Top 3 Best 7-Inch Tablets (2020)

Screen size is one of the most important aspects of any given tablet.

People tent to prefer a device that is slim, large and powerful like an iPad Pro. However, large tab lets are not always the best option. It all depends on the context and the reasons why you need a tablet in the first place.

7-inch tablets are devices that sit between regular-sized tablets and phones.

What are the advantages of 7-inch tablets?

Price

These devices are substantially cheaper than other tablets.

In fact, taking screen proportion into consideration, 7-inch tablets are the most affordable option out there.

Since customers tend to direct all of their attention to larger tablets, manufacturers have no other option, but to follow the market and drop prices.

The fact that these tablets are so much more affordable also makes them great gifts. Few people can spend nearly a thousand dollars for an iPad, but it’s perfectly possible to get a 7-inch tablet for even less than 100 dollars.

Size

While larger screens tend to be a preference, unless you’re an artist or someone who plans on using the tablet for video editing, 7-inches is more than enough for any other task.

These tablets are as useful as any other, their only difference is screen size.

If you plan on carrying your tablet anywhere you go, a smaller device can actually be an advantage since it fits anywhere and requires less caution while being transported.

Functionality

7-inch tablets can do absolutely everything that other tablets do.

They run precisely the same apps, use the same operating system and have exactly the same interface.

Even though smaller screens can make certain activities, such as video editing and drawing, harder, it by no means make them impossible.

To be entirely honest with you, I do not enjoy drawing on small screens, in fact, I hate it. But I know a number of people who can do it without complaining.

Why should you get a 7-inch tablet?

If you’re a little short on cash right now and won’t be using the tablet for art/design related work, buying a 7-inch tablet may be just what you need.

I’ve made a selection of the very best ones I could find and wrote a little bit about each one of them in order to help you out before making a decision. Check it out.

Here Are the 5 Best 7-Inch Tablets:

iPad Mini

At 7.9-inches, this tablet is the most affordable option among Apple tablets. It shares all the great characteristics that make Apple products stand out in such a crowded marketplace.

But the most important thing about this device is that it supports the best stylus (digital pen) in the world, the Apple Pencil.

Almost any topic in the world is a source of controversy these days, people don’t seem to be able to agree on anything anymore, but the fact that the Apple Pencil is superior to all other input devices is unquestionable.

The Apple Pencil is objectively better, it has a quantifiably faster response rate and it emulates real-life motion better than all the other digital pens.

Why am I saying this?

Because the iPad Mini is the cheapest way for you to be able to enjoy the benefits of the Apple Pencil.

The only other options would be getting an iPad or an iPad Pro, which are substantially more expensive.

Technical Specifications of the iPad Mini

Advantages of the iPad Mini

Price

Of course, you can find a myriad of cheaper tablets on the internet. You can even find larger devices from different companies. However, when it comes to the world of Apple products, the iPad Mini can be considered an extremely affordable option.

Since some applications are made specifically for Apple’s operating system and simply do not exist on Android, getting and iPad Mini can be a good strategy to have access to those apps without spending a ton of money.

Apple Pencil

I have already extensively talked about this throughout this website. The Apple Pencil is, perhaps, one of the best gadgets Apple has ever created.

I’m sure there are companies across the world (Samsung, Huawei, Microsoft) trying to emulate the technology behind Apple’s stylus (digital pen), but up until now, none of them has succeeded.

If I had to give you one reason to buy the iPad Mini, the Apple Pencil would definitely be it.

Video

Needless to say, all Apple tablets have cutting-edge screen technology. The company has nailed this years ago, but they keep on making marginal improvements over the years.

The iPad Mini’s screen has all the qualities you would expect from a more expensive device, such as the iPad Air.

But the point I would like to make is not related to watching video, but rather shooting them.

The iPad Mini is capable of shooting videos at 1080p HD, which is perfect for personal use and even good enough if one day you choose to shoot videos for YouTube.  

Keyboard Compatibility

7.9 inches is not a lot of space, but you can dramatically improve your user experience by using an external keyboard.

To tell you the truth, I prefer using physical keyboards even when I’m working on very large tablets. Not are they more comfortable to type on, but they also increase productivity.

The iPad Mini is compatible with the Smart Keyboard Folio and a plethora of Bluetooth keyboards.

Disadvantages of the iPad Mini

Screen Size

This is one of the smallest tablets you can get, and it certainly is the smallest one Apple sells. The screen is only 7.9 inches, which means if we go any smaller than this it’s not a tablet anymore, but a cellphone.

Although the size has its advantages (it’s easy to carry this tablet around), the screen can feel insufficient at times, especially when it comes to drawing apps like Procreate.

The biggest issue you may come across after buying the iPad Mini is questioning yourself about why you didn’t pick a regular iPad.

