Best cheap Android tablets in 2024
It’s safe to say the Android tablet experience has never been better, with manufacturers like Samsung leading the way with high-end slates. Plus, there’s an ever-increasing developer focus on optimizing apps for tablets’ hardware and form factors. In fact, until recent years, finding a truly satisfying non-smartphone Android device — without breaking the bank — proved downright difficult. Thankfully, we’re now seeing an arms race of mid-range tablets great at introducing new users to the Android tablet space.
Of course, there are still plenty of duds, and some affordable models from just a couple of years ago are borderline obsolete already. Luckily, the list of worthwhile, affordable options is only increasing and includes some usual suspects as well as some newcomers that tech fans stateside don’t hear much hype about. We’ve tested a great deal of these hands-on with real-world workloads and are happy to share that reports of the cheap Android tablet’s death are, in fact, greatly exaggerated.
Top budget Android tablets right now
Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE
Best overall
Seriously impressive specs for the price
Despite its limited US launch, the Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE packs an incredible hardware punch at a wallet-friendly price. Driven by a reasonably capable SoC and an optional 8GB of RAM, it performs better than its closest competitors and sports a smooth, good-looking display.
- Up to 8GB of RAM
- High peak brightness and contrast
- Has a headphone jack
- Subpar eMMC internal storage
- Slow 10W charging
Despite not offering its products officially in the United States, Xiaomi is a familiar name in this part of the world. And if you are keen on getting your hands on their products, there are resellers that import and sell them through e-commerce sites like Amazon. The Redmi Pad SE is an example of a Xiaomi product that did not officially launch in the US but can be purchased here nonetheless, and it is one of the best budget Android tablets on the market.
For a tablet that starts at a reasonable price point, the Redmi Pad SE exceeds expectations. From its aluminum body to its gorgeous 90Hz 11-inch LCD panel to its quad speakers and excellent battery life, the Redmi Pad SE doesn’t fail to impress. The base model offers 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, so you might be better off picking up the configuration with more RAM for better performance.