Recommended Android and Fire Tablets
TouchDRO is an application that can run on a wide variety of Android or Amazon Fire tablets that satisfy minimal system requirements. Many tablet manufacturers customize the underlying Android OS to create a branded user experience or to reduce hardware requirements. As such, some tablets work better than others. On this page, I will cover a few important points you should consider when shopping for a tablet and list tablets that we recommend.
General Considerations
The main criteria when picking a tablet for your digital readout setup is the screen size. TouchDRO can work on very small screens, but for optimal experience, I suggest that you get at least an 8-inch tablet. If you are planning to use the graphical projection display to mill or turn complex contours, a 10-11 inch tablet is recommended. It will allow you to comfortably work in "portrait" mode most of the time, and have a large clear display for the times when you need to switch into the "landscape" mode for intricate machining.
TouchDRO is optimized to run on very modest hardware, so the amount of RAM, storage size, and processor speeds should not be a big concern. Any relatively modern tablet will be more than powerful enough to handle the demands of the digital readout. If you are planning to listen to podcasts while working in the shop or use the tablet for entertainment when not machining, a model with 3-4GB of RAM would be preferred.
Android vs. Amazon Fire Tablets
Amazon Fire tablets are a popular choice for TouchDRO. They run a customized version of Android OS, are well built and reliable, and offer very good bang for your buck. TouchDRO is listed in the Amazon App Store and runs very well on Amazon Fire tablets. A small nuance to consider is that we publish new versions to the Amazon App Store about twice per year, whereas Google Play Store gets updates every couple of months. In other words, if you prefer to have access to the latest features, an Android tablet is a better choice for you. On the other hand, if you subscribe to the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy, an Amazon Fire tablet will fit you better.
Recommended Tablets
As I mentioned earlier, TouchDRO can run on a wide variety of Android tablets. The list below is far from exhaustive. In fact, it covers about a third of the tablets that we routinely use for testing the TouchDRO application. We selected these particular models first and foremost based on feedback from existing TouchDRO customers and our own extensive testing and experience. We also took into account tablet availability, performance, value for the money, and the manufacturer's track record.
Please note that the links on this page are affiliate links; if you purchase your tablet after following one of these links, we get a small kickback from Amazon.
Budget-Friendly Tablets
The tablets in this category cost below $100 and offer a good balance of price, performance, quality, and reliability. While they come with some compromises, these tablets are very popular with TouchDRO users. They are well supported by their manufacturers, don't have any issues running TouchDRO, and have a good number of aftermarket case and screen protector options.
Amazon Fire 7
Amazon Fire 7 has the list price of $60, and can often be found on sale for $50 or even $40. For this price point, it
offers very respectable performance, a reasonably bright screen with a good viewing angle, and decent build quality.
If you are on a strict budget and don't mind the small 7" screen, Amazon Fire 7 is perfectly adequate for TouchDRO
use.
You can buy Amazon Fire 7 on Amazon along with a protective case with an integrated screen protector.
Amazon Fire HD 8
Fire HD 8 has an MSRP of $100, but is often on sale for as low as $60. It is a good step up from Fire 7 in almost
every regard. Most importantly, it has a larger 8" screen with higher resolution and a more square aspect ratio. If
you can catch it on sale, Fire HD 8 is a much better option than Fire 7, but we wouldn't buy it for the full price.
You can buy Amazon Fire HD 8 on Amazon along with a protective case with an integrated screen protector.
Font is noticeably larger on Amazon Fire HD 8.
Lenovo Tab M8
Tab M8 is Lenovo's entry-level tablet. Its list price is $90 but it's often on sale for $80. It has very similar
specs to Fire HD 8, and the quality is very similar, if not slightly better. The only notable difference is the
5-megapixel main camera, as opposed to the 2MP camera on Fire HD. It is a solid choice for a basic TouchDRO setup.
You can buy Lenovo Tab M8 on Amazon. It comes with a basic case, but this protective case is much better.
