A tablet is an essential device for engineers as it gives them a chance to be productive on the move. It allows engineers to access a wealth of information at any time. Critical information, such as meeting notes, dimensions, or plans, can be recorded in real-time, which is why we have put together this list of the 5 best tablets for engineers!
Why Does An Engineer Need A Tablet?
A tablet is essential for engineers who visit numerous sites or travel consistently. It has a larger display than people’s phones, making reading small text or detailed plans easier. They are less chunky and heavy than a laptop, so they will fit in small bags and can be carried around. It can be protected with a special case for more rugged or industrial areas. Finally, numerous apps can be downloaded to increase their usability and variety, giving engineers more reasons to invest in one.
While tablets can make any engineer’s life a little easier, there is so much variety and choice in the technology market that it is hard to know the best option.
The Most Important Criteria When Selecting A Tablet
To ensure that you have picked the tablet with the best features for you, there are several attributes that engineers should consider before making such an investment.
The first factor is the size of the screen on the tablet. The standard tablet screen size is 8 to 11 inches in diameter, but if you do not look regularly at detailed maps or pictures with small text, then a tablet with a smaller screen should be an excellent choice.
The next factor to consider is connectivity, whether you need a tablet with “Wi-Fi-only” or “Wi-Fi plus cellular connection.” If you are frequently in places without a Wi-Fi connection, opting for Wi-Fi and a cellular connection may be practical to get the best out of your investment.
Another factor to keep in mind is storage space. If you capture a lot of photos within your job role, then the minimum space you need is 32G, but if you look at a lot of designs, then 256G should be the minimum. With Android tablets, you can add a memory card to increase storage capacity. It cannot be done with Apple iPads, but more memory can be bought at the Apple Store.
Finally, battery life is something that should be considered before you invest in a tablet. Having a battery that will last over a working day will ensure it does not impede any work you may be obligated to complete.
The Top 5 Tablets For Engineers
At Mechanical Engineering HQ, we aim to find a tablet that suits every engineer’s needs and wants. We have painstakingly trawled the internet to find the best and most suitable options for all engineers.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite
If you have a smaller budget but still want a quality tablet, the first entry on this list of the 5 best tablets for engineers is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. It is small, lightweight and feels like you are using a computer as it contains Samsung DeX.
On its 10-inch screen, you can use its S pen to create plans and drawings or make real-time edits. It has a battery life of 13 hours and 64GB of storage that can be increased with a microSD card. You can switch between apps and multitask effortlessly. But unlike more expensive options, you cannot open multiple design or creative apps simultaneously as the processor and RAM are too small.
Overall this remains an excellent choice for an engineer that requires a tablet on a budget.
iPad Mini 6 2021
This iPad Mini 6 is a small tablet, perfect for carrying around easily and putting into a small bag or suitcase. It is more convenient and lighter than its bigger counterparts, so if you are an engineer that does not need a big screen and travels quite a bit, this tablet may be the correct choice.
This tablet can be used in an outdoor and indoor settings as it contains liquid retina display. For design engineers, this screen may be just big enough to sketch out basic drawings, as it is 8-inches. This tablet is too small to use as your primary drawing tool.
As with all Apple products, the battery is always a slight letdown, but this tablet’s battery will last for a working day. It can be connected to Wi-Fi and cellular devices. It comes with storage that starts at 64GB but has much bigger options. If you are an engineer looking for a small iPad to complete your work, this iPad is the best option.
iPad Pro M1 2022
The best tablet on the market is the Apple iPad Pro, which has the best features overall. If you are an engineer and need a tablet that works as well as a tablet, this is the best choice. The iPad Pro is incredibly fast and powerful as it contains the M2 chip, also included in the new MacBook laptop.
Switching between tasks is easy with the split-screen option, and it is paired perfectly with the Apple Pencil for design engineers. It can be used for several jobs, including rendering complex files, drawing and constructing plans. Also, any Adobe apps work perfectly on this tablet.
Its screen is 11 inches in diameter, which means it is big enough to create drawings and read intricate plans but not so big that it is cumbersome. It comes with a 12 MP camera with a LiDAR scanner to take measurements. As an engineer, this tablet will improve your productivity.
Lenovo Flex 14
The Lenovo Flex 14 is built like a laptop with a flexible design and reasonable price. It has 256GB of storage and 2400 MHz memory speed. It contains a Radeon Vega 8 graphics card, making this tablet excellent for reading plans or pictures.
It has a 10-hour battery life and smoothly transitions between various apps. Its display is what costs money, and it is where other tablets may surpass this model. But it would only be noticed if you do a lot of drawing or photo editing.
It can be transformed into a full laptop with a keyboard that can click on. Overall, the Lenovo Flex 14 is a dependable, reliable tablet/laptop hybrid.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7
Last but not least non this list of the 5 best tablets for engineers is the Microsoft Surface Pro 7. This is the perfect laptop for engineers needing a high-powered tablet with a range of extra features. Some engineers use both a laptop and tablet to gain maximum productivity. It is one of the top-selling tablets on the market, and it is clear why this is.
It has 128GB storage with a 12.3-inch screen, 1 TB hard drive and 8GB of RAM. It has a battery life of over 10 hours, which is perfect for working engineers. It comes with a keyboard to easily transition to a laptop if needed. It can support all apps and comes with a high-performance processor. This tablet also has an excellent display perfect for reading intricate plans and maps and completing sketches.
While this is an expensive tablet, it has enormous variability and flexibility, perfect for an engineer with a variable job.
Any of these tablets that our team has expertly picked would be a great addition to an engineer’s working life, and it will give them the boost of productivity they need to reach their potential.
Thank you very much for being here – we appreciate you taking the time to read our content. If you have any other tools or working accessories you would like to add, or if you have used any of these previously that worked well, please let us know with a comment below!
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