Best 7 and 8-inch Tablets: Small tablets with big ambitions
Choosing a touchscreen device is always a game of mental tag. On one end, you desire portability. And at the other end, your heart yearns for screen size. As such, we find that the dainty form factor of 7 or 8-inches is perhaps the best size for balancing the existence of your full tablet and your pocket-worthy phone.
This autumn of 2020, we once again review the best tablets of the 7-inch and 8-inch category, categorized mainly with your investment towards the specs that you are planning to get. As such, while the best ones will be the most budget-oriented options, we’ll also introduce a few heavy-duty models that would make every dollar you spend worthwhile.
Top 8 Best 7-inch & 8-inch Tablets
Before we get started here is a general overview of all the tablets that will be included in this list:
- Apple iPad Mini 5
- Samsung Galaxy Tab A8
- Amazon Fire HD 8
- Vankyo MatrixPad S7
- Lenovo Tab M8
- Amazon Fire 7
- Vanquisher Rugged Tablet PC
- Huawei MatePad T8
BONUS: Lenovo Smart Tab M8 (2nd Gen) and Huawei MediaPad M5 Lite
Alright, let’s go!
1. Apple iPad Mini 5
The Best Premium Tablet with 8-inch Display with Apple Pencil Support
Yes, yes we know. At this point including the iPad mini at every small form factor tablet list is already technically considered as obligatory. But what can we do? It’s still such a solid product, even if it asks for a premium price tag. It has all the storage space that you need, assisted by an excellent CPU, and supported by 3GB of RAM, which is our optimal performance spec choice for memory.
The ultimate downside? As with any other iPad generation right next to it, you technically have no reason to buy this if you still own a healthy iPad Mini 4. Most of the casually noticeable practical upgrades on the iPad Mini 5 sits at storage availability (from 16/32/64/128GB to just 64/256GB), and the step up of its CPU from A8 to A12 Bionic.
Specifications:
| OS: | iOS 12.1.3 (default) |
| Processor: | A12 Bionic (2.5Ghz, 1.6Ghz hexa-core) |
| Storage: | 64, 256 GB |
| RAM: | 3 GB |
| Camera: | 8 MP (back), 7 MP (front) |
| Display: | 7.9 inches |
| Resolution: | 2048 x 1536 |
| Size: | 8.0 x 5.31 x 0.24 inches |
| Weight: | 0.67 pounds (0.3 kg) |
| Port: | USB 2.0 (proprietary) |
| Battery: | 10 hours (5124 mAh) |
| Price: | Starting $500 |
| Connectivity: | Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, hotspot |
| Sensors: | A-GPS, GLONASS |
2. Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2019)
Affordability Meets Reliability and Style
So, Samsung is more willing to expend its business resources on its latest smartphones. But that doesn’t mean it has forsaken the 8-inch tablet market, as evidenced by the Galaxy Tab A. This time however, Samsung strikes a balance between its premium, Apple-competitor line, and its budget product line, going only several steps beyond entry level.
Its 2.0 Ghz quad-core processor is quite impressive for the price it is packaged with, even though its 2GB of RAM and base 32GB of internal storage has become more common. Feel and build is as always solid and sturdy, giving that premium aura. But the more notable perk for this particular tablet, is perhaps its battery life, which supposedly can last for more than 14 hours with moderate use.
All in all a nice portable task crunching machine, with a bit of dedicated gaming flair.
Specifications:
| OS: | Android 9 (Pie) |
| Processor: | Cortex-A53 (2.0 Ghz quad-core) |
| Storage: | 32 GB |
| RAM: | 2 GB |
| Camera: | 8 MP (back), 2 MP (front) |
| Display: | 8 inches |
| Resolution: | 1280 x 800 |
| Size: | 8.27 x 4.90 x 0.31 inches |
| Weight: | 0.76 pounds (0.34 kg) |
| Port: | USB 2.0 |
| Battery: | 11 hours (5100 mAh) |
| Price: | $160 |
| Connectivity: | Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Sensors: | A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
3. Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020)
The Best Tablet to Consume Media & Reading
Sitting very close to the best spec-package-per-deal tablet ever is well… the 2020 version of the Fire HD 8. Very anticlimactic, yes. But just look at those specifications. These are very familiar numbers to some of the entries that we saw earlier. Then look at the price. See what we mean now?
