Tablets have been around for a while, and many people love them for reading, surfing the web, and emailing. If you need something in between a phone and a laptop, Consumer Reports has some tips for finding the right tablet at the right price.
If you’re looking for a tablet to surf the web or for your kids to watch videos, the good news is you don’t have to spend a lot.
There are a couple of nice options under $100. That’s right—under $100! That includes the Consumer Reports-recommended Amazon Fire HD 8 (32 gigabytes) for about $90. It has an 8-inch screen, expandable storage, and an impressive battery life of more than 15 hours.
An even less expensive option is the older Amazon Fire 7 (16GB) for about $50. With a 6.9-inch screen, it’s lightweight and is a decent choice for checking email or reading the news.
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Both of these Amazon tablets allow restricted profiles for kids, which makes them a great option for families.
That’s also true for Samsung’s 2019 Galaxy Tab A 8.0 WiFi (32GB) for about $130. It’s one of the best tablets under $300 in Consumer Reports’ exclusive ratings. It has a good 8-inch display and received an 'excellent' score for predicted reliability.
Or if you want something a little larger, consider last year’s Apple iPad (64GB) for about $330. It has a high-quality 10.2-inch display and has excellent speed for everyday tasks.
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These are great little tablets that earn 'excellent' scores in almost every category, including owner satisfaction and performance.
If you need more of a workhorse tablet, one that might even replace a laptop for tasks like video editing, and you have some money to burn, consider the top-of-the-line model, Apple’s iPad Pro (128GB) with a 12.9-inch screen for about $1,100. It’s faster than most other tablets in Consumer Reports’ ratings. It takes excellent photos and video, has a top-quality display, and is very easy to use.
One thing to keep in mind when choosing a tablet: Not all app stores are created equal. Both Google and Apple’s app stores have much more to offer than what’s available for Fire OS.
