Tablets are fast becoming a must-have device, and it’s because they are the bridge between smartphones and laptops. These devices are meant for everyone whether you are a creative, an avid gamer, or just a media person, you need a good tablet.
There are several different sizes of tablets, but most people love 8-inch tablets because they have a decent size, not too big or too small. So now you’ve decided to get one, but how do you know the best 8-inch tablets to purchase?
Don’t build up those worries because you’re about to find out. The market is filled with gazillion tablets from different brands, and you might get lost and not know what to go for. That’s why we have enthusiastic testers and reviewers like us.
In this article, we will share some of the best tablets we have tested and found worthy. Kindly read on to find out more.
Discover The Power Of Portability: The Best 8-Inch Tablets
- Apple iPad Mini 256 GB– Best Overall
- Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 3 – Editors Choice
- Apple iPad Mini 6th Gen– Best Tablet For Productivity
- Samsung Galaxy A7 Tab – Best Portable 8-Inch Tablet
- Lenovo M8 – Best Budget 8-Inch Tablet
- Amazon Fire HD 8 – Best 8-Inch Tablet For Kids
Apple iPad Mini 256 GB- Best Overall
We have resisted having this iPad mini in the first position, but its specifications remain unbeaten in the world of tablets. This version was first released in 2019, and ever since its release, this Apple iPad Mini has become a darling tablet to many.
Apple iPad Mini has a 7.9-inch Retina display with vibrant colors. When it comes to performance, you don’t expect any lags, all thanks to its A8 chip that enables the tablet to run smoothly even with heavy apps.
This tablet is multipurpose even if you’re creative; you can design some smooth pieces or even download your favorite series if you’re not in the work mood. Its battery life is pretty impressive and can serve you for 10 good hours with basic tasks.
For those looking for a tablet that can record high-quality videos, this Apple iPad Mini records decent videos at 720p. Everything about the tablet is great, just that the price lies on the upper side.
Pros
- Superb display
- High-quality videos
- High performance
- Lightweight, so it is easy to move around with
Cons
- No USB-C port
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 3 – Editors Choice
In an ocean of tablets, there’s that one that captures the mind and soul of an editor, which happens to be this massive Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 3 tablet. Although its price tag is not pleasing, this tablet is the goal.
First off, the display of Tab Active 3 is 8 inches, and it has a rugged multipurpose body to withstand any climatic and unfavorable conditions. Its battery life is good, too, and it can last a whole day even when using it fully.
Another feature we love is that this laptop is a fast charger, and you can switch it to no battery mode and then charge your battery separately.
The tablet is integrated with the company’s wireless Dex that tracks user experience. Its 8-inch display has a resolution of 1920 by 1080 that enables you to see things vibrantly with sharp details.
Although the display isn’t the flagship AMOLED display, it’s optimized to serve its intended purpose.
Its rugged build does give an excellent amount of grip. The camera is also good, with a 13 MP rear sensor and flash for great-looking photos.
Pros
- Superb build
- Removable battery
- Good performance
- Weather resistant
Cons
- Pricey
Apple iPad Mini 6th Gen- Best Tablet For Productivity
If you want a productivity beast, you can’t go wrong with the iPad Mini 6th Gen, regardless of the tasks you throw at it. Apple will continue to dominate the tablet market if they keep producing products like this tablet.
First off, the iPad Mini 6th generation has an A15 Bionic chip that guarantees a smooth performance. Its display goes slightly over the 8-inch mark with an 8.3-inch liquid retina display that renders crisp, clear, and bright images.
The resolution is another feature that we truly love. Of course, with its display, having a low resolution would be a bad move. Luckily, this iPad Mini 6th Gen has a resolution of 2266 by 1488 pixels.
The tablet also has both front and back cameras, which are 12MP cameras, so you can now capture objects, take up Zoom meetings, and much more without worrying about a low-quality camera.
Pros
- Beautiful design
- Has an Apple 2 support
- Has a powerful Bionic chip
Cons
- A bit pricey
Samsung Galaxy A7 Tab – Best Portable 8-Inch Tablet
Although all of the tablets we’ve reviewed here are 8 inches, this Samsung Galaxy A7 Tablet has a small compact size. If you want something small yet don’t compromise on its display, you might want to try this one out.
This tablet packs some good but not-so-impressive features, but with its budget, you don’t expect high-end specs. Starting off with the display, this tablet has a resolution of 1340 by 800 pixels which is on the lower end.
