What tablets should I buy?

Technical Requirements

Survey Solutions software works with Android tablets with the following specifications:

Version of Android OS:
- Android 7.0 or better is required;
- All versions of Android below 9.0 are no longer supported by the manufacturers and correspondingly tablets that can’t be updated to Android 9.0 or above should be considered unsafe for the World Bank projects.
RAM: Minimum 1.5GB
Storage: 8GB of flash memory storage. At least 1GB of available space must be available for Survey Solutions’ use. The Survey Solutions software installation package (.apk) is less than 200MB, but more space will be required during the operation of the software. The ultimate requirements for space depend on the kind of survey (questionnaire) and the mode of use of the tablet (number of assignments, simultaneously started interviews, rejections, use of offline maps, audio recording, etc.
WiFi module, which can be used for software setup, upgrades, and synchronization while in the office.
3G/4G connectivity module is required for synchronization from the field.
Hardware architecture: Survey Solutions Interviewer will not be able to display maps on devices based on x86 architecture, for example, on devices based on the Intel Atom Z3745 chip. This incompatibility is known and will not be fixed. Users installing the Interviewer App on such devices must opt for the version without the maps.

Minimal requirements are not necessarily going to be optimal for a particular application. Better technical characteristics will improve responsiveness of the program and the user experience. Conduct your independent testing before volume purchases of tablets.

Optional:

Screen size 7-8-inch screens are often chosen. Bigger screens consume more power and reduce autonomous work. The choice of the screen depends on the convenience of use with the software and is usually determined experimentally.
Android 8.0 or higher is recommended because of Project Treble, which should make it easier for the manufacturers to update produced devices.

Testing Devices

We conduct periodic tests of the software and use a range of devices with different characteristics. The objective of this testing is to make sure each of our releases continues to work on the declared platform. Availability, prices and support by manufacturers of these devices vary greatly.

We recommend conducting your own independent testing especially before purchasing of tablets in bulk.

The World Bank-Survey Solutions team is not in the position of recommending specific devices, brands, or vendors.

Survey Solutions users’ forum is an excellent place to share your feedback about particular devices (tablets, phones) that you’ve tried. Most readers will be interested in compatibility, performance and usability details that you can provide.

Whether you are providing positive or negative feedback, please, try to stay objective and keep it informative and supplemented with useful data. Please, mention the device brand, model number, version of Android, and version of the Survey Solutions Interviewer app that you’ve tried, and any other details you think may be helpful.