Do you like to keep your media collection offline, available whenever you carry the tablet with you? Are you a photography enthusiast/professional looking for a powerful tablet with an SD card slot to expand the storage, store, and process the raw media files? Alright then, in this post, you’ll find my handpicked selection of tablets that take SD cards.
A strong central processing unit is paramount for processing extensive files, be it photos or videos or large databases. Tablets with large displays and quality panels will leave an inevitable impact on your operating experience. The storage space to carry your favorite playlist or documents to keep you productive can make a vast difference.
I have picked the SD card tablets, factoring these essential requirements along with adequate connectivity, flexibility, quality audio output, & extended battery life. Read further to find out the recommendations in line with your preferences and desired budget.
Contents
8 Best Tablets with SD Card Slot in 2023
Considering an initial shortlist of over 30 tablets, I have narrowed it down to my top 8 tablets with expandable storage aligned with a diverse set of customer preferences. The ulterior motive is to offer a tablet that provides the bang for your buck, irrespective of your budget.
Starting with the top recommendations, I have listed the premium choices with a plethora of features and top performance. You will also find mid-range products that find a sweet spot between price and features. I reserve the end of the list for the budget alternatives.
1. Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE
The aggressive pricing of the Samsung Tab S7 FE takes the premium tablet to a larger audience. Samsung alters the processing unit, memory, and camera of its predecessor. A slight compromise that puts the tablet at the top of our list.
RAM & Storage
The powerful duo of 8GB RAM and 256GB storage makes this tablet a potent multitasking machine. Carry your playlist, movies, and files with you, credit to its dedicated microSD expandable storage limit of 1TB. Samsung gives you choices with multiple memory-based variants 4GB/64GB & 6GB/128GB.
Display
The 16:10 aspect ratio of the larger 12.4-inch TFT display goes easy on the eyes even during prolonged usage. A higher resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels brings more life & details to the visuals & delivers a better experience.
Hardware & Performance
The power of the processing duo of a Snapdragon 778G, an octa-core processor, and the Adreno GPU engine is a power to reckon with. It can breeze through a plethora of applications ranging from creative/design & productivity tools to graphics-oriented games.
Design & Connectivity
The thin bezels and the aluminum alloy body gives a simple yet premium look to this tablet. It weighs 1.34 lbs, while the intelligent design keeps it at 11.21 x 7.28 x .25-inches in dimensions. Samsung doesn’t compromise on connectivity. Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and USB 3.2 Port are state of art.
Battery & Other Features
Samsung claims the 10800 mAh battery can last up to 13 hours of balanced usage., Both the 8MP front camera and a 5MP rear camera can deliver HD-quality videos. The AKG tuned stereo speakers offer you a quality, hands-free experience.
Conclusion
Including the S-Pen, tips the scale in the favour of the Galaxy S7 FE. It brings you a brilliant selection of features and well designs UI, including the DeX mode, to keep you productive. Overall, S7 FE is one of the best Android-powered tablets that cater to the needs of creative or business professionals.
- Octa-core Snapdragon processor
- Stylus Included
- Quality Display
- DeX mode
- Long battery life
- No 3.5mm audio jack
2. Best Windows Tablet: Microsoft Surface Pro LTE
Does your work require accommodating external devices? Are you in search of a reliable 2-in-1 tablet with SD card slot and USB port in play? If yes, then Microsoft Surface Pro LTE is here to deliver.
The Surface Pro LTE is a modified version of its previous 2-in-1 convertible version. Despite a weaker processing unit, Surface Pro LTE‘s high-quality display, a secure professional environment, LTE support, and long battery life warrant its inclusion at the top of the list.
RAM & Storage
The potent combination of 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage makes this tablet an efficient multitasking machine. The MicroSD card slot brings the ability to carry all your essential documents on the go.
Display
The 12.3-inch PixelSense Display and 3:2 aspect ratio make a huge difference to the visual quality The multi-point touch screen display leaves you impressed with a wide range of colors and an impressive display of details with a resolution of 2736 x 1824 pixels.
Hardware & Performance
Surface Pro LTE brings a simmered down dual-core 7th generation Intel 7300U processor clocking speeds of 2.6GHz. The integrated UHD 620 GPU offers the requisite performance boost. A make-shift productivity machine is a tailor made for business professionals using Office suite & ERP applications.
Design & Connectivity
The Surface Pro comes with multiple modes of operation, including a studio mode. You can use the kickstand for viewing flexibility. The unit weighs 1.7 pounds and measures 11.5 x 7.93 x 0.33-inches. Focusing on LTE, Microsoft sticks to Wi-Fi 5 & BT, audio jack, and a multi-card slot. Not just that, it is also one of the few tablets that feature a full-size USB port.
