Best cheap Android tablets in 2023

It wasn’t all that long ago that budget Android tablets weren’t worth your money unless “

Amazon

” or “Fire” were included in the product’s name. Thankfully, that’s changed quite a bit in the last few years to where we now have an impressive crop of Android tablets, all under $300. Whether you are looking for a streaming tablet to binge your favorite show in bed or trying to find a productivity device for home or school, there are multiple quality options from trusted manufacturers.

There’s also a recent trend of tablet-optimized Android

apps

designed for larger, tablet-size screens instead of smartphones. And thanks to ever-increasing hardware capability and efficiency, you will have the best selection of low-cost tablets ever. Tablets are available at nearly any price point, such as the Xiaomi Redmi Pad, equipped with features like high refresh rates and tons of RAM, which we are used to having only with expensive tablets.

Our favorite budget Android tablets in 2023

Xiaomi phones and tablets aren’t incredibly popular in the United States, but they’re pretty common in parts of Europe and India. The last Xiaomi tablet we got our hands on was the Xiaomi Pad 5, which felt like a slightly more affordable version of the sleek iPad Air. Released in October 2022, the Redmi Pad doesn’t cost as much but has a similarly great fit and finish, including a one-piece metal chassis with clean lines and a classy look.

Inside, it’s packed with better hardware than a tablet this price has a right to. For just over $200, you get 128GB of storage and 4GB of RAM, with an optional upgrade to 6GB of system memory. There is a 64GB/3GB version available, but it’s not much cheaper, and those extra gigs can make a difference. Combine the capable components with the high-resolution display operating at 90 hertz and up to 400 nits, and it’s hard to imagine a better balance of price and performance.

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2

Premium pick

Best-in-class display for all your binging needs

A high-end OLED display sets the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2 apart from most of the competition. It’s also even thinner than most, at a hair under 7 millimeters. If that’s not enough, it’s also one of the few with an optional matching keyboard and stylus, which are both top-notch.

Pros

• Top-of-the-line OLED display
• Great Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers
• Optional mated keyboard and stylus

Cons

• Relatively costly
• Subpar front camera

With its best-in-class 11.2-inch OLED display, the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2 is a fantastic deal for its current sub-$300 price tag. Even with its 2.5K resolution and excellent speakers, the P11 Pro is more than just a pretty display. Lenovo has added productivity modes that function like a desktop machine, and if paired with the optional keyboard case, it becomes a great device for work or school.

Samsung Galaxy

Tab A7 Lite

Best value

Samsung

‘s great OneUI for less money

Almost the lowest-price model from an established brand, the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is a relatively focused-use device with tons of value. Although it’s not super versatile since it can’t multitask or run resource-intensive apps smoothly, it’s still perfect for streaming movies or sports and browsing the web.

Pros

• As affordable as they get
• The premium Samsung OneUI OS variant
• Compact and relatively durable

Cons

• Resolution could be better
• Lags a bit when loading complex apps

If you’re looking for the latest OneUI software experience on a budget, the Tab A7 Lite is hard to beat. It features a capable 1080p display and solid build quality that punches above its $125 price tag. Its performance won’t turn many heads and don’t expect it to be a gaming beast, but it’s a great budget model for streaming and light web browsing.

TCL TabMax 10.4

Tons of storage

Storage for all your games, music, and movies

Combining 6GB of RAM and 256GB of storage makes this an easy choice for anyone with a huge media collection and resource-intensive video games. Its Snapdragon 665 chipset isn’t too shabby, either, especially in light of the low price. It’s a mere 7.7 millimeters thick and weighs 470 grams, making it one the lithest sub-$300 tablets around.

Pros

• Tons of storage space
• Supports 18W fast charging
• Good for gaming

Cons

• Lacks DRM for some HD streaming services
• Has just two speakers of medium quality

Not content with only leading the budget-friendly TV market, TCL’s dropped a handful of respectable midrange mobile devices in the last couple of years. The TabMax 10.4 is one such high-performing tablet at a good price.

The first thing that caught our eye was the 256GB of internal storage, meaning you’ll basically never have to wait around while app loading slows to a crawl. The Snapdragon 665 chipset does an admirable job at a smooth Android experience and can even handle reasonably complex games. If you’re considering using any online streaming services, though, be warned: It lacks the Widevine L1 DRM protection needed to use services like Netflix or Amazon Prime in anything better than 480p.

Source: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 2022

Affordable midrange

S-pen users will love this value

$250

$350

Save

$100

The Tab S6 Lite was such a well-made tablet in its 2020 release that Samsung decided to refresh the software and re-release it in 2022. So while the hardware isn’t the absolute newest, it offers a great experience no matter what you’re using it for. It’s even good enough to run a wide variety of Android games.

Pros

• Great performance
• Seamless Android experience
• Includes the excellent S Pen stylus

Cons

• Below-average camera resolution

It’s no secret that Samsung’s developed one of the most user-friendly Android flavors, which is on full display with the midrange Tab S6 Lite. The Snapdragon 720G processor performs notably better than Samsung’s in-house Exynos chipsets, and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity are as seamless as they get. The only significant issue is that we wish Samsung had reduced the MSRP on this technically two-year-old tablet, but you can often find it at a discount.

