As a graphic designer, I always seek the best gadgets that can support my work. However, being an avid gamer as well, I also need a device that can cater to my gaming needs. I used to think that I have to spend a fortune to get a tablet that can provide both quality and affordability. Fortunately, I discovered some hidden gems in the market, which offer excellent performance without breaking the bank. In this review, I will share my experience with some of the best tablets for gaming that are both affordable and of high quality.
Before diving into the details, let me clarify what I mean by affordable. In this context, I am referring to tablets that cost less than $300. Of course, there are many tablets that are cheaper than that, but they often come with significant trade-offs, such as poor performance, low storage capacity, or outdated software. Therefore, I set the bar at $300, which I believe is a reasonable price for a tablet that can deliver decent performance and features.
1. Lenovo Tab M10 Plus
The Lenovo Tab M10 Plus is a budget-friendly tablet that offers remarkable features for its price tag. It boasts a 10.3-inch FHD display with thin bezels that provide an immersive viewing experience. The tablet runs on an octa-core processor and 4GB of RAM, which can handle most games and multitasking with ease. Additionally, it has a 64GB internal storage that can be expanded up to 256GB with a microSD card.
Display
The Lenovo Tab M10 Plus has an IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. The screen is bright and vibrant, with excellent color accuracy and contrast. The thin bezels give the tablet a modern look, and the 10.3-inch size is perfect for gaming and media consumption.
Performance
The tablet is powered by a MediaTek Helio P22T processor, which is an octa-core CPU clocked at 2.3GHz. It comes with 4GB of RAM, which is sufficient for most games and apps. The tablet runs on Android 9.0 Pie, with a customized UI that is easy to navigate. The UI is not cluttered with bloatware, which keeps the tablet running smoothly. The Lenovo Tab M10 Plus can handle most games with ease, including PUBG and Call of Duty Mobile.
Battery Life
The Lenovo Tab M10 Plus has a 5000mAh battery that can last up to 9 hours of continuous use. The battery life is impressive, considering the tablet's price point and performance. The tablet also supports fast charging, which can charge the battery from 0% to 100% in less than 2 hours.
2. Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 is another budget-friendly tablet that offers excellent value for its price. It boasts a 10.4-inch FHD display with a resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels. The tablet runs on an octa-core processor and 3GB of RAM, which can handle most games and apps with ease. Additionally, it has a 32GB internal storage that can be expanded up to 1TB with a microSD card.
Display
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 has a TFT LCD display with a resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels. The screen is bright and clear, with decent color accuracy and contrast. The bezels are slightly thicker than the Lenovo Tab M10 Plus, but it still looks modern and sleek. The 10.4-inch size is perfect for gaming and media consumption.
Performance
The tablet is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 processor, which is an octa-core CPU clocked at 2.0GHz. It comes with 3GB of RAM, which is sufficient for most games and apps. The tablet runs on Android 10, with Samsung's One UI 2.5 on top. The UI is easy to navigate, with some useful features such as split-screen and pop-up view. The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 can handle most games with ease, including Asphalt 9 and Genshin Impact.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 has a 7040mAh battery that can last up to 13 hours of continuous use. The battery life is impressive, considering the tablet's price point and performance. The tablet also supports fast charging, which can charge the battery from 0% to 100% in less than 3 hours.
3. Amazon Fire HD 10
The Amazon Fire HD 10 is a budget tablet that offers excellent value for its price. It boasts a 10.1-inch FHD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. The tablet runs on an octa-core processor and 2GB of RAM, which can handle most games and apps with ease. Additionally, it has a 32GB internal storage that can be expanded up to 1TB with a microSD card.
Display
The Amazon Fire HD 10 has an IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. The screen is bright and clear, with decent color accuracy and contrast. The bezels are slightly thicker than the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7, but it still looks modern and sleek. The 10.1-inch size is perfect for gaming and media consumption.
Performance
The tablet is powered by a MediaTek Helio P60T processor, which is an octa-core CPU clocked at 2.0GHz. It comes with 2GB of RAM, which is sufficient for most games and apps. The tablet runs on Fire OS, which is Amazon's customized version of Android. The UI is easy to navigate, with access to Amazon's vast library of apps and media. The Amazon Fire HD 10 can handle most games with ease, including Minecraft and Roblox.
Battery Life
The Amazon Fire HD 10 has a 6300mAh battery that can last up to 12 hours of continuous use. The battery life is impressive, considering the tablet's price point and performance. The tablet also supports fast charging, which can charge the battery from 0% to 100% in less than 3 hours.
4. Asus ZenPad 3S 10
The Asus ZenPad 3S 10 is a mid-range tablet that offers excellent performance and features for its price. It boasts a 9.7-inch QXGA display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels. The tablet runs on a hexa-core processor and 4GB of RAM, which can handle most games and apps with ease. Additionally, it has a 64GB internal storage that can be expanded up to 128GB with a microSD card.
Display
The Asus ZenPad 3S 10 has an IPS LCD display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels. The screen is bright and vibrant, with excellent color accuracy and contrast. The bezels are slightly thicker than the previous tablets, but it still looks modern and sleek. The 9.7-inch size is perfect for gaming and media consumption.
Performance
The tablet is powered by a MediaTek MT8176 processor, which is a hexa-core CPU clocked at 2.1GHz. It comes with 4GB of RAM, which is sufficient for most games and apps. The tablet runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, with Asus's ZenUI 3.0 on top. The UI is easy to navigate, with some useful features such as multi-window and one-handed mode. The Asus ZenPad 3S 10 can handle most games with ease, including Fortnite and Hearthstone.
Battery Life
The Asus ZenPad 3S 10 has a 5900mAh battery that can last up to 10 hours of continuous use. The battery life is decent, considering the tablet's performance and features. The tablet also supports fast charging, which can charge the battery from 0% to 100% in less than 2 hours.
5. Huawei MediaPad M5 Lite
The Huawei MediaPad M5 Lite is a mid-range tablet that offers excellent value for its price. It boasts a 10.1-inch FHD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. The tablet runs on an octa-core processor and 3GB of RAM, which can handle most games and apps with ease. Additionally, it has a 32GB internal storage that can be expanded up to 256GB with a microSD card.
Display
The Huawei MediaPad M5 Lite has an IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. The screen is bright and clear, with decent color accuracy and contrast. The bezels are slightly thicker than the previous tablets, but it still looks modern and sleek. The 10.1-inch size is perfect for gaming and media consumption.
Performance
The tablet is powered by a HiSilicon Kirin 659 processor, which is an octa-core CPU clocked at 2.36GHz. It comes