The question really comes down to which compromises are you willing to live with? Some less expensive tablets build advertisements into the device itself, others include less storage or RAM, and others use lower resolution screens. Regardless of how restrained your budget may be, we’ve put together this list to help you pick the best tablet under $200 for you. The Fire HD 8 is nice and light at just 12.8 ounces, and its 8-inch screen is the ideal mix of useability and portability, making it comfortable to hold while providing you with a screen larger than that of your smartphone. The big compromise is that it’s only packing 1.5 GB of RAM which limits multitasking. Overall this is a more competent tablet than you might expect for less than a hundred dollars, which makes it easy to recommend. For objective performance measures, we use common tests like PCMark, Geekbench, and 3DMark, and also try to download some demanding games to see if it can handle it. To test battery life, we stream video at maximum brightness to measure runtime, along with general usage over the course of a day. Finally, we look at the value proposition and competition, to see how the tablet stacks up against rivals in a similar price range. All of the tablets we test are purchased by us; none of the review units are provided by a manufacturer. About our Trusted Experts: Andy Zahn has been writing for Lifewire since 2019. Andy has a deep fascination with technology and has tested and reviewed a wide variety of gadgets from tablets to cameras to desktop computers.
What to Look for in the Best Tablets under $200
Screen Size - The average tablet is around 10 inches, measured diagonally, but they can be as small as 8 inches and run up to 13.5. The screen size is really a personal preference, but for productivity purposes, it’s often the bigger the better. If you’re merely streaming a show or reading a book, a smaller screen should suffice. Performance - You’ll want to pay attention to the RAM and CPU that your tablet uses if you’re planning on using it for heavy gaming or demanding apps. But these specs typically demand a higher price tag. Storage - Some tablets allow for additional storage via a MicroSD card, allowing you to store up to 512GB worth of files, photos, and apps. If you’re planning on storing a ton of media on your tablet, this is something worth looking into.
