The best budget tablets that are easy to use

Choosing the best tablet for you is no simple task. Many are extremely expensive and overpriced, with endless features that you're probably never going to use anyway. Why spend hundreds when you can get everything you'll ever need from one of our terrific budget tablets?

Doodling, listening to music on Spotify, playing Wordle or Double Bubble Bingo, watching your favourite films - it's never been easier or more exciting than it has with a proper tablet. You can even use tablets for work for note-taking, photography, or giving customers payment options if you own a business.

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What makes a good tablet?

So you're looking for a tablet? But where do you start? Do you trust a brand you know, or are you looking for something a little more technical?

First off, you may know the brand well, whether that's Samsung, Apple, or Amazon, but it doesn't guarantee that it'll be the right tablet for you.

For us, if you're looking for a quality tablet, there are some qualities you want to look out for; you're going to want a big screen - 10-inches or more should do it. Then there's resolution: if you're watching videos or films you'll at least want a full-HD TV so your entertainment looks eye-poppingly brilliant.

If you're planning on using it for work or for a good while in the evenings, then you'll want some great battery life that'll last you up to 8 hours at least. Storage is also key (especially for work), you're going to want some room for those downloaded Netflix films for the car journey. At least 32GB is preferable, but we'd recommend looking at tablets with 128GB for that added oomph.

Without further ado, here are the five best budget tablets on the market right now.

Best budget tablets

Specifications:

Camera: Rear camera 8MP, front camera 5MP
Battery: 7,040mAh and 15W Fast Charging
Screen: 10.4 inches
Resolution: 1200 by 1200 pixels
Storage: 64GB/128GB

Pros / cons:

Pros:
Includes a Stylus Pen
Great for watching films or TV series

Cons:
The performance can be quite slow at times

Overview:

This budget tablet has many features that exceed its price range with an excellent camera, a superb and clear display as well as a high-speed charging battery, there is very little this tablet isn't suited for. It also comes with a stylus pen which can be a pricey add-on, making it a great pick for creatives, artists or fiddly fingers. The tablet also has a 3.5mm headphone jack so you can charge and listen to your audio at the same time, unlike many Apple products.

Customer review: "I was super impressed with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. This model has an S Pen, which is slim like a real pen and works really well. I spent a few hours playing with fun features like Live Messages and AR doodle, and I love the fact that it can read handwriting and turn it into text on apps such as Facebook or Notes. I highly recommend this tablet to anyone."

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Specifications:

Camera: Rear camera 7MP, front camera 1.2MP
Battery: Up to 10 hours
Resolution: 1620 x 2160 pixels
Storage: 32GB/128GB

Pros / cons:

Pros:

The best value for money and excellent resolution
It is also compatible with other Apple devices
Fantastic Apple technology
High quality

Cons:

The front camera only has 1.2MP

Overview:

If you are after a high-quality tablet on a budget then the Apple iPad 10.2 is a great pick. This affordable Apple product will save you a fair bit of money without compromising on the features. This iPad has excellent performance due to its A12 Bionic chipset, as well as a good rear camera and a long-lasting battery life. The vibrant display and decent size display will allow you to watch video content and call others with great resolution.

You can also opt for a 32GB if you use it for general use or upgrade for a 128GB model for £100 if you are looking to store and take videos and photos. Additionally, despite this tablet being great for mainstream use, it can also be used as a secondary display (only via macOS devices using Catalina's SideCar) - perfect for working from home.

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Customer review: "Everything I wanted and more. This iPad was bought to replace my original iPad air. It is excellently balanced in all proportions. The weight, size and functionality are great. What really stands out about the iPad range and iOS, in general, is how intuitive it is to operate. My children have no problem in using it to make home movies, play games, write notes, watch films."

Specifications:

Camera: The rear camera is 2MP, front camera 2MP
Battery: Up to 12 hours
Screen: 8 inches
Resolution: 880 x 1280 pixels
Storage: 32GB/64GB

Pros / cons:

Pros:
Wireless charging
Affordable price.

