I've actually been here for every "G." I've reviewed well over a thousand products during 18 years working full-time at PCMag.com, including every generation of the iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy S. I also write a weekly newsletter, Fully Mobilized, where I obsess about phones and networks. If you want complete Google Play coverage, with unrestricted access to the100 best Android apps, you may need to give up some specs such as RAM, storage, or dual-band Wi-Fi on a non-Amazon tablet. Sign up to get breaking news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more, plus the hottest tech deals! Of course, a microSD card slot certainly can't hurt, especially if you want to download movies to watch on long trips.
And just like Apple's pricier tablets, the Galaxy Tab A7 charges over USB-C, so you can continue to cut non-reversible microUSB cables out of your life. Please refresh the page and try again. That all being said, if you've got a big enough family, and you're all living in the Amazon Prime ecosystem, go for the Fire 7 if you're trying to fit to a tight budget (or just need a cheap tablet for the kids to use), and the Fire HD 10 if you want a bit more power and a nicer screen.
The tablet runs Fire OS, which is based on Android, but operates very differently. Its a TFT panel with a 60Hz refresh rate, but the viewing experience is more than acceptable. See also: The best Windows tablets to spend your money on. There are so many tablet deals out there that it can be difficult to know which ones are actually good value-for-money.
You can put multiple user profiles on the tablets, as well. Of course, the higher the price tag, the more features youll get. First, we run as many benchmarks as that tablet will allow us to see how fast they are in ways that can be compared directly against competitors. They're often subsidized by Amazon ads on the lock screens and lots of promotions for Amazon content in their user interfaces. Also, pay close attention to storage specs. Amazon's tablets aren't only the best cheap options out there, they're also thebest kids' tabletswe've tested. Storage is also limited, but 32-64GB is good for those who mainly use the cloud to store files.
It has an 11-inch 2K (2,000 x 1,200) display with 400 nits of brightness and a 60Hz refresh rate. Inexpensive tablets can serve as entertainment platforms for kids,ebook readers, and alarm clocks, plus can even work as digital signage. That makes it one of the best 10-inch tablets you can find when it's at that price. For those on a tight budget, the Amazon Fire tablet line offers some great options if you need a good tablet for as little as $50. New York, The large 10.5-inch screen has a 1920 x 1200p resolution, which is plenty sharp for most users.
These tablets all sit in a price range between $50 - $300 / 50 - 300, so you can find an option that suits your needs and budget. Fortunately, the most recent iteration of the company's cheapest slate packs a snappy quad-core 1.3 GHz processor, which helps you navigate apps and browse the web faster than you'd expect from a tablet this cheap.
The Surface Go 2 takes aim at all the flaws of the predecessor and knocks them all down. The one caveat with Amazon's tablets is that they use the Amazon Appstore, which doesn't have all the apps that are in the official Google Play Store.
We can't recommend most of them: They tend to be slow, unreliable, have dim screens, and run old versions of Android that are full of security flaws. The Fire HD 10 Plus is the largest, most expensive tablet Amazon offers, but its still mad affordable.
He currently serves as a senior editor at Tom's Guide covering all things computing, from laptops and desktops to keyboards and mice.
However, outside of these sales events, it's not the most enticing option.
Not a massive deal if all of your media is attached to an Amazon account already. Battery life is also very good. The latest device in Samsung's budget range is light and portable, too, with a wide 10.5-inch display and Dolby Atmos surround sound support. You also get access to plenty of content as an Amazon Prime subscriber, with free access to some Prime video, audio, and book content. Other factors to consider are screen size and display resolution. And while its no powerhouse, the tablet has what it takes to satisfy most users. The main one is that the 7-inch display does support HD. Alex Wawro is a lifelong tech and games enthusiast with more than a decade of experience covering both for outlets like Game Developer, Black Hat, and PC World magazine. An 8-inch, 1,280-by-800 display enables you to comfortably watch 720p HD video and read magazines. If you want a quality Apple or Windows tablet under $200, you're going to have to dip into the used market. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Further, they have excellent customer support, which sets them apart from their sub-$100 kin. The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 isn't the newest Android tablet but it's still excellent, with a solid screen, great battery life and good performance all of which can be yours for under $300. If you want the absolute smallest tablet you can get in the Android ecosystem, you will be hard-pressed to do much better than the 2022 Amazin Fire 7. And while it's not as fast as the iPad and its screen isn't as bright, neither is a serious problem at this price. TechRadar is supported by its audience. For the freedom to access the Google Play store, it's worth considering the Lenovo above instead. This cheap Android tablet has a 10.1-inch 1,920 x 1,200 IPS LCD display. NY 10036. The performance is sluggish, and the display is less than impressive but should be okay for the casual user.
