7 Best Tablets for Architects and Designers (Latest Models 2023)
Tablets are great tools for architects and designers because they allow them to create 3D models and drawings from their computers. They also enable them to collaborate easily with clients and colleagues.
Today, tablets are not just devices that were used to view and play. They are also devices that can perform a number of functions similar to a computer. Architects, designers, and others use these tablets to draw and design with the help of capacitative pens, read, browse through, check and sign documents and many more such tasks. They are handy tools to present their ideas to clients without carrying around a heavy laptop. These are portable in the sense that they can be carried from one place to another. With the advancement of technology, companies have come up with ways to convert tablets into laptops or vice versa so that they can provide ease of working.
Before you begin shopping for a new tablet, think about what features you really need. Here are some important questions to consider which will help you to make your best decision:
How Helpful is Tablet?
There are several reasons why architects and designers should consider using tablets instead of laptops. The main advantage of tablets over laptops is portability. Laptops are heavy and bulky, whereas tablets are light and compact. This makes them easier to carry around and use anywhere. Some tablets even come with a decent configuration camera, thereby aiding in any kind of documentation required during site visits, market surveys, material selection, and so on.
When purchasing a tablet for architectural work one should consider what features they require. If they are planning to use it as an accessory for meetings, visits, etc., then the specifications may differ from those used for drawing, sketching or modeling. Based on the functional needs, one should choose a tablet that meets their requirements.
Which one- Android, Apple or Microsoft?
With the number of options for tablets available, there are several operating systems available too. It is essential to make an informed decision regarding the OS of the tablet based on weighing the advantages and disadvantages of the varied operating systems (Android OS, iOS and Windows) and thereby the brands. Moreover, one should consider the options of applications available for each OS.
The pluses of each OS are –
iOS- The tablets or ipads offer a secured environment with quality graphics and processing. The refresh rate of ipads is usually very high, aiding in a seamless experience while working, presenting, gaming or media viewing. The OS offers integration across all Apple devices.
Windows – the tablets with Windows OS aid in the familiar feel of a PC and can be easily integrated with your PC.
Android – Is considered to be a more user-friendly and affordable OS for tablets. Moreover, there is a wider variety of tablets for this OS. The configuration of the tablet would make a whole lot of a difference in its performance.
While all the three platforms are quite in power with each other, therefore choosing the OS for tablets for architectural work can be purely based on personal preferences, budget and requirements.
The Specifications one must consider before buying a tablet –
- Size and Weight –
For tablets, size and weight are important criteria as a tablet is meant to be portable. A tablet should be as light as possible as it leads to better and more comfortable handling. While there are a lot of screen sizes available, to support the portability, it is advisable that the size of the tablet should be 10”-13” to support an array of architectural works. However, the screen size would be determined by the type of work it is being concerned for.
- Processor and RAM –
The processor determines the overall performance of the tablet. One should go in for a processor of frequency 1 GHz or above. In addition, the minimum RAM that should be considered for seamless work for architects should be 6GB. The more the better. One has to consider these parameters for better performance of the tablets.
- Connectivity and Networking –
This is an important specification to look into while choosing a tablet. One should look for Cellular + wireless (wifi) connectivity to have an uninterrupted working experience. In addition to network connectivity, the tablet must have Bluetooth options to allow for p2p connections, to connect to other hardware or tablets.
- Storage Space
Though there are tablets in the market that offer a storage capacity of over 256 GB these days, one should consider all specifications and especially the finances before opting for tablets with huge storage spaces. For people related to architecture, a tablet with around 64 Gb or128 Gb of storage space should suffice, as these devices are not meant for intensive work or storage.
Tip: One can always make good use of cloud storage as secondary storage space for your tablets.
- Resolution –
For architectural work, the resolution and quality of the display ought to be considered. One should consider opting for a resolution of 1920 x 1080p (Full HD) at least. Higher the resolution, the better.
- Battery Life –
Good battery life is quite essential to support the purpose of a tablet. It should at least be able to handle about 8 hours of intensive media playback or browsing on a single charge.
Below we list our top picks for the 7 best tablets that are well suited for architects and designers
1. 2021 Apple iPad Pro with Apple M1 chip (11-inch/27.96 cm, Wi-Fi, 256GB) - Space Grey (3rd Generation)
This is the perfect tablet or best iPad for interior design for all those Apple fans out there. This new iPad Pro is sleek and carries an elegance to it. This particular version also supports a magic keyboard by Apple to make the tasks convenient for the user. It also works with an apple pencil to support the creative instincts of the architects and designers.
