New Tablet for parent - budget up to €400

steve_r

Hi folks

Looking at buying a new tablet for my mother. Main usage would be for browsing, RTE player, and email.

Ideally looking for something with a decent screen and decent performance.

At the moment she has a Lenovo which has served her well for a few years but it’s slowed down a lot now.

I can see refurbished ipads on the Apple store for €389 so I think €400 is probably the budget.

Options as I see it:

• Samsung Tab A9 - £179
• Lenovo Tab P12 - €399
• Amazon Fire Max 11 - £165 – (Have a Fire 10 myself and have noticed it slow down a lot. Also issues with it dropping Wifi signal)
• Pixel tablet – seems to be £399 on Amazon but not available on Ireland store?
• Refurbished iPad as above - €389

Any thoughts?

gipi

I bought this a couple of months ago, my 3rd Lenovo tablet. Very happy with it so far. I got it for slightly less than the current price.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CRF732V7?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

POBox19

What about a brand new iPad from Amazon?

These are on offer for £330, or about €400 here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BJMDHJWG?th=1

I got one a few weeks back and they are 100% Apple stock.

coffee to go

2024 Samsung Tab S6 Lite would also seem to be in the sweet spot for spec and price, plus you get an S Pen included.

https://shop.samsung.com/ie/galaxy-tab-s6-lite-2024-10-4-wi-fi-grey-64-gb

steve_r

Thanks all - very helpful

thomil

I'd also throw the OnePlus Pad or OnePlus Pad Go into the mix. OnePlus phones have a pretty good reputation, and their tablets seem to follow in those footsteps.

https://www.oneplus.com/ie/store/tablet

micks_address

Id go with the iPad. Parents and elderly aunt who never used tech able to use them no bother..

SteM

If she has been using an android tablet for a few years I would not switch her over to an ipad tbh.

banie01

The Lenovo options are great value. Another option could be the Xiaomi MiPad, just make sure to buy a global version.

The one manufacturer I'd tell you to swerve is Huawei, they are still subject to US sanctions so no Google play store or GApps.

steve_r

Thanks all for the helpful and practical recommendations. The reason for purchasing the android first time around was simply that I didn't envisage her using it as much and felt spending extra on an iPad would not be worth it.

In fairness to the Lenovo, it was very good value and it was simple enough to make the UI just the apps being used, browser and email etc.

I do feel that an iPad purchased now will probably be running faster in 3-4 years so I'm leaning in that direction from a performance perspective.

Doodah7

The OP's current dilemma highlights perfectly the fallacy of buying cheap Android tablets. If he had bought an iPad in the first place, it would likely be still going strong. But I understand completely, as I did the exact same thing!!

As the old saying goes: buy cheap, buy twice.

SteM

You don't know how much they originally paid or exactly how long it's been in use though.

miamee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122139970#Comment_122139970

If you are thinking of switching her from Android to Apple you might want to let her use or see one in action first. Depends on how technically literate she is. We bought my grandmother a Samsung tablet for her 90th birthday a few years ago and she is flying on it in my opinion but she still feels like she's learning. If I was to replace it with an iPad for her, she'd throw in the towel 😊

She just uses it for Whatsapp, Wordle, Youtube, news apps, occasional email (mostly received and read but not replied to 😂)

opus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122139160#Comment_122139160

I'be been using a Xiaomi Pad 5 for the last few years, still going strong & getting security updates every three months or so. Looks like you can get its successor the Pad 6 for < €300 via Aliexpress or €303 via gomibo.ie.

steve_r

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122144496#Comment_122144496

Actually went back and checked - it was a Lenovo Yoga 3 10 bought for €217 from Argos in 2016!

SteM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122145903#Comment_122145903

8 years for €220ish isn't too bad at all tbh. I still use a Huawei MediaPad M5 from 2018 for Netflix, YT, reading comics etc. It's on its last legs though, no android updates etc so I've just ordered a new tablet as well.