Android Need recommendation - cheap tablet for reading docs

mysticrainman

mysticrainman

Level E
Need recommendation for a cheap Android tablet (but still vfm) (also what budget should I be targeting?
Use case would be mostly reading documents (Especially those shared via internet like whatsapp). I don't plan to do a lot of media consumption (especially I won't game) but the os experience should not be too much laggy/buggy.

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You sure you want an Android? Older iPads are really good for what you need
Still if you need an Android Tablet, try finding a used Mi Pad 5? (needs a custom rom but that's relatively easy to install imo and very worth it.)
Also can't say about the budget, it would be great if you could specify one yourself
 
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Rednekol said:
Older iPads are really good for what you need
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In some groups, some people were saying that Opening downloading pdf on WhatsApp on iPad is troublesome. I've never used an apple product so I have no idea honestly.

Additionally I don't know about older iPads (which ones should i target) or their tentative pricing.

A used Mi pad 5 would still be way out of my budget. I don't want to spend much for my very limited use case
 
I cannot recommend you which one to buy. But I can say which one to avoid.

Say away from Lenovo Tablets, looks good, fits budget but after sometime it was a hellish experience and shows the true face. Very sluggish UI and rare updates and lots of bloat.
 
Pls define cheap. What's your budget?
I have used Samsung tablet (forgot which series but one from 2020), more than enough for your purpose. But it's laggy. I had to ditch it because it couldn't even open certain websites in their full view properly. Later bought an used iPad 9th gen (the one with big bezel) and the user experience was infinitely better. And the websites opened properly too (like they do on PC). Paid about 20k for it. However, the same file manager mess applies. Lack of system wide file manager is just .... well. In any case, if my budget is strictly in the range of 10-12k only Android might be considered, otherwise, absolutely not.
 
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I was/am in a similar boat. To best of my knowledge, if a used redmi pad5 4GB can be purchased in the range 10K, that would serve the purpose.
 
I've put android since I'm assuming that no good iPad would be available within 10k-15k. Please guide if otherwise.

Android - Need recommendation - cheap tablet for reading docs

Need recommendation for a cheap Android tablet (but still vfm) (also what budget should I be targeting? Use case would be mostly reading documents (Especially those shared via internet like whatsapp). I don't plan to do a lot of media consumption (especially I won't game) but the os experience...
techenclave.com techenclave.com
 
Samsung Tab A8 maybe? I have it and it's very good. Browsing, watching videos and opening apps are snappy, though split screen takes a second to load. Cameras aren't the best for document scanning as well, it takes some time to focus. But under 15k, it's probably the best tab now. Or consider a used iPad
 
mysticrainman said:
Have you used an old iPad comparable to your a8 or any cheap android tablet? Which would you recommend considering my use case?
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Yes, I used to own a 6 year old iPad Mini 4 before switching to this. I sold it late last year. Was thinking of getting 9th gen iPad but I figured that it wasn't worth for my usage.
The tablet was good for the first 3 years before it started running into problems. Display and battery went kaput, and Apple authorized service center said it would be cheaper to get a new iPad. So I got it fixed at a third party service center, but new battery life was disastrous. With newer iOS updates, it started getting slower as well (it took a few seconds to load apps and I could notice stutters when opening app folders and switching between apps). For browsing and general usage though, I didn't notice much of a difference between the iPad and my A8, probably because of iOS optimization.
Maybe see if you can get an iPad under 2 yrs old, I'm not too sure how the iPad market works now, but there should be some used 9th gen iPads under 20k at least.
 
DestGod said:
Yes, I used to own a 6 year old iPad Mini 4 before switching to this. I sold it late last year. Was thinking of getting 9th gen iPad but I figured that it wasn't worth for my usage.
The tablet was good for the first 3 years before it started running into problems. Display and battery went kaput, and Apple authorized service center said it would be cheaper to get a new iPad. So I got it fixed at a third party service center, but new battery life was disastrous. With newer iOS updates, it started getting slower as well (it took a few seconds to load apps and I could notice stutters when opening app folders and switching between apps). For browsing and general usage though, I didn't notice much of a difference between the iPad and my A8, probably because of iOS optimization.
Maybe see if you can get an iPad under 2 yrs old, I'm not too sure how the iPad market works now, but there should be some used 9th gen iPads under 20k at least.
Click to expand...
Appreciate the detailed response. 20k is way above my budget and any iPad below that would not be worth it as per your review.
 
I read mostly pdfs and bought a used ipad for 8k. I would say ipad is the best for reading docs. Recently bought a new ipad as well since most apps are not supported on older version
 
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