Ask Slashdot: Are There Any Good Android Tablets Out There?
- Reference: 0180058062
- News link: https://ask.slashdot.org/story/25/11/12/2213205/ask-slashdot-are-there-any-good-android-tablets-out-there
- Source link:
> For a user with an Android phone and who's happy to stick within the Google ecosystem, an Android tablet might seem like the more obvious choice over an iPad. Of course, iPads are a lot more popular, and asking about Android tablets is likely to invite advice about sticking with what everyone else has.
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> The Slashdot community on the other hand -- being a discerning and thoughtful crowd -- might have some experience in this area and be willing to share the pros and cons they have found.
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> The use case is someone not requiring any heavy usage -- no video editing or gaming -- just email, browsing, YouTube, video calls, and that sort of thing.
[1] https://slashdot.org/~hadleyburg
Any of them? (Score:3)
If those are your only requirements, even the cheapest Kindle Fire is probably good enough.
Re: (Score:1)
Can it handle porn? That would be the primary use.
Oh, and being waterproof would be a huge bonus.
Fire (Score:2)
I have an 8" Fire for playing basic strategy games, looking at manuals, and light web browsing. It's good for that, and cheap. I side-loaded the Google store, which is much better than the Amazon store. I used to have a Nexus 7 that I loved, but I don't think they make Nexus tablets any more.
Kindle Fire (Score:2)
I have used Kindle Fire's of different versions over the years, (I get a lot of my content from Amazon) but I hear that future versions of the Fire will not be compatible with the android system.
(and don't call it a Fire Tablet, that is the name of a specific Holy Text that been around for more than a century.)
Re: (Score:2)
I have a Samsung 7" tablet that I use mostly for reading, and have never had any complaint about it or the previous one (which I dropped on a cement floor and broke). I previously had a Nexus 7, which was great until it no longer would take a charge (by which time it was discontinued) and I got the first Samsung. I like the 7" form factor because it fits nicely in an interior jacket pocket so that I can take it and read while my wife shops, and have never had any issue with extra apps being installed as s
Yes! (Score:2)
Get a Surface Pro tablet and run the Android emulator on there.
Re: (Score:2)
Ouch, the price is worse than iPad prices!
No because... (Score:3)
... the latest versions of Android put too many "protections" in place that prevent usability.
Yes, there are good android tablets (Score:2)
I'm happy with my Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 Fe from 2022. It still works great and does all the things I need it to do, which is all the same things the questioner asked for. Performance is snappy. No complaints.
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, I'm using a 10.5" Galaxy Tab, forget which model, but a bit older one. All I really use it for is reading though.
Re: (Score:3)
My home tablet is an A9+. Got it on a Black Friday sale for $250 last year, and we use it to cast Netflix to our Samsung TV. My son also uses it for games. Works great. Not speedy, but we don't need it to be. (If you need speedy, get the S-series, but it's at least double the price.)
Re: (Score:2)
Same. It's so old the battery won't last six hours, but it still works fine. The sound quality is great, too.
Re: (Score:2)
I've got the Galaxy Tab 6A Lite, and use it for the purposes described by the OP, plus some light gaming, no problems, and it's a few years old now. It replaced a Tab 3 which still has good life in it as well, more the OS is aging out than anything.
Been happy with both investments, FWIW.
Re: (Score:2)
Great fucking tablet (non-FE was, at least) - only problem is no DV :(
Ended up getting a Lenovo for that... but it's a flat-out inferior tablet compared to the Galaxy.
There is no Great Tablet That Does All The HDR Goodies My iPad Does, sadly.
The biggest damn shame on the Galaxy, is that gorgeous ass screen is wasted by only being able to do HDR10+
Re: (Score:2)
I replaced my Galaxy Tab S6 with an S10 Ultra, and the new one is just too big for my druthers. I didn't realize that it wouldn't fit as well in places like my backpack's tablet pouch, and it's heavy. The pen might be good for some users, but I haven't found a place that I would use it.
On the plus side, windowed apps seem theoretically nice, although I haven't yet used them in anger.
why is this in my feed (Score:1)
This is such a lazy question, and very disappointing Slashdot posted this. Go do your own research!
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Heck, why stop there?!