A second tablet from Amazon with the same 8-inch display, the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus is also available. Launched at the same time as the standard version, you pay a bit more for extra memory, wireless charging support and faster charging.
The Fire 7 may have maintained its place economically, but if you’re just a little bit more eager to pump more juice to your tablet’s innards, then the Fire HD 8 is your next best bet. Battery life has improved compared to previous generation but nothing to shout home about, grossly sitting at around the same as generations of 8-inch tablets that came before it. What has caught up is the USB-C charging port. While others still rely on micro USB, Amazon has started introducing USB-C on their new tablets including the Fire HD 10.
Specifications:
| OS: | Fire OS 7.0 (Android-based) |
| Processor: | Cortex-A53 (2.0Ghz quad-core) |
| Storage: | 32, 64 GB |
| RAM: | 2 GB (3GB on the Plus model) |
| Camera: | 2 MP (back and front) |
| Display: | 8 inches |
| Resolution: | 1280 x 800 |
| Size: | 8.0″ x 5.4″ x 0.4″ (202 mm x 137 mm x 9.7 mm) |
| Weight: | 0.78 pounds (0.355 kg) |
| Port: | USB-C (2.0) |
| Battery: | 12 hours |
| Price: | $90 |
| Connectivity: | Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band |
| Sensors: | Accelerometer |
4. Vankyo MatrixPad S7 Tablet
Ultra Budget Entry Level Compact Tablet
Need an entry-level tablet that you would mainly use for media access, and then never have to worry that your investment will fail? The Vankyo MatrixPad S7 proves itself as the dark horse of this year’s 7 and 8-inch tablet categories. First off it is installed with a clean and non-bloated version of Android 9, it rocks a pretty standard 1.3Ghz quad-core CPU, and has 2GB of RAM. Most importantly perhaps, it has a whopping 32GB of default internal storage, something that is almost never seen in budget tablets within its range. All of that, for an official price that stays within two-digits.
So is it the Amazon Fire killer? Not really, but we do get greatly conflicted by the choices presented by the two tablets. Pick it up for cheap at their official sources, and see how far you can go with it. A bigger version is also available, the VANKYO MatrixPad S8 with 8-inch display.
Specifications:
| OS: | Android 9 (Pie) |
| Processor: | unidentified (1.3Ghz quad-core) |
| Storage: | 32 GB |
| RAM: | 2 GB |
| Camera: | 5 MP (back), 2 MP (front) |
| Display: | 7 inches |
| Resolution: | 1024 x 600 |
| Size: | 8.3 x 5.2 x 1.6 inches |
| Weight: | 0.65 pounds (0.29 kg) |
| Port: | USB 2.0 |
| Battery: | 7 hours (2900 mAh) |
| Price: | $75 |
| Connectivity: | Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n |
| Sensors: | Accelerometer, Gyro |
5. Lenovo Tab M8 Tablet
Best for Long Battery Life, Sleek Metal Chassis and Super Narrow Bezels
If it is all about mid-tier quality budget tablets, an entry from Lenovo is of course obligatory. After the Tab 4’s faithful service to the tablet market for the last three years, the Lenovo Tab M8 finally took its rightful place within that 8-inch tablet economic sweet spot. What can we even say to the nice baseline package of 2.0 Ghz quad-core CPU, 2GB RAM and 32 GB internal storage, wrapped around a price point that is just above the super affordable range.
Best of all? It’s built for heavy-duty long use. Playing intensive games on it all day long? 8 hours. Using it as an interfacing productivity machine for your work on the desk? 14 hours. Idling with only occasional usage as an entertainment medium through a boring trip? 16 hours! Lenovo claims that the Lenovo Tab M8 battery will last up to 18 hours on web browsing.
The same tablet is also being sold with a smart charging dock that instantly turns the tablet into a smart home hub with Google Assistant. More on this later.