Battery & Other Features
The battery can last up to 11 hours of usage. You can add more value to your business/family meeting with the 8MP rear camera and 5MP front cameras. The dual stereo speakers allow you to stay unhinged to the device.
Conclusion
If you are a business professional looking for the flexibility of LTE support and security, the Surface Pro makes a strong case in its favor. If you are looking for a lesser expensive Microsoft ecosystem-based convertible tablet with sd card reader, Surface Go 2 is a valuable alternative.
- Pixel Sense Display
- Windows 10 Pro
- USB 3.0 port
- Battery life
- Expensive
3. Best Battery Life: Samsung Tab S7
Improvements to the processor, memory unit, and battery give Samsung Tab S7 a big performance boost over its preceding version, i.e., Galaxy Tab S6. Superfast connectivity, expandable storage, amongst the other features, makes this Tab S7 punch above its weight, keeping it closer to the top of our list.
RAM & Storage
With a 6GB operating memory and 128GB storage at its disposal, Tab S7 can handle multiple applications at the same time. The MicroSD slot lets you expand storage up to 1TB, allowing you to carry movies, a music library, essential documents. You can go for a higher storage variant with 512GB or a lower 6GB/128GB variant.
Display
The larger aspect ratio of the 11-inch TFT display gives you a premium visual experience. High refresh along with a high resolution of 2560 x 1600 promises you a smooth, immersive color-rich visual treat.
Hardware & Performance
The Octa-core processor in Snapdragon 865 can clock over 3GHz. The SoC, in synergy with Adreno 650 GPU, powers through high-quality games and videos. With an external keyboard and the DeX mode, the tablet becomes a capable, productive machine, allowing you to edit documents, create presentations, etc.
Design & Connectivity
At 1.1 pounds, the aluminum body brings a premium look and durability to the device that measures 9.99 x 6.51 x .25 inches. Samsung galaxy tab offers the latest features in supporting Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5, and a fast USB 3.2 port.
Battery & Other Features
Samsung claims a long battery life of 15 hours from its 8000 mAh battery to last an entire day of activity. The 8MP selfie camera and the ultra-wide dual rear camera setup (13MP + 5MP) bring you high-quality photos & videos. The Dolby Atmos experience and four speaker combo make this tablet a good entertainer.
Conclusion
Galaxy Tab S7 is one of the best Samsung tablets on offer. Stacked up with features at a competitive price point makes this a suitable tablet for students & professionals alike. The camera quality and the expandable storage with a long-lasting battery make this tablet a standout option.
- WiFi-6
- Fast USB connectivity
- Expandable storage
- High resolution and refresh rate
- Stylus attached
- No audio jack
4. Best with 2K Display: Lenovo Tab P11 Plus
In Tab P11 Plus, Lenovo puts together a power-efficient mid-range processor and an improved battery as an upgrade over the Tab M10 Plus. Improved screen ratio and a scintillating 2K display with the strength of an octa-core processing engine and the aggressive pricing puts the Lenovo Tab P11 Plus close to the top half of our list.
RAM & Storage
This version carries a 4GB RAM & 128GB storage. In addition to that, the SD card slot on the tablet supports up to 512GB for keeping your essential files & media list handy when you are on the move. Lenovo offers multiple memory variants. You can choose between a 6GB RAM variant or compromise on the storage capacity with a 4GB/64GB variant.
Display
The narrow bezels of an 11-inch multi-touch IPS screen bring a higher screen-to-body ratio and the advantage of a large surface area. The 2k screen with a resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels gives you a detail-rich visual experience. The high-resolution display on Tab P11 Plus readily makes it one of the best tablets for watching offline movies.
Hardware & Performance
The Mediatek Chipset comes with an 8 Helio G90T processor clocking at 2GHz. The CPU works in tandem with the Mali G76 GPU offering the requisite performance boost for mid-range games, OTT streaming & basic productivity applications.
Design & Connectivity
A double-tone aluminum alloy chassis looks durable despite its slim aesthetics. Lenovo compiles the package within 10.17 x 6.42 x 0.30 inches and is lightweight of 1.1 pounds. Lenovo accommodates a USB 2.0 port while offering Wi-Fi 5 & Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless connectivity.
Battery, & Other Features
You don’t have to compromise on the battery capacity. Lenovo claims a 15-hour backup of the 7700mAh battery with optimized usage. It can last you even on the long working days. The tablet packs substantial entertainment with its 13MP Rear, and 8MP Front camera unit put together with a Quad-speaker setup.