Lenovo is physically smaller and has better contrast.
Amazon Fire HD 10
Even though Fire HD 10 has an MSRP of $140, it is often on sale for around $100 and even as low as $75. It has very
good build quality, snappy hardware, and a bright 10" display which will give you a very comfortable TouchDRO
experience. For $100, Fire HD 10 offers exceptional value and is our recommended choice in this category.
You can buy Amazon Fire HD 10 on Amazon along with this protective case.
Mid-Range Tablets
The tablets in this category cost between $150 and $250. They generally offer a decent step up in hardware specifications, screen brightness and sharpness, better materials, and overall higher build quality.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 Plus
Galaxy Tab A9 Plus is Samsung's mid-range tablet. Its list price is $220, but it's almost always on sale on Amazon
for around $160-$170. Tab A9 Plus is a very well-built device with a powerful processor, ample storage, and a sharp
11" display with excellent contrast and viewing angle. This is a great tablet that is large enough to be comfortably
used in portrait mode. We use this tablet for development and on the lathe in our shop, and it is our overall
recommendation for most TouchDRO setups.
You can buy Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 Plus on Amazon with this protective case.
Amazon Fire Max 11
Amazon's Fire HD 11 Plus has a list price of $220, but is almost always on sale for $170 and even $140. It looks very
similar to Galaxy Tab A9, so much so that you might mistake them at first glance. The screen size and quality are
virtually identical to Tab A9 Plus, but the other hardware is a bit less powerful. Overall, Fire Max 11 is a great
option for TouchDRO, especially if you can catch it on sale for $140.
You can buy Amazon Fire Max 11 on Amazon along with this protective case.
Note the difference in aspect ratio
High-End Tablets
These are the enthusiast-grade tablets in the $400-$500 range. They offer much beefier hardware than mid-range tablets, more premium materials, and somewhat better build quality. Frankly, you won't get any tangible improvement in performance by running TouchDRO on a flagship tablet. The only reason some TouchDRO users invest in higher-end tablets is for the larger screen size.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus
The Galaxy Tab S-series are Samsung's flagship tablets. The FE models (Fan Edition) are considered "budget" models in this series, with a price tag of $500. That said, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus is an absolute beast of a tablet with a gorgeous 12.4" display and a 90 Hz refresh rate. It is water-resistant with an IP68 rating, so it can be submerged in 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes.
Personal note: On my milling machine, I use the Galaxy Tab S7 FE Plus that I got on sale for about $300 a couple of years ago and really enjoy the large screen. It allows me to use TouchDRO in portrait mode full-time, and the included S-Pen and notes app are great for quick sketches and taking notes in the garage.
Second-Hand Tablets
There are many excellent tablets on the second-hand market that can be had for a fraction of their original cost, as long as you are comfortable with purchasing a used tablet. In addition to the tablets listed above, the following tablets have a very good track record:
- Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 10.4" or A8 10.5" - highly recommended
- Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite 8.7" - solid performer; screen on the smaller side
- Lenovo Tab P11 or P11 Pro (gen 1 and gen 2) - very good tablets with "clean" Android
- Lenovo M10 HD (gen 1 and gen 2) - very good tablets with "clean" Android
- Google Pixel Tablet 11" - flagship tablet with "clean" Android
In general, any Samsung, Lenovo, or Amazon tablet released after 2018 will run TouchDRO very well. The only downside of going that far back is the lack of OS upgrades. Ideally, try to find a tablet that comes with Android 12 or newer, and avoid anything older than Android 10.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this page will help you pick a tablet that fits your needs and budget. The choice of a tablet will have a huge impact on your comfort and enjoyment when using TouchDRO. You might be tempted to get the least expensive tablet to save some money, but in the long run, a tablet that is too small can be needlessly frustrating. We strongly recommend getting at least a 10-inch tablet.
If you have any questions or need more help with picking the right tablet, please feel free to contact us using the form linked at the bottom of this page.