Specifications:
| OS: | Android 9 (Pie) |
| Processor: | MediaTek Helio A22 Tab, quad-core, 2.0GHz |
| Storage: | 16, 32 GB expandable via microSD up to 2TB |
| RAM: | 2, 3 GB |
| Camera: | 5 MP (back), 2 MP (front) |
| Display: | 8 inches |
| Resolution: | 1280 x 800 |
| Size: | 121.8mm x 199.1mm x 8.15mm / 4.79″ x 7.84″ x 0.32″ |
| Weight: | 305 grams |
| Port: | USB 2.0, MicroUSB USB on-the-go |
| Battery: | 18 hours (5000 mAh) |
| Audio: | Dolby Audio tuned side speaker |
| Connectivity: | Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP LE, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n ac; 2.4/5 GHz; Hotspot |
| Sensors: | GPS, Glonass, Accelerometer |
6. Amazon Fire 7 (2019)
Best Branded Small Tablet with an even Smaller Price Tag
Ah, the king of the small form factor tablet category rises up to the challenge once again. There is definitely a reason Amazon sells these tablets like hotcakes. Because for casual use, as proven by the previously featured Vankyo MatrixPad, you definitely want something that you never need to worry about breaking. You know what’s even better? It usually doesn’t. Making that super economic investment many times worth more what you are getting.
Unlike the Apple iPad Mini though, you have every reason to upgrade to its 2019 version. First your 16 GB expansion option is now double to 32. It also ditches ARM Cortex A7 of the 2017 version for the cleaner, more efficient Cortex-A53, to speed up the response of casual tasks that are repeatedly done on the tablet. Lastly, evolving from 2017 version’s prehistoric 0.3 MP camera, it now has a 2 MP camera! Okay that last one still isn’t good enough compared to other tablets, but that is progress nonetheless!
Specifications:
| OS: | Fire OS 6.3.0 (Android-based) |
| Processor: | Cortex-A53 (1.3Ghz quad-core) |
| Storage: | 16, 32 GB |
| RAM: | 1 GB |
| Camera: | 2 MP (back and front) |
| Display: | 7 inches |
| Resolution: | 1024 x 600 |
| Size: | 7.6 x 4.5 x 0.4 inches |
| Weight: | 0.67 pounds (0.3 kg) |
| Port: | USB 2.0 |
| Battery: | 7 hours (2980 mAh) |
| Price: | $50 |
| Connectivity: | Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, hotspot |
| Sensors: | Accelerometer |
7. Vanquisher Ultra Rugged Tablet (8-inch)
Best Enterprise Tablet for Mobile Field Workers
These tablets are casual access machines. As such it may not be enough to just keep the materials premium. Making sure that it is rough and tough goes a long way in preserving that investment until the next generation.
Asking for $400 for such a feature is perhaps enough to discourage budget-conscious consumers out there. But for those who need field equipment, such as in construction, agriculture, or on-site research, the Vanquisher Ultra-Rugged Tablet may be the most economic choice is the most reliable option out there in terms of safety. Its specially-built casing withstands several meters of (free) fall, and can be taken out regardless of weather conditions. It also lasts long enough for one whole work day, under regular task loads (approximately 7 hours).
There are a few caveats to those looking at its box specifications though. It is installed with a Windows 10 Home, not Pro. It has a 32-bit BIOS, so you can’t installed 64-bit programs. So do keep those in mind.
Specifications:
| OS: | Windows 10 Home |
| Processor: | Intel Z8350 (1.44~1.92Ghz) |
| Storage: | 32 GB |
| RAM: | 2 GB |
| Camera: | 2 MP (front), 5 MP (back) |
| Display: | 8 inches |
| Resolution: | 1280 x 800 |
| Size: | 8.7 x 0.5 x 5.5 inches |
| Weight: | 1.43 pounds (0.65 kg) |
| Port: | USB 3.0 |
| Battery: | 7 hours (7500 mAh) |
| Price: | $400~$450 |
| Connectivity: | Bluetooth 4.0 (BLE) class1, transmission distance 10m WIFI: 802.11(a/b/g/n), 2.4G+5.8G dual band 3G: WCDMA(900/2100MHz), GSM(900/1800MHz) |
| Sensors: | G-sensor, GPS: U-blox NEO-7, GPS, GLONASS, QZSS |
8. Huawei MatePad T8
Yup, that’s what we call a downward spiraling price tag. All that beefy innards (both hardware and software) that you can’t even begin to imagine to utilize, is now available at something even cheaper than Lenovo’s offering. Most instantly noticeable in its set of features is that “no Google Play” description. If you are aware of Huawei’s troubles with the U.S. government then you already have an idea why.