We werent sure whether to pick the Samsung Galaxy A8 or the Lenovo Tab P11 Plus as the top cheap Android tablet, but Samsung still wins by a bit. These are the best low-cost tablets for work and play, based on our research and hands-on testing. The basic iPad is Apple's most affordable tablet, and it's your cheapest option when you want an iPad. We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices, Samsungs newest SSD is unlike any youve come across before, You can now play Stray in splitscreen multiplayer, Microsoft is going to new lengths to get you to switch to Windows 11, Bad news: Amazon Prime is going up in price, with no new benefits, I came across this unloved browser and now Google Chrome looks even worse, How to play Stray for free on PS4 and PS5, Riceve sabbia al posto di una RTX 3090 Ti ma Amazon se ne infischia, Windows 10 update breaks USB printers functionality because of course it did, Netflix's latest hit movie is getting a sequel and spin-off film, Netflix's ad-supported tier will come with a pretty major catch, The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviews, Try a single issue or save on a subscription, Issues delivered straight to your door or device. Here's how to find the right balance of price and features. As Android often has trouble moving apps to microSD memory cards, we recommend at least 32GB of built-in storage for installing apps and storing multimedia. Some tablets are pro-level laptop replacements, while others perform humbler duties. The options on this list are cheap, so you wont have a powerhouse in your hands. While it probably isn't a must-have for anyone who bought the 2019 model, it's a good demonstration of Amazon's ability to put out a value-driven slate that's good enough for many. PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. It's even better value when in a sale, as we've seen it as low as $129/99. NY 10036. Keep in mind that you will have to adapt to Amazons ecosystem.
If you're a writer who loves pen and paper, you know that the iPad and its Apple Pencil don't really feel right. This device was primarily designed for media streaming. Oh, and it's got endurance to spare, lasting 13 hours and 13 minutes on the Tom's Guide battery test. It has a recommended price of $219/219 for the standard WiFi version, but it can often be found for under $200/200 at a number of retailers. Heres why you can trust us. There was a problem. Tom's Guide is supported by its audience. Heres why you can trust us. The 5-megapixel 1080p camera in its top bezel is great for the era of online video calls, and its second front camera sensor adds Windows Hello biometric login.
The Galaxy Tab A8 is powered by an entry-level Unisoc Tiger T618 chipset, up to 3-4GB of RAM, and 32-128GB of storage. Tom's Guide is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The unit has a Mediatek Helio P22T and 3GB-4GB of RAM. Check out all the options in our hand-picked list of the best tablet deals below which features devices that are ideal for media streaming, browsing, and the odd game or two. Broad app support for reading books and comics, Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions.
For starters, you wont get native support for the Google Play Store and other Google Apps. It also has a 7-inch screen with a 1,024 x 600 resolution. It doesn't quite take the top spot, though, as the overall spec and display are inferior to the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8. Other Android tablets let you set up restricted kids' profiles, and while Apple's tablets have parental controls, they aren't as comprehensive as the controls and content options that come on Amazon slates. It even comes with a microSD card slot, a feature thats becoming very rare in the tablet market. All of that extra power does bump up the starting price to $149.99/149.99. This size and resolution works out to 189 pixels per inch (ppi), which is the minimum you should look for if you want to experience reasonably sharp pictures and text. That's much longer than almost all the budget tablets on our list. This thing has a $59.99 MSRP! Still, it's a great Android tablet for not a lot of money. The Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021) takes an already-good tablet and applies incremental upgrades, such as a slightly brighter screen, 1GB more RAM and a smaller, lighter design. We never added previous iterations to this list of the best cheap Android tablets because they were pretty slow. The design is very sleek and clean, too. And its two weeks of battery life means you can just leave it on your coffee table, for when inspiration strikes, rather than keep it plugged in all the time. We say "will allow" as some tablets, like Amazon's Fire slates, have trouble with side-loaded Android apps. Amazon's inexpensive Fire HD 8 tablet continues to be an excellent value for the price, but its poor app store is really starting to feel limiting. That's in addition to the fact that it's already at least half the price of the Galaxy Tab A8. The Amazon Fire HD 8 isn't the cheapest Fire tablet on the market with a starting price of $89.99/89.99, however, you get a serious boost in performance and features for the extra $30 / 30 over the less expensive options. Start by thinking about the operating system you live in, which means opening your pocket and thinking about how much you rely on your smartphone. Read our full Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021) review. The Alcatel Joy Tab 2 is an excellent alternative to Amazons Fire lineup, with a clean Android experience, strong LTE connectivity, and impressive audio quality. You might want to stick with something smaller, like an 8-inch tablet. First of all, thinner bezels make way for a bigger screen, arguably the most important part of a tablet. We highlight all of these specs in the chart above. It has a $159.99 MSRP, but you can often find it at a discount. Where it stands out most is in audio quality. It also has Dolby Atmos support that will improve the audio quality when streaming films and TV. The best part?
