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Last Updated on February 9, 2021
Video conferencing has gained huge traction over the past couple of months due to a certain global pandemic. In light of this, alternate modes of communication have been cast into the limelight in an effort to replace face-to-face mediums. Surely anyone would be able to relate with this – from the shifting of work to homes to the need to host important meetings and discussions online (often within our own homes as well), it now feels as though video conferencing has become an integral part of our daily lives.
What better way to adapt to this trend than by getting yourself a tablet? You’ll not only be able to effortlessly engage in all sorts of formal and casual video conferencing but you can do so much more including streaming videos to editing images to even working on spreadsheets and drafting proposals all thanks to the seemingly endless range of apps out there for tablets. So, if you’re on the prowl for a good tablet to use for video conferencing, then look no further.
We’ve compiled and reviewed some of the best options out there just for you – just read on and check out our list below to find out more.
Best Tablet for Video Conferencing of 2020
1. Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 32 GB Wifi Tablet Black
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10 is up there on our list for very good reasons: it’s powerful, gorgeous and brilliant all-round. Coming in either gold, black or silver, its 10.1-inch minimal bezel screen offers a full HD viewing experience across its solid 1920 x 1200 resolution which easily affords any user a premium experience when it comes to viewing videos and images – both live and captured!
On that note, the tablet’s camera is absolutely fantastic as well thanks to its 5MP front camera and 8MP rear camera. You’ll be able to take crisp, colour-accurate photos and for any video conferencing, your audiences will have no problem seeing whatever is being shown on your end.
It doesn’t pull any strings when it comes to pure processing power too. With a 1.8GHz processor along with 2GB of RAM and 32 GB of in-built storage, while it isn’t by any means the Ferrari of the tablet world, you certainly get more than what you pay for with its hugely affordable price tag.
Movies, video calls, gaming, and the like will easily be within hand’s reach, so you don’t have to worry about any performance issues with the Tab A 10. And when it comes to its battery life, we’re equally impressed. Reaching up to an average of 10 hours on constant use, you’ll be able to use the tablet throughout your entire working day without desperately looking around for a power socket.
Regardless, if you’re deadest on getting a tablet for only video conferencing, the Tab A 10 will more than deliver on this point.
2. New Apple iPad Pro (12.9-inch, Wi-Fi, 256GB) – Space Gray
Apple holds a unique reputation when it comes to technology. They’re loved by literal hordes of fans across the world for whatever they produce – laptops, phones, watches and without exception to this rule, tablets as well. The iPad Pro upon first glimpse sums up everything we know and love about apple – they make gorgeous devices.
With a purely metal composition and coming in either space grey or silver, this 12.9-inch device holds some of the best screens in the industry. With a liquid retina display with promotion and true tone capabilities, only the big screen could hope to compare to the iPad Pro when it comes to delivering eyewatering displays.
Though don’t be fooled, the iPad Pro isn’t just a good looker. It’s an absolute powerhouse given its A12Z bionic chip and storage capacity going up to 1TB. We can’t stress enough how insane this is – even professional-level video editing and the most intense of gaming apps will fall to heel under the iPad Pro. And on its camera, with a 12-megapixel front camera and a 7-megapixel rear camera, image quality won’t ever be a concern for you.
Couple this with its cellular option and 10-hours of battery and you’ll get a video conferencing tablet that can be used all day both within the comfort of home and beyond – on the road, in a café or even in your local park! Well, all this is conditional of course on whether you can stomach the not-so-palatable price tag. $1079.00 to be exact for its 256GB option.
That being said, you will truly get your full money’s worth with the iPad Pro – think of it as a worthwhile investment if prefer, it’ll truly last for the long years ahead with proper care.
3. Microsoft Surface Pro 6 (Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB)
Another solid option also produced by one of the top brands in the market is Microsoft by way of their Surface Pro 6. Though it may be a little of a stretch to call this device a pure tablet. It’s designed to offer a 2-in-1 experience merging both the functionality of a laptop and portability of a tablet and boy does it deliver on both ends.
With a whooping 8GB of RAM and a 1.3 GHz i5 Core processor along with an Intel UHD Graphics 620 graphical coprocessor, if you read these specs alone without seeing the surface pro you could be forgiven for thinking that it were a small laptop. All this paired with its ultra slim and light keyboard and Surface Pen allows users to power their ideas into creations regardless of whether they’re students taking detailed notes, accountants balancing their sheets or even artists sketching the next viral image.
It also manages to pack all this into a 12.3-inch PixelSense display with a solid resolution of 2736 x 1824 which successfully brings out the colours and intricate details hidden within any image or video. Its cameras are also equally impressive. Equipped with a 5-megapixel front camera and 8-megapixel rear camera, there really isn’t anything negative to point out in this area.
You’ll easily be able to convert this tablet cum laptop into a video conferencing device with the press of a button. But one thing we should note is its mediocre battery life. It averages around 5-hours even on full charge which is the price to pay for its impressive power.
