The Best Tablets for Small Businesses in 2020
A tablet can become a powerful tool for your small business. The large screen of a tablet is great for demos, graphics, and pictures, while the portable design often makes it more convenient than a laptop. If you are a frequent traveler and need a big screen to share information with employees or customers, a tablet might be the ideal choice for you.
Before investing in a tablet, consider what features it offers and whether those features are required for your business. The best tablets for small business should improve connectivity and portability, deliver the performance you need, and remain affordable.
How to choose a tablet
When buying a tablet for yourself and your team, don't be fascinated by all of the eye-catching products that are available. You will be more satisfied with your purchase and it will serve you better if you set a few parameters before you start your search. Determine how the device will mainly be used, how much you will spend on each tablet, which operating system will sync well with your other computer systems and smartphones, and which features and specifications are most important to you.
Businesses can use tablets for all kinds of operations, including payment processing, field work, and media consumption. You may also want to differentiate between executives and employees who need different types of tablets for their different roles in the company (primary or additional or even rugged devices, depending on the job site). Also consider size, battery life, processor, memory and external connections for accessories.
Tablet functions
Businesses have different uses for tablets. Here are some features to consider:
Warehouse: If your business generates a lot of documents, photos, videos, and multimedia assets that you want to keep with you (with or without cloud backup), consider buying a tablet that has enough storage space for your needs. The memory is available from 16 GB up to 1 TB.
Battery life: The battery capacity can vary significantly depending on the size of the device. In general, however, the battery capacity is between 6,000 mAh and 8,000 mAh and for smaller devices it is sometimes in the range of 3,000 mAh. If battery life is important to you, read some reviews and get an idea of how capacity translates into hours of real-world use.
Cameras: Tablet cameras are generally seen as a convenience rather than an important feature. Most tablets, however, come with front and rear cameras which can come in handy depending on your needs. Front cameras are useful for video conferencing and video chatting via Skype, FaceTime and other services. Rear view cameras can be useful for scanning documents.
Wireless Internet access: Wi-Fi is standard on all tablets, and most support the fastest Wi-Fi standard available at the time of purchase – the 802.11ac standard, even if your office has an older router.
Processor: Tablet processors are very different and sometimes manufacturer-specific, e.g. B. the iPad A12X chip from Apple. You can check the processor online to see how fast it is and how it compares to others.
Speaker: Tablet speakers are useful as opposed to premium speakers, but sub-par audio can seriously detract from the tablet experience. Make sure the sound quality is reasonable by looking at the reviews of the tablets you are considering, or better go to a store like Best Buy which may have some demo tablets and hear for yourself to. If you're playing music, get one with speakers on both sides for the best sound separation.
Pen: Pens and tablets go together, and certain tablets have pens that are specifically designed for them to take advantage of their hardware and software capabilities. If you need one, get a pen designed specifically for your tablet. Many support multiple pen types that let you switch between thick and thin pen strokes with the push of a button.
Expandable storage: Some tablets have SD card slots, a handy feature that allows you to add storage space when needed.
LTE connection: When traveling, you may not want to use available WiFi to communicate online. With LTE connectivity, you can go online anywhere. You'll need to add your cellular carrier tablet to your cellular data subscription to get everything working.
Once you have made a selection list of requirements, you can evaluate different models that meet your company's needs. Here are some we recommend and check out our list of the best tablets on the market today.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7
Although you could go for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 with its 10.5-inch Super AMOLED screen and Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, we prefer the Galaxy Tab S7 as a workhorse. With its larger 11-inch screen – LCD instead of Super AMOLED – it's great for attaching the Samsung keyboard cover and doing serious work, even if the screen isn't as good as the Tab S6 for streaming media. The Tab S7 has the same flagship processor as its predecessor and a resolution of 2560 x 1600. It has 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage or 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB or 512 GB of storage and an included S-pen for recording and Editing notes for work. The Tab S7 is also 5G capable – ideal for video calls or on the go – with an 8,000 mAh battery and 45 W fast charge.
Lenovo Chromebook Duet
The detachable Lenovo Chromebook Duet tablet offers 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a MediaTek Helio P60T processor at an incredible price. We love the distinctive look of the tablet with its two-tone ice blue and iron gray design and fabric structure – but it's not just about looks. The tablet has an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front camera as well as a 10.1-inch display with 1920 x 12000 pixels. The battery life is approx. 10 hours. So you should get through an average day, it takes about eight seconds to boot, and the detachable keyboard is easy to use. If we had criticism, it doesn't include a pen, but you can buy a USI pen from Lenovo for around $ 40. If you're looking for something that can be used as a laptop or tablet, this is a good choice, but it's ideal for businesses that primarily use Google Services. Get one now and get a free 12 month Google One membership that gives you 100GB of storage.
Apple iPad Pro
Even if you're not a Mac user, the Apple iPad Pro is the best tablet available. Apple's lineup features a cute selection of iPads, including the two 12.9-inch and 11-inch iPad Pro models. The 11-inch model with its Liquid Retina IPS screen and a resolution of 2388 x 1668 pixels is our choice. The productivity app is not only suitable for watching videos, iOS multitasking functions and a battery life of up to 10 hours, but also makes the iPad Pro ideal.With iPadOS 13.4, this iPad Pro comes closer to a laptop alternative than ever before.
