Last Updated on April 13, 2023 by Ernests Embutnieks and Saad
The world of 7-inch tablets has seen a lot of groundbreaking tablets over the years. While many would consider a tablet to be huge, that’s not really the case. There’s an actual reason why you might want to go for a 7-inch tablet compared to the 10 or even 13-inch behemoths we’re used to.
In this article, we’ll go over exactly why a 7-inch tablet makes sense and what the best tablet in this form factor is.
Why Buy A 7-Inch Tablet?
If you are on the fence about why a 7-inch tablet makes sense, we’ve gone through the pacers and have owned a healthy few ourselves. Here’s why a 7-inch tablet just makes a lot of sense:
Pocketability
Pocketability, not portability. Almost every tablet released nowadays is thin and light enough to be considered portable. Heck, even laptops can be carried around easily. The difference between a smaller tablet and a larger one is pocketability.
In essence, you’ll b able to store this tablet in your pocket the same way you would a phone. This leads to quite a lot of convenience, with you being able to use your table more like a phone than a tablet.
Price
7-inch tablets, due to their size, tend to be cheaper than the competition. In most cases, you may end up with the same specifications compared to a larger tablet, but you’ll also save $100-200. So, the price ends up being quite an important factor in picking a tablet that has a relatively smaller frame.
Is It Enough?
Whether you are reading a book or watching a movie, a diagonal screen size of 7 inches is quite a decent size for most activities. In fact, I’d argue that I find it more comfortable to read a book on a smaller tablet compared to a larger one.
All in all, 7-inch tablets hit a sweet spot between an extremely oversized phone and a large tablet. And therefore, they’re a great pickup for anyone who’s looking for a reasonable alternative and doesn’t want to carry the laptop equivalent of a laptop with them.
Kid Friendly
The 7-inch form factor is the best size for kids and toddlers. This is because tablets that are larger tend to get heavier and are, therefore, more prone to breaking and being damaged. These tablets, since they’re cheap and are also small can be held easily by a child because they’re also not that heavy.
- OS: FireOS
- CPU / GPU: MediaTek MT8168
- Storage: 16 / 32 GB
- RAM: 2 GB
- Camera: 2 MP + 2 MP
- Display: 7 inches
- Resolution: 1024×600 pixels
- Weight: 0.62 lbs
- Port: USB-C
- Battery: 3750 mAh (Up to 10-11 hours)
The Amazon Fire 7 (2022 Model) has a special place in my heart. In my opinion, it’s the best bang for your buck 7-inch tablet out there. It is definitely not the fastest tablet out there. And, neither does it have the best display.
But, at the measly price of about $60, what more can you ask for? And, as we mentioned, a 7-inch tablet appeals to a very specific demographic. That demographic, in most cases, has a laptop for their work. Or, they don’t really do a lot with their tablet.
And, by a lot, I mean that you shouldn’t be expecting to edit videos or watch HDR content on. But, it does get the job done. You’ll be able to play basic, casual games, edit documents on the fly, and read a book and with improved performance from the previous model, you won’t notice massive stutter or lag.
So, if you want to give your youngin’ a table to play Roblox with, use Alexa, or just want an eBook reader or an Alexa device for your bedside table, the Fire 7 makes the cut as one of the best 7-inch tablets out there simply because of the budget.
One major caveat about the Amazon Fire 7…it doesn’t run Android. Instead, it runs FireOS. In essence, it is a very trimmed-down version of Android that does not have access to the Google Play Store. The biggest problem with this is that the Fire 7 does not have access to the Play Store.
Another update brought to the Fire 7 that we were absolutely flabbergasted with was the addition of USB-C. That increased the tablet’s compatibility with the rest of our chargers and accessories significantly.
So, you won’t be able to download applications as you can normally on any other Android tablet. Granted, you can just sideload .APK files from the internet and install them with no trouble.
Pros & Cons
- Price
- Good battery
- Good design
- USB-C
- Headphone jack
- Amazon Alexa
- Limited apps
- Amazon ecosystem
- The camera could be a bit better
- No support for Google Play Store
- Camera is bad
- OS: Android 11 (Go)
- CPU / GPU: Mediatek MT8166
- Storage: 32 GB
- RAM: 2 GB
- Camera: 2 MP + 2 MP
- Display: 7 inches
- Resolution: 600×1024
- Weight: 0.52 lbs
- Port: Micro USB
- Battery: 3750 mAh (Up to 7-8 hours)
The Lenovo Tab M7 is the natural evolution of the Amazon Fire 7. Firstly, you gain access to the Google Play Store right from the get-go with a few quality-of-life features that add to the tablet’s overall draw. Firstly, the build quality is far better than what you’d expect at this price point, with an all-metal design and a relatively decent screen-to-body ratio of 76%.