Please refresh the page and try again. You get an HD display, and it is powered by Mediateks quad-core MT8168 processor, backed by 3GB of RAM. We've helped narrow it down with this guide to all the best prices available today on the most popular devices from top manufacturers such as Samsung, Amazon and Lenovo. A Parent Dashboard lets you keep track of what your children are doing and restrict their screen time. That wont be as crisp as some of the other best cheap Android tablets, but you get an excellent, streamlined Samsung design. You're paying a little more for this cheap Android tablet considering the budget prices of Lenovo and Samsung's models. The Lenovo Yoga Tab 11 is a better option if you want a slightly larger and better screen, though. Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 review. By Those who like the idea of a Samsung Galaxy A8, but would prefer a price more similar to the most affordable options in this list of the best cheap Android tablets, might want to look at the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite. Its one of the few Amazon tablets with wireless charging. Instead, youll have to use Amazons alternatives. iPhone owners may jump straight to the iPad, and they'd be right to do so iMessage integration and the shared app ecosystems across iOS and iPadOS are an ideal combination. Amazon could have coasted when it comes to the $50 Fire 7 tablet. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). The four speakers are tuned with Dolby Atmos and perform very well, featuring high volumes and no distortion. There are a lot of cheap tablets out there. If all of these choices feel underwhelming, take a look at our picks for thebest Android tablets. Added support for Apple's finer accessories would be great, but it still has a headphone jack (no other iPad does), which is a win for the wired headphones crowd. We wouldn't call the iPad a cheap tablet, mind you, but there are some good reasons to invest. James Pickard The four speakers come optimized by Dolby Atmos. If possible, look for 2GB of RAM or more. This is an excellent choice for anyone who might need the power of a full Windows PC in a tablet, since the Go 2 runs Windows 10 out of the box. The Fire HD 8 Plus comes with expandable storage, so you can always get a microSD card. Again, like other Fire tablets, it's restricted to the Amazon ecosystem for apps. We've seen it for as low as $74.99/79.99, which is even less than the smaller and less powerful Fire HD 8. The iPad is synonymous with tablets for a reason: when you buy the basic iPad, you're guaranteed to get a great screen and strong audio for a starting price of ~$350.
Not to mention it comes with the Google Play Store, while some of the more affordable tablets on this list dont. They're relatively reliable, however, and they get security updates. It comes with a Mediatek Helio G90T octa-core processor, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. Storage is also capped at 64GB, while the base model comes with only 32GB. The Lenovo Tab P11 Plus is the best affordable Android tablet on the market, with solid performance, a vivid 11-inch display, and impressive speakers. Weight: 2869g | Dimensions: 192 x 115 x 9.6mm | OS: Fire OS | Screen size: 7 inches | Resolution: 1,024 x 600 | CPU: 1.3GHz Quad-core | RAM: 1GB | Storage: 16GB/32GB | microSD slot: Yes | Battery: Up to 7 hours | Rear camera: 2MP (wide) | Front camera: 2MP. https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-cheap-tablets. Handy tablet gestures and Android phone integration. On top of that, this $90 tablet is good enough at everything else decent audio, OK performance for its price that I can't deny how many will find it a great value. If your budget is a little more flexible, here's our list of thebest Windows tablets. For more information, check out ourhow we test pagefor Tom's Guide. We also have a list of the very best Android tablets. If you decide you need something with a bit more power behind it, take a look a the latest iPad deals for the best prices on Apple's range of tablets. It's also got an iPad Pro feature that Apple makes you pay a lot for: facial recognition to unlock the device. Since joining PCMag as a mobile analyst in 2019, hes reviewed over 100 phones and tablets. TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. While their Amazon content-first interface may be off putting to those who don't live in the Prime world, their prices can't be beat and they're quite capable Android tablets. Apple's 2021 base model iPad delivers strong performance and an excellent front-facing camera at a very palatable price, making it the best tablet for most people. Amazon has improved the Fire 7s performance by more than 30% this time. A cheap alternative to Amazon Fire devices, Weight: 460g | Dimensions: 244mm x 8mm x 153mm | OS: Android 9 Pie | Screen size: 10.3-inches | Resolution: 1920 x 1200 | CPU: Octa-Core 2.3Ghz | RAM: 2GB | Storage: 32GB | microSD slot: Yes, up to 256GB | Battery: Up to 9 hours | Rear camera: 8MP | Front camera: 5MP. The best cheap tablet for reading and writing, The best cheap Samsung tablet for those on a tight budget, Some Android apps still need tablet optimization, We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices, headphone jack, USB-C, microSD, Surface Connect port, Surface Type Cover Port, 1.22 pounds (1.75 pounds with type cover), (Image credit: Tom's Guide/Henry T. Casey), Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 review: A new standard for Android tablets, Apple M2 chip New feature, specs and everything we know so far, The best laptops in 2022: 20 top picks tested and rated, PS5 and Steam Deck just got some good supply chain news, The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviews, Try a single issue or save on a subscription, Issues delivered straight to your door or device. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag.
It retails for around $49.99/49.99 but is often discounted - even falling to as low as $29.99/29.99 when on sale. Other tablets in this price range tend to have very old versions of Android or are a complete roll of the dice in terms of quality assurance and support. Thats it for our list of the best cheap Android tablets, but you may want something a bit different.