- The tablet comes in two size variants – 11” and 12.9”. the screen is an edge-to-edge liquid retina display with features like ProMotion, True-tone and P3 wide color.
- The memory variations for this tablet are- 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB
- It has a 6GB RAM and is integrated with an M1 chip for next-level performance with 64-bit desktop-class architecture, a Neural engine and an embedded M12 coprocessor.
- It has a 12 MP wide camera and 10 MP Ultra-wide cameras for rear cameras and 12 MP True depth front camera with Portrait mode.
- It also has a LiDAR scanner to assist with taking measurements.
- It is enabled with face recognition for secure authentications.
- It has a good audio system with 4 speakers and 5 studio-quality microphones.
- Works well with Wi-Fi and LTE cellular data.
- A full charge would last for up to 10 hours of browsing on Wi-Fi and playing media; and up to 9 hours on cellular data.
- It has a USB-C Connector.
2. Microsoft Surface Pro 7 VDV-00015 12.3" (31.24 cms) Touchscreen 2-in-1 Laptop (10th Gen Intel Core i5/8GB/128GB SSD/Windows 10 Home/Intel Iris Plus Graphics), Platinum
Microsoft’s Surface Pro is one of the ranges that give you a choice to use the device like a tablet or a laptop, depending on the requirements. This device has a very sleek design and has a built-in kickstand to support it on a horizontal surface when in laptop mode or watching a video. For the architects and designers, it becomes a plus to carry the elegance of this tablet along with your work effortlessly.
- The tablet is powered by a 10th generation Intel Core i5 processor.
- The RAM options available are 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB LPDDR4.
- 12.3” touch screen is aided with PixelSense Display, which works very well with a Surface Pen.
- Has a storage capacity options of 128GB or 256GB SSD
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 are enabled for better connectivity.
- A cover-type keyboard could be an add-on with the purchase according to your requirements.
- For better security, the tablet has a Windows Hello face authentication camera (front-facing).
- The audio system is composed of Dual far-field Studio Mics and 1.6W stereo speakers with Dolby® Audio™.
- Has 1 USB Type C and 1 USB Type-A port for peripheral flexibility.
- Sensors included are - Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope and Magnetometer
- It has a 5MP front-facing and 8MP rear-facing.
- The battery lasts up to 7 hours and 52 minutes.
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 27.81 cm (11 inch) 120 Hz Display, S-Pen in Box, Quad Speakers, 6 GB RAM, 128 GB Internal,Wi-Fi + LTE, Mystic Black
Samsung was among the first ones to come up with efficient tablets. Their S7 tablet is a very efficient tablet suited for architects and designers. This is an Android tablet that can be converted for a PC desktop experience for all the basic work.. It is light and thin that could be handheld for longer durations.
- The touch screen is an 11-inch with 120 Hz display.
- It has a new Qualcomm SDM865 Pro, Octa-Core processor, which helps in multitasking, rapidly switching between apps and high-intensity tasks. It is the fastest processor ever in Galaxy Tab.
- The RAM options available are 6GB and 8GB.
- Storage options are 128 GB and 256 GB. A microSD card can be used for extendable memory.
- It works with an S Pen, which helps in better functioning, marking documents, signing papers, doodling and taking notes.
- It has 8 MP front, 13 MP standard rear and 5 MP ultrawide rear cameras.
- It works is equipped with one nano sim slot, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 for better connectivity.
- It has USB-C ports.
- Sensors included are – Accelerometer, Gyro sensor, RGB light sensor, Fingerprint sensor, Geomagnetic sensor and Hall sensor.
- The audio is amazing with Quad Dolby Atmos speakers.
- The battery can last up to 15 hours on a full charge.
- It comes with 4 months YouTube Premium and 30 days Canva Pro absolutely free.
4. Google Pixel Slate 12.3" Touchscreen LCD Tablet w/ Keyboard and Pen | Intel 8th Generation Core M3 | 8GB Memory | 64GB SSD | Fingerprint Reader | Chrome OS | Midnight Blue
Google is working on its tablet and laptops, with pixel slate being one of the good attempts. It has a good display quality and connectivity. The user needs to make themselves familiar with the Chromebook OS to use this tablet. The system is designed to be very intuitive. The fast processor allows for multitasking. Architects and designers can rely on it for their ideations and sketches with the help of the pen that comes with it.
- The 12.3” touchscreen is an LCD with Pixelbook Pen support.
- It is powered by an 8th generation Intel Core M3 (or i5 or i7) processor.
- It has 4GB, 8 GB and 16 GB RAM options.
- Storage options include 32 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB SSD storage.
