5 Best Tablets for Home Assistant in 2022 – Expert Reviews

best tablet for home assistant

I started using Home Assistant about three years ago and I had a lot of fun integrating smart devices into my home so far. If you are a smart home enthusiast like me and wonder which is the best tablet for Home Assistant then this is the article for you.

Home Assistant is a free and open-source home automation software designed to be the central control system in a smart home or smart house. Unlike many modern cloud-based solutions Home Assistant focuses on local control and privacy.

It has a very wide range of device support and as of February 2022 offers support for over 1900 modular plug-ins with system integrations to various IoT technologies, systems, and services available as integration components. Additionally, actions like local or remote control of lighting, air conditioning, entertainment systems, and appliances, can be triggered by automation, scripts, voice commands, and mobile apps, or controlled through the Home Assistant’s web-based user interface.

If you want to read a full detailed review of our recommended tablet for Home Assistant click here. Or if you are more interested in our top budget pick we got you covered here.

DID YOU KNOW: GitHub’s “State of the Octoverse” in 2019 listed Home Assistant as the tenth biggest open-source project on its platform with 6,300 contributors. In 2020, with 8,162 contributors it was listed second place in the list of Python packages with the most unique contributors. ?

NOTE: Below you can find a comparison table and a detailed description of the best tablet for Home Assistant.

BEST AFFORDABLERECOMMENDED
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FESamsung Galaxy Tab A8Apple iPad AirSamsung Galaxy Tab S8Microsoft Surface Pro X
Perfect ForAll day batteryAffordable entertainment devicePersonal and family tabletExtra large screenUltra-thin and always connected
DisplayThin-film-transistor LCDThin-film-transistor LCDLiquid Retina IPS LCDThin-film-transistor LCDPixelSense Display
Operating SystemAndroid 11Android 11, One UI 3iPadOS 14.1Android 12Windows 10 Home
Memory256GB (8GB RAM)Up to 128GB (4GB RAM)256GB (4GB RAM)256GB (12GB RAM)Up to 512 GB (8GB or 16GB RAM)
Camera8 MP8 MP12 MP13 MP10 MP
BatteryLi-Po 10090 mAhLi-Po 7040 mAhLi-Ion 7606 mAhLi-Po 8000 mAh5039 mAh Li-Polymer
SoundStereo speakers4 stereo speakersStereo speakers4 stereo speakersStereo speakers
SensorFingerprintFingerprint (side-mounted)FingerprintFingerprintFace ID
71 Reviews3,573 Reviews23,429 Reviews535 Reviews98 Reviews
$359.00$159.99$499.00$585.00$889.75
Buy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on Amazon

Which is the best tablet for home assistant

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE

  HARDWARE   8/10  
  BATTERY LIFE   10/10  
  DISPLAY   10/10  
  MEMORY   8/10  
  VALUE/PRICE   9/10  
  CUSTOMER REVIEWS  

Key Features

Extra long battery life

The battery can easily last the entire day and even more.

S pen included
It is a very useful addition that can enhance user experience. Both writing and drawing feel very natural and above all, the pen is very accurate.
12.4 inch display

Large display makes watching movies more enjoyable.

Detailed Review

Samsung Galaxy FE products are known to put emphasis on the features that fans loved the most at regular Galaxy models and bring them in a new improved package.

The Galaxy Tab S7 FE combines the strong points of both Galaxy S7 and S7 Plus from the previous year.

It feels just as premium when you hold it as the previous models. It has a unibody made out of brushed aluminum and a 12.4 inch TFT LCD display.

This could actually be considered as a downgrade as the previous flagships featured an AMOLED display. However the colors are very accurate, the blacks are quite deep for an LDC and the brightness is pretty high too. So in fact this is still a great display even for drawing where the colors should be as accurate as possible.

The two front speakers have Dolby Atmos support and are tuned by AKG so listening to music and or watching videos is an absolute pleasure. The quality of the sound is rich and clear, even at higher volumes.

