put together a handy guide that lays out exactly what Windows or Apple PC hardware you will need, which we've duplicated below.
There's a second one for Android devices, iPhones and iPads to run Zwift. But bear in mind that with upgrades to Zwift and new functionality added, you're only going to need more power in future and the system requirements have been upgraded since we previously refreshed this post in November 2021.
Zwift's computer requirements September 2023 (Image credit: Zwift)
Note that system requirements are updated regularly. You'll future-proof your set-up and likely get a better experience with newer, more powerful hardware that hits the optimal requirements noted above.
Note too that some Windows PCs like the Microsoft Surface Pro X use ARM processors that are incompatible with Zwift. If you're planning to run Zwift on a tablet or phone, there's another set of requirements your device will need to meet, as shown below.
Zwift's phone and tablet requirements September 2023 (Image credit: Zwift)
What connectivity do I need for indoor cycling?
You need to get all your indoor cycling equipment to link up, and the two channels that cycling fitness technology uses are Bluetooth and ANT+.
We've all heard of Bluetooth. All of the devices above use it, and most modern cycling equipment uses it, but if you're running older cycling tech, there's a slim chance it's limited to ANT+ only.
ANT+ is pretty much unique to cycling, so modern devices like smartphones and tablets don't use it. That means that if any part of your infrastructure is ANT+ only, you'll need an ANT+ dongle, which will require a spare USB port. This could affect your choice of device since tablets rarely come with USB ports.
The good news is that almost all newer cycling tech is either Bluetooth-only or both ANT+ and Bluetooth-enabled, so this may be a non-issue.
As a solution, if you are stuck, the 4iiii Viiiiva heart rate monitor can act as an ANT+ to Bluetooth bridge, pairing to an ANT+ device and transmitting a Bluetooth data stream to a computer or other Bluetooth-enabled device.
Also, look out for the number of peripheral devices that your hardware can connect to simultaneously. If you've got a separate power meter and trainer you want to use, along with a heart rate monitor and speed sensor, you might run out of available concurrent connections. A smart trainer will have a power meter built in though, so again this may not be an issue or there may be workarounds.
What does your pain cave look like?
If you've got a space you can leave set up for your indoor training, your options are a lot broader than if you have to set up and put away each time you use your trainer.
A dedicated training space means that you can set up a TV screen for a large format virtual world, driven by Apple TV or another device, whereas if you're having to move things around or work out in a small space, a tablet, laptop or smartphone might be the best bet to run your training app.
You're also potentially going to need mains power and you'll definitely need a reliable network connection, either over WiFi or even wired. Some solutions will be a lot more expensive than others, so you need to decide how much you're willing to invest in the perfect setup or whether you can get by on what you have available.
With space, you'll also want to consider how many power outlets are available. Getting to the final of a Zwift race and then having the device you're running it on die is a wholly frustrating yet avoidable issue. Zwift and other training apps are battery intensive, and, if access to outlets is a problem, tablets seem to last quite a bit longer than laptops in our experience. You probably want to set up close to your power source too, so you don't end up with a tangle of extension leads and power cables to manage.
On the network side, WiFi dropping out or hanging mid-race isn't going to do much for your Zwift experience, so you may need a signal booster or may be limited in how far from your router you can set yourself up.
Wahoo's latest Kickr V6 and Kickr Bike V2 trainers have WiFi built in, but you can also use the Direct Connect dongle for a wired connection to avoid drop-outs. You're then even more limited in where you can set up as you'll need both a mains outlet and an ethernet port to hand and older models and other trainers don't have a port for the dongle.
You can always start small and then invest in new hardware and a more sophisticated set-up as you get more hooked on the indoor training experience.
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Paul has been on two wheels since he was in his teens and he's spent much of the time since writing about bikes and the associated tech. He's a road cyclist at heart but his adventurous curiosity means Paul has been riding gravel since well before it was cool, adapting his cyclo-cross bike to ride all-day off-road epics and putting road kit to the ultimate test along the way. Paul has contributed to Cyclingnews' tech coverage for a few years, helping to maintain the freshness of our buying guides and deals content, as well as writing a number of our voucher code pages.