Both models have comparable specifications and are available with storage from 64 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB and 1 TB. The 11-inch model weighs 471 grams and has a A12Z bionic chip and 8-core graphics processor – more powerful than most laptops. There is a dual camera on the back – a 12-megapixel main sensor and a 10-megapixel wide-angle lens. You get Smart HDR, 4K video recording at up to 60 fps, five microphones and a lidar sensor for measuring distances – and there is a 7-megapixel TrueDepth front camera with Face Unlock and Wi-Fi (802.11ax Wi-Fi 6)), Bluetooth 5.0, Face ID and Apple Pay. You can also opt for a cellular connection. Companion hardware from Apple, sold separately, includes the Magic Keyboard, Apple Pencil, AirPods, and more. Right now, you can buy an 11-inch iPad Pro for around $ 800. However, if you want cellular connectivity, you can add another $ 150.
Huawei MediaPad M5 Pro
The MediaPad M5 Pro is Huawei's challenge for the iPad. It has a beautiful 10.8-inch 2.5D glass display with 2560 x 1600 curved edges. The screen-to-body ratio of 82% offers a wide view complemented by a curved metal body that offers a sleek, attractive, and simple industrial design. It features a Kirin 960 series proprietary octa-core chipset and stable Wi-Fi network connectivity with four stereo speakers tuned and certified by Harman Kardon for a great audio and video experience with headphones.
The 13-megapixel rear camera in combination with the 8-megapixel front camera offers all the photographic functions that you need for most tablets. It offers 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage and even includes an M-pen. The 7,500 mAh battery and power saving technology enable 11 hours of 1080P video viewing. With the built-in fast charge, it takes about 2.9 hours to fully charge the device. It also offers Smart UI EMUI 8.0 (Android 8.0) and advanced fingerprint recognition.
$ 205 from Newegg
Microsoft Surface Pro 7
Riley Young / Digital Trends
Despite the fact that Microsoft's two-in-one computer tablet Surface Pro 7 is not fundamentally different from its predecessor, our previous favorite, the Surface Pro 6, there are numerous improvements in the newer model that make it great Recommend business tablet. It has everything you need for versatility in the workplace – both in the office and when traveling. The Surface Pro 7 features the new 10th generation Intel Ice Lake processor with three options starting with the dual-core Core i3-1005G1. The screen is razor sharp and color accurate at a resolution of 2736 x 1824 on a 12.3-inch screen – with the same pixel density as the iPad Pro, which makes it a great display for watching and working on videos.
With this model, Microsoft has replaced its Mini-DisplayPort with USB-C. Since only a few monitors still contain Mini-DisplayPort, this USB-C may require fewer dongles and cables, as the new connection takes over power supply, video output and data transmission at the same time. While the frames might be too big for some users, they do include components like the Windows Hello IR camera, 1080p webcam, and a pair of 1.6 watt stereo speakers. The Surface Pro 7 is available in seven main configurations, including the Intel 4 i3 with 4 GB of RAM, three Intel Core i5 models with 8 GB and 16 GB of RAM and storage from 128 GB to 256 GB, and Intel Core i7 models with 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB. 512 GB and 1 TB storage. Prices range from $ 729 to $ 2,300. It comes in black and platinum.
Amazon Fire HD 10
Julian Chokkattu / Digital Trends
Some small businesses use their tablets for almost everything, even replacing them with laptops when they are on the go or work at home, but others have fewer needs and a more limited budget. The Amazon Fire HD 10 has a 10.1-inch LCD display with 224 pixels per inch. With it you can see any document, video or picture from a wide viewing angle – bright, but without glare. It's an Android tablet, but it runs the optimized version of Amazon called the Fire OS, so it doesn't have full access to the Google Play Store, which limits the number of third-party apps and games available. The Fire HD 10 comes with 32GB or 64GB of storage, and you can expand the storage with a separate MicroSD card. The Fire HD 10 has a 2-megapixel rear camera for taking photos or 720p video and a 2-megapixel VGA front camera suitable for Skype conference calls.
With a battery life of up to 12 hours with mixed use, the tablet offers you more flexibility and is compatible with Alexa for quick access to information, your calendar and your Smart Office. Show mode offers a hands-free Alexa experience with a home screen that is optimized for visibility throughout the room in addition to Alexa calls and messages. The Amazon Fire HD 10 is a cheap buy, but you're stuck with Amazon's limited app store and it lacks high-end processing power.
Google Pixel Slate
From its 12.3-inch 6 million pixel molecular display to its two front speakers, the 1.6-pound display Google Pixel Slate can function optimally in every working mode. You can collaborate and connect to Duo Cam online or offline using Google Docs, Slides and Slides, or Gmail. With the Pixel Slate, you can use the Google Assistant, so say "Hey Google!" You get music, control of your home or office and much more. It is practical and useful for work and leisure.
In addition to split-screen multitasking, you also have automatic updates and security patches – no update to worry about or initiate. Pixel Slate runs on Chrome OS, but supports Android apps. You can even add items like a monitor, mouse, and keyboard to create a new desktop environment. You can also watch movies, play music, and play games without a Wi-Fi connection.
With Pixel Imprint, nobody but you can get inside and protect your tablet, no matter where you are. Nervous about the cloud? Pixel stores passwords and other confidential information locally, not in cloud services. It's compatible with Google Cloud Services for Workplaces, so it's a great choice as a work tray. You can buy the 8th generation Core m3 model for under $ 500.
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