The tablet comes packed with an LTE variant. Truth be told, it isn’t really meant for adults who want to get their work done on the tablet. Yes, it can be used for basic word processing. But, that’s pretty much it.
For kids, though, the Lenovo Tab M7 is an absolute banger. You’ll gain access to a flurry of applications from the Google Play Store alongside a suite of parental control limitations that’ll help you ensure that your kid is safe from the evils of the Internet.
The biggest issue I had with this tablet, and why I would rank it at dead second, is its inclusion of a micro-USB port. While this may not seem like a big issue, the refresh in RAM and CPU from the previous generation could have also included a USB-C port. If it did, it definitely would’ve been crowned as the best budget 7-inch tablet money can buy.
Pros & Cons
- Good screen
- Good price
- Built feels premium
- Portable size/design
- Great screen-to-body ratio
- The camera could be better
- Speakers could be better
- Micro USB
- OS: iPadOS
- CPU / GPU: Apple 12 Bionic
- Storage: 64 GB / 256 GB
- RAM: 3 GB
- Camera: 7 MP + 8 MP
- Display: 7.9 inches
- Resolution: 1536 x 2048
- Weight: 0.662 lbs
- Port: Lightning Jack
- Battery: 5124 mAH (Up to 9 hours)
The iPad Mini 5 is hands-down a great tablet. Even though it’s a few years old now, it still holds its ground against other tablets in this list. The A12 Bionic chugs through normal tasks, and the tablet can even handle gaming with no real complaints from my side.
I was also able to get some of my work done thanks to the Apple Pencil (1st Generation)’s support. Beware, though, there’s no Magic Keyboard for the iPad Mini. So, you won’t be able to type away with a connected keyboard. You can still use a Bluetooth Keyboard, though.
The biggest reason why I’d recommend the iPad Mini 5 over other tablets in this list is its headphone jack and, secondly, better cameras, coming in at a 7 MP for the primary selfie camera and an 8 MP rear-facing camera.
Lastly, but perhaps more importantly, its 1535×2048 324 ppi IPS LCD display. Compared to most other tablets in this list, it runs absolute miles over them. Plus, the fact that it supports a stylus, even if it’s the last gen is a big deal.
Moreover, considering Apple’s track record for ensuring their products are supported for a really long period of time, I wouldn’t be surprised if the iPad Mini 5 is supported for longer than most other Android tablets I’ve mentioned over here.
Pros & Cons
- Portable/compact
- Compatible with Apple Pencil 1
- Biggest tablet on the list
- Not compatible with Apple Pencil 2
- Outdated design
- OS: FireOS
- CPU / GPU: MediaTek MT8168
- Storage: 16 GB
- RAM: 1 GB
- Camera: 2 MP + 2 MP
- Display: 7 inches
- Resolution: 1024×600 pixels
- Weight: 1 lbs
- Port: micro-USB
- Battery: 3750 mAh (Up to 7 hours)
The Fire 7 Kids is almost exact the same as the Amazon Fire 7. The only difference is that you get a removable rubber case, a year of Amazon Kids Plus and a two-year guarantee instead of the usual one that comes standard with the Fire 7. Also, the port is different.
The price increase is $49. In my opinion, this is only worth it if you have a child who is really prone to breaking the tablet or really enjoys Amazon Kids Plus and what it offers. Besides that, you are better off with the base variant.
The bumper case is really good for what it is worth. It has a kickstand that you can use to place the tablet at an angle and is made up of colored plastic ranging from blue to pink to accommodate both girls and boys.
It offers great protection and will genuinely help your device if it gets thrown down and mauled a lot. Plus, the extra warranty does come in handy when your device ends up looking like it survived an assault by the fourth month.
Pros & Cons
- Rugged
- Good battery
- Child-friendly
- Average performance
- Poor quality cameras
- No Google Play Store support
- OS: Android 10
- CPU / GPU: 1.3 GHz
- Storage: 32 GB
- RAM: 2 GB
- Camera: 2 MP + 2 MP
- Display: 7 inches
- Resolution: 1024×600
- Weight: 2.07 lbs
- Port: Propietary
- Battery: 3000 mAH (up to 4 hours)
The Dragon Touch KidzPad is a faithful recreation of the Amazon Fire 7 Kids, with a few extra features that make it a worthwhile purchase. Firstly, it includes a stylus. It isn’t an Apple Pencil by any means. In fact, it’s a generic stylus. But, it still is a welcome addition, especially because of the demographic this tablet is targeting.
The entire case is quite sturdy. And is a bit stronger than Amazon’s offering. However, while we couldn’t really figure out what’s inside the tablet, it really isn’t the best when it comes to keeping up. It feels sluggish and slow if you decide to play anything other than a hyper-casual game.