Other than that, the tablet has no noticeable flaws.

Amazon Fire 7

This is an insanely cheap tablet, and I mean it.

Amazon is known for releasing its own electronic products. The trend started with the Kindle and since then the company has never stopped innovating.

Even though the Amazon Fire 7 is multiple times less powerful than the iPad Mini, it’s also multiple times cheaper.

This tablet is meant to be used as an entertainment unit and it’s supposed to be used with simpler apps. It works better at passive activities such as watching movies and listening to music.

The Amazon Fire 7 is definitely not an option if you plan on drawing or performing semi-complex tasks such as video and image editing.

Technical Specifications of the Amazon Fire 7

Advantages of the Amazon Fire 7

Price

This device is cheaper than you can imagine.

I have an Amazon Fire 7, but I did not buy it myself. When I was doing my research before writing this article, I had to check twice to make sure the price I was seeing was real.

 Due to its price, getting this tablet is a good idea even of you don’t need it, because it’s substantially more affordable than a phone, but it still can perform nearly all the same tasks.

Processor

This tablet runs on a quad-core processor, which is enough to get all the apps you need running without any performance loss.

Don’t ask me how Amazon has managed to fit such powerful a processor on this tablet while still managing to keep the price this low, I don’t care about that. All I care about is the fact that anyone who needs a tablet can get one now.

Video Recording

There are two 2MP cameras capable of recording videos as 720p HD.

While the cameras are not as good as the ones found in the iPad Mini (which can shoot videos up to 1080p HD), they’re good enough for nearly every occasion other than professional video recording.

Disadvantages of the Amazon Fire 7

Battery Life

Nowadays, most tablets can be used for at least 10 hours without needing to be recharged. However, this tablet only works for 7 hours.

Ok, 7 hours is plenty of time, but it’s definitely not enough to last for a whole day. On top of that, running too many resource-intensive apps at once will cause the battery to drain even faster, which may require one or even two recharges in a day.

Charging Speed

Not only is the battery life insufficient, the charging speed is also disappointing (in comparison with other tablets, of course).

Recharging this tablet takes 4 full hours. That is a lot of time for just 7 hours of use.

Please, bear in mind that I’m using other tablets as reference.

If you look at the reality of the facts, at this price point, the Amazon Fire 7 would still be a great deal even if it took double the amount of time to recharge.

Vankyo MatrixPad S7

This is the only product from this company I’ve ever tried.

Even though I have not come across any critical flaws, you should know that this tablet is significantly slower than the Amazon Fire 7, which is much cheaper.

There is nothing on this tablet that is significantly better than Amazon’s device, but there is quite e few things that are worse, especially in the performance department.

This is a new company and I’m sure they will get better over the years, but at this moment I don’t see why someone would choose this tablet over Amazon Fire 7.

I don’t mean to say that this tablet is bad, because it isn’t. But I can’t simply omit the fact that there’s a better alternative with a more inviting price tag in the same product category.

Technical Specifications of the Vankyo MatrixPad S7

Advantages of the Vankyo MatrixPad S7

Battery Life

This tablet’s battery is supposed to last for 8 hours. This is one hour longer than Amazon’s Fire 7.

That said, this number doesn’t mean much. Since I’ve been using tablets for years now, I know that battery life estimations are murky waters.

Companies claim that their electronics can go for a certain number of hours on a single charge, but they never fully address under which conditions.

Can the Vankyo MatrixPad S7 really last for 8 uninterrupted hours?

Perhaps.

Do I think it lasts this long if the user is actively interacting with the device?

I highly doubt it.

Price

It’s not as cheap as the Amazon Fire 7, but it still is incredibly cheap for a tablet.

If for some reason Amazon runs out of its own tablets (unlikely to happen), the Vankyo MatrixPad S7 would be the natural alternative.

Disadvantages of the Vankyo MatrixPad S7

Speed

This tablet is slow.

It would not be considered slow for the standards the market had a couple of years ago, but technology travels through time as fast as a light beam.

Users no longer accept subpar performance and this tablet is way behind Amazon Fire 7, not to mention the iPad Mini.

This is The Best 7-Inch Tablet

This list has two clear winners.

If what you need is a state-of-the-art tablet and price is not an issue, the iPad Mini is the clear winner. It has absolutely everything you could possibly ask for: speed, performance, durability, and the best stylus in the world, the Apple Pencil.

But if you’re looking for a simple tablet to watch movies and perform simple routine tasks, the Amazon Fire 7 is the better option because it’s capable of such activities without slowing down and it won’t cost you much more than a couple of trips to McDonalds.

In case you have any questions regarding these tablets, just leave a message and I will gladly answer it.

Remember to keep on creating!

Bruno Santos