Conclusion
Lenovo P11 plus is a brilliant tablet for college students and homemakers with kids. Its affordability, the balance of essential features, combined with a quality display and substantial battery life, puts this tablet next to the Samsung tablet.
- 2K Quality Display
- Longer battery backup
- Dedicated SD card slot
- Quad speakers
- Affordable
- USB 2 connectivity
5. Best with Keyboard & Stylus: CHUWI Hi10 X
The CHUWI Hi10 X replaces the CPU with an Intel-based Chipset, and higher operating memory in its previous version to add an affordable 2-in-1 to its portfolio of products. The inclusion of accessories in a Windows-based environment makes CHUWI Hi10 X a makeshift productivity machine.
RAM & Storage
The 6GB RAM complements the ability of the CPU unit to give the tablet its multitasking ability. We can further expand the inbuilt 128GB eMMC storage up to 128GB with a dedicated microSD card slot.
Display
The wide16:10 aspect ratio on a 10.1-inch multi-touch IPS Display makes things easier on productive days. The resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels suffices for bringing an immersive visual experience.
Hardware & Performance
The Intel Celeron N4120 is a quad-core processing unit that can clock up to 2.6GHz The graphic UHD 600. processing unit offers the performance boost. The processing combo can handle loads of heavy data sets, productivity applications, and low-level graphic games.
Design & Connectivity
The aluminum alloy chassis has slim aesthetics, weighing 1.15 pounds and measuring 10.27 x 6.58 x 0.26 inches in dimensions. Chuwi puts an excellent array of wired connectivity wIth three USB ports, an audio jack, a micro HD port, and an SC card reader. It brings dual-band Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth wireless connectivity.
Battery & Other Features
The 6-hr battery life of a 3250mAh battery is the compromise Chuwi makes in the tablet. The combination of 5MP rear and 2MP front will be handy for those virtual meetings. Dual Stereo speakers are rather uninspiring but a necessary inclusion.
Conclusion
If you are looking for an affordable windows-based convertible, you cannot go wrong with Chuwi. It has the flexibility to operate in multiple modes to switch between work & entertainment. The addition of accessories & its affordability makes it a great laptop alternative for homemakers & students.
- 2-in-1 Convertible design
- Value for Money
- Bundled with accessories
- Excellent selection of ports
- Stylus with 4096 levels of sensitivity
- Battery life
- Camera & speaker quality
6. Best Value for Money: VASTKING KingPad M10
The improved processing capacity and a higher quality display make VASTKING KingPad M10 a better choice than the KingPad K10. The inclusion of LTE support adds a vital component to connectivity. Its overall value-for-money helps put the tablet on this list.
RAM & Storage
The only variant of M10 comes with a 4GB operating memory and 128GB storage. Kingpad M10 stands out for its capacity to support expandable storage of up to 2TB, which will be crucial for accessing movies, songs & essential documents.
Display
The laminated touch screen measures 10.36-inches. The 2K display and its high resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels combined with a 300 nits brightness give an impressive display of details.
Hardware & Performance
Vastking supplements the octa-core Unisoc T618 processor with a dual-core GPU unit clocking at 850MHz. The tablet can handle some heavy data processing and mid-level gaming.
Design & Connectivity
The metal alloy body coming in a dual-tone finish leaves an impression of a premium product. Sleek aesthetics adds further finesse to the tablet that weighs 1 pound and measures 9.7 x 6.1 x 0.3 inches in dimensions. A dual-band Wi-Fi, BT 5, and LTE add elements of wireless connectivity. It accommodates a USB port & an audio jack.
Battery & Other Features
A 6000mAh battery IS a decent addition at this price point. With balanced usage, it could last up to 12 hours. Kingpad M10 offers quality in its camera setup with a rear 13MP and front 8MP camera. The four stereo speakers are an essential addition to keeping users entertained.
Conclusion
One of the best sub $200 tablets in the market will find its place in any household looking for some entertainment value. The metal body design, sleek aesthetics complements the quality display that goes easy on your eyes. It finds its place below the Chuwi tablet, which comes with the advantage of accessories.
- Budget-Friendly
- Lightweight
- 2TB Expandable storage
- Charging speed
7. Budget Samsung Tablet: Samsung Tab A7 Lite
If you’re a fan of Samsung’s OneUI and can’t afford more expensive offerings like Tab S7 yet, let me present to you a Samsung tablet with SD card slot at a pocket-friendly price!
The Tab A7 Lite is a weaker variant of its previous model. The changes to a processing unit and display size give this cheaper version an extended reach. The Samsung Tab A7 Lite gets its balance right with the selection of features and expandable storage that adds this valuable entertainment device to the list.