Cons:
Weak camera system

Overview:

If you are looking for a cheap yet high-quality option, then the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus comes at amazing value for a little over £100. This tablet features a great camera, decent resolution and impressive battery life. If you are looking for a tablet to call family and watch TV and films and do everyday tasks, it will suit your needs. Plus, it has a wireless charging feature which is also very handy!

Customer review: "Absolutely delighted with the purchase. It's not the best tablet on the market, and nor is it going to be for the price. I'm using the tablet as a streaming device while working from home. You have access to all the apps you could need, and it works flawlessly with them. Battery life is brilliant; I was able to play Youtube videos and Spotify while working all day without the need to charge (battery life was only reduced by 50 per cent). This tablet would be best suited to streaming, browsing the internet, social media and office work such as Word and Excel."

Specifications:

Camera: The rear camera is 8MP, front camera 5MP
Battery: 7040mAh
Screen: 10.5 inches
Resolution: 1200 x 1920
Storage: 32GB

Pros / cons:

Pros:
Super speedy browsing
Solid cameras
Great screen size for late-night binge-watching

Cons:
Smallish memory might not be enough for you

Overview:

Samsung's reasonably priced, yet brilliantly powerful A8 is a great way to get browsing for cheap. It's speedy, it's powerful, it's easy to use, and great for games, films and more. What's not to love?

Review: "My old Samsung Galaxy Tab A2 is really good. I treated myself to this. Wow! Fast, fast, great size & aspect ratio, great battery life, great screen. 100% recommended, no debate. The split screen function turns it into a very small laptop. A game changer."

Specifications:

Camera: Rear camera 2MP, front camera 2MP
Battery: Up to 12 hours
Screen: 10.1 inches
Resolution: 1920 x 1200
Storage: 32GB/64GB

Pros / cons:

Pros:
Great crisp resolution
Large display

Cons:
Poor speaker quality

Overview:

If you were interested in the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus but would prefer a bigger screen and better resolution, then for only £20 more, you can get a larger screen with the Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet. This tablet boasts a 10.1-inch screen and a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels, making it a fantastic tablet for watching media.

Customer review: "OK, so firstly, this cannot be compared to an iPad in terms of performance. However, for the money, it’s brilliant!"

What do I need to consider when buying a tablet?

When purchasing a tablet it is good to consider what your primary use is for it. If it is for watching media then opt for a larger screen and clear display. If it is for reading and general day-to-day tasks then something smaller and portable would be more suitable.

What is the best screen resolution?

The screen resolution indicates how many pixels are on the screen. The higher the number of pixels, the sharper the images are displayed on the tablet.

If you will be using your tablet for creative and work tasks or watching media then you'll need a good screen resolution. Therefore we would recommend the Apple iPad 10.2, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Liteor the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5.

What features should I look for?

This entirely depends on what you will be using your iPad for, but a few key features to keep an eye on are the screen resolution, battery life and camera quality. If you know what to prioritise, choosing the right tablet for you is much more straightforward.

Are tablets good for work?

Tablets are fantastic for work - whether that's in your office, or for your small business. They're quick, easy to access, light and they're powerful. Their built-in cameras are great for convenient zoom meetings with a lot more flexibility than your standard laptop.

Of course, there are drawbacks - your tablet isn't going to have nearly as much storage as a laptop, nor the huge range of program access that a laptop has. Then there's typing - you may actually prefer typing on a touchscreen, but for most people, it's not as easy.

But don't worry! If you've got a tablet and still want to use a keyboard, there are plenty of options available for you.

Specifications:

Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB
Compatible devices: Windows / Android / iOS
Special features: Backlit, rechargeable

Pros / cons:

Pros:
Affordable
Great tactile feel
Well-made

Cons:
Some users had initial setup issues

Overview:

A nifty little keyboard that'll take up basically no space in your work bag, the overall feel of the keyboard is wonderful, and is perfect for a long day of work. Connect to your tablet via Bluetooth or USB and simply recharge when you need it.

Customer review: Great quality, nice build and nice travel on the keyboard, very light and portable, whilst not compromising on build quality. I enjoy typing on the keys, being backlit it's perfect in the dark, an essential for iPad or tablet users. The trackpad has a nice click mechanism and the keyboard is comfortable to type on, I like the colour of the backlighting too.