Yet another showing for the Amazon Fire range in our guide to the best cheap laptop deals. While all but the cheapest iPads are outside the price range of someone looking for an affordable tablet, there's a smorgasbord of slates from Amazon, Samsung and other companies that will give you plenty of value for not a lot of money. If you think you'll be irritated by slight lags in performance, you should consider spending an extra $30 to get the $179 Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus, arguably the best Amazon tablet ever. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant. This will help you launch and run apps more smoothly, particularly if you have anything else running in the background. Some other things make the Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus special. We try and write some (or all) of our tablet reviews on the tablets we're testing, if there's a keyboard for it that is. Fire tablets are great because of their budget prices, but the overriding issue is that you're locked into the Amazon ecosystem and app store. Still, it's a great pick for kids looking for a media consumption device. Its bright screen and epic 13+ hours of battery life make it great for consuming content, and its reversible USB-C port is a feature we wish was in the cheaper Fire 7 tablet. Its MSRP sits comfortably at $179.99, but you can often find it at a lower price. When you're shopping, keep an eye on screen resolution. Several of our top picks even cost below the $100 mark. If youre getting a tablet to watch videos, youll get a far better experience with a larger, high-resolution display, but these are also more expensive. Barnes & Noble's 10-inch Nook-branded Lenovo tablet is a flexible reading device, but don't try to play games or do schoolwork on it. Just be prepared to spend a lot more than $100. While well under $300, this device holds true to the Samsung legacy with a fantastic metal body that feels very premium for the price point. Its biggest flaws, though, are nothing new. The least expensive new iPad is the standard 2021 model, and at $329, it's a great value.
Retailing for $229 (and now often on sale for much less) the Galaxy Tab A7 is a great 10.4-inch tablet for consuming content. That extremely budget price comes with some significant compromises, though. Your documents sync to the cloud so you can read them on iPhones, iPads, PCs, Macs and Android. I think the best option would be the ad-free iteration with 32GB of storage. There's an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing camera on the Tab A8, as well, while it boasts an impressive 13-hour battery life. At $100 or less, there are a few inexpensive 10-inch tablets, but their screens generally have such low pixel density that they look fuzzy and are difficult to read. Most notably, you'll probably be able to stay current with software updates for at least three years. Oh, and it's not just a notebook. Luckily, you dont have to spend close to a thousand dollars to get one. After that, we do the same things you do browse the web, watch YouTube, play games, compose emails and then a lot more. James also has over five years of experience covering some of the biggest sales events of the year at Eurogamer and VG247, including Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Amazon Prime Day. This all ties together for a tablet that's great for consuming content on. Amazon updates the Fire HD 10 to deliver a very good tablet for $150, as long as what you want to do is control Alexa and consume Amazon books and media. And while previous Fire tablets made you tap to activate Alexa which made no sense, it's meant to be summoned with your voice the Fire 7 finally added voice triggers for the digital assistant.
The S6 Lite also provides an impressive 13 hours of battery life and is available in your color choice of Chiffon Pink, Angora Blue, or Oxford Gray. Its an Amazon product, so you get Amazon Alexa built-in and everything that entails. We've cut out all the sub-par devices and stuck to the best cheap tablets so you get a device that's capable and functional for general use but at an affordable price. For a cheap tablet that has a full run of the Google Play store, then, we like this Lenovo Tab M1 Plus. The largest Fire tablet is now 30% faster thanks to the new 2.0 GHz octa-core processor and comes with 32GB of storage, a full HD 1080p screen and 3GB of RAM. We've also gathered up today's best laptop deals if you think you need a more dedicated computer. No promise for OS updates after Android 12. Weight: 355g | Dimensions: 202mm x 137mm x 9.7mm | OS: Fire OS | Screen size: 8-inches | Resolution: 1280 X 800 | CPU: Quad-core processor | RAM: 2GB | Storage: 32-64GB | microSD slot: Yes, up to 1TB | Battery: Up to 12 hours | Rear camera: 2MP | Front camera: 2MP. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Plus, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite's thin bezels help it stand out from the mid-range tablet crowd even further, making it look more like the iPad Pro than the iPad. Keep in mind that there are a few different versions to consider here.
Where you have to accept compromises most, though, is with the limited 2GB RAM and shorter 9-hour battery life. The reMarkable 2 is a much more seductive device, now measuring a sleek 0.2 inches and ditching its plastic frame for a sleeker metallic chassis. This tablet gives you decent stereo speakers, expandable storage, and excellent battery life, but its not without issues. The battery size is also pretty nice at 7,500mAh. Better specs and battery life than predecessor, Base models include ads on the lock screen. We've tested and reviewed dozens and dozens of tablets from the top manufacturers to find the best options for those on a budget. You can also check out the Microsoft Surface Go 2, a great Windows tablet that can be yours for under $500. Yes the Galaxy Tab A7 is useful with all its Android apps, but isn't Windows 10 a more capable platform? What follows is a list of the best cheap tablets on the market right now, across a range of budgets and designs. There are plenty of affordable options out there. Read our full Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus review. James Pickard is a Deals Editor at TechRadar.
