Ok so for bright + smooth under $500, I’d look at iPad+mini+%286th+generation%29+Wi%E2%80%91Fi+256GB&linkCode=osi&tag=5422-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">Apple iPad mini (6th generation) Wi‑Fi 256GB vs Apple iPad (10th generation) Wi‑Fi 64GB vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 11-inch 128GB Wi‑Fi used—avoid low-RAM Android tabs, they stutter.

Same setup here, love it

Bump - same question here

> “bright screen (daylight visibility is huge)… 8–11 inches… under $500”

Ok so… for RC Pro I’ve had the best luck with iPad+mini+6+%28Wi%E2%80%91Fi%29+64GB&linkCode=osi&tag=5422-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">Apple iPad mini 6 (Wi‑Fi) 64GB (smooth DJI Fly, solid outdoors) vs Apple iPad 10.2-inch (9th gen, Wi‑Fi) 64GB (bigger/cheaper). I’d avoid most budget Android tabs—my Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 10.5-inch 64GB stuttered + dim screen. gl!

+1 to what was said earlier about leaning Apple if you want “it just works” reliability. I tried the whole “cheap Android tablet + mount” route first and unfortunately had random stutters + the app would occasionally freak out when the device got hot in direct sun… not fun when you’re hiking and the light’s blasting.

What I learned (the hard way lol): brightness matters more than I expected, but thermal throttling is the sneaky killer. Also, RAM does help on Android—lower RAM felt like it was constantly reloading stuff. On iPad, it’s been way less drama even with smaller storage (I just offload footage anyway). If you do go Android, I’d aim for a newer mid/high tier one, not the budget lines. i feel u, this stuff is overwhelming.

Honestly, looking at what everyone else has said, it basically comes down to the classic reliability vs price debate. I've been flying for years and the one thing I've learned is that *thermal management* is everything for long-term ownership. You dont want a screen that looks great for five minutes then dims to nothing because it got warm in the sun. A few things I've noticed over the years:
* Consistency is king—some operating systems just handle the DJI Fly background processes better without crashing mid-flight.
* Screen coatings matter just as much as raw nits; a flagship screen usually has way better anti-reflective layers than a budget one.
* Battery health on the higher-end brands tends to hold up better after a hundred charge cycles in the heat. Tbh, if you want to save yourself the stress, just go with any of the Apple tablets. They have the most consistent support from DJI and you wont have to worry about weird driver issues or the app hanging. If you really prefer Android, stick strictly to the flagship series from the big name brands. Just dont cheap out on a budget tier or your gonna be squinting at a black screen the second the sun hits.

Just found this thread. Honestly, after years of flying drones, I've realized that most people overlook how much thermal throttling kills the experience. You want a screen that stays bright, not one that dims after five minutes in the sun. I moved away from the standard iPad route a while back and tried the Xiaomi+Pad+6+8GB+RAM+128GB&linkCode=osi&tag=5422-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">Xiaomi Pad 6 8GB RAM 128GB. For under $400, the screen is super crisp and it actually stays bright longer than my old Samsung. It handles the DJI Fly app without any of that annoying micro-stutter I used to get. If you want something smaller that fits the controller mount better, look for a Lenovo Legion Tab Y700 8.8 inch 12GB RAM. It is basically a gaming tablet, so the cooling is way better than your typical consumer tab. It wont throttle when things get hot during a long hike. Just a heads up tho, since you have the RC Pro, using a larger screen usually means running an HDMI out to the tablet, so check if the tablet supports video-in or get a cheap UVC capture card. Good luck with the Mavic 3!

Been using this for years, no complaints