7+ Best 8 Inch Tablets | Unrivaled Guide 2022

Are you looking for the best 8-inch tablets? In this article, we will help you choose the best from our list of the most recommended 8 ″ tablets.

It was very popular by the time it arrived, but soon after it arrived, many people found that even the smallest tablet’s battery life was not up to par. After the small screen tablets, the larger screen tablets came , but these too failed, due to the heavy body.

Finally, 8-inch tablets arrived on the market and met the need of many people, it was the perfect balance of both requirements, the body as well as the compatibility. So if you’re looking for the same deal here’s our buying guide to help you pick the best 8-inch tablets

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How to choose an 8-inch tablet

Here is the list of all the technical features you need to consider before buying an 8 inch tablet. I assure you that they are not that difficult to understand, you just need to put a pinch of attention on them.

Display

The displays of the tablets I’m about to recommend are all 8-inch, but they don’t all have the same resolution or panel type .

As you may already know, the resolution indicates the number of pixels that are displayed on the screen of a device: the higher it is, the sharper the texts and images displayed on the display, so I invite you to choose a device that has a high resolution.

For example, to enjoy videos in Full HD format at their best, you need to buy a tablet that has at least 1920 × 1280 pixels of resolution (or a slightly lower resolution, such as 1920 × 1200 pixels), while if you want maximum sharpness you have to go to tablets with an even higher resolution, for example the 2048 × 1536 pixels of the top-of-the-range tablets from Apple and Samsung. If you do not have particular needs in terms of multimedia reproduction or text clarity, you could turn to tablets with HD displays (e.g. 1366 × 768 or 1280 × 720 pixels), but now even the cheapest devices have screens of at least 1280 × 800 pixels.

pixel density

Another important parameter to consider is the pixel density , which indicates the number of pixels per inch (PPI) or dots per inch (DPI) that are reproduced on the screen. Again, the higher the pixel density, the sharper the on-screen content appears.

As mentioned above, tablet displays can also differ in the type of panel used. Most 8-inch tablets use IPS LCD type displays which generally have a good viewing angle (although in reality the quality of the panels and their visibility must be evaluated case by case), they are clearly visible in direct sunlight. sun and reproduce colors very faithfully. Then there are the Super AMOLED panelswhich are used by some manufacturers, primarily Samsung, on their most valuable tablets. Super AMOLED panels are distinguished from LCD panels by the fact that the individual pixels emit their own light and do not need backlighting: this leads to a better contrast ratio, to the reproduction of very deep blacks (as the black pixels are actually off) and to lower energy consumption. However, it must be said that OLED panels can be less visible in sunlight than LCD ones and can reproduce colors in a less natural way (they can be very saturated).

HDR and P3 technologies

Finally, a hint to a couple of technologies that are currently quite difficult to find on 8-inch tablets but that can make a difference in choosing a high-end device. I am referring to HDR and P3 technologies which, when supported, allow the reproduction of a wider range of lights and shadows and colors on the tablet screen.

The brightness sensor

The brightness sensor is also linked to the tablet screen : a sensor that, when present, automatically adjusts the brightness of the display based on the ambient light. In my opinion, this is a fundamental component, so I highly recommend that you check its presence on the tablet you are going to buy.

Construction materials

As for the build quality of tablets, well, there is not much to say: the cheapest tablets almost always have a plastic body , while the high-end ones are built in metal and glass . The difference, to the touch and in terms of robustness, is remarkable.

But be careful, they are not all roses and flowers. Even metal and glass tablets have their criticalities. For example, they can be more slippery than plastic ones and can collect more dust and fingerprints, as well as being heavier.

Internal memory, ports, and external media

The internal memory of tablets is not always expandable. This means that it is not always possible to transfer apps, photos and other content to external media such as microSD . If you intend to use your tablet in an “intense” way, installing many apps, many games and / or saving many videos on it, buy one with a very large internal memory or with support for memory expansion . But be careful, not all terminals that support the use of microSD allow you to set the card as the primary memory unit (so it is not always possible to use the microSD as the default destination for apps, photos and so on). Be well informed before making your purchase.