However, that can be forgiven if you want to purchase the tablet for entertainment or a superb gift for your young one. The metal chassis is another good thing we noticed because that shows how durable the tablet can be.
Regarding performance, the tablet handles simple tasks well without lag. And what makes it even greater is its expandable memory that allows you to store multiple files.
The cameras are equally decent, with the 8MP camera and 2MP front camera that allows you to take selfies. Samsung might have been on budget when creating some features, but they did a great job with the battery.
Pros
- Strong build
- Fast charging
- Decent performance
- A great tablet for Android lovers
Cons
- Low resolution
Lenovo M8 – Best Budget 8-Inch Tablet
If you want to purchase a tablet on a budget, then this Lenovo M8 might be what you want. One thing you need to know, though, is that this M8 might not be good for any major tasks but can be a great tablet if you want to gift your child.
The kids might watch videos using the M8 and other light tasks, but you cannot throw any demanding tasks at it. Because of its price, you’d expect people to demand something better, but it does have some useful features.
First, the tablet is lightweight, has a good battery life, and has a metal cover for durability. The 16GB memory is a letdown, but at least your kids can play and save some of their favorite games.
Pros
- Low price
- Attractive design
- Long battery life
- Integrated with Google Assistant
Cons
- Outdated operating system
Amazon Fire HD 8 – Best 8-Inch Tablet For Kids
Everyone deserves a portable tablet on the go, which is what Amazon Fire HD 8 is meant for. This tablet is a perfect choice if you want a tablet for your child. Amazon improved the performance of this tablet, setting it apart from its previous version, which lacked behind performance-wise.
The only thing Amazon compromised with is the resolution because, with this Fire HD 8, we get 1280 by 800, while the previous version racked 1920 by 1200 pixels. We realized that while reading smaller texts on this tablet, the sharpness is a bit low too.
Now let’s get to the better part. Starting with the battery life, you get 13 hours after a full charge, enough to entertain your kid the whole day (although you would want to limit screen time for kids).
Featuring the MediaTek MT8168 chip, the performance of this tablet is decent enough to handle light tasks without any lags. The tablet has 32GB or 64GB memory and can be expanded to 1 TB.
Pros
- A sturdy and durable body
- Comes at a fair price
- Long battery life
- Decent performance
- Integrated Alexa
Cons
- Too many Amazon apps
How To Choose The Best 8-Inch Tablet For Your Needs
- Display
- Performance
- Speakers
- Operating System
Display
The display is one of the most important aspects. Because you already have the size in mind, you want to choose a tablet with a high resolution and good color accuracy. We advise that you go for a resolution of at least 1280 by 800 pixels and higher.
Performance
If you purchase a tablet to handle heavy tasks, you might want to go for a tablet with 3 GB RAM or higher and a processor with 4 or more cores.
Speakers
If all you want to do is work and have great entertainment sessions afterward with some great music, then you will need to consider the sound quality of the speakers. A tablet with front-facing speakers renders quality sound better.
Storage
How could we almost forget storage? You want to ensure you get a tablet with sufficient storage capacity for your apps, documents, and media files.
The more files you want to store warrants a large storage capacity. Some tablets come with 32GB, and some go up to 256 GB. The tablet should have an SD card slot to add an external storage card.
Operating System
Tablets run on different operating systems. The tablets mentioned above, you’ll find that run on various popular OS. While all might be good, most can’t contend with iOS, so Apple tablets are rated high-end in performance.
While we might not all be iOS fans, there are some great Android tablets from brands like Samsung.
The 6 Best 8-Inch Tablets
- Apple iPad Mini 256 GB– Best Overall
- Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 3 – Editors Choice
- Apple iPad Mini 6th Gen– Best Tablet For Productivity
- Samsung Galaxy A7 Tab – Best Portable 8-Inch Tablet
- Lenovo M8 – Best Budget 8-Inch Tablet
- Amazon Fire HD 8 – Best 8-Inch Tablet For Kids
Which Is Better a 7-Inch Tablet and An 8-Inch Tablet?
A larger tablet is better so 8-inch tablets are better compared to 7-inch. Additionally, there are more options if you choose an 8-inch tablet compared to a 7-inch one.
Does Samsung have an 8-inch tablet?
Yes, the Galaxy Tab A (8.0”) and SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab Active3 are perfect examples of 8-inch Samsung Tablets.