- The battery lasts for up to 12 hours.
- Works on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 for better connectivity.
- It has an accessory connector to connect the Pixel Slate keyboard.
- For good audio, it has dual front-firing speakers for better surround sound and 2 mics for improved noise cancellation.
- It has an 8 MP front and rear cameras.
- Sensors included are - 3-axis Gyroscope/Accelerometer, Magnetometer, Antenna Proximity Sensors, Ambient Light Sensor and Magnetic Sensor.
- It has 2 USB-Cs for charging, 4K display output and quicker data transfer.
5. Microsoft Surface GO 2 STQ-00013 10.1" (26.54 cms) Laptop (Gold Processor 4425Y/8GB/128GB SSD/Windows 10 Home in S Mode/Intel UHD 615 Graphics), Platinum
Windows surface Go is a portable, versatile and powerful device. It is the smallest and lightest in the series. With the enhanced processors it is fast and efficient. The sleek and slim tablet is a good pick to carry in your bag. A good and compact option for architects and designers to choose.
- This tablet is powered with a Intel Pentium Gold Processor 4425Y.
- The 105” touch screen is enabled with a Pixelsense display, which works with a surface pen.
- It has RAM variants of 4GB and 8GB.
- The graphics get an edge owing to Intel UHD 615 graphics.
- It has Enterprise-grade protection with Windows Hello face sign-in
- Storage options include - 64GB eMMC or 128GB SSD.
- Connectors include - 1 x USB-C®, 1 x Surface Connect port, Surface Type Cover Port, 1 x MicroSDXC Card Reader, 3.5 mm headphone jack.
- Windows Hello face authentication camera (front-facing)
- It has 5 MP front and 8 MP rear cameras.
- The audio is supported by a Single microphone and 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Audio.
- Has a built-in kickstand and Type cover to easily switch from laptop to tablet or a portable studio.
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1 give it good connectivity.
- Sensors included are – Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope and Magnetometer
- The average battery life is up to 10 hours.
6. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 26.31 cm (10.4 inch), S-Pen in Box, Slim and Light, Dolby Atmos Sound, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB ROM, Wi-Fi+LTE,Oxford Grey
This tablet by Samsung is ultra-light, suitable for on-the-go users. The eye-catching metal design is a powerful tablet to carry. You can convert this tablet from touch to type in a snap by adding a keyboard to it. This tablet also supports the Android environment.
- It comes with S-Pen to write notes or edit photos and videos.
- Has a (10.4-inch) TFT with 2000 x 1200 pixels resolution with 16M color support.
- It has 5 MP front and 8 MP rear cameras.
- RAM and storage variants available are 4GB / 6 GB and 64 GB / 128 GB respectively. Storage is expandable up to 1 TB with a microSD.
- Offers enhanced connectivity as it is enabled with Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth 5.0.
- Has facial recognition and fingerprint recognition features for added security.
- Sensors included are - Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity and compass.
- For audio, the tablet has 4 speakers by AKG and cinematic sound with Dolby Atmos technology.
- The battery can last up to 15 hours of video playback.
7. 2020 Apple iPad Air with A14 Bionic chip (10.9-inch/27.69 cm, Wi-Fi, 64GB) - Space Grey (4th Generation)
This tablet is extremely portable and perfect for getting the job done anywhere. It is very light and sleek with advanced connectivity. This tablet is perfect for architects and designers as it offers an immersive AR experience. The powerful processor makes it an efficient device to do high-intensity tasks – create a presentation, edit a video, make a 3D model, stream a video and many more such tasks.
- The touch screen is a 10.9” retina display with True Tone.
- It supports an apple pencil, magic keyboard and smart keyboard to carry forth all the creative pursuits.
- The tablet has an A14 Bionic chip with a Neural engine that makes the tab very powerful and intelligent.
- Works on Wi-Fi as well as LTE advanced (has an eSIM slot).
- Perfect for Augmented reality (AR) based tasks.
- There is an 12 MP back camera and a 7 MP front HD camera.
- Sensors included are - Compass/ Magnetometer, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor and Gyroscope.
- Has a battery life of up to 10 hours.
Conclusion
These are 7 best tablets suitable for architects and designers. While all the tabs have something or the other special in them. But, if I were to choose one for me I would either go in for Apple iPad Pro or Microsoft Surface Pro. These are high duty, sleek and stylish devices, that are sure to get your creative works done. If there is a tablet that you think is suitable for architects and designers, that could be added to the list, feel free to post your suggestions!
Also, check out 5 Best Budget Laptops for Architecture Students (Latest Models 2023)
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