7 Best 8-inch Tablets in 2021 [Compact + Powerful]

Tablets come in all shapes and sizes and these devices offer the power of a laptop and the portability of the smartphone for those who are always on the go. So, if you’re looking for the best 8-inch tablet, you’ve arrived at the right place.

Though the tablets come in various display sizes, an 8-inch tablet when compared to a 10-inch or even large-sized tablet will be easier to carry around and offers better battery usage due to the small screen size.

With the advancement in tablet software, most modern machines now support an external mouse and a keyboard using wired or wireless connectivity allowing these machines to be used as a full-fledged computer.

These machines will be useful for students, working professionals, and house makers and can be used for both personal and professional purposes. An 8-inch tablet can also be used for playing games like PUBG or Fortnite at the higher and fluid graphics, offering console-like gaming on a compact form factor.

7 Best 8-inch Tablets in 2021

I did comprehensive research and got my hands on over 13 devices. Here I review the top 7 8-inch tablets that I found worthy for your buy. By the end of this article, you will be able to identify a product relevant to your needs, as the tablets are segregated as per battery life, processing prowess, screen quality, internals, connectivity, price, and other metrics.

1. Best Overall: Apple iPad Mini

Even if you are not into the Apple ecosystem, the Apple iPad Mini is one of the best compact tablets with an 8-inch screen. The tablet has a metal unibody design with a premium build quality and it has everything that you can expect from an Apple product.

SoC & Performance

Coming to the performance aspect of the tablet, it is powered by the 7nm A12 Bionic processor with a custom GPU designed by Apple and the same processor also powers the iPhone XS series and is the second most powerful chipset from the company.

RAM & Storage

The new iPad Mini offers 3GB of RAM, though it might seem a bit less when compared to the Android tablets, the iPadOS is highly optimized to run smoothly in just 3GB of RAM. The tablet offers 64GB of high-speed memory. Just like every other iPads, you can expand the storage on this model, but one can use an external USB device that uses a lightning port.

OS & Experience

On to the software experience, the iPad runs on the customized iOS called the iPadOS and it now supports both external mouse and keyboard input. This model will receive software updates for the next few years and will also get new features via firmware updates.

The Display

One of the highlights of the iPad mini is the display it carries. The tablet packs an 8-inch screen with a 2K resolution of 2048 x 1536p with higher pixel density, offering a rich gaming and multimedia experience. The display has a bit of bezel on four sides and it does have a physical fingerprint sensor at the front of the display, allowing a faster and quicker way to login to the device.

Keyboard & Inputs

Both Apple and third-party players make excellent external keyboard cases and some of them even come with an integrated touchpad or a mouse, allowing the device to be used as a full-fledged computer.

Design & Build

This 8-inch tablet has a sleek design with a metal back that also helps the device with heat dissipation. The device just weighs 0.66 lbs and it has a 3.5mm headphone jack and a lightning port for both data transfer and charging.

Conclusion

In terms of battery life, this sub $400 tablet can last up to 10 hours with regular usage, and with tools like iMovie, one can easily even record and edit a 4K video without any issue.

2. Best For Reading: Fire HD 8 Plus

If you are in the market for an affordable tablet based on the Android OS, then the all-new Fire HD 8 plus is your best bet, as it offers a higher value-for-money proposition.

SoC & Performance

This tablet is powered by an octa-core processor using little big architecture and the processor can operate at 2GHz, capable of casual gaming. Due to the faster GPU, you can also do basic video and photo editing on this machine.

RAM & Storage

The tablet offers 64GB of internal storage and it can be upgraded up to 1TB using an external microSD card slot. As per the RAM, it is packed with 3GB RAM should be more than enough to handle basic multitasking and it can play card games like Hearthstone, Cards and Castles, etc.

OS & Experience

In terms of software experience, the device runs on Android-based Fire OS, so you might not be able to access some of the apps and services offered by Google. However, the store on the Fire OS does pack most of the apps and games that one might have been using on a device with support for Google Play Services.

The Display

Coming to the display, the tablet has an 8-inch screen. It offers a native resolution of 1028 x 800, which is a bit low as one might prefer a device with at least FHD resolution. However, if you want a tablet for studies or reading, this is one the best you can get.

Keyboard & Inputs

One can connect a wired keyboard or a wireless Bluetooth keyboard and a mouse with this device. There are also several docking devices, allowing the Fire HD 8 plus to be used as a tablet for typing or even to create a presentation.

Design & Build

This tablet has a plastic unibody design and it makes the device very light with just 0.63-pounds, making it easy to carry. There is a 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB Type-C port, making it easy to use additional accessories from your modern smartphones.

Conclusion

As per the battery life, the tablet can last up to 12 hours on a single charge, however, it does not support fast charging. If you are planning to get this tablet for your children, then get the Fire HD 8 kids edition that comes with child-centric features and a design that your child will love.

3. Best For Students: Samsung Galaxy Tab A

Samsung’s tablets always offer premium design and great software experience with stable Android OS. The Samsung Galaxy Tab A is one such device that might be a great pick for those, who want an affordable tablet from a well-established brand.

