Mid range tablet recommendation .

[Salty seadog]

I'm thinking about getting a tablet. Mid range will do I think. Not even going to consider Apple products.
Probably android but will take on board pros and cons of other OS.

Mostly Internet access, streaming, media playing. Not gaming.

Would prefer to have an SD card slot, WiFi, Bluetooth if possible.
Do you get ones with both WiFi and sim connectivity? The sim connection is not important.

 

[fossyant]

One of the cheaper Samsung models possibly. The Amazon Fire 10 is good for not much !

 

[midlife]

Tablets are really pretty cheap nowadays, I'm on a Lenovo which is a couple of years old but would cost less than 70 quid now. How big and how much do you want to spend?

 

[Salty seadog]

Tablets are really pretty cheap nowadays, I'm on a Lenovo which is a couple of years old but would cost less than 70 quid now. How big and how much do you want to spend?

Well I'd like a resolvable size screen, I think they tend to be around 10'. Any smaller and I may as well stick with the phone.

Price is not a big issue but I'm not looking at the high end £700+ jobs. Half that would likely be a maximum. I want some performance from it and longevity.

 

[ColinJ]

@welsh dragon and I are pleased with our new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1" model As. That is the 2019 model (there are different ones). No SIM socket but there is an SD card slot, wifi, bluetooth.

They seem to have gone up in price since I bought mine just before Christmas but you should still be able to get one for under £200.

Mine immediately updated itself to the latest version of Android so that should keep you going a few years!

 

[Salty seadog]

@welsh dragon and I are pleased with our new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1" model As. That is the 2019 model (there are different ones). No SIM socket but there is an SD card slot, wifi, bluetooth.

They seem to have gone up in price since I bought mine just before Christmas but you should still be able to get one for under £200.

Mine immediately updated itself to the latest version of Android so that should keep you going a few years!

Ok, I assume they are good for 4-5 OS updates like phones are?

 

[welsh dragon]

@welsh dragon and I are pleased with our new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1" model As. That is the 2019 model (there are different ones). No SIM socket but there is an SD card slot, wifi, bluetooth.

They seem to have gone up in price since I bought mine just before Christmas but you should still be able to get one for under £200.

Mine immediately updated itself to the latest version of Android so that should keep you going a few years!

As Colin says, I am quite happy with my tablet. Great tablet for the price.

 

[Drago]

Mine has both Wiffy and 4G sim connectivity. Not being a smartphone fanboi it gets shoved in my man bag and toted along on my travels quite a lot.

Its a Galaxy Tab Active 2. I think the current version is now called Tab Active Pro, or somesuch, and Samsung are now up to Gen 3. Available in 8. a bit and 10 inch sizes. Not the last word in super dooper performance by any means, although its not at all slow and laggy.

But its major plus point is it comes as standard with a proper snug fitting bumper case, and is IP67 waterproof, so its not as fragile or requires hamdling with any particular,ar care like regular tablets. This makes it the ideal companion for a ruffty tuffty sort like me who totes it everywhere on his travels, or for a chap like you who moves about a lot for his work.

In fact, hang on another year and i'll be due an upgrade and will sell this one!

 

[Salty seadog]

Mine has both Wiffy and 4G sim connectivity. Not being a smartphone fanboi it gets shoved in my man bag and toted along on my travels quite a lot.

Its a Galaxy Tab Active 2. I think the current version is now called Tab Active Pro, or somesuch, and Samsung are now up to Gen 3. Available in 8. a bit and 10 inch sizes. Not the last word in super dooper performance by any means, although its not at all slow and laggy.

But its major plus point is it comes as standard with a proper snug fitting bumper case, and is IP67 waterproof, so its not as fragile or requires hamdling with any particular,ar care like regular tablets. This makes it the ideal companion for a ruffty tuffty sort like me who totes it everywhere on his travels, or for a chap like you who moves about a lot for his work.

In fact, hang on another year and i'll be due an upgrade and will sell this one!

If it carries on like this I just want to say I don't want you offering me your year old y fronts. No matter how much you want to pay me.

Cheers though I'll have a look at that model.

 

[ColinJ]

Ok, I assume they are good for 4-5 OS updates like phones are?

I'm assuming so... As I say, mine has already been brought up to date.

My old Samsung tablet only got 2 updates but I was able to use it for about 5 years before it became incapable of running the latest apps. I still use it for playing simple games on though. I bought it in 2012.

I would be very surprised if I couldn't get at least 5 years out of the Tab A.

 

[BoldonLad]

Youngest daughter bought a SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab A7 10.4" Tablet - 32 GB (currently about £179 at PC World), at beginning of lockdown 1. It has WiFi but no SIM. She uses her in-house Wifi, or, if "out and about" her mobile phone personal hotspot to connect to internet. She is very happy with it, after almost a year of use.

I have an iPad, no complaints, but, you said you did not want Apple.

 

[Cycleops]

Shame you're not considering an iPad as it's really the best tablet you can buy. Android OS is optimised for phones and you'll find many apps just won't work properly.
iOS is just such a joy and a breeze to use. We have a Tab A and a iPad Air and the Air is just light years ahead of the A.
I think you can get the basic iPad for about £250 and it will do all you want and very intuitive to use. Well worth it imho.

 

[Salty seadog]

Shame you're not considering an iPad as it's really the best tablet you can buy. Android OS is optimised for phones and you'll find many apps just won't work properly.
iOS is just such a joy and a breeze to use. We have a Tab A and a iPad Air and the Air is just light years ahead of the A.
I think you can get the basic iPad for about £250 and it will do all you want and very intuitive to use. Well worth it imho.

My reason is this.

I've had android phones from year dot. Always been perfectly usable. Also there is no compatibility problems.

My issue with apple stuff is that you pay for it but they own it. You can only use certain software, must buy overpriced specific cables etc.
Not for me.

 

[gom]

Shame you're not considering an iPad as it's really the best tablet you can buy. Android OS is optimised for phones and you'll find many apps just won't work properly.
iOS is just such a joy and a breeze to use. We have a Tab A and a iPad Air and the Air is just light years ahead of the A.
I think you can get the basic iPad for about £250 and it will do all you want and very intuitive to use. Well worth it imho.

Agree 100%. Got a Samsung Galaxy of some sort some years back and it was always slow and flakey. After a couple of years of limited use (apps kept failing) was recommended to get an iPad. One of the best bits of computer tech I have ever bought. Just works, and is easy to use.

 

[stephec]

I've been using a Lynx tablet with Windows 10 on it for a couple of years, detachable keyboard and 11" screen; it's got WiFi, Bluetooth, and an SD card slot.

Unless I need to type up a lot of text in one go I hardly ever use my laptop now.

I suppose it all depends on what you want it for, a mini computer, or something to replicate the apps on your phone?