While the Galaxy S7 and S7 Plus are both powered by Snapdragon 865 Plus the FE version features a less powerful mid-range Snapdragon 750G. Overall experience is still smooth but honestly, if you want the best performance the previous models are notably faster. 

The tablet comes with Stylus support but the bundled S-pen is passive, not active. However, you still get all the features you will ever need. Let it be taking notes or drawing. The low latency of the pen makes it feel like you are drawing or writing on a real piece of paper. Impressive!

While the FE version cuts some corners it is much more affordable than the last year’s models. The Samsung Galaxy S7 FE is definitely one of the best tablets in terms of  “bang for the buck” and rightfully on the list of the best tablet for Home Assistant.

WHAT WE LIKED
  • 12.4 inch display.
  • Eccellent battery.
  • 5G.
  • S pen included.  
WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED
  • Long time to charge.
LEARN MORE OR CHECK PRICE

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 – Affordable best tablet for Home Assistant

 - Affordable best tablet for Home Assistant

  HARDWARE   8/10  
  BATTERY LIFE   9/10  
  DISPLAY   9/10  
  MEMORY   7/10  
  VALUE/PRICE   9/10  
  CUSTOMER REVIEWS  

Key Features

Good display

The display is great for watching movies and TV shows

Impressive battery life
Battery can easily last over 10 hours and can even go through the entire day without charging
Great speakers

The tablet is equipped with 4 Loud Dolby Atmos stereo speakers

Detailed Review

At 10.5 inches, the Galaxy Tab A8 is slightly larger than the Tab A7. It has a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels so everything looks sharp enough. Viewing angles are okay, and so are contrast and colors. Nothing special, just what you would expect from a cheap device.

Compared to the Galaxy Tab A7 display, the Galaxy Tab A8 is a bit darker. Not a huge difference, but it’s visible in a direct comparison. On the other hand, it is positive that the A8 has better white.

So, when it comes to the display, the A8 hasn’t improved much compared to the A7. But inside it has become faster. Samsung delivers the tablet with a Unisoc Tiger T618 processor, which is supported by 3GB or 4GB of RAM. There is also 32GB to 128GB of internal storage and a 4G LTE option.

It is worth noting that the Galaxy Tab A8 is not suitable for every game with the highest graphics settings, but almost every game can be played.

The Galaxy Tab A8 has a total of four speakers on the sides and you can clearly hear a stereo separation. For the price, the sound quality is pretty good, better than many of its competitors in this price range.

In the end, this still is a very good choice when it comes to tablets. You really get a lot out of this product, especially when you look at the price. I’m am sure you will find a great use for it. Therefore, I believe this is one of the best tablet for Home Assistant.

WHAT WE LIKED
  • Wide display great for streaming
  • The metal body feels premium for the price
  • Long-term security support
WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED
  • Slow 15W charging
  • Limited base model RAM and storage
LEARN MORE OR CHECK PRICE

Apple iPad Air

  HARDWARE   9/10  
  BATTERY LIFE   8/10  
  DISPLAY   9/10  
  MEMORY   7/10  
  VALUE/PRICE   9/10  
  CUSTOMER REVIEWS  

Key Features

Great display

Liquid Retina IPS LCD display will make content look amazing.

High-end design
Apple iPad Air feels slimmer and lighter.
Fast processor

It is one of the fastest iPads available on the market.

Detailed Review

Apple iPad Air is a high-performance tablet that you will have no problem using for all sorts of purposes. It can be used for entertainment, or any work-related activities. Therefore, it is for sure one of the best tablet for Home Assistant. 

As you would expect from any Apple device, the design of the tablet does not disappoint and the build quality is excellent. A14 Bionic chipset paired with 4 GB of RAM and highly integrated iOS make the user experience very responsive. Tasks will run smoothly and no app will pose a problem. You will even be able to play games at the highest graphic settings at a very high frame rate.

Additionally using this device with the Pencil feels very intuitive and flawless which is perfect for taking handwritten notes or drawing. If you like Apple as a brand or just want an amazingly fast tablet you will not be disappointed with this one.