And just like Apple's pricier tablets, the Galaxy Tab A7 charges over USB-C, so you can continue to cut non-reversible microUSB cables out of your life. Please refresh the page and try again. That all being said, if you've got a big enough family, and you're all living in the Amazon Prime ecosystem, go for the Fire 7 if you're trying to fit to a tight budget (or just need a cheap tablet for the kids to use), and the Fire HD 10 if you want a bit more power and a nicer screen.
The tablet runs Fire OS, which is based on Android, but operates very differently. Its a TFT panel with a 60Hz refresh rate, but the viewing experience is more than acceptable. See also: The best Windows tablets to spend your money on. There are so many tablet deals out there that it can be difficult to know which ones are actually good value-for-money. You can put multiple user profiles on the tablets, as well. Of course, the higher the price tag, the more features youll get. First, we run as many benchmarks as that tablet will allow us to see how fast they are in ways that can be compared directly against competitors. They're often subsidized by Amazon ads on the lock screens and lots of promotions for Amazon content in their user interfaces. Also, pay close attention to storage specs. Amazon's tablets aren't only the best cheap options out there, they're also thebest kids' tabletswe've tested. Storage is also limited, but 32-64GB is good for those who mainly use the cloud to store files.
It has an 11-inch 2K (2,000 x 1,200) display with 400 nits of brightness and a 60Hz refresh rate. Inexpensive tablets can serve as entertainment platforms for kids,ebook readers, and alarm clocks, plus can even work as digital signage. That makes it one of the best 10-inch tablets you can find when it's at that price. For those on a tight budget, the Amazon Fire tablet line offers some great options if you need a good tablet for as little as $50. New York, The large 10.5-inch screen has a 1920 x 1200p resolution, which is plenty sharp for most users. These tablets all sit in a price range between $50 - $300 / 50 - 300, so you can find an option that suits your needs and budget. Fortunately, the most recent iteration of the company's cheapest slate packs a snappy quad-core 1.3 GHz processor, which helps you navigate apps and browse the web faster than you'd expect from a tablet this cheap.
The Surface Go 2 takes aim at all the flaws of the predecessor and knocks them all down. The one caveat with Amazon's tablets is that they use the Amazon Appstore, which doesn't have all the apps that are in the official Google Play Store. We can't recommend most of them: They tend to be slow, unreliable, have dim screens, and run old versions of Android that are full of security flaws. The Fire HD 10 Plus is the largest, most expensive tablet Amazon offers, but its still mad affordable.
He currently serves as a senior editor at Tom's Guide covering all things computing, from laptops and desktops to keyboards and mice.
However, outside of these sales events, it's not the most enticing option.
Not a massive deal if all of your media is attached to an Amazon account already. Battery life is also very good. The latest device in Samsung's budget range is light and portable, too, with a wide 10.5-inch display and Dolby Atmos surround sound support. You also get access to plenty of content as an Amazon Prime subscriber, with free access to some Prime video, audio, and book content. Other factors to consider are screen size and display resolution. And while its no powerhouse, the tablet has what it takes to satisfy most users. The main one is that the 7-inch display does support HD. Alex Wawro is a lifelong tech and games enthusiast with more than a decade of experience covering both for outlets like Game Developer, Black Hat, and PC World magazine. An 8-inch, 1,280-by-800 display enables you to comfortably watch 720p HD video and read magazines. If you want a quality Apple or Windows tablet under $200, you're going to have to dip into the used market. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Further, they have excellent customer support, which sets them apart from their sub-$100 kin. The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 isn't the newest Android tablet but it's still excellent, with a solid screen, great battery life and good performance all of which can be yours for under $300. If you want the absolute smallest tablet you can get in the Android ecosystem, you will be hard-pressed to do much better than the 2022 Amazin Fire 7. And while it's not as fast as the iPad and its screen isn't as bright, neither is a serious problem at this price. TechRadar is supported by its audience. For the freedom to access the Google Play store, it's worth considering the Lenovo above instead. This cheap Android tablet has a 10.1-inch 1,920 x 1,200 IPS LCD display. NY 10036. The performance is sluggish, and the display is less than impressive but should be okay for the casual user.