SoC & Performance

This model is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 429 with 2GHz clock speed and can easily run all your favorite apps like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram without any issue.

RAM & Storage

The tablet offers 64GB high-speed flash memory with 2GB RAM and users can also expand the storage up to 512GB using a microSD card. In terms of software experience, the tablet runs on Android 9 Pie-based One UI skin, offering optimized software experience.

The Display

Coming to the display, the tablet has an 8-inch IPS screen, protected by a 2.5D curved tempered glass to protect the display from accidental scratches. This display offers a good viewing angle and higher contrast ratio and that is a good for entertainments.

Keyboard & Inputs

It does not have a touchpad or a keyboard, but one can attach an external keyboard to this device without any issue. The device supports both wired and wireless keyboards on the mouse and the wired keyboard can be used without any pairing process.

Design & Build

As per the design, it has a premium plastic finish and the tablet has a micro USB port for charging and data syncing along with a 3.5mm headphone jack to connect a wired headphone or even a speaker system with this machine and it weighs 0.76-pounds.

Conclusion

The tablet can last up to 13 hours on a single charge and can last for an entire day without any issue. Overall, this is a good affordable tablet for college students that comes with an 8-inch screen.

4. Best For Multimedia: Lenovo Tab M8

If you are a fan of Lenovo tablets, then the Lenovo Tab M8 is the device to go for. This is a tablet that is focused on a multimedia consumption experience with dual front-firing speakers, offering multi-channel surround sound.

SoC & Performance

The tab is based on the quad-core Helio A22 processor from Mediatek with a 2GHz clock speed that offers good performance. Moreover, the IMG GE8300 integrated GPU works just fine.

RAM & Storage

The tablet offers 2GB RAM and 32GB of eMMC storage, which is a bit less in 2021. However, you can add a microSD card to get more built-in storage. Though the software experience is pure stock Android, as it runs on a bit older Android 9 Pie.

The Display

As far as the viewing experience is concerned, the 8-inch screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800 and thick bezels across all four sides. It is easy to connect with a wireless keyboard or a wireless mouse. However, it misses out on wired keyboards as the Type-C port is missing.

Design & Build

As per the design, this tablet looks very classy even though it has a plastic unibody design. On top of that, the tablet weighs 0.67-pounds and is slightly heavier and it has a 3.5mm headphone jack and a micro USB port for data transfer.

Conclusion

It can last up to 18 hours on a single charge and also supports fast charging. Overall, the Lenovo Tab M8 is a great 8-inch tablet for multimedia enthusiasts.

5. Best With 13MP Camera: Vastking Kingpad SA8 V2.0

If you are looking for an affordable 8-inch tablet, there aren’t many options in the market better than the Vastking Kingpad SA8 V2.0. Despite being an affordable device, it still manages to put together a pretty loaded specs sheet.

Despite being lesser-known in the tablet space, the SA8 V2.0 readily holds its own in comparison to some of the better known peers, including the Tab S6 Lite, Lenovo Tab 4, Smart Tab M8, and more. Also, as it is a newly launched device, you can expect a more interactive and tolerant processor as compared to the likes of Snapdragon 400-series SoCs.

SoC & Performance

As far as processing performances are concerned, the Kingpad SA8 version 2 comes loaded with a reliable Octa-core processor. Despite not being much, there are two separate quad-core setups in play, allowing you to handle basic game-playing, email surfing, and other activities at 1.6GHz.

Most importantly, the UNISOC SC9863A chipset comes equipped with one performance ARM cluster and one efficiency-specific ARM cluster with the basic PowerVR integrated graphics module to work with. In the end, the performances are at par with the likes of Snapdragon 429 but extended usage might lead to minor overheating.

RAM & Storage

The memory allocation is pretty standard with Vastking offering 3GB of RAM, right out of the box. This allocation serves you perfectly if you are planning to use the tablet for attending online classes or streaming OTT content from Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, etc. Storage-wise, this tablet offers 32GB of space that can be upgraded up to 128GB, via the dedicated slot.

OS & Experience

The Android 10 experience is pretty evolved. Also, the budget tablet surprisingly refrains from any kind of Bloatware and you do get access to a decent chunk of the existing storage space. Plus, even after testing the same for over a month, we didn’t experience any kind of stutter or system slowdown.

Display

Needless to say, the 8-inch screen featured by the SA8 V2.0 is easily one of the brightest for the given price point. Also, the Full HD panel assumes an overall resolution of 1920 x 1200, which eventually paves the way for sharper viewing angles and better clarity. The IPS screen also comes equipped with a protective panel for keeping glares and ocular strains to a minimum.

Keyboard & Inputs

If you are looking to use the Kingpad SA8 V2.0 for basic content creation, the Type-C port allows you to pair an external keyboard. You can also pair the same using Bluetooth connectivity. Also, this tablet doesn’t come bundled with a dedicated stylus but allows you to pair an active Pen, via Bluetooth.