USB / microUSB ports with OTG support

Another feature that could come in handy is the presence of USB / microUSB ports with OTG support , through which you can connect keys, external hard drives, mice, keyboards and other devices to the tablet as you do on your computer. Then there are the USB Type-C ports which are more modern and flexible as they are reversible (cables and devices can be connected in both directions) and also allow you to power the devices that host them (in this case the tablets ) and to connect the latter to external displays.

In this regard, some tablets are equipped with HDMI / microHDMI ports for connecting the tablet to external televisions and monitors. Finally, there are the proprietary ports, such as the Lightning ones of some Apple iPad models, which can act as both a charging port and a connection port for external devices and as a screen extension (via special adapters to be purchased separately).

Note: the amount of memory indicated by the manufacturers (e.g. 16 GB or 32 GB) is not the same as the actual space available for apps and documents. From that value you must always subtract the space already occupied by the operating system and default apps that come with the tablet, which can be equal to 2-5 GB.

Support 4G / 5G and phone functions

All tablets support Wi-Fi networks , but not all of the same type of Wi-Fi networks. The cheaper models only support classic 2.4 GHz networks , while the mid-range tablets are also compatible with the 5 GHz networks generated by dual-band routers. The wireless standard supported by the tablet must then be evaluated, which determines the maximum data transfer speed that the device can reach. The fastest tablets in transferring files over wireless networks are those with wireless AC support , which can reach speeds of up to 1.3 Gbps (as long as the router from which the connection comes is also compatible with the wireless AC standard).

Even more important difference to take into account is that relating to 4G / 5G support . If you travel a lot and you need an Internet connection even when you are out and about and you don’t have Wi-Fi networks available, buy a tablet with a SIM slot and support for 4G / 5G networks (which would be the networks used by smartphones to access the Internet on the move).

For tablets with 4G support, you should also check the LTE category supported by the latter (LTE is the most popular type of 4G network at the moment). In fact, depending on the LTE standard supported by the tablet, the device can reach a different maximum download and upload speed when connected to the Internet. Without getting too technical, we can say that the fastest tablets on the Internet are those that support LTE networks of category 6 or later, which guarantee a download speed of up to 300 Mbps. Obviously, to take advantage of the 4G network and just mentioned above, you must sign up for a special data plan and, more importantly, you must be in an area where the 4G network is adequately fast.

As for  5G technology , you should know that support for this connection protocol is starting to be available on the latest tablets introduced on the market, especially on medium-high-end models.

Some tablets are also equipped with voice line support , so they can be used to make phone calls over the cellular network, but support for 3G / 4G / 5G networks does not automatically also support voice line support. In addition, there are tablets that support calls but do not have a headset, so to make phone calls they require the use of headphones or earphones.

Note: As you can easily understand, tablets with 3G / 4G / 5G support are more expensive than those with Wi-Fi support only and in many cases they are even heavier. Keep these two factors in mind before proceeding with the purchase of your next tablet.

Processor, RAM and battery

Processor , RAM and battery determine the overall performance of the tablet. The processor is a bit like the brain of the device: it is the one that performs all the calculations and the general speed of the tablet in performing everyday operations (e.g. starting apps) depends on its power. To evaluate the performance of a processor you have to analyze the number of its cores , that is, of the computing units for which the work is divided, and their operating frequency, which is expressed in GHz . Generally speaking, the more cores and GHz there are, the faster the tablet goes.

RAM

RAM is the memory where the data of the applications you are using and the running system processes are temporarily hosted. Its quantity is expressed in GB , consequently the more GB of RAM there are, the more the tablet is able to “withstand” the execution of multiple applications at the same time without blocks, slowdowns and forced refreshes. I recommend a tablet with at least 2 GB of RAM, now they can also be found in the economic range of the market.

Battery

Finally, the battery is what determines the autonomy of the tablet. Its capacity is expressed in milliampere hours (mAh) , so in theory the more mAh there are and the longer the tablet can work without being connected to a power source. I say “in theory” because in reality the operating system also plays a decisive role on the autonomy and speed of a tabletwith which the device is equipped: a well-optimized operating system allows less powerful tablets “on paper” to have the same performance and autonomy as more powerful but poorly optimized tablets on the software front. Without forgetting the importance of the processor: there are processors that have an energy management that is not at the top and therefore can drain even a battery with many mAh in a short time.

