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Albina Hickel
The best cheap tablet on the market right now is Apple's iPad 10.2 (2021). For a decent price, it gives you a gorgeous 10.2-inch screen, great app support and handy video call features. If you're looking for an Android device, though, then we recommend the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8.
There are always compromises on cheaper products, so in choosing one of the best cheap tablets, it's important to identify where corners have been cut, and whether those things matter to you. Equally, if anything in particular is very important to you, be it the battery, screen or anything else, make sure that the tablet you're considering performs well there.
There are also variables that apply no matter how much you're spending. For example, you might want something relatively small, light and portable, such as an 8-inch screen and a weight of under 400g.
The best cheap tablets from the likes of Apple, Samsung and Amazon come equipped with great screens and decent battery life, which are the two most important factors to consider when buying a cheap tablet for work or play.
For professional users and creatives, some cheap iPads and Samsung Galaxy Tabs offer even support for accessories like the Apple Pencil and Samsung S Pen, though you'll want to consider one of the best tablets if you're planning on running demanding software.
The still-capable Apple iPad 10.2 (2021) is our current pick as the best cheap tablet for most people, as it offers typical Apple performance at a wallet-friendly price. Alternatively, the even cheaper Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 and Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) are equally attractive options for those on a budget.
In this guide, we've highlighted the best cheap tablets to consider buying in 2024. Every device in the below list has been subjected to a full TechRadar review, so you can rest assured that our recommendations are based on real-world judgments. If you're willing to spend a little more money, check out our guides to the best tablets, best iPads and best Android tablets. Oh, and if you're browsing this guide in search of an affordable tablet for your child, our dedicated back-to-school sales page is worth also checking out.
Apple's iPad 10.2 (2021) has a fantastic 10.2-inch screen and handy video call features that make it the best cheap tablet overall. It's not the cheapest tablet on our list, but if you can afford it, you'll be set for years to come, as it's still being supported with iPadOS updates.
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The Amazon Fire HD 10 doesn't exactly set the tablet world on fire, offering only a small upgrade over its predecessor. But for streaming, gaming and web browsing, it's a more-than-capable device.
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If you prefer a more versatile Android tablet, Samsung's Galaxy Tab A8 is among the best bargain tablets from the premiere Android manufacturer. This Galaxy Tab is great for watching movies, and offers strong battery life to keep you working or entertained.
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For the best cheap small tablet, Amazon's 8-inch Fire HD 8 Plus is a pint-sized wonder. Its screen quality isn't great, but if used with an optional dock, it essentially becomes an Echo Show.
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The champion of the best cheap tablets, the Apple iPad 10.2 (2021) offers everything its older predecessor, the iPad 10.2 (2020), offered and more. This tablet's marquee features include a gorgeous 10.2-inch screen with True Tone technology, so its colors and brightness automatically adjust to suit the light. True Tone proves especially useful for outdoor use, where you might be faced with bright sunlight.
The iPad 10.2 (2021) also offers a handy Center Stage feature when taking video calls, which means the camera keeps you in frame at all times. iPadOS 15 (or iPadOS 17, if you update to the latest version of Apple's OS) keeps things running well with easier-to-use multitasking features and the ability to place widgets anywhere on the screen, and Apple has confirmed that the iPad 10.2 (2021) will be compatible with iPadOS 18, too. In other words, you needn't worry about this iPad's longevity.
Amazon's best Fire tablet isn't the cheapest tablet around, but it's fairly solid if you're not fussed about having an extensive ecosystem to dig into. Nevertheless, you get some strong specs for not a lot of money with this device, including a Full HD 10.1-inch display that's well-suited for watching movies and playing games.
A reasonable 13 hours of battery life also means that the 2023 iteration of the Fire HD 10 has decent endurance for when you're on a lengthy trip. Its tough design should make it weather any bumps and knocks on said trip, too, just don't expect it to win many admiring looks, as its design is rather dated.
But there are some caveats here, including the fact that you're limited to playing within Amazon's walled garden of Fire OS, which includes lots of unremovable apps. And for people with the Fire HD 10 from 2021, we're not convinced that this is a compelling upgrade. But for those of you who want a tough and no-frills tablet, then the Fire HD 10 is definitely worth considering.
The Galaxy Tab A8 is Samsung's answer to Apple's best cheap tablet, which you've seen above. If you're looking for an Android-powered iPad rival on a budget, this is the slate you should consider. With Google's Android operating system providing plenty of flexibility, coupled with a large HD display, the 10.5-inch Tab A8 is great for movies and web browsing.
The 8-inch Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus is essentially the Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020), but just made a little bit better, so it's no wonder it's one of the best cheap tablets. It has more RAM at 3GB, supports wireless charging (so you can use it with an optional dock that brings it close to an Echo Show), and comes with a speedier charger than the standard Fire HD 8.
In this best cheap tablets guide, we've only included tablets that we've fully reviewed. That means that we've used every entry extensively and delivered a final verdict on them. That process includes testing every key feature and using them as our main tablet, just like a typical buyer would.
With that information, we know exactly which ones to include and which to exclude, and whenever a new cheap tablet is released, we'll compare it to the other entries in this list before deciding if or where it should be placed.
Tablets have come a long way in recent years; once rudimentary halfway points between smartphones and laptops, they now offer in-depth productivity and creativity functionality. But we're not interested in those bits, we want to know how they perform as portable media consumption devices.
Having a high-quality screen to take our movies and TV shows on the go makes long flights or train journeys feel a bit more bearable, especially now tablets are adopting some of the top AV features from flagship TVs like Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10+. Sound performance is also better than ever, with stereo speakers and Dolby Atmos included on many models. While it's not on this list, the Google Pixel Tablet even includes a magnetic speaker dock if you want to maximise sound performance for bigger spaces.
The iPad Pro that features on this list is about to be replaced by a new-fangled iPad Pro OLED model, and it's being joined by a new iPad Air too, which comes in two sizes now. Keep your eyes peeled, as it's likely you'll see at least one of those Apple tablets joining this list in the near future.
On this list, you'll find tablets made by Apple, Samsung and Amazon, with various models offering features and price points to accommodate various price points. That means you're certain to find a tablet that fits your budget and needs from this selection; all of which have been thoroughly tested and reviewed by our expert testers, meaning we can wholeheartedly recommend every entry.
The iPad has officially hit double digits with its latest iteration. This 2022 model marks the biggest change the standard iPad has undergone since the first one was introduced way back in 2010. This is most evident in the design, this 10th-generation tablet having shed its predecessor's monochromatic shell in favour of bright hues and squared-off edges.
The iPad Pro is much more than just a portable movie screen, though. The M2 processor inside gives it power to spare, while support for the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil (neither of which are included in the box, sadly) makes it a real productivity powerhouse.
The bezel has shrunk right down meaning that, while the device remains the same size as the previous generation, the screen itself is actually bigger. The picture quality is better too. The 500-nit LCD panel is less leaky for light than before, making videos look punchy and exciting.
Its sound has moved on leaps and bounds too, with a vastly improved level of dynamic expression to now match Apple's trademark crisp sense of timing. There are also speakers on both ends of the tablet, for the first time, meaning that you get a sense of cinematic sound even without headphones.
Improving on a previous What Hi-Fi? Award-winner was always going to be a tall task, especially without raising the price. But Amazon has cracked it, yet again, with the latest version of the HD10. So what's new? Not a huge amount, actually, but then the previous incarnation was already darn good and the few improvements here are small but significant.
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