Camera

This tablet offers a standard arrangement of shooters, with the 13MP rear camera module leading the way. There is also a wide-angle, 5MP camera unit that takes productivity and your selfie shots to the next level.

It is also suitable for seniors, homemakers and students to make video calls via Zoom, Skype, Facebook, Google Meet, etc to their friends and family. As far as videography is concerned, this powerful 8-inch tablet can capture 1080p videos and play them at 30fps, without lags.

Design & Build

Here is one budget tablet under 150 dollars that comes equipped with a metallic chassis. In terms of heft, the Kingpad SA8 V2.0 weighs 1.36 pounds. Other design-specific attributes include a strategically placed power button, volume controlling tab, and dedicated headphone jack.

Conclusion

The Kingpad SA8 V2.0 is a budget tablet that checks several boxes when productivity is concerned. While the single speaker doesn’t add a lot to the acoustic depth, the 10-hour battery backup more than makes up for this minor setback.

When compared to some of the more impactful competitors in the 8-inch space, including the Fire HD, ZenPad 8, and more, the Vastking variant boasts a brilliant screen with excellent sunlight visibility. Upon using the same on trips, I was particularly impressed with the visibility quotient as it was hardly expected for such an affordable price point.

6. Best Budget 8-inch Tablet:

Though the name VANKYO might feel new, it is one of the few brands that make super affordable yet powerful tablets with various features and specifications. The is their latest offering for a compact 8-inch tablet.

SoC & Performance

This unit is powered by a Spreadtrum SC7731 quad-core Cortex A7 processor with a base CPU clock speed of 1.3GHz and it is good enough to conduct regular tasks without any issues.

RAM, Storage & OS

The tablet offers 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage with a microSD card slot. Do note that, it only accepts memory cards with up to 128GB, offering an overall storage space of 150GB. Coming to the software experience, the tablet runs on almost stock Android 9.0 UI, hence the overall software experience is very smooth and fluid.

The Display

Coming to the display, just like most of the budget tablets, the VANKYO MatrixPad S8 also has an 8-inch screen with a 720p resolution (1028 x 800). Do note that, due to the lower resolution screen, the tablet can easily handle multitasking, even with the limited amount of RAM.

Keyboard & Inputs

If you want to use this tablet as a laptop, then it can also be achieved by connecting an external keyboard and mouse over Bluetooth with ease and one can easily get a wireless keyboard for just a few dollars.

Design & Build

This sub-$200 tablet has a curved unibody design, making this tablet easy to handle even if you have small hands and even with continuous usage, the device does not cause any sort of hard fatigue. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack with a micro USB port and a lightweight design with just 0.70-pounds of weight and it has a good weight distribution and is easy to handle.

Conclusion

The tablet can last up to 11 hours on a single charge but it does miss out on fast charging and it takes over 2 hours to fully charge using the bundled charger. Overall, the VANKYO MatrixPad S8 is a good mid-range tablet that is easy to handle and carry around.

7. Cheapest Option: Dragon Touch Notepad Y80

The Dragon Notepad Y80 is a generic 8-inch Android tablet that is highly affordable when compared to the contemporaries. This is a tablet that offers the latest software experience along with a high-end fit and finish.

SoC & Performance

This device is powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core processor that offers and the right amount of performance and efficiency so that the laptop does not get heated up even with continuous usage. One can also play games, run multiple apps and stream music on this tablet.

RAM & Storage

The computer offers 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage and users can install all the apps into the internal storage. Those, who want more storage can add a microSD card, up to 128GB that can be used to store multimedia content on the device. In terms of software, it runs on stock Android 9 Pie and is likely to receive an Android 10 update in the future.

The Display

The tablet has an 8-inch screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800 and it is a bright panel, offering a good viewing experience. The display has slim bezels and offers a higher screen-to-body ratio and is one of the most compact 8-inch tablets in the market.

Keyboard & Inputs

This device does support physical keyboards with both wired and wireless connectivity. However, do note that it can only support one device via the wired connection due to the presence of a single port.

In terms of I/O, the tablet has a charging port and a 3.5mm headphone jack that offers good audio output. The tablet is also slightly on the heavier side with 1.4-pounds but it feels very sturdy to use.

Conclusion

The battery life of the Dragon Notepad Y80 is on the lower side and it can last up to 4 hours on a single charge. Overall, the tablet offers good performance but is slightly heavy and offers average battery life that might not put a hole in your pocket.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

Tablets can be a great tool for learning, working, and getting yourself an entertainer during this situation. Most of the 8-inch tablets are affordable and do offer a great specs sheet, making these high-performance tablets that can even run professional tasks.

So, if you are in the market, looking for a good 8-inch tablet, then, these are some of the best available models in the market that can easily last for a few years without any issue.

• If you want the best experience on an 8-inch tablet, the Apple iPad Mini is a great option.
• If you need an affordable option Fire HD 8 Plus is probably the best option.
• If you’re a Lenovo fan, the Tab M8 from Lenovo offers great features and consistent performance.