Despite this apparent limitation, having no Google Play doesn’t exactly mean apps can’t be installed on the MatePad T8. In fact, given the relative ease of solving this problem, we don’t consider this a limitation at all. That being said, Huawei has come up with their own app store and search alternatives, known as Huawei AppGallery and Petal Search. To sweeten the deal, you even get 50GB free cloud storage and 6 months free music streaming.
Specifications:
| OS: | Android 10 (no Google Play) |
| Processor: | Cortex-A53 (2.0, 1.5 Ghz octa-core) |
| Storage: | 16, 32 GB |
| RAM: | 2 GB |
| Camera: | 5 MP (back), 2 MP (front) |
| Display: | 8 inches |
| Resolution: | 1280 x 800 |
| Size: | 7.86 x 4.77 x 0.34 inches |
| Weight: | 0.7 pounds (0.32 kg) |
| Port: | USB 2.0, USB on-the-go |
| Battery: | 10 hours (5100 mAh) |
| Price: | $120 |
| Connectivity: | Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Sensors: | Accelerometer, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS |
BONUS: Lenovo Smart Tab M8 (2nd Gen)
Following the success of the Smart Tab series. The new Lenovo Smart Tab M8 second generation has taken a new profile with slimmer bezels, darker tone and a smart charging station at the ready to turn the tablet into a smart display to access Google Assistant via voice commands. This is effectively a two-in-one device, perfect as a portable tablet and doubles as a smart home hub when you come home.
Elsewhere, the tablet received a premium metal chassis, TUV certified display to help reduce eye fatigue and powered by a quad-core processor that is fast enough to let you enjoy tablet gaming on the go. For entertainment, the HD display with 1280 x 800 pixel resolution and Dolby Atmos enhanced speakers makes this a brilliant media tablet. Our favourite is still the 18 hours long battery life when using the tablet for web browsing. The tablet is also offered as a straight Lenovo Tab M8 as seen earlier without a smart charging dock.
Specifications:
| OS: | Android™ 9 Pie |
| Processor: | MediaTek Helio A22 Tab, quad-core, 2.0GHz |
| Storage: | 32 GB expandable with microSD up to 128GB |
| RAM: | 2 GB |
| Camera: | 5 MP (back), 2 MP (front) |
| Display: | 8 inches |
| Resolution: | 1280 x 800 |
| Size: | H12.18, W19.91cm, 8.15mm |
| Weight: | 305g |
| Port: | USB 2.0 micro USB |
| Battery: | Up to 18 hours |
| Audio: | Dolby Atmos enhanced side speaker |
| Connectivity: | Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP LE, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n ac; 2.4/5 GHz |
| Sensors: | GPS, Glonass, Accelerometer |
Huawei MediaPad M5 Lite (8-inch)
The premium MediaPad M5 with 8.4-inch display may be end-of-line. It was tasked at being an alternative to the Apple iPad mini and Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.4-inch in its days. It is not short on specification and the premium price tag reflects that. Chief among the specification is the 2560 x 1600 IPS LCD screen, tiny bezels and solid build quality.
Now, take that same formula and turn down the specifications a notch or two and call it Huawei MediaPad M5 lite. With a slightly smaller but still expansive 8-inch IPS display pushing 1920 x 1200 pixels, the device looks just as handsome as its premium part.
Powered by an 2.2GHz octa-core chip, the Kirin 710 with 3GB RAM memory and 32GB storage, the tablet is no slouch. It is also equipped with a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera, dual stereo speakers tuned by Harmon Kardon and high capacity 5100mAh that lasts up to 10.2 hours.
Specifications:
| OS: | Ultra-smooth EMUI 9.0 + Android 9.0 operating system |
| Processor: | 2.2GHz Kirin 710 Kirin 710 octa core processor. |
| Storage: | 32 GB (expandable via microSD up to 512GB) |
| RAM: | 3 GB |
| Camera: | 13 MP (back), 8 MP (front) |
| Display: | 8.0 inches |
| Resolution: | 1920 x 1200 |
| Size: | H20.42, W12.22cm, 8.2mm thin |
| Weight: | 310 grams |
| Port: | USB 2.0, micro USB |
| Battery: | 10.2 hours (5100 mAh), fast charge (18W) available |
| Audio | Dual stereo speakers Harmon Kardon tuning and Huawei Histen sound technology |
| Connectivity: | Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, LTE version available |
| Sensors: | Accelerometer, Gyro, Proximity, Compass |
Edited by Samuel J. Tan
