I'm currently running iFly EFB on a Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e 10.5 inch tablet. My little homebuilt is a bit cramped and I'm thinking about buying a smaller tablet for iFly. I see in the FAQ the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 5 listed and it looks great, but I'd rather not drop close to $600 if I don't have to. Whatever I get would be mostly dedicated to iFly use. I tend to stick with name brand models but it looks like the big names don't currently have an 8 inch tablet. You can still get refurbished name brand consumer level 8 inch tablets but wanted to ask if anyone is using a smaller 7-8 inch tablet with iFly that they would recommend?
BTW, this is for strictly VFR use. If it was IFR, I wouldn't skimp.
Thanks,
John Brannen
Update to previously posted reply.
Choosing a tablet to be mounted on panel or RAM mount or similar windscreen mount, rather than on yout lap, I've tested a few now and found the following:
The ipad mini 5 or up is best bet for mobile mounting, speed, and display brightness and resolution. Refurbished ipad 5s and 6s are affordable. They are all about the same size, although the 8.3" display in the 6 version extends larger in the long dimension with the elimination of the physical home button in the bottom margin. The ipad mini 6 lacks a 3.5mm audio port which we use to connect to headphones and would require an adapter from the USB port for audio out. The biggest shortcoming of the ipad mini is the absence of internal GPS in the more affordable wifi only model, unless you spend $100+ more for the cellular model. (Older cellular models may not be compatible with 5G cellular data services if you elect to activate them on a cellular network.) Two more advantages of the Ipad mini are availability of outstanding RAM roll-on cradles designed specifically for each ipad model and version. And, of the mini tablets I've tested, the ipad minis have the widest display area in portrait mode (the short dimension) - even wider than small Android tablets with larger displays measured diagonally.
In the Android tablet market, the Lenovo M9 Android tablet is taller than the Ipad mini, but it's display width is slightly narrower (in portrait orientation) than the smaller ipad minis. Display quality is very good, quite close to that of the ipad minis. It is a newer model and runs smoothly, especially the version with 64GB storage and 4gb RAM. Like most Android tablets (except the Amazon Fire), it does have built in GPS, which works fine from a windshield mounted location. It also has an audio jack and great battery capacity. This tablet has a 9.3 inch display, measured diagonally and is the largest of the tablets that one would want to mount on a windscreen. Unlike the ipad, the mounting cradles for this and the Samsung below would be generic fit.
The Samsung A9 is a new Samsung android mini tablet that is marketed internationally (not specifically in the US). Its processor and 8.3 inch display are substantially improved over Samsung's older A7 Lite, and comparable to the quality of the Lenovo M9 display. A version with cellular connectivity is also available for additional $40 (but compatibility with your carrier should be verified). Compared to the Lenovo, the smaller physical dimensions of the Samsung A9 is about the same height as the iPad minis, but would use a generic mounting cradle. (Be careful as the similarly named Samsung A9+ model is NOT a mini tablet, but rather a full size tablet.) It has an audio port, internal GPS, and lower capacity battery. While it is about the same height as the ipad mini in its exterior dimensions, it's display width is by far the narrowest of these three tablets. So much so that iFly cannot be comfortably operated in flight in "tablet mode," and would have to be switched to "phone mode" to render the content large enough to read, and buttons large enough to manipulate in flight. This was really disappointing for us as we had hoped that the smaller form factor of the Samsung A9 would be optimal for windscreen mounting, like the iPad mini.
So if you are looking for a smaller tablet to mount rather than carry in your lap, these are the best low cost options depending on your preference for operating system, and iFly display mode, and need for an internal GPS.
There are higher end specialty tablets with brighter displays in excess of 500 nits but at 4 or 5 times the cost. that's an investment we will make in the next life.