Any self-respecting Slashdotter would DESIGN AND BUILD THEIR OWN TABLET! And fork their own custom Linux distro to run on it!
Re: why is this in my feed (Score:1)
Your mom asked me to fork her distro.. but I told her To Linux with the rest of the slashdotter moms
Re: (Score:2)
Well... there are plenty of Slashdot users here who would pretend that they have the skills to develop their own fork of Android to suit their needs. Far less that could actually pull it off, and I'd imagine that their are a few. Sadly, when they do pull it off and it becomes popular, they'll probably report about on some paywalled site like The Verge so most people here can't read about it.
Re: (Score:2)
This isn't going to happen because anyone with the skills to do it has already learned the lesson: "Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should."
Re: (Score:2)
why are you even here?! go make your own news!!
news for nerds. stuff that matters!
while in the USA apple rules, the rest of the work prefer not wasting their money and wants good android table for the money... problem, that is a rare hardware, the race to bottom means you have many cheap and bad tables and few good ones. This is a valid question. Samsung and Lenovo are taken usually as the last good enough tablets, but with some downsides... maybe other people know other alternatives, specially ones that c
Re: (Score:3)
I disagree. I'm glad this is here. I've done a lot of research and still don't know the answer to the original question. I welcome others' input on this. Sounds, though, that my initial finding is correct. The answer is, no. Android tablets all suck.
Re: (Score:2)
I get that you are new here but this is literally the reason for the "Ask Slashdot" category on Slashdot. Complaining that some one used "Ask Slashdot" to ... wait for it, ... ask the Slashdot community a question, is completely asinine.
E-ink tablets (Score:1)
Like Onyx Boox tablets
Re: (Score:2)
I have one but sadly I cannot use it for Android app development unless I root it first. When I try to deploy my debug APK, the debugger needs access to some .so files, but the permissions Boox is using prevent their download which is annoying.
I've long wanted a color tablet with a screen that I can read in bright sunlight out doors. The Kaleido 3 e-ink screens are okay but definitely very dull and muted colors. Crazy that after all these decades we still don't have a decent reflective color screen.
Re: (Score:2)
I've been using a TCL NXTPAPER for reading for a couple of years, and haven't used my kindles since. The screen has no glare at all, none. It's night right now, can't tell you about reading in bright sunlight. I haven't found a phone yet which is any fun in bright sun, so this NXTPAPER is probably not great either. But none of my house lights drown it out.
Personally I bought an ipad (Score:2)
I think unfortunately the Apple hardware is much better than whats available for Android in the tablet ecosystem.
That said, personally I feel that the Apple ecosystem is much worse than Androids for tablet applications despite claims to the contrary. While its been a while since I used and Android tablet when I did all the applications would fill the screen, on Apple there are a large number of applications which only have phone layouts thus render in a small window on a tablet. Also, ipad's notification sy
Lenovo adware (Score:2)
I have been using Lenovo Tab M9 tablets for a couple of years. They generally work well, but eventually updated with a system application called Tips that started throwing notifications for Temu and some other garbage. The app can be stopped until the next reboot, but not removed (not that I have looked for any elaborate way to remove).
Also, every update brings a non-dismissable app installer notification, that will by default install about a dozen garbage apps every time unless you deselect each of the ap
ROMs (Score:3)
The first question is, if there are still good Android ROMs out there. Before buying you should check which ROMs exist and how hard it is to unlock the device (and if the manufacturer claims things like lost warranty). And the problem is, that Google is trying hard to make the life hard for ROM developers. They are getting the source late and in one large archive instead of having access to a repository, Google apps are less compatible, they want to disallow installation of apps by developers that were not approved by Google, they use SafetyNet and PlayIntegrity to stop you from trying to mess with what data apps are allowed to access, and many more problems.
I am only complaining that much about Android, because it is still the better choice, even though it doesn't mean it is good anymore. But Apple is already doing all of what I criticize about Google. So, who wants to build a nice system that is really open source and tries to work for the user instead of for large commercial companies?
Re: (Score:2)
LineageOS is my go to firmware but their support for tablets is limited to just 4 or 5 devices total and nothing current. So the third party firmware scene seems rather bleak for Android tablets.
Pixel Tablet (Score:1)
Pixel Tablet works for me. It's a couple generations old hardware wise, but the screen is fine, the battery lasts a while, and it will do all the things you mention. Watch for deals.
Re: (Score:2)
I agree. I use my Pixel Tablet regularly, and it's held up well.
Real advantage of iPad (Score:2)
The iPad has accessories. You want a case? You get more options. A holder that fits it? IPad.
Otherwise, any Android is probably a better deal financially. You get more for your money.
Re: (Score:2)
I've got a couple of Android tablets. I've never found a case hard to find. I can't say about accessories because I've never needed any. The only thing I could imagine would be a keyboard, but there are BT versions of those that should work with any tablet.
Samsung (Score:2)
I think Samsung might be the only one making great Android tablets. I have used several. The last two have been in the "S" line. Current one I use is Galaxy Tab S9. They are expensive, but freaking fantastic screen, great build, fast, lots of RAM, etc.
Even their lower-end models are nice. But the S has that kick-butt screen.
Amazon Fire Max 11 with Fire Toolbox mod (Score:3)
The Amazon Fire Max 11 with the Amazon Fire Toolbox mod is just about perfect.
It's fast, has big and bright screen, super long battery life, and is compatible with the Google Play Store.
Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra (Score:2)
I love my Samsung 14 inches tablet, I get it with the keyboard and it come with a spen, it's very usable, a lot of software and
Lenovo Y700 (Score:2)
I'm using the Lenovo Y700 and love it. It's an 8 inch tablet, up to date OS, well specced, and minimal bloatware. They introduce a new one each year, so pay attention to the year and the model if you decide to order one.
Re: (Score:2)
I've got a 7" Lenovo and a 10" Lenovo (really the wife's), I'd have to go find the models but they were bought probably in '21 or '22. Both are decent and get the job done. I think I tried to go too cheap and the CPU is barely adequate, so be willing to spend an extra $50 or $100 to get a good CPU. Even with the only adequate CPU, I can still player tower games just fine, watch YT videos, and browse IMDB and such without any problems ... that's on the 7" one (I actually use it for reading on more than anyth
Avoid Samsung (Score:2)
Insufferable UI a d annoying, irrational bloatware.
I don't get what people use their tablets for (Score:2)
For web browsing, reading, YouTube, gaming ... many Android tablets are perfectly fine. Also I couldn't live without microsds. I even have Emacs installed!
For reading, get a TCL NXTPAPER (Score:2)
I have one, #11 I believe, which I use instead of Kindles. Zero glare, zero lag while paging. Works OK for general use too, but it beats the pants off Kindles and all other tablets I've tried for readability. Had it for a couple of years now.
Lenovo for China (Score:2)
Lenovo make some very nice tablets for the Chinese market. I have a Y700, a couple of years old, bought on aliexpress (I'm in UK). Unfortunately Lenovo is one of the worst offenders for not supporting their Android stuff longer than a year or so. It matters a bit less than with a phone but it is still disappointing. Anyway, they are nice tablets with excellent display and audio, lots of RAM & storage, take a microSD, very fast charging on USB-C. The bootloader can be unlocked and there are custom ROMs
Samsung is the only one you have a prayer (Score:2)
Of getting a battery for. You can get a cheaper off-brand Chinese one but good luck getting a replacement battery when the battery inevitably goes. You basically have a slab of ewaste at that point unless you're going to play around with the electronics of it and wire up your own power supply.
As far as the rest of it make sure you have at least 8 GB of RAM and they're all basically the same at that point. You might want to get a high density display which I think Samsung has a model for if you're going
I'm very happy with Galaxy Tab S-series (Score:2)
Samsung makes three tablet lines: the A, which is a value product that isn't bad for around $200; The S6 Lite, which is a specific mid-tier offering that is updated less than annually and has its own model specs per release. There's also the full-fat Tab S line, which are premium tablets.
I have an S6 Lite from 2020, a Tab S8 and an S9+. The S8 has a fairly normal 10" screen and is actually my favorite of the bunch; I find the 12" screen on the S9+ too big since I mostly want a reading device rather than a w
Not Doogee (Score:2)
My tablet suffers from ghost touch and according to the reviews mine is not the only one.
Although the device is still sold with Android 14, there is no update provided for my device running Android 13.
In fact, there never was any security update since I bought it.
All information about the device has vanished from the manufacturer website although it was brand new 2 years ago.
one plus tab 2 (Score:2)
I've had it for about 10 months now and I love it. Great screen, decent sound and a really nice feel to it. It fast charges and I get a solid 8 hours. Not cheap but not in the Samsung or iPad range.
[1]https://www.oneplus.com/us/one... [oneplus.com]
[1] https://www.oneplus.com/us/oneplus-pad-2
one plus tab 2 (Score:2)
One Plus Tab2
I've had one for about 10 months now and I really like it. Good picture, decent sound, an active bt stylus, and a really solid feel. It was not cheap, but not in the Samsung Tab or iPad range.
[1]https://www.oneplus.com/us/one... [oneplus.com]
[1] https://www.oneplus.com/us/oneplus-pad-2
Re: one plus tab 2 (Score:2)
I have one too. Have you found jack shit to do with the stylus? Me neither.
Nope (Score:2)
Nexus 7 was the last decent one IMO. Had a nexus 10, have a oneplus now. Never use it. The software sucks. No reason to have a pencil if there's nothing to do with it. So sad
Re: (Score:2)
Nexus 7 was a nice tablet at initial purchase, but one variant (maybe an early 2013 edition) was turned into a very slow near-brick by one of the OS updates.
Not really (Score:2)
And if there are, they'll fall out of support after a few years.
I have a Star Labs StarLite tablet. It has MPP Pen support which is nice for doodling and note taking. It's basically a Linux-friendly PC architecture, so put whatever you want on it (except Android). I'm running Zorin on mine with some small compromises, but there are other distros known to work on it.
I went with this rather pricey option because if it's a PC, the odds of future Ubuntu/Fedora/Debian/whatever distros supporting it seems very hi
An unpopular opinion (Score:2)
If you want a cheap, more or less disposable tablet for the use cases you mentioned, IMHO (well, more like in my experience of testing out lots of tablets) you are best off choosing from the middle of the low-end shanzai tablets on Amazon for the sub-$100 mark. For maybe $75 you can get a 10.1" tablet that has a decent screen, decent enough processor (for what you're asking), and a recent enough Android build - with no proprietary nonsense - that it will run modern software nicely for at least a year, which
Re: (Score:2)
I bought one of these. Horrible low res screens. No auto screen dimming. Slow, older generation processors. Also most of them lie about their specs. 12 gb of RAM! Actually just 4 GB with 8 GB of swap enabled. I bought it because i figure it I can get my software that I'm developing running on it decently with those low specs out should run everywhere. But I wouldn't recommend this tablet to anyone.
ChromeOS tablet (Score:2)
Not competing with ipad, but ChromeOS does let you run a full desktop version of Chrome, so good for extensions.
And also lets you run Android apps.
Large screen and maybe a SIM card (Score:2)
Get a popular name brand tablet and you should be fine.
You can get one that takes a SIM card.
The larger the screen the better.
Since you're used to Android, there is likely no reason to change.
You could try a Samsung, but don't opt in for any of the Samsung add ons.
Try to keep your tablet as base Android as you can.
When it gets old and unsupported, you could consider installing something else on it (who knows, maybe Ubuntu).
Such ROMs are only released (i.e. figured out) for name brand tablets that lots of pe
7 or 8" for me (Score:2)
so as long as there have been android tablets, I've had a 7-8" one that is my Book. fits in the back pocket, holds a hundred pounds of books and a bunch of manga too. Right now I have a Samsung Tab2 S2 that's showing its age a little in terms of battery life, but I can't see myself going back to analog books, barring some kind of apocalypse.
No (Score:3)
If there are, I haven't seen one.
Re:No (Score:4, Interesting)
There are no good android tablets. As an android user I have an iPad for tablet-y tasks, it doesn't get used much, but the iPad is the superior tablet for the average or power user android user. If there was a better option out there, I'd use it.
The fact that the iPad finally uses the USB-C standard has been really helpful, when my wife's iphone finally dropped the "lightning" connector we've been able to drop the number of charging cables in the house/car to 1, and drastically simplifies travel logistics.
Re: No (Score:1)
Sounds like your wife should be commenting on this forum. She appears to be the smart one