5 Best tablet for sheet music in 2023

If you are looking for the best tablet for sheet music, then this is the article for you. There are so many tablet brands and types available that choosing the best one can be overwhelming.

When choosing a good tablet for your music, you need to go for one with a reasonably large screen size, a 3.5 mm audio jack to attach audio devices, a good built-in microphone and speakers plus reliable processing power.

We will first give you 5 of the best you can buy then explain the factors you need to consider before choosing the best one. 

What is the Best Tablet for Sheet Music?

1. Apple iPad Pro – Best Overall
2. Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 – Best Android Tablet for Sheet Music
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ – Best Samsung Tablet for Sheet Music
4. Microsoft Surface Pro 8 – Best Windows Tablet for Sheet Music
5. Apple iPad Air – Best Budget iPad for Sheet Music

Apple iPad Pro 12.9 – Best Tablet for Sheet Music – Best Overall

The Apple iPad Pro is by far one of the most reliable tablets ever made. It is not surprising therefore that it takes the spot for the Best tablet for reading music. 

First, it has a unique display at 13 inches in size and 2732 x 2048 pixels screen resolution. Its unique liquid Retina Display technology and high 1000 nits brightness levels make it clear and ideal even for high light situations.

For beginners, the tablet will allow easy music reading on the screen while for seasoned music professionals, the tablet comes with 4 quality speakers that you can easily read music by ear.

For sound recording, the iPad comes with a set of clear studio-grade microphones.

The Apple iPad has a sleek and modern look that is both sturdy and durable. It is however slightly heavier compared to other sheet music tablets weighing in at 1.5 pounds.

Connectivity for a music tablet is very important. The iPad Pro has fast and perfect connectivity thanks to the Wi-Fi 6, Thunderbolt 4 port, and Bluetooth 5 connection options. Unfortunately, the iPad Pro does not come with a 3.5mm audio Jack.

The iPad is also compatible with the wireless Apple Pencil 2 which is an industry standard. Unfortunately, you will have to buy it separately, which may be costly.

When it comes to battery life, the iPad Pro scores well with up to 10 hours of battery life on continuous use.

Finally, the Apple M2 chip processor found on the iPad Pro is one of the fastest processors available in the market today. When you combine this with 8 GB RAM you have a very powerful music tablet free of any lags.

You also have 16 and 32 GB RAM options to choose from if you prefer more power.

If you like storing files on your tablet, the iPad Pro comes with a wide range of storage space from 256 GB all the way to 2 TB. 

You will however not be able to buy a low storage option and upgrade. The only way is to buy another iPad.

To scan your traditional chord charts and save them as PDF documents the iPad comes with a clear 12 Megapixel rear camera and 12 Megapixel webcam camera on the front.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8: Best Android Tablet for Sheet Music

The Apple iPad Pro is a great tablet but it loses some points because of the price and lack of a 3.5 mm audio Jack. 

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is a very budget-friendly tablet that is not only economical but also comes with an audio jack.

Although the power, screen, and performance do not match up to the iPad Pro, it has all that you need to run sheet music applications without issues.

The screen is large enough at 10.5 inches and has a 16:10 aspect ratio that allows it to be used comfortably in both landscape and portrait orientation.

The overall display is clean and clear at Full HD 1920×1200 pixels resolution. 

For power and performance, this tablet comes with a  Unisoc Tiger chipset and 4 GB RAM that will be capable of running sheet music easily.

To save your files you have 128 GB storage space which is not enough but is upgradable to 512 GB through a MicroSD card. 512 GB is obviously more space than you need.

For portability, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 weighs only 1.12 pounds and has an overall size of only 9.72 x 6.37 x 0.27 inches. Additionally, up to 15 hours of battery life means you can easily carry it around without power issues.

Connectivity stands out for this tablet with a USB Type-C port and a 3.5mm audio jack available.

For Wireless connections, the tablet comes with Wi-Fi 5 plus Bluetooth 5.0, which you can use to connect to wireless accessories.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ – Best Samsung Tablet for Sheet Music

If you prefer an Android system, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ is the Best Android Tablet for Sheet Music. After the  S7+, Samsung has introduced a new S8 Ultra and S9+ that are great.

However, they are both more expensive and the S7+ gives a perfect balance for value and money especially if you want a tablet for sheet music only.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ is one of the slimmest tablets that you can buy. Despite this, the overall metal build makes it sturdy and durable. 

A very long battery life, up to 15 hours, and a lightweight build make the tablet easily portable and usable on the go. 

The screen is large at 12.4 inches and has a clean and crisp high-resolution display at 2800 x 1752 pixels. 

Additionally, the screen features reduced bezels that make the screen seem even bigger and provide a larger view area for your music.

This super AMOLED screen provides a good reading space for your music and offers a fast 120Hz response rate to its very good Samsung S-pen that is available in the box on purchase.

If you prefer reading music by ear, the tablet comes with a powerful Dolby Atmos-supported quad-speaker system. Additionally, you will have studio-level microphones built into your tablet.

When it comes to power and performance, this tablet will seamlessly run all your Android-based sheet music applications such as Mobile Sheets and Songbook.

This is made possible by a powerful Snapdragon 865 processor and 6 GB RAM that make multitasking possible.

To save your files, you will have 128 GB space which is honestly low. However, it is possible to expand the memory using a micro SD card up to 1 TB. 

You can scan your traditional chord charts and save them as PDF documents thanks to a good 13 MP rear camera and 5 MP webcam on the front.

Just like the iPad Pro, however, this tablet does not come with a 3.5 mm Audio jack.

Microsoft Surface Pro 8 – Best Windows Tablet for Sheet Music

If you prefer a Windows System, then the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is your best option. This is a multipurpose tablet and will surely do more for you than only reading music.

First, it comes with a large 13-inch screen with a massive 2880 x 1920 pixels resolution display. 

Just like the Samsung Galaxy S7+, the screen features a fast full touch 120 Hz response rate that will have no delays even when running sheet music software.

The brightness levels are slightly low compared to an iPad Pro with only 450 nits. This may pose a challenge when used in high light or outdoor conditions.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is a 2 in 1 laptop tablet. This means that you can easily use it as a tablet or laptop by connecting it to a keyboard and a mouse.

This versatility makes it perfect for both beginner and pro musicians who want to incorporate a tablet and laptop into their workflow.

Surface Pro 8 comes with powerful stereo speakers that are Dolby Atmos-powered. Additionally, high-quality studio-grade speakers will allow perfect audio recording.

For processing power, the tablet comes with a powerful Intel core i5 processor and 8 GB RAM.

If you like using your tablet away from the office this tablet is easily portable thanks to an overall 1.91 pounds weight and very long 16 hours battery life. It has by far the longest battery life of all tablets in this review.

Unlike the iPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy S7+, this tablet comes with a 3.5 mm Audio Jack that is good for connecting audio devices.

The Best Tablet for Reading Music?

1. Apple iPad Pro – Best Overall
2. Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 – Best Android Tablet for Sheet Music
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ – Best Samsung Tablet for Sheet Music
4. Microsoft Surface Pro 8 – Best Windows Tablet for Sheet Music
5. Apple iPad Air – Best Budget iPad for Sheet Music