WHAT WE LIKED
  • Excellent screen.
  • Great performance.
  • Fast processor.
  • High-end design.
WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED
  • Internal storage should be expanded.
LEARN MORE OR CHECK PRICE

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 – best tablet for Home Assistant

  HARDWARE   9/10  
  BATTERY LIFE   9/10  
  DISPLAY   9/10  
  MEMORY   8/10  
  VALUE/PRICE   9/10  
  CUSTOMER REVIEWS  

Key Features

Large display

It feels amazing watching your favorite movies and series. The quality is simply stunning.

S pen included
It is a very useful addition that can enhance user experience. Both writing and drawing feel very natural and above all, the pen is very accurate.
120Hz refresh rate

A high refresh rate gives it that smooth effect.

Detailed Review

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is one of the largest tablets out there, yet it still feels very light and you can easily handle it with only one hand. One really cool feature is that the tablet comes with the S pen. So if the pen is something you will be using often then consider buying Tab S8. In general, this is a next-level tablet and is among the top tablets in the field. Therefore we can proudly say that this is the best tablet for Home Assistant.

Build

As we already mentioned, this is a really big tablet. In fact, it makes you wonder if you really need a tablet this big. However, it is definitely worth having, as a bigger screen means that it is much easier to work with. Especially if you are going to be using it for hours. The tablet measures 253.8 x 165.3 x 6.3 mm (9.99 x 6.51 x 0.25 in) and weighs just a bit over 500g.

Display

The tablet features Thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal display with a 120Hz refresh rate, which gives it that supersmooth effect while scrolling. In general, the content looks very good on this tablet. The display is simply incredible with nice brightness and is just perfect for your next movie night.

Hardware & Memory

If we move on to tablet hadrware, you will find that Tab S8 has a pretty decent Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. This comes with an Octa-core CPU and Adreno 730 GPU. So on paper, this is a very decent tablet that is able to outperform its competition. Basically, all tasks are performed smoothly. That includes gaming and I think we can all agree that this is a big deal. Games simply have to be running smoothly and Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 meets our expectations and brings us the gaming experience we deserve.

The tablet can have either 128GB or 256GB of internal memory, with 256GB being a more popular choice among buyers. Additionally, there is also an option of getting a version with 8GB of RAM and a version with 12GB of RAM. What you want to choose it’s entirely in your hands. However, we do recommend getting a version with 12GB of RAM, since it’s better and makes the tablet work faster.

Camera

As far as camera capabilities go, you get a 13 MP main camera with a 6 MP ultrawide camera. You also get two front cameras (12MP ultrawide). You would be surprised just how nice the camera output is. And we are talking about main and frontal cameras. There are nice and accurate colors with pretty good sharpness. Additionally, you can also make very good-looking 4K videos. If you intend on using the tablet for online meetings, then Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is the way to go.

Battery

You will find that Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 comes with a Li-Po 8000 mAh battery. As one should expect, it’s non-removable, so you won’t be able to replace it. The tablet also comes with a very fast 45W charger that can have your tablet back to 100% of power in just 80 minutes. Now that is fast.

In conclusion, this is definitely a tablet worth buying or at least considering. It is very good and it never fails to deliver. Aditionally it is also cheaper than its iPad competitors. A large screen really makes it something else and it gives you a viewing experience you always wanted. So give it a go and see for yourself.

WHAT WE LIKED
  • Large display.
  • Very good chipset.
  • Smooth performance.
  • S pen.  
WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED
  • Limited upgrade.
LEARN MORE OR CHECK PRICE

Microsoft Surface Pro X

  HARDWARE   9/10  
  BATTERY LIFE   9/10  
  DISPLAY   10/10  
  MEMORY   8/10  
  VALUE/PRICE   9/10  
  CUSTOMER REVIEWS  

Key Features

Up to 15 hours of battery life

You can enjoy a whole day of battery life.

LTE Advanced Pro
Now you can stay connected at all times. No Wi-Fi, no problem.
Preinstalled Windows 10 Home

The tablet brings you powerful Windows features you use most at an exceptional value.