RAM & Storage
The combination of 4GB RAM and 64GB storage is the higher variant. Samsung offers a much cheaper variant in a 3GB/32GB combination. Its expandable storage of 1TB is a value addition for movie buffs.
Display
The 8.7 inch is part of the compromise to accommodate its pricing. Nonetheless, it delivers visuals at HD quality with a resolution of 1340 x 800 pixels.
Hardware & Performance
The Mediatek Helio P22T octa-core processing unit and the PowerVR GE8320 GPU is responsible for handling the processing load of media consumption and some low-level gaming.
Design & Connectivity
The aluminum alloy body with plastic ends is not the sleekest of the chassis. It measures 8.37 x 4.91 x 0.31 inches and weighs 0.80 lbs. Samsung sticks to standard connectivity options by including Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5 for wireless connectivity. It also adds a USB 2.0 port and audio jack.
Battery & Other Features
A 5100 mAh can last up to 10 hours, contingent on the usage. The 8MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera will be sufficient for the basic calling requirements. The dual stereo speakers come as a part of the package.
Conclusion
Are you an avid reader looking forward to some media entertainment? The A7 lite will fit right into your slot. The expandable storage capacity of this tablet, along with its features, offers value at this price point.
- 1TB Expandable storage
- Wallet-Friendly
- Lightweight
- 3.5mm audio jack
- Low resolution
8. Cheapest Tablet with Micro SD: TECLAST P20HD
An improved processing unit, better battery, a higher resolution display, and additional mobile network connectivity make this TECLAST P20HD a much stronger contender than its previous model. Teclast packs everything at a very competitive price, and the price-to-performance ratio easily qualifies it as one of the best tablets to buy for around $150.
RAM & Storage
The only variant of P20HD comes with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage memory. Its expandable storage of 256GB allows you to store offline tutorials, music, and documents.
Display
The 10.1 inch offers good quality visuals at this price point. The visuals at FHD quality with a higher resolution of 1900 x 1200 pixels make this tablet ideal for media consumption.
Hardware & Performance
The Unisoc octa-core processing unit can clock at 1.6GHz. AI-based acceleration offers to prioritize efficiency for commonly used applications. The tablet can sustain online gaming, voice/video calling, and social media applications.
Design & Connectivity
The curved edges in the metal body leave a beautiful impression. The lightweight tablet measures 9.57 x 6.4 x 0.37 inches and weighs 2.03 lbs. Teclast offers Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5 for wireless connectivity. It also adds a USB 2.0 port on its sides.
Battery & Other Features
A 6000 mAh can sustain up to 7 hours of video playback. The 5MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera, and the dual stereo speakers are standard inclusions to the tablet.
Conclusion
If you are a homemaker looking for a budget entertainment device and a tablet to aid the online sessions for your kids, TECLAST P20HD will be a perfect fit. If not for its limited storage, it would be further higher up the list for its higher display quality.
- Affordable
- FHD display
- Micro SD slot
- Camera & speaker quality
Frequently Asked Questions
No, SD Cards will not make your tablet faster. But using SD Cards with faster r/w speeds will improve your tablet’s performance in accessing files & buffering videos. Using a tablet with SD card also frees up internal storage, which improves the overall performance of the device.
Yes, the applications can be installed on an SD Card. Users can change set the default location for app installation as the External SD Card. Even the installed applications can be moved to your external storage.
Using a good quality SD Card with faster r/w speeds will have a positive effect on the tablet’s performance. But using a lower class SD Card with slower r/w speeds compared to internal storage will be detrimental to its performance.
The faster memory cards available can be grouped in UHS Speed Class III, which supports minimum write speeds of 30MB/s. There are separate Video Speed Class cards specifically catered for high-quality video recording. V90 is the fastest speed class allowing a minimum write speed of 90MB/s.
Verdict
Despite the advantages of having an SD Card, the finite read/write cycle of SD cards means it requires frequent replacement. An essential factor to be regarded before switching important apps to external storage and their extensive usage. Having said that, SD Cards can be put to effective use.
Please find my recommended tablets with memory card slot here:
- The Samsung Tab S7 FE offers a great value for money for its balance of price, utility, and plethora of features.
- The Surface Pro LTE from Microsoft is a powerful Windows tablet that cater to the needs of professionals. While the CHUWI Hi10 X is a great budget 2-in-1 option for students and homemakers.
- The Lenovo Tab P11 Plus is a great mid-range tablet with 2K display, Quad speaker setup, and Dolby Atmos making it an ideal tablet for entertainment.
- At the end, TECLAST P20HD is an affordable solution for homemakers.
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