We werent sure whether to pick the Samsung Galaxy A8 or the Lenovo Tab P11 Plus as the top cheap Android tablet, but Samsung still wins by a bit. These are the best low-cost tablets for work and play, based on our research and hands-on testing. The basic iPad is Apple's most affordable tablet, and it's your cheapest option when you want an iPad. We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices, Samsungs newest SSD is unlike any youve come across before, You can now play Stray in splitscreen multiplayer, Microsoft is going to new lengths to get you to switch to Windows 11, Bad news: Amazon Prime is going up in price, with no new benefits, I came across this unloved browser and now Google Chrome looks even worse, How to play Stray for free on PS4 and PS5, Riceve sabbia al posto di una RTX 3090 Ti ma Amazon se ne infischia, Windows 10 update breaks USB printers functionality because of course it did, Netflix's latest hit movie is getting a sequel and spin-off film, Netflix's ad-supported tier will come with a pretty major catch, The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviews, Try a single issue or save on a subscription, Issues delivered straight to your door or device. Here's how to find the right balance of price and features. As Android often has trouble moving apps to microSD memory cards, we recommend at least 32GB of built-in storage for installing apps and storing multimedia. Some tablets are pro-level laptop replacements, while others perform humbler duties. The options on this list are cheap, so you wont have a powerhouse in your hands. While it probably isn't a must-have for anyone who bought the 2019 model, it's a good demonstration of Amazon's ability to put out a value-driven slate that's good enough for many. PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. It's even better value when in a sale, as we've seen it as low as $129/99. NY 10036. Keep in mind that you will have to adapt to Amazons ecosystem.
If you're a writer who loves pen and paper, you know that the iPad and its Apple Pencil don't really feel right. This device was primarily designed for media streaming. Oh, and it's got endurance to spare, lasting 13 hours and 13 minutes on the Tom's Guide battery test. It has a recommended price of $219/219 for the standard WiFi version, but it can often be found for under $200/200 at a number of retailers. Heres why you can trust us. There was a problem. Tom's Guide is supported by its audience. Heres why you can trust us. The 5-megapixel 1080p camera in its top bezel is great for the era of online video calls, and its second front camera sensor adds Windows Hello biometric login.
The Galaxy Tab A8 is powered by an entry-level Unisoc Tiger T618 chipset, up to 3-4GB of RAM, and 32-128GB of storage. Tom's Guide is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The unit has a Mediatek Helio P22T and 3GB-4GB of RAM. Check out all the options in our hand-picked list of the best tablet deals below which features devices that are ideal for media streaming, browsing, and the odd game or two. Broad app support for reading books and comics, Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions.
For starters, you wont get native support for the Google Play Store and other Google Apps. It also has a 7-inch screen with a 1,024 x 600 resolution. It doesn't quite take the top spot, though, as the overall spec and display are inferior to the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8. Other Android tablets let you set up restricted kids' profiles, and while Apple's tablets have parental controls, they aren't as comprehensive as the controls and content options that come on Amazon slates. It even comes with a microSD card slot, a feature thats becoming very rare in the tablet market. All of that extra power does bump up the starting price to $149.99/149.99. This size and resolution works out to 189 pixels per inch (ppi), which is the minimum you should look for if you want to experience reasonably sharp pictures and text. That's much longer than almost all the budget tablets on our list. This thing has a $59.99 MSRP! Still, it's a great Android tablet for not a lot of money. The Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021) takes an already-good tablet and applies incremental upgrades, such as a slightly brighter screen, 1GB more RAM and a smaller, lighter design. We never added previous iterations to this list of the best cheap Android tablets because they were pretty slow. The design is very sleek and clean, too. And its two weeks of battery life means you can just leave it on your coffee table, for when inspiration strikes, rather than keep it plugged in all the time. We say "will allow" as some tablets, like Amazon's Fire slates, have trouble with side-loaded Android apps. Amazon's inexpensive Fire HD 8 tablet continues to be an excellent value for the price, but its poor app store is really starting to feel limiting. That's in addition to the fact that it's already at least half the price of the Galaxy Tab A8. The Amazon Fire HD 8 isn't the cheapest Fire tablet on the market with a starting price of $89.99/89.99, however, you get a serious boost in performance and features for the extra $30 / 30 over the less expensive options. Start by thinking about the operating system you live in, which means opening your pocket and thinking about how much you rely on your smartphone. Read our full Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021) review. The Alcatel Joy Tab 2 is an excellent alternative to Amazons Fire lineup, with a clean Android experience, strong LTE connectivity, and impressive audio quality. You might want to stick with something smaller, like an 8-inch tablet. First of all, thinner bezels make way for a bigger screen, arguably the most important part of a tablet. We highlight all of these specs in the chart above. It has a $159.99 MSRP, but you can often find it at a discount. Where it stands out most is in audio quality. It also has Dolby Atmos support that will improve the audio quality when streaming films and TV. The best part?