Detailed Review

Microsoft Surface Pro X is one of Microsoft’s best tablets. The thin and very light design makes it very easily portable. Additionally, it features a very good processor and can be further paired with different accessories. Therefore, I am convinced that this is the best tablet for Home Assistant.

Build

This tablet is one of the thinnest you will find. It is also very light, as it weighs only 1.7 lbs. This makes it perfect for productivity on the go. If we are a bit more specific, the tablet measures 11.3” x 8.2” x 0.28” (287 mm x 208 mm x 7.3 mm). Overall, I have to say that it is beautifully designed. It has a large screen and is very thin and light. What more could you ask.

Display

Surface Pro X has a 13-inch PixelSense display with a resolution of  2,880 x 1,920. This is pretty much the same as Surface Pro 8. The aspect ratio is 3:2. Additionally, I have to mention that the tablet features 10 point multi-touch technology. This means that it has the ability to recognize and respond to ten simultaneous points of contact. The tablet also features a standard 60Hz refresh rate. The display can also support Surface Pen which can be a nice addition and can improve user experience. In general, the content looks very good, with very nice colors and contrast. This is where you can truly appreciate a large display. Especially, if you will be using the tablet for hours at a time.

Hardware & Memory

When it comes to hardware, this tablet really shines. Microsoft Surface Pro X has the Microsoft SQ® 1 processor, which can deliver multitasking laptop performance. The processor is based on the Snapdragon 8cx but has higher clocked CPU and GPU cores. As far as performance goes, you can do pretty much anything you like. This includes gaming. The tablet can easily support various activities, as the processor delivers fast, 8-core performance. Therefore it is appropriate for work and entertainment. The tablet also comes with a preinstalled Windows 10 Home, which you will be able to upgrade to Windows 11 when available. However, Windows 10 Home is still a very good OS. It includes all the Windows tools that most of you are already familiar with.

There are currently two versions out there regarding RAM. You can choose between a version that has 8GB of RAM and a version that has 16GB of RAM. For gaming and other heavy uses, it is always better to have more RAM, as it ensures faster processing speed. Furthermore, you have three options regarding internal storage. You can choose between 128, 256, and 512GB of SSD storage. I think we can all agree that is plenty of space for your files.

Camera

The tablet has a built-in 10MP main camera. In general, the photos look great. It also features a good autofocus system and can make really good 4K videos. However, Surface Pro X excels in the field of frontal cameras. Built-in 5.0MP front-facing camera with 1080p HD delivers very nice performance when taking a photo or video chatting with your friends and colleagues. The camera also automatically adjusts to lighting conditions to more accurately reflect natural skin tones.

Battery

The battery life here is pretty decent. The tablet features a 5039 mAh Li-Polymer battery, that can easily last up to 15 hours. I think we can all agree that this basically counts as the entire day. Additionally, the tablet comes with a fast-charging ability, so you will have it back up to 100% in no time. There is no need to worry. You can enjoy your favorite activities without worrying you will run out of juice.

In conclusion, Microsoft Surface Pro X is a very good tablet that is definitely worth your consideration. It is very thin and light, unlike other tablets. It has a really nice 13-inch display, long battery life, and you can stay connected anywhere you are. This way you can really be productive on the go.

WHAT WE LIKED
  • Fast processor.
  • Large 13 inch display.
  • LTE connectivity.
  • Thin and light.
WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED
  • Pricey.
LEARN MORE OR CHECK PRICE

Best tablet for home assistant – Final thoughts

All these recommended tablets will serve great as a tablet for Home Assistant. There is no wrong decision. In the end, it comes down to your needs, preferences, and your budget. I personally think that it is worth spending a little extra money when you are buying a device that you will be using for years to come.

If your budget allows you our recommended tablet will definitely serve you well. On the other hand, our affordable pick will do great as well. In any case, if you stay within our top 5 recommended tablets you won’t be disappointed.

Have a great day! ?

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