Source: Lenovo

Lenovo Tab M10 Plus

High-value and low cost

Suburb entry-level blend of display and performance

If you’re looking for a basic tablet for media consumption but don’t want to make a big investment, the Tab M10 Plus is worth a look. Its screen has a higher resolution and peak brightness than many others at this price, and the cameras work a little better too. It’s not meant for seriously resource-hogging apps, though, as the most affordable models are limited to 3GB of RAM.

Pros

• Affordable for a 10″ tablet
• Surprisingly nice display
• Designed for horizontal use

Cons

• Not suitable for multitasking
• Built-in speakers aren’t great

For its third act, the Lenovo Tab M10 Plus offers quite the value if you want an all-day streaming tablet with 2K resolution. With over 12 hours of video playback on a single charge, the M10 Plus allows you to get through an entire season of your favorite show. While it’s not exactly a powerhouse with its Helio G80 processor, it is more than capable of daily tasks, and when you factor in the current price of $125, it becomes a worthy budget contender.

Source: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8

Best 8″ model

Great battery life in a compact form factor

The Galaxy Tab A8 isn’t much different from the Tab A7, and that’s a good thing. However, it’s a bit brighter, will receive software updates for a year longer than its predecessor, and comes with updated Android software. If you’re looking for a simple and compact slate at a good price, this is it.

Pros

• Lightweight and compact
• Already received Android 13
• Above-average battery life

Cons

• Not the best-in-class performance

We love the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 as much as we loved its predecessor, thanks to its good performance, low price, and flawless Android implementation. It’s not exactly a performance powerhouse, but the user-friendly experience tends to make up for that. In particular, its long battery life and fast charging make it especially convenient for streaming your favorite shows at a moment’s notice.

Lenovo Duet 3

Best 2-in-1 tablet

Flexibility for both home and office

Lenovo’s Duet series has a bit of an identity crisis. It uses Chrome OS instead of Android, so the experience is somewhat different in that it more closely acts like a laptop than a tablet in some ways. Add to that the included keyboard, and you’ll end up with a highly versatile device good for casual use and a little work and play.

Pros

• Great for word processing
• Keyboard is included
• Chrome OS experience is improving

Cons

• Underpowered for some types of work
• Fewer ports than most laptops

The Lenovo Duet is a far better option for word processing and other work than most tablets due mostly to the surprisingly great keyboard that comes with it. Running on Chrome OS, it’s a touch more suitable for larger windows and does a great job with the modern cloud apps that remote workers usually use. However, while it does a decent job at a tablet and laptop-lite replacement, it doesn’t entirely excel at either. For instance, it only has two USB ports, unlike even many low-cost full-on laptops.

Source: Amazon

Amazon Fire HD 8 (2022)

Bargain basement winner

Unbeatable value for the price

Amazon’s Fire HD series is as basic as they get. It uses Amazon’s own FireOS Android fork, which means it’s great for shopping or using Prime Video, but you can’t use the

Google

Play Store. Nonetheless, it’s the perfect option for the most casual users or those who want to get a tablet for their kid.

Pros

• As affordable as they get
• Streamlined Amazon experience

Cons

• No Google Play Store access
• Subpar general performance

With its combination of functionality and software support, it’s hard to beat the Amazon Fire HD 8 for under $100. Amazon promises four years of support for FireOS. While the lack of some Android features and the Play Store is an annoyance to some, it ensures that Amazon can control the user experience. It’s not only supported for those four years, but the performance you get on day one is often the performance you get down the line. If you’re comfortable with a little side-loading for Google’s apps, the Fire HD 8 is worth your money.

What you need to know about cheap Android tablets

A newcomer to our list, the Xiaomi Redmi Pad is the clear-cut favorite in terms of price and features. It’s fast, has plenty of storage and RAM, sports a better screen than nearly any other, and costs surprisingly little. It’s actually hard to find anything better without spending well over $300. It even comes in a fun Mint Green color if the standard Gray and Black are too plain for you.

But it’s not the only great option. The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2, which earned our Premium Pick, is especially great if you move up one level to the version with 6GB of RAM. The TCL TabMax 10.4 is another affordable option that offers relatively premium inclusions, like a whopping 256GB of internal storage.

It’s also a great time to buy if you’re on a tight budget. The 3rd-generation Lenovo Tab M10 Plus performs especially well for the cost. For a nearly unbeatable price, consider our Best Value pick, the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite, which is great for streaming media. Finally, the Amazon Fire HD 8 is as affordable as they get, but remember, it can’t access the Google Play Store.

Xiaomi Redmi Pad

Best overall

Great value for the features offered

Just about everything on the Xiaomi Redmi Pad is above average, especially when you factor in its low price. A luxurious unibody construction and a large display with a high refresh rate, resolution, and peak brightness contribute to its premium appearance. It also sports powerful components and four Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers, and you can choose from three configurations, including one with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage.