Are cheap tablets worth it?

Just a short time ago there was no such thing as a bargain tablet – at least no such thing as a bargain tablet that was worth buying.

Over the last year or so there has been a rapid move towards manufacturers making much cheaper tablets available. No longer do we have to fork out for an iPad if we want the convenience and ease of use of a tablet – but are any of the cheap ones any good?

Here’s a quick rundown of just some that are available in 2013 and going into 2014.

What should you look out for?

With a cheap tablet you obviously won’t have anywhere near the same kind of spec and performance as you can expect from an iPad 4, and this needs to be taken into account. If you’re spending less than £200 then it will be affected in terms of performance.

However, you need to keep an eye on storage and screen size, how powerful its processor is, how long the battery is likely to last and its dimensions. Pretty much all of the cheap tablets come with Android, meaning you will be reliant on Google Play. However, this is no bad thing as there are loads of apps available and plenty of games to choose from.

One of the most popular games played on tablets and handheld devices now are online casinos and gambling sites, whether that’s bingo or a more traditional online casino that offers online poker and roulette or games like reel thunder – all of these will be playable on a cheap tablet as well as the more expensive versions.

Some cheap and cheerful options

The GoClever Tab R974 is around £179 and although it does show its bargain basement credentials in terms of its build quality and screen resolution, it has a really impressive set of features and its performance is good and reliable. It’s a 10 inch tablet and if that’s what you’re after then you could definitely do worse than this one.

Even cheaper is the Barnes & Noble Nook HD which can be picked up for around £159. At that price it’s an absolute bargain and offers a really easy to use tablet at an almost unbeatable price. It’s simple and basic but it works and it looks good – a really good choice.

One of the very cheapest available is the Tesco Hudl that comes in at around £119. It has a really pleasing design and works far better than you’d expect given its price tag. It has a very nice quality seven inch screen, a Micro HDMI port and a microSD card slot.