To be very honest, the Amazon Fire 7 Kids and Fire 7 also suffered from the same issue. But it is slightly accentuated here. However, you do get the Google Play Store right out of the box and don’t have to dabble with any side-loading here.
All in all, a very good pick for anyone who is looking for a 7-inch tablet for kids on a budget. It does the job and is great for a toddler.
Pros & Cons
- Contains a bunch of licensed Disney books right out-of-the-box
- The menus are set to Chinese when you first start the tablet
- Tablet seems to have poor battery drain when you leave it inactive
- OS: Android 11
- CPU / GPU: 4 CPUs
- Storage: 32 GB
- RAM: 2 GB
- Camera: 0.3 MP + 2 MP
- Display: 7 inches
- Resolution: 1024*600
- Weight: 0.637 lbs
- Port: USB Type C
- Battery: 3000 mAH (Up to 6 hours)
This Type-C 7-inch tablet is an absolute steal at its price. It comes with an included tablet case cover and runs Android 11 right out of the box. With a quad-core processor, it can actually handle daily tasks pretty well. But, don’t expect to be playing Genshin Impact on this tablet any time soon.
At this price point, don’t expect much. But, personally speaking, this tablet has been great for me when I want to quickly type out an Email or watch a movie when there’s no laptop or PC close by. It also comes with a stand and case to help your media-watching efforts.
To be honest, it is a barebones 7-inch tablet that gets the job done. The only qualm I have with the tablet is that it crashes frequently. There’s just something about the programming done on the tablet perhaps which leads it to be a buggy experience sometimes.
All in all, pretty usable tablet that I’d recommend to anyone who wants a bang-for-your-buck tablet that gets the job done.
Pros & Cons
- Has a memory card slot built-in
- USB-C Port
- Sluggish performance
- OS: Android 10 GO
- CPU / GPU: Quad-Core
- Storage: 16 GB
- RAM: 2 GB
- Camera: 2 MP + 2 MP
- Display: 7 inches
- Resolution: 1024×600
- Weight: 1.17 lbs
- Port: USB Type C
- Battery: Up to 5 hours
Alright, so the Venturer Small Wonder 7” kids tablet described as quickly as possible is, it gets the job done. That’s pretty much it. It is durable and comes with its own case, which I found to be the best out of all the onboard cases so far.
It also comes in two colors, blue and a purplish hue rather than the usual bright pink. Moreover, it lets you do the bare minimum and download YouTube and Hulu for kids. The primary issue I had with this tablet is that it has really poor battery life.
In fact, I doubt can anyone have it survive through the day. I, on the other hand, charged it twice every day. It does have great parental controls (but so does every Android tablet.) In my opinion, this tablet is great for anyone who wants to gift their kids something that’s cheap, but still durable enough to last them more than a month.
Pros & Cons
- Lightweight and durable
- Comes in a variety of colors
- Easy to navigate for kids
- Battery life isn’t very great
- Performance could be better
- OS: Android
- CPU / GPU: 1.4 GHZ 1.2 GHZ Cortex A9
- Storage: 16 GB
- RAM: 1 GB DDR3
- Camera: 2 MP + 2 MP
- Display: 7 inches
- Resolution: 1024×600
- Weight: 1.24 lbs
- Port: Propietary
- Battery: 6 Hours
The Haenhe 7 Inch tablet is meant for web browsing, a few casual games, and watching videos. In essence, it’s meant for casual stuff. Weirdly though, the tablet’s quite heavy, and I’m not exactly sure why.
The battery life is fine; it generally lasts about 5-6 hours. So, you can pretty much use it for an entire day. The applications don’t feel extremely responsive when you use them on the tablet, and the cameras aren’t anything to run home about either.
The tablet also comes with a USB-B to USB–A cord that lets you connect the tablet to your external keyboard. It also comes with its own charging port, which is quite weird since its a proprietary in the first place.
Pros & Cons
- Lightweight and durable
- Comes in a variety of colors
- Average battery life
- Android Pie
- OS: Android 11
- CPU / GPU: 1.5 GHz
- Storage: 32 GB
- RAM: 2 GB
- Camera: 2 MP + 2 MP
- Display: 7 inches
- Resolution: 1024×600
- Weight: 1.19 lbs
- Port: Micro USB
- Battery: 2500 mAH (Up to 5 hours)
The Zonko 2022 7 inch tablet is a great tablet at the price point. It features the entirety of the Google Play Store, runs on Android 10, has an expandable battery, and can operate for about 4-5 hours.
In my opinion, the tablet is best suited for an individual who doesn’t care much about the display but would rather opt for a tablet that also doubles as an MP3 player with the occasional file viewing and book reading here and there.
This is because it features a great headphone jack and also expandable memory, which lets you store a lot of songs as well. All in all, the tablet’s pretty generic, and the display seems pretty washed out compared to the rest of the tablets in this list.
