TECH BUYER’S GUIDE, December2023 – Best budget tablets tested and compared on sound, price and build quality by the experts at Tech Magazine
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1. Apple iPad (2022)
Apple’s most basic iPad has an updated design and still trumps most other 10-inch tablets. It uses the older A13 Bionic chip (which still outguns competitors) and now has USB-C so you can use a wider range of plug-in accessories. 10”, 498 g, R10 500
2. Xiaomi Pad 5
The perfect size for learning, gaming and video bingeing, this near-4K screen also boasts 120 Hz fast refresh, so movies look great and socials scroll smoothly. 11” screen, 511 g. R8 000
3. Nokia T20
It’s light, cheap and cheerful, with a decent screen and solid build quality you can feel in hand. And Nokia promises years of Android OS updates. 10.4” screen, 465 g. R4 000
4. Lenovo Tab M10 Plus (3rd gen)
Its narrower shape makes it easier to handle. The sharper corners and the metal chassis and bodywork give it a businesslike feel, and the screen, although basic, looks better than on most budget tablets. Stereo speakers round out the multimedia offering. 10”, 460 g, R4 800
5. Nokia T10
The shrunken-down version of the T20 tablet above, but this budget 8-inch model does the basics well. Its size and weight make it perfect for learners and pre-teens, and it’s built extra tough to last longer, even with some rough treatment. 10”, 460 g, R3 200
BUYING GUIDE
How to buy a low priced tablet
How do you go about choosing the best tablet for you, then? First, it’s important to work out exactly how much you would be willing to spend. Try to figure out what your main usage will or watching movies? What sort of apps and services are you going to want to run? Do you need cellular data as well as WiFi?
APPS: From Netflix to Gmail, most apps are now built to look and work great across a wide variety of devices, so you should be able to switch back and forth from phone to tablet with a minimum of hassle.
HARDWARE: The processor on your tablet won’t be as fast as on a laptop, so apps will run slightly slower, and there will be less memory for running multiple apps simultaneously and less storage space for files and data, but you’ve scored on portability.
CAMERAS: The cameras on the backs of tablets are strictly for quick snaps, and not for making photo art. However, the front-facing camera has become a lot more important in this age of virtual meetings and video calls.
BRANDS: As always when choosing a new gadget, you also need to be mindful of the digital ecosystems in which you’re already invested. If everything else in your life is Apple – your phone, your laptop, your TV service – then it makes more sense to opt for an iPad to complete the set. If you spend a lot of time inside Google apps and services, then for you, an Android tablet will work out better.
SCREEN: Tablet screens are now as good as, or even sometimes better than, laptop screens. Pin-sharp screens are the norm on tablets, and many now offer high refresh rates too, for smoother scrolling of web pages, and support for the most advanced video enhancements.
BUILD QUALITY: When it comes to the look and feel of the tablet, some affordable slates will be more durable than others. That’s important if you have small children using your tablet, too.
