What makes an iPad so special? Now there's an interesting question.
Now, I'm not an Apple fan and used to be very anti Apple, but I've mellowed out a bit since then over their mobile stuff due to the timely OS updates, the app store, smooth operation of the OS and quality hardware build. Sure, it's a walled garden which is a Bad Thing as it restricts what you can have (bittorrent client anyone?) but it's also very effective at filtering out malware apps. Android's Google Play is definitely not as good in this area, so you have to be a bit more careful, but it's normally ok.
I still wouldn't buy their overpriced Macs, but I would buy an iPad or iPhone nowadays (not the iPhone X with that infernal notch though and inflated price). I'm one of those rare people who's actually comfortable in both the Android and Apple worlds when it comes to mobiles and like the uniqueness of each platform. I've got an Android smartphone at the moment and am mostly happy with it (the gloriously sealed battery is beginning to die).
Last year, I bought an iPad Pro 12.9 inch (first version) and had it for a while. Simply, it was awesome so I absolutely loved it. Had some serious wow factor from the great build quality and physical feel to the slickness of operation, including those 4 amazing speakers. The new version is a bit lighter, thinner and has that great 120Hz screen. All incremental differences that add up to quite a lot altogether. I'm a sucker for that screen...
It's difficult to define quality, but you know it when you see it and the iPad has it in spades.
Alas, I don't have that iPad any more, since it was so expensive at £900 and I really needed the money for other things, hence it was too much of a luxury. So, I returned it to Apple with a heavy heart during the two week return period. I do plan to buy another one someday, though.
Now, I haven't tried a high end tablet from the likes of Samsung etc, but I'm sure that these will be pretty nice, too.
In the end though, the most important thing for any computer platform is industry support, end of story, so the Mac is out, regardless of price. Both Apple and Android and are mainstream and hence very well supported like Windows is and about equally, so you can buy into either with confidence. Just buy what you like and be happy with it.