Choosing a new tablet can be needlessly complicated, as not only are there arguably just too many to choose from, but it can be hard to figure out what specs you actually need for each use case. While you don’t want to be stuck with a device that packs a middling battery life and not enough performance power, you also don’t want to splash out on the latest iPad if you only want a tablet for casual browsing and note-taking. Thankfully, we’ve got you covered with our thorough round-up of all the best budget tablets, which includes myriad options in terms of price, power, battery and design so you don’t accidentally invest in a sub-par device. Every tablet on this list has been used by one of the members of our expert team for at least a week. During that time, not only do we ensure to test the tablet using industry-standard benchmarks but we also take note of any features or issues we come across during day-to-day use that influenced our experience, so you know you’re getting real-world advice. If you’re looking for a more specialised tablet, make sure you also check out our best lists on the best tablet for kids, the best Android tablet, the best iPad and the best tablet, to give you an even broader view of what’s on the market. Without any further delay, here are our picks for the most impressive yet affordable tablets this year. You will find a variety of price points, use cases, specs and features below, and we ensure to update this list every time we review another fantastic device, so check back soon for even more entries.
Best cheap tablets at a glance
Big screens are rare on a tablet this price and give the Honor Pad 8 a unique place in the market. Testing it, while it doesn’t offer the deep blacks and HDR performance of flagship tablets, like the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, you’ll struggle to do better at this price. Combined with reliably loud speakers the tablet offered an immersive movie watching experience during our tests. As an added perk, despite running on a middling Snapdragon 680 chipset CPU, we didn’t experience any noticeable slowdown when using the device, which is a very common issue we experience on tablets this price. Add to this its lengthy battery life, with the Tab 8 offering over 10 hours screen time during our tests and it becomes an easy recommendation for any tablet buyer on a budget. Reviewer: Peter PhelpsFull review: Honor Pad 8 review While the screen doesn’t have a variable refresh rate and the bezel surrounding it is undeniably chunky, you’ll struggle to find a better option at this price, especially if you’re an Apple fan. The 10.2-inch Retina Display is the sharpest you’ll find on this list and, thanks to reliable black levels and high maximum brightness, it is ideal for watching Netflix on the go. The tablet is also solidly built and comes with a variety of case options, including some with keyboards, which means it’s a good option for older kids who need a device for school work as well as entertainment. The A13 Bionic chip powering the iPad 9 means that, unless you’re doing high-end video editing or vector graphics, you won’t suffer any performance issues based on our exhaustive testing. The only downside is that, even though it is cheap by Apple standards, the iPad 9 is still the most expensive option on this list, which is why we can’t recommend it for young children. Reviewer: Max Parker Full Review: Apple iPad 9 review During testing, we were impressed at how good the tablet was considering its price. Unlike a lot of the cheaper tablets we test the Realme Pad has an aluminium body, rather than plastic. We found this made it feel a lot sturdier and better built than any other tablet we’ve reviewed at this price. The 10.4-inch screen was also much better than we expected, offering a sharp resolution, reasonably accurate colour reproduction and enough contrast to give movies and games enough immersion to be enjoyable. The only real downside is that its brightness levels don’t come close to matching what you’ll get on the iPad 9. Battery life also proved solid, with it offering around 10 hours of screen time with regular use during our checks. That’s identical to what we got on the iPad 9, and pretty par for the course for a tablet this size. Reviewer: Ian Morris Full review: Realme Pad Review The device isn’t a technical marvel, even by affordable standards, but it nonetheless impressed our reviewer for a variety of reasons. For instance, the kids-focused bumper case proved nigh indestructible. Unleashing a rampaging toddler on it the device easily survived everything from rage throws to animated “touch” inputs from our over-excited test subject. This, plus the tablet’s robust parental controls and safe app store seriously impressed our reviewer and makes the Fire HD 10 Kids the best option for parents looking for a device to keep younger children entertained. 2,316 Tablet