Please refresh the page and try again. You get an HD display, and it is powered by Mediateks quad-core MT8168 processor, backed by 3GB of RAM. We've helped narrow it down with this guide to all the best prices available today on the most popular devices from top manufacturers such as Samsung, Amazon and Lenovo. A Parent Dashboard lets you keep track of what your children are doing and restrict their screen time. That wont be as crisp as some of the other best cheap Android tablets, but you get an excellent, streamlined Samsung design. You're paying a little more for this cheap Android tablet considering the budget prices of Lenovo and Samsung's models. The Lenovo Yoga Tab 11 is a better option if you want a slightly larger and better screen, though. Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 review. By Those who like the idea of a Samsung Galaxy A8, but would prefer a price more similar to the most affordable options in this list of the best cheap Android tablets, might want to look at the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite. Its one of the few Amazon tablets with wireless charging. Instead, youll have to use Amazons alternatives. iPhone owners may jump straight to the iPad, and they'd be right to do so iMessage integration and the shared app ecosystems across iOS and iPadOS are an ideal combination. Amazon could have coasted when it comes to the $50 Fire 7 tablet. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). The four speakers are tuned with Dolby Atmos and perform very well, featuring high volumes and no distortion. There are a lot of cheap tablets out there. If all of these choices feel underwhelming, take a look at our picks for thebest Android tablets. Added support for Apple's finer accessories would be great, but it still has a headphone jack (no other iPad does), which is a win for the wired headphones crowd. We wouldn't call the iPad a cheap tablet, mind you, but there are some good reasons to invest. James Pickard The four speakers come optimized by Dolby Atmos. If possible, look for 2GB of RAM or more. This is an excellent choice for anyone who might need the power of a full Windows PC in a tablet, since the Go 2 runs Windows 10 out of the box. The Fire HD 8 Plus comes with expandable storage, so you can always get a microSD card. Again, like other Fire tablets, it's restricted to the Amazon ecosystem for apps. We've seen it for as low as $74.99/79.99, which is even less than the smaller and less powerful Fire HD 8. The iPad is synonymous with tablets for a reason: when you buy the basic iPad, you're guaranteed to get a great screen and strong audio for a starting price of ~$350.
Not to mention it comes with the Google Play Store, while some of the more affordable tablets on this list dont. They're relatively reliable, however, and they get security updates. It comes with a Mediatek Helio G90T octa-core processor, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. Storage is also capped at 64GB, while the base model comes with only 32GB. The Lenovo Tab P11 Plus is the best affordable Android tablet on the market, with solid performance, a vivid 11-inch display, and impressive speakers. Weight: 2869g | Dimensions: 192 x 115 x 9.6mm | OS: Fire OS | Screen size: 7 inches | Resolution: 1,024 x 600 | CPU: 1.3GHz Quad-core | RAM: 1GB | Storage: 16GB/32GB | microSD slot: Yes | Battery: Up to 7 hours | Rear camera: 2MP (wide) | Front camera: 2MP. https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-cheap-tablets. Handy tablet gestures and Android phone integration. On top of that, this $90 tablet is good enough at everything else decent audio, OK performance for its price that I can't deny how many will find it a great value. If your budget is a little more flexible, here's our list of thebest Windows tablets. For more information, check out ourhow we test pagefor Tom's Guide. We also have a list of the very best Android tablets. If you decide you need something with a bit more power behind it, take a look a the latest iPad deals for the best prices on Apple's range of tablets. It's also got an iPad Pro feature that Apple makes you pay a lot for: facial recognition to unlock the device. Since joining PCMag as a mobile analyst in 2019, hes reviewed over 100 phones and tablets. TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. While their Amazon content-first interface may be off putting to those who don't live in the Prime world, their prices can't be beat and they're quite capable Android tablets. Apple's 2021 base model iPad delivers strong performance and an excellent front-facing camera at a very palatable price, making it the best tablet for most people. Amazon has improved the Fire 7s performance by more than 30% this time. A cheap alternative to Amazon Fire devices, Weight: 460g | Dimensions: 244mm x 8mm x 153mm | OS: Android 9 Pie | Screen size: 10.3-inches | Resolution: 1920 x 1200 | CPU: Octa-Core 2.3Ghz | RAM: 2GB | Storage: 32GB | microSD slot: Yes, up to 256GB | Battery: Up to 9 hours | Rear camera: 8MP | Front camera: 5MP. The best cheap tablet for reading and writing, The best cheap Samsung tablet for those on a tight budget, Some Android apps still need tablet optimization, We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices, headphone jack, USB-C, microSD, Surface Connect port, Surface Type Cover Port, 1.22 pounds (1.75 pounds with type cover), (Image credit: Tom's Guide/Henry T. Casey), Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 review: A new standard for Android tablets, Apple M2 chip New feature, specs and everything we know so far, The best laptops in 2022: 20 top picks tested and rated, PS5 and Steam Deck just got some good supply chain news, The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviews, Try a single issue or save on a subscription, Issues delivered straight to your door or device. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag.
It retails for around $49.99/49.99 but is often discounted - even falling to as low as $29.99/29.99 when on sale. Other tablets in this price range tend to have very old versions of Android or are a complete roll of the dice in terms of quality assurance and support. Thats it for our list of the best cheap Android tablets, but you may want something a bit different.
