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Some advice for those looking to buy a cheap Android tablet.

  • 04-05-2013 1:46pm
    #1
    Male30something
    Registered Users Posts: 26 ✭


    Hi,

    This post is to help those looking to buy a cheap Android tablet. The iPad and Samsung Galaxy are out of a lot of peoples price range and it's very tempting to go for the cheapest tablet on the market. Here's some things to bear in mind on making the purchase decision:

    1. Build quality. The cheaper the tablet, the lower your expectations should be for durability.
    2. Battery. Cheaper usually means reduced battery time. You should expect at least a day or more of "normal" usage. Some cheap tablets will only provide a few hours.
    3. Screen resolution. Not all screens are the same. Lower resolution will mean photos and video are not as sharp/detailed as you might expect.
    4. Audio. If you want to use a tablet for Skype or movies/music, then maybe the cheaper tablets are not for you. Sound is often tinny and low with poor bass. Makes Skype calls painful and you'll rely on headphones for music.
    5. Speed. Cheap processors keep the price down, but also reduce the responsiveness of your tablet. Keeping multiple apps open will slow down the device .
    6. Connectivity. Bluetooth, GPS and HDMI out are sometimes not included.
    7. Android version. Not all Android tablets run the same version of the OS. Jellybean (4.2) is the current version. The newer the version, generally the better the user experience.

    So, that's a summary of some if the compromises you may have to make with a "cheap" ( less than €200) Android tablet. I've bought a few over the last two years and hate seeing people in electronic shops been taken in almost solely by the price.

    My recommendation is to pay a little extra for quality. Acer's Nexus 7 has a good balance between price and features in my opinion. (Note: They're releasing a new version soon).


Comments

  • #2
    yoyo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,017 Mod ✭✭✭✭yoyo


    Moved from Comp & Tech.

    My Beer Glass collection site 🍺

    My Irish Callcards site



  • #3
    jack888
    Registered Users Posts: 168 ✭✭jack888


    My advice....

    Instead of "buying a few" cheap devices over last few years.......
    Buy one decent one that will last a few years. You get what you pay for.


  • #4
    Male30something
    Registered Users Posts: 26 ✭Male30something


    I'm an app developer so I have a number of devices to test on, cheap/not so cheap Android and iOS.

    This post is some advice for those who are thinking of buying a cheap tablet and providing some information so they have realistic expectations. They can then decide if the trade off is worth the price.


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