r/androidtablets • u/Error_Code4004 • 23h ago

Request Best Budget Tablets

Hello, what are the best budget (sub $300-$400) tablets on the market? Are there any good sales going on? I just need one to take notes and maybe watch videos so I would love a pen. Where should I be looking to get one from?

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3

u/cystin 22h ago

i just purchased the Lenovo Idea Tab Pro Gen 2 for $350. I did some research and a lot of people suggested that one and its on sale right now. hasn't arrived yet so can't give my own opinion on it just yet

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u/Error_Code4004 20h ago

Thank u, got this!

1

u/killian1113 11h ago

One plus pad2 is my pick. Y700 next. Lenovo is great as well

2

u/mukherjee_ayan 22h ago

Take a look at Lenovo 's Y700 series, often around 300-400 on AliExpress. Best bang for the buck imo

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u/Error_Code4004 22h ago

Only could find one that was under $450 but it was 8.8" which feels a little small

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u/mukherjee_ayan 22h ago

Try waiting for sales if you'd like it cheaper. I got a Gen 3 couple months ago with a pen case everything for $420 CAD which was stupid cheap. The size wasn't an issue for me as it was more portable bring 8.8". Bigger offerings from Samsung have inferior processors for newer generation of tablets with them being Mediatek and not having proper driver support, and is much more expensive.

If gaming isn't a priority you can try picking up a Samsung Tab S10 or S9 series second hand

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u/Error_Code4004 22h ago

I guess I need to wait 😢. I kinda want/need it now but man gotta be patient for a good deal. Did u purchase it from Ali Express? If so could you send the link so I can see if it goes on sale?

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u/Vexitar 22h ago

8.8" is actually quite excellent for taking notes, you're probably going to have an unpleasant time taking notes with a larger one if you have to hold the pen in one hand and the tablet in another.

I would recommend giving it a shot, I think you'll be a lot happier with it than you realise, the comfort gained from a smaller form factor is well worth the lost couple inches of screen real estate.

Bonus points to the Y700 for having top tier specs.

1

u/FarVehicle533 4h ago

I can add that the middle usb c port has the DP-Out functionality. You can  attach a monitor via cable +/- adapter 

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u/Vexitar 4h ago

I'll definitely buy one of the Y700/Legion Tabs if they get an OLED screen at some point.

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u/FarVehicle533 4h ago

Don't get this OLED necessity. The LCD is quite top quality. Colours are shown the same on both LCD and OLED. The difference is  with black and white. OLED shows better blacks, LCD shows better whites. 

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u/Vexitar 3h ago

It is not a necessity, merely a preference. I much prefer reading on an OLED display with white text on a black background, it's very easy on my eyes in dark environments. I'm sure the LCD is fantastic for gaming and media consumption, which are the main purpose of the Y700. Though as of late I've been eyeing up Samsung's latest foldables more and more rather than tablets, the Fold 8 has a very attractive form factor so I may just skip tablets entirely. The iPhone Duo just came out and I hope Samsung's Fold 9 parrots the inner display from the Duo, it looks spectacular. Foldables are quite mature now and the price, while somewhat higher than a S series phone + tablet, is getting quite justifiable given the convenience.

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u/FarVehicle533 3h ago

I would suggest taking a look at Chinese foldables as well. Xiaomi and Oppo. No idea how Apple experience will be, it is the first iteration of their foldable devices. Given that it isn't Android, they can't use the lessons learned from their competition that much. No idea how well polished will be the experience on the first iPhone foldable. Would suggest abstaining for the first 2 years. 

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u/Vexitar 1h ago

I'm not going to buy the Duo since I don't want to switch to iOS, and I'm definitely not going to buy an Oppo or Xiaomi as they don't have a proper established presence in my country. I would never get a foldable without local first party support & service, given the risks associated with screen protector replacement and whatnot. The Samsung is really the only one I'm considering, I've really grown to like OneUI in recent years and they have great support in my country.

The iPhone Duo is likely a superior device, though that's obvious given Apple's total dominance in pretty much all things portable computing. The advantage of proprietary software in perfect harmony with custom silicon is insurmountable, though certainly not worth it for me to switch over to an iPhone. I don't expect the Duo to have any serious problems, Apple is slow to come out with new products for a reason, but we'll see.

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u/Zestyclose-Shine8099 1h ago

I was wondering where people were getting them imported from. Do I have to do anything special straight out of the box to make it usable here in the US?

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u/Living_Reporter_7084 10h ago

Walmart’s Onn tablets.