Camera

If you are a photography enthusiast and / or want to use your tablet for video calls, consider the quality of the cameras as well . Usually the cameras with which tablets are equipped are two: a more powerful one located on the back of the device and a less powerful one located in the front.

To evaluate the photographic performance of a tablet , do not stop at the number of megapixels of the sensor : try to understand how the cameras behave in low light conditions, find out about the presence of stabilization for photos and videos and try to understand the maximum resolution with which they can movies be shot.

How do you find all this information? Simple, by looking for a review of the tablet that interests you. This way you will also be able to view practical examples of photos and videos made with it (and, trust me, there is no better way to evaluate the performance of tablet cameras!).

Audio

When choosing a tablet, be it 8 inches or more, the audio sector must also be taken into consideration, and more precisely the number of speakers with which the device is equipped.

Generally, the more speakers there are, the more enveloping the audio reproduced by the device is, as well as the higher the maximum volume available should be.

Keyboard and pen support

Above 10 inches, 2-in-1 devices are having great success , i.e. those tablets with a base or cover with a keyboard that, if necessary, can be transformed into a notebook. On 8-inch devices you will hardly find configurations of this type, but nobody forbids you to buy a Bluetooth keyboard in its own right and use that to turn your tablet into a small notebook. You can find some examples of wireless keyboards in my buying guide dedicated to this kind of products.

Another essential accessory for some is the pen , thanks to which it is possible to write and draw in a very natural way on the tablet, as well as highlighting contents, taking notes on documents, etc. The pens for tablets can be of two different types: there are the active ones that are dedicated to specific models of tablets, they work on battery and are extremely precise, and then there are the passive ones that are compatible with all tablets, they have no internal batteries but are extremely inaccurate (in fact they cost relatively little and can be used for very few things, certainly not to write or draw in a precise way). To evaluate the degree of accuracy of a pen you have to analyze the number oflevels of pressure that it can recognize.

Operating system

As mentioned in the previous lines of this guide, the operating system plays a fundamental role in the performance and degree of usability of a tablet: here are the main operating systems that you can find pre-installed on tablets and their respective pros and cons.

Android

Android– is the Google home operating system. It shines for its flexibility and for the fact that it does not set particular limits either to the user or to the manufacturing companies. This means that hardware manufacturers can modify it with customized interfaces and extra content compared to the “standard” equipment of the operating system, while users are free to modify the tablet settings thoroughly and can install apps from external sources compared to the official store. by Google. The main problems of Android are the poor optimization of the apps for the tablet format (on iOS, for example, there are more optimized for use in the tablet environment) and the risk of “catching” malware when installing apps that they are not from the Play Store. It should be noted that some Android tablets (eg.alternative stores .

iPadOS

iPadOS – is the operating system of Apple’s iPads. It’s the one that offers the best possible user experience in terms of apps (as already mentioned, apps are generally better made and are more optimized for tablet format than those for Android) but it’s still a little too closed. For example, it does not allow you to download applications that come from outside the official Apple store (unless you jailbreak ).

Windows 10

 I don’t think it needs too many introductions, it’s the same operating system you most likely have installed on your PC. This means that you can install all the apps that you can install on your computer (within the limits dictated by the tablet hardware) but also that it suffers from the same problems: the imperfect optimization of many apps for use via touch-screen and the virus risk.

FireOS

FireOS is a modified version of Android that Amazon’s Fire tablets are equipped with. It shares all the strengths and weaknesses of the stock version of Android, but provides easy access to Amazon’s services and does not include the Google Play Store (which can still be installed by following the appropriate guides available online). The apps can be installed via the Amazon store or “manually” via apk packages .

There are also tablets with dual-boot support , which are supplied with two different operating systems (usually Windows and Android) and allow you to choose which one to boot from time to time.

Frequent questions

Conclusion:

As we know everyone has their own needs and requirements, so this question can vary from person to person. But in our opinion, 8 inches is enough for almost any purpose. Both for entertainment and for work. The most important thing is that we can easily handle it and put it anywhere or any place in the jacket.

The only problem with 8 ″ tablet will come when buying it for entertainment purposes like watching movies or for college students. But if you can adjust to 8 inches then this is the best option. You can easily go for an 8 inch tablet.

There are a few things you need to keep in mind while shopping for any 8-inch tablet device on a budget like screen size, battery, processor, after-sales service and software updates.