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Cheap Android Tablets

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In this review:
  1. Cheap Tablets
  2. Tablet Reviews
  3. Cheap Android Tablets
  4. Tablet Memory, Tablet Cameras
  5. Tablet Deals
  6. Discount Cheap Tablets Features Comparison Table
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Cheap Android Tablets

Almost every budget tablet runs some version of Google's Android operating system. Some cheap Android tablets run versions such as 2.2, the same OS you might find on a smartphone.

However, Google has developed a new platform, Android 3.0 (nicknamed Honeycomb), specifically for tablets. This version is preferable to the older Android operating systems, which were designed for small smartphone screens, not 7- or 10-inch tablet displays. On a larger screen, versions such as Android 2.2 may not look quite right, with jagged images and icons and a layout that doesn't look as smooth and sharp. The Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101 and Acer Iconia Tab A500 both have Android 3 operating systems, while the Coby Kyros MID7015 and E Fun Nextbook Next3 run on older versions. The Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet and Amazon Kindle Fire both use modified Android operating systems.

Operating systems do more than run apps. They also provide the interface for interacting with a budget tablet. If you have an Android-based smartphone, you'll find that the interfaces on many cheap Android tablets are nearly the same, if not identical. The same is true for iPhone fans with the iPad 2. Good tablet interfaces are intuitive. You don't want to muddle through a bunch of menus or flip through several screens to find your favorite tablet tools and apps. The interface should be quick and responsive as well. Apps should open quickly and run smoothly, as should the tablet's web browser. In other words, the interface should be easy to use and make your stuff easy to find.

Tablet Apps and Multimedia.

Apple's App Store offers thousands of apps that run on both the iPhone and iPad or are designed specifically for the iPad. Not nearly as many apps are available for cheap Android tablets. Google doesn't specify, but David Pogue of The New York Times estimates that the number of tablet-only Android apps is in the hundreds. Many Android smartphone apps have been optimized for tablets, however, and there's no doubt that the tablet offerings in the Android Market will continue to expand.

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The Nook Tablet runs only apps that are acquired through Barnes & Noble; apps downloaded directly from the Android Market won't work. Amazon also has its own app library. BlackBerry offers a handful of apps for its PlayBook (starting at $198, Amazon) and promises that many smartphone versions of BlackBerry and Android apps will soon be available for the PlayBook as well. Other devices such as the Coby Kyros MID7015, ViewSonic gTablet (starting at $270, Amazon), and Archos 70 tablet require you to look for apps from another source such as Archos' AppsLib or Handango, a company that offers apps for Android devices.

These alternative app stores usually have some decent and popular choices, such as apps for Facebook and the like. But the selection is typically smaller than what you'd find at the Android Market, and some reviewers report that some apps from these alternative sites don't work with certain Android tablets. For example, a ViewSonic gTablet tested by Laptopmag.com couldn't run an Angry Birds app downloaded from Handango's selection of Android apps, according to the site's review. Based on the reviews we've read, this doesn't seem to be a rampant problem, but it's not terribly uncommon either.

Tablet multimedia performance is similar to that of a laptop or netbook. Generally, reviewers praise the appearance of videos and photos, and many tablets have an HDMI out port that can display video on a TV in 1080p high-def -- a feature reviewers like (see the next page for more about ports and connections). The sound from tablets, though, is typically not very good due to the small speakers these slim devices have to use. Plug in a pair of headphones and the audio sounds much better.

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Best Cheap Tablets

Amazon Kindle Fire
Gold Medal

Amazon Kindle Fire

 The Kindle Fire may not quite be the iPad killer some people were hoping for, but it has a great chance to redefine the tablet market, because it's super affordable and still delivers most of what users hope to find in a tablet. Its performance is solid, apart from occasional hiccups, but its real strength is the ease with which users can access and enjoy Amazon's vast content library. Read more »
Cheap Tablets Deals
Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet
Gold Medal

Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet

 The Nook Tablet is the Kindle Fire's closest competition in terms of price and ability. Its Android operating system is heavily customized to tightly integrate with Barnes & Noble's online services, including apps, so it has a bit of a different look and feel than other Android devices. Reviewers praise its overall performance and responsive, fantastic-looking touchscreen. Read more »
Cheap Tablets Deals

Good Cheap Tablets

Asus Eee Pad Transformer
Gold Medal

Asus Eee Pad Transformer

 TF101
The hardware on the Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101 is about as good as it gets on an Android-based budget tablet. This model uses Google's Android 3.2 operating system and a Nvidia Tegra 2 processor. It also has a large, 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen that impresses reviewers. Read more »
Cheap Tablets Deals
Acer Iconia Tab
Gold Medal

Acer Iconia Tab

 A500
This Acer Iconia tablet is a solid Android 3.0 model with a large, 10.1-inch screen, a Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, an HDMI port, and Bluetooth support. Some reviewers note that it's a bit heavy compared with other tablets. Read more »
Cheap Tablets Deals
 
 
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Think Twice Cheap Tablets

Coby Kyros MID7015

The Kyros MID7015 has a shockingly low price, but that isn't enough to win the favor of user and expert reviewers. The biggest weakness of the Kyros is its resistive touchscreen, which requires a fingernail or stylus to use. Reviewers also note that the image quality isn't very good and the battery life is sub-par. This tablet also runs an older Android 2.1 operating system. Read more »

Nextbook Next3

Reviewers don't seem to have found the fun in the E Fun Nextbook Next3. It's a bargain-priced tablet with bargain-priced hardware. It uses a resistive touchscreen rather than the preferable capacitive screen and it doesn't support as much memory as other tablets. It also runs Android 2.1, an outdated version of the operating system. Read more »

 
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