How to choose an inexpensive tablet

With the development of mobile electronics, tablets have become significantly cheaper. Today, even a relatively productive device can be purchased for $ 100-150, especially at the sale of some Chinese online store. However, not all budget tablets are equally useful.

How to choose an inexpensive tablet: characteristics that need attention

The overall usability of the tablet consists of two factors - its technical characteristics and usability. The first is responsible for performance, the second is manifested in the design. And in order for the tablet to remain “quick” enough for a long time, you need to pay attention to the following parameters:

1. The installed operating system (Windows, Android, both - the so-called dualboot);

2. The amount of RAM;

3. The amount of permanent memory;

4. The characteristics of the processor.

5. The following factors affect usability:

6. Diagonal display;

7. Display resolution;

8. The presence of a slot for a SIM card;

9. Camera resolution.

operating system

Almost all modern tablets work on one of two operating systems - either Windows 10, or Android. There are also dualboot configurations - with both of these “axes” pre-installed on the device. It is extremely rare to see “exotic” variants with Ubuntu or Remix OS, but due to the limited nature of their market, such tablets can be ignored.

Windows 10 is a workhorse. On this operating system, you can run familiar desktop applications like Microsoft Office or even some games.

Android is a multimedia entertainment center. For this operating system there are tens of thousands of free and shareware games that are optimized for touch control. On Android, it's convenient to watch movies and play music.

Dualboot combines the advantages of these two operating systems, allowing you to switch between them.

RAM size

RAM determines the background speed of the operating system, especially in multitasking mode. The more, the better.

For normal operation, Windows 10 requires at least 2 GB of RAM. Android is less “voracious” and can work on configurations with 1 GB of RAM with minimal problems.

Amount of permanent memory

The permanent memory stores user data — installed programs, downloaded files, snapshots received on the camera, etc. Therefore, the larger it is, the better.

The minimum amount of permanent memory required for normal operation of Windows 10 is 32 GB. Android is also no different appetite for this. You can even work comfortably on a device with 16 GB of permanent memory. For dualboot, even 32 GB is relatively small, but configurations with 64 GB are quite expensive.

You can increase the amount of space available for storing personal data by inserting a memory card. If you plan to keep on the tablet a lot of video, music or documents, it is recommended to choose models with a MicroSD slot.

CPU features

The clock frequency and the number of processing cores of the processor determine the overall performance of the tablet - how well it will cope with certain tasks. But it is worth remembering that the main thing here is not to overdo it. Processors with a high clock frequency (more than 1.8-2.0 GHz) are highly “voracious” and therefore quickly discharge the battery.

The minimum value of the characteristics of the processor is 1.3 GHz and 2 cores for both operating systems. Better, of course, more, but the main thing - to meet the budget.

Display diagonal

Traditionally, the "tablet" is a device that has a display diagonal of 10 inches. This screen is comfortable enough to display information. 8-inch displays lose in the amount of visual content that fits on the image, but not much - but much smaller.

For a child fit 8-inch or even more compact. For work or study it is better to take a 10-inch.

Display resolution

The resolution of the display determines that the image will be so “smooth” and pleasing to the eye. But this has a downside - the higher it is, the stronger the screen will discharge the battery.

The best option for a budget tablet is the resolution of HD - 1280 × 720 pixels. Even on a 10-inch screen of this type, individual points will not be visible. Smaller resolution is advisable to choose only with a smaller diagonal of the tablet. More is similar.

The presence of a slot for a SIM card

The presence of a SIM card slot determines whether the tablet can access the Internet via mobile networks, or whether it only needs Wi-Fi. With a SIM card is much more convenient. It allows you to use your tablet while browsing web content, even where there is no Wi-Fi.

Camera resolution

Resolution is one of the optical characteristics that determine how well a camera will shoot. Also, the quality of the photographs is influenced, for example, by the type of sensor or lens aperture.

For everyday shots, a camera with a resolution of 5-8 megapixels will suffice. Smaller will lead to a significant deterioration in image quality. Greater resolution is certainly good, but it also increases the cost of the tablet.

Summary

But the main thing when choosing a tablet - search for a suitable manufacturer or brand. The market of ultrabudgetary devices is now represented mainly by Chinese "noname". When buying from a similar manufacturer, no guarantee is issued, and the quality is unlikely to be high enough.

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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a guide to purchase.