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The best budget tablets

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Buying a top tablet doesn’t have to break the bank. You can still pick up a great budget tablet nowadays for under 200 quid from the likes of Amazon, Acer, and Lenovo. But what’s the best budget tablet out there? Here are a few of our favourites…

Best cheap Android tablet

Over the last couple of years, Android tablets have been giving Apple tablets a run for their money. And you can get one that’s stuffed full of cool features without shelling out a ton of cash.

If we had to pick the best budget android tablet though, the Lenovo Tab M10 is a real contender. A shiny full HD display makes every movie and show look lifelike and vibrant. And audio is 50% of the experience, right? The Tab manages to pack in a set of dual speakers that are fully optimised with Dolby Atmos – making everything you watch even more immersive. Sounds good!

And if you want to give the family a ring, or need to jump on a work meeting, you’ve got a handy 5 MP camera on the front. So, your nan and your boss will be able to hear and see you loud and clear.

Best cheap Amazon tablet

The Amazon Fire HD 10 is a great shout and is easily one of the best budget tablets around.

It’s powered by an extra speedy octa-core processor. Which makes it lightning fast when you’re gaming or just doing a spot of multitasking. If we’re talking raw numbers, it’s 25% quicker than the previous gen, so you won’t be dealing with any pesky lag. Nice.

But the centrepiece is definitely the mega 10.1” full HD display. Games and shows look epic on it, with bold colours and super sharp detail. Plus, it’s really bright too. So, when you’re trying to watch a film on the go, that annoying glare won’t get in the way of the action.

And because Alexa is built in, you can play music, shop online, and ask questions without lifting a finger. Now you’re talking!

Best cheap tablet under £100

If cash is a bit tight and you’re after the best cheap tablet, we’d go for the Amazon Fire 7.

Because it’s only 7”, it’s the perfect travel buddy. Pop it in your backpack and you can read an e-book or catch up on your favourite show pretty much anywhere. Whether you’re sat on a long-haul flight or waiting at the airport for that delayed connection. At least you won’t be bored!

And with up to 12 hours of battery life, you can get through a whole series without having to plug in. Which is especially handy when you’ve left your portable power bank in your hold luggage.

FAQs

How to choose the best cheap tablet

Feeling a bit stumped? Here are a few things worth thinking about before you buy:

  • Battery life – A hefty battery means more time for the fun stuff. If you’re planning to use it for a long time away from a plug socket, you’ll want one with more juice.

  • Build quality – Check what the tablet is made from and see whether it’s got any special durability features. Then you won’t have to worry about any knocks and scrapes when you’re out and about.

  • Operating system – Already got a few gadgets from one particular brand? It’s probably worth going for a tablet of theirs too. Then you can easily sync them all up and share data, apps and more between each device.

  • Connectivity options – Listen to some tunes on your headphones through Bluetooth. Download your next audiobook over the Wi-Fi. Or transfer those holiday snaps via a USB port.

  • Storage – If you download a lot of music, or whole seasons of telly for your commute, make sure it’s got a good amount of room to store it.

  • The display – Big gamer or movie buff? You’ll ideally want a large, high-res display. Then all those epic moments are really going to pop!

  • Processing power – This’ll make everything way smoother. From swapping between loads of tabs or different apps, to marathon gaming sessions. With a chunky GPU and CPU, there’ll be no lag in sight.

  • App compatibility – Does the tablet support the apps you like to use? You don’t want to get your hands on it and find out your favourite game doesn’t work.

All of this should help you to find the best value tablet you can!

Are there cheap tablets that don’t run on Android?

There’s a bunch. If you’re not a fan of Android, you can find plenty of budget tablets that run different operating systems. Whether that’s Amazon’s own Fire OS or Windows.

For the best tablet deals, check out the rest of our tablets right here. And if you’re a big sports fan, here’s why you should watch football on a tablet. Or, if you’re heading off on holiday, here are three of the best tablets for travelling. Whatever the scenario, we’ve got you covered!

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