But, if you are getting a great deal on it, it certainly isn’t a bad buy considering that it checks all the basic boxes.
Pros & Cons
- Performance is decent
- Comes installed with adware
- Display is a bit flushed out
Specifications
OS | Android 11 |
CPU / GPU | 1.5 GHz |
Storage | 32 GB |
RAM | 2 GB |
Camera | 2 MP + 2 MP |
Display | 7 inches |
Resolution | 1024×600 |
Weight | 1.19 lbs |
Port | Micro USB |
Battery | 2500 mAH |
- OS: Android
- CPU / GPU: 1.3 GHz
- Storage: 16 GB
- RAM: 1 GB
- Camera: 2 MP + 2 MP
- Display: 7 inches
- Resolution: 1024×600
- Weight: 1.7 lbs
- Port: Propietary
- Battery: 2500 mAH (Up to 3-4 hours)
The biggest draw of the Pritom 7 inch tablet compared to other tablets in this list is that it includes a large battery and has a whopping 4 different colors, light blue, dark blue, green, and pink. It’s primarily meant for kids and therefore has a removable case that’s also quite durable.
From what I’ve seen, the tablet will hold its own if dropped and will be able to stay alive for a long time. My biggest pet peeve is perhaps the slow speed. Compared to other tablets in this list, it isn’t dead slow. But it does show its age.
The display’s brightness is great, the battery lasts a decent sum of time, and the tablet itself isn’t quite heavy. All in all, a great pick for a toddler or child who’s going to be getting their first tablet.
Pros & Cons
- Decent display considering
- Kids love the design
- Durable
- Below average battery life
- OS: Android
- CPU / GPU: 1.6 GHz
- Storage: 32 GB
- RAM: 2 GB
- Camera: 2 MP + 5 MP
- Display: 7.5 inches
- Resolution: 1440×1080
- Weight: 1.7 lbs
- Port: Micro USB
- Battery: 4000 mAH (Up to 3-4 hours)
The TJD Tablets 7.5 inch has one of the best displays out there in this list with a resolution of 1440×1080. The 3500 mAH battery stacks up for about 5-6 hours of usage, and the headphone jack and SD card are all welcome addendums to the tablet.
It features a Cortex-A53 Quad Core processor, which I feel performs better than most of the Kids themed tablets in this list. Now, I’m not really sure why that is, maybe it’s because this tablet has comparatively less bloatware. z
The camera is nothing to ride home about. But, it does the job pretty well for video calls. It also comes with its odd proprietary charger that really limits what you can do with the tablet. However, you do get an OTG cable which acts as an adapter allowing you to connect an external keyboard.
Pros & Cons
- Performance is decent
- Durable
- Below average battery life
- Comes installed with adware
- Display is a bit flushed out
Why We Ranked The Amazon Fire 7 Above The Lenovo Tab M7
There are a few reasons why I’d prefer the Amazon Fire 7 over the Lenovo Tab M7. First and foremost, the price. Simply put, there’s no real added advantage to shelling out the extra $40-50 on the Lenovo Tab M7.
Why? Well, consider your use case. This tablet is either going to be used by a child, or by someone who’s going to be using this as a media consumption device. So, you get a better chassis and a slightly better screen-to-body ratio. And, while these upgrades are welcome, they don’t really affect the overall experience of using the device.
So, since 7-inch tablets are generally budget-oriented, the Amazon Fire 7 takes the cake over the Lenovo Tab M7 (Gen 3). But, might I add, over the slightest margin.
Verdict: Which Is The Best 7-inch Tablet?
Best Overall | Amazon Fire 7 |
Best Premium | iPad Mini 5 |
Best For Kids | Amazon Fire 7 Kids / Dragon Touch KidzPad |
A surprise to no one, the Amazon Fire 7 takes the cake as the best overall 7-inch tablet you can pick out. This is because it is extremely cheap, has a decent display, relatively fine performance, and also doubles as a secondary Amazon Alexa display.
However, if you were looking for the best 7-inch tablet out there, the iPad Mini is the tablet to get. Packed with an A12 Bionic, amazing software support, and compatibility with the Apple Pencil Gen 1, the iPad, while dated, really trumps all the other tablets in this list in terms of raw performance, software and specifications.
If you are looking for the best 7-inch tablet for kids, I’d argue that the Amazon Fire 7 Kids and the Dragon Touch KidzPad both are excellent choices. You get a durable case, decent displays, and sub-par battery life but a decently priced tablet that your child will be able to use without you worrying about it breaking anytime soon.
Most of these tablets are under $100, and you can’t have high expectations. The resolution is going to be lower compared to some mid-range and premium tablets, the battery is going to be weaker, and the processor will be slow. These mostly are for basic tasks: browsing the web, checking email, running simple apps, some videos, and light games.
We hope this article was helpful.
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