This isn’t terrible or unworkable by any means, it just means that you’ll probably need to either arm yourself with a power bank or at least, know where the nearest power sockets are!
4. ASUS ZenPad 3S 10 9.7″, 4GB RAM
If the idea of a tablet-laptop doesn’t sit with you then don’t worry, we’re heading back into the realm of traditional tablets with the ASUS ZenPad 3S 10. Regardless, we aren’t compromising anything when it comes to processing power with this shift though. With a powerful hexa-core processor coupled with 4GB of RAM, this tablet will easily be able to handle the most demanding of tasks from games to editing which makes it truly a performance-tablet to behold.
And it does all this by treating your eyes to a fantastic viewing experience thanks to its immersive 2K 9.7-inch IPS display which crams a 2048 x 1536 resolution into its compact screen. Your ears are also in for a surprising treat through the ZenPad’s SonicMaster audio system which will bring out the subtlest of basslines, nuanced of fugal voices and the brightest of melodies.
Its 5-megapixel front-facing camera along with an 8-megapixel pixel master rear-facing camera also provides users with high-resolution images and videos which deliver the best of any video conference. You won’t have to worry about poor lighting conditions or unpixellated footage when it comes to the ZenPad!
All this combined with its solid 10-hours of battery puts the ZenPad in a solid position when compared to the alternatives in the market so if you’re looking for something portable, light and affordable, you’ve met your match.
5. Google Pixel C Tablet 32gb Silver Aluminum WiFi Only
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Sitting as perhaps the most affordable option on our list, the Google Pixel C Tablet still offers a surprisingly excellent experience over what one might assume. Coming in only silver, this 10.2-inch tablet doesn’t have a gorgeous screen that will bedazzle the eyes but still, it more than delivers when we look at its specs.
Configured like a 2-in-1 tablet-laptop, the Pixel C is primed to perform. With 3 GB of RAM and a solid NVDIA processor any user will be in for a smooth experience when using this tablet. From Snapchat to Instagram to demanding games, you shouldn’t experience any issues here.
What about its potential as a video conferencing tablet? Well, good news and bad news. The good news is that you won’t face any hiccups here thanks to its 8-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel front camera. The bad? The Pixel C has the worst front camera on our list and given how imperative front cameras are for video conferencing and calls, it’s easy to see why some would be put off.
Though we would like to emphasize that this doesn’t mean you’ll be a blurry mess in any video conference, people will be able to see you just fine – it just won’t be as crisp and clear as the other products on our list. But if you can get past this, you’re in for a treat. It’s Google after all – they’re a pretty trusted brand when it comes to technology!
A Product Guide to Tablets for Video Conferencing
So, if you’re truly set on getting a tablet for your video conferencing good on you. Before you rush off there are three things you should always keep in mind if you want to avoid wasting money. Never forget to consider your budget, your circumstances and your preferred tablet’s camera. Keep these three in check and you should be set.
Budget
First and foremost, seriously consider how much you’re willing to fork out for a tablet. The general rule to know is that with a larger budget, you’ll be able to purchase better-equipped tablets and with a small budget, the converse applies. This doesn’t mean that cheap equates to poor quality, you can still certainly find solid performers at the low end of price such as the Pixel C, it’s just that the more expensive tablets like the iPad Pro are better fitted with more advanced features that will be sure to last well in the future.
So, you can think of it this way: either you buy something affordable that risks becoming obsolete within a shorter period of time or you splurge for the time being to invest in a device that will be very much relevant for a longer period of time. Regardless, this is a question only you can answer so mull on this!
Circumstances
The tablet you settle for should ideally, reflect the circumstances of your life as closely as possible. If you plan on video conferencing mainly from home, you don’t have to worry too much about battery life so a tablet like the Surface Pro 6’s weaker battery life won’t be too much of an issue for you.
Likewise, if you’re an avid traveler who loves getting on video calls while on the road, then the importance of a solid battery life goes without saying. And on this note, a tablet that has cellular capabilities may be more relevant to you if you’re constantly moving around without consistent Wi-Fi so check out the iPad Pro on that note. Just remember that you’re buying a tablet for yourself and tablets are meant to complement your life, not make it messier.
Camera
Under normal circumstances, we usually don’t get why people would look for a decent camera when it comes to tablets. After all, mobile phones and full-on DSLRs work much better and often cost far less. However, the one big exception to this sentiment is when we’re talking about video conferencing. We’ve worked remotely before and we’ve held video conferences of our own and we cannot emphasize enough how crucial it is to have a camera that doesn’t make your end look like its being recorded by a potato.
This especially holds true if you’re working in a pretty demanding job like finance or law or something that requires you to move around, write or draw on whiteboards and so on. Clarity in this sense often equates to a perceived sense of professionalism. So, the general rule of thumb to note is simply that more megapixels lead to better picture/video quality.
Unless you plan on purchasing a separate, external webcam, you should always be on the prowl to purchase the tablet with the best camera you can find, so long as it adheres to your budget and circumstances.