Yet another showing for the Amazon Fire range in our guide to the best cheap laptop deals. While all but the cheapest iPads are outside the price range of someone looking for an affordable tablet, there's a smorgasbord of slates from Amazon, Samsung and other companies that will give you plenty of value for not a lot of money. If you think you'll be irritated by slight lags in performance, you should consider spending an extra $30 to get the $179 Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus, arguably the best Amazon tablet ever. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant. This will help you launch and run apps more smoothly, particularly if you have anything else running in the background. Some other things make the Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus special. We try and write some (or all) of our tablet reviews on the tablets we're testing, if there's a keyboard for it that is. Fire tablets are great because of their budget prices, but the overriding issue is that you're locked into the Amazon ecosystem and app store. Still, it's a great pick for kids looking for a media consumption device. Its bright screen and epic 13+ hours of battery life make it great for consuming content, and its reversible USB-C port is a feature we wish was in the cheaper Fire 7 tablet. Its MSRP sits comfortably at $179.99, but you can often find it at a lower price. When you're shopping, keep an eye on screen resolution. Several of our top picks even cost below the $100 mark. If youre getting a tablet to watch videos, youll get a far better experience with a larger, high-resolution display, but these are also more expensive. Barnes & Noble's 10-inch Nook-branded Lenovo tablet is a flexible reading device, but don't try to play games or do schoolwork on it. Just be prepared to spend a lot more than $100. While well under $300, this device holds true to the Samsung legacy with a fantastic metal body that feels very premium for the price point. Its biggest flaws, though, are nothing new. The least expensive new iPad is the standard 2021 model, and at $329, it's a great value.
Retailing for $229 (and now often on sale for much less) the Galaxy Tab A7 is a great 10.4-inch tablet for consuming content. That extremely budget price comes with some significant compromises, though. Your documents sync to the cloud so you can read them on iPhones, iPads, PCs, Macs and Android. I think the best option would be the ad-free iteration with 32GB of storage. There's an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing camera on the Tab A8, as well, while it boasts an impressive 13-hour battery life. At $100 or less, there are a few inexpensive 10-inch tablets, but their screens generally have such low pixel density that they look fuzzy and are difficult to read. Most notably, you'll probably be able to stay current with software updates for at least three years. Oh, and it's not just a notebook. Luckily, you dont have to spend close to a thousand dollars to get one. After that, we do the same things you do browse the web, watch YouTube, play games, compose emails and then a lot more. James also has over five years of experience covering some of the biggest sales events of the year at Eurogamer and VG247, including Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Amazon Prime Day. This all ties together for a tablet that's great for consuming content on. Amazon updates the Fire HD 10 to deliver a very good tablet for $150, as long as what you want to do is control Alexa and consume Amazon books and media. And while previous Fire tablets made you tap to activate Alexa which made no sense, it's meant to be summoned with your voice the Fire 7 finally added voice triggers for the digital assistant.
The S6 Lite also provides an impressive 13 hours of battery life and is available in your color choice of Chiffon Pink, Angora Blue, or Oxford Gray. Its an Amazon product, so you get Amazon Alexa built-in and everything that entails. We've cut out all the sub-par devices and stuck to the best cheap tablets so you get a device that's capable and functional for general use but at an affordable price. For a cheap tablet that has a full run of the Google Play store, then, we like this Lenovo Tab M1 Plus. The largest Fire tablet is now 30% faster thanks to the new 2.0 GHz octa-core processor and comes with 32GB of storage, a full HD 1080p screen and 3GB of RAM. We've also gathered up today's best laptop deals if you think you need a more dedicated computer. No promise for OS updates after Android 12. Weight: 355g | Dimensions: 202mm x 137mm x 9.7mm | OS: Fire OS | Screen size: 8-inches | Resolution: 1280 X 800 | CPU: Quad-core processor | RAM: 2GB | Storage: 32-64GB | microSD slot: Yes, up to 1TB | Battery: Up to 12 hours | Rear camera: 2MP | Front camera: 2MP. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Plus, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite's thin bezels help it stand out from the mid-range tablet crowd even further, making it look more like the iPad Pro than the iPad. Keep in mind that there are a few different versions to consider here.
Where you have to accept compromises most, though, is with the limited 2GB RAM and shorter 9-hour battery life. The reMarkable 2 is a much more seductive device, now measuring a sleek 0.2 inches and ditching its plastic frame for a sleeker metallic chassis. This tablet gives you decent stereo speakers, expandable storage, and excellent battery life, but its not without issues. The battery size is also pretty nice at 7,500mAh. Better specs and battery life than predecessor, Base models include ads on the lock screen. We've tested and reviewed dozens and dozens of tablets from the top manufacturers to find the best options for those on a budget. You can also check out the Microsoft Surface Go 2, a great Windows tablet that can be yours for under $500. Yes the Galaxy Tab A7 is useful with all its Android apps, but isn't Windows 10 a more capable platform? What follows is a list of the best cheap tablets on the market right now, across a range of budgets and designs. There are plenty of affordable options out there. Read our full Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus review. James Pickard is a Deals Editor at TechRadar.