Tablet shopping on a budget? We’ve got you covered with some of the best slates under $200.
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Asus ZenPad S 8.0
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/asus-zenpad-s-8-0/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: The Asus ZenPad S 8.0 is affordable, lightweight and thin, with a sleek design. Its brilliant screen is razor sharp and can be color-corrected with preloaded Asus software. Adjusting the screen’s color balance, saturation and sharpness is a breeze thanks to its user-friendly UI, and its microSD card slot expands up to 128GB.
The bad: The front-facing speakers are weak, and the camera takes underwhelming photos.
The cost: $190.00 to $266.15
The bottom line: The Asus ZenPad S 8.0 is one of the best Android tablets around, with a price that belies its impressive quality.
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Amazon Fire HD 8 (2016)
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/amazon-fire-hd-8-2016/review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: The latest Fire HD 8 delivers faster performance, a bigger battery and more base storage than the previous version for almost half the price. Its 8-inch screen is bright, the speakers are loud and it offers expandable microSD storage and ample parental controls. Amazon Prime members can access gobs of free video, music and other content with their subscription.
The bad: Display isn’t as sharp as that of current iPad Mini models; to truly take advantage of what the tablet has to offer, you need an Amazon Prime membership; slow charging (takes 6 hours to fully cap battery).
The cost: $89.99
The bottom line: Despite some small drawbacks, you just won’t find a tablet with these features and performance at this price.
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Lenovo Yoga Tab 3
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/lenovo-yoga-tablet-3-8-inch/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (Very good)
The good: The Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 has a practical design that features a built-in kickstand. There is a rotatable camera that takes sharp photos and front-facing speakers that provide rich and clear audio. Battery life is long.
The bad: It’s a bit heavy for its small size. Large games are slow to load.
The cost: $119.00 to $171.00
The bottom line: The Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 is the tablet to get if your needs are simple and your budget is low.
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Acer Iconia One 10 (B3-A30)
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/acer-iconia-one-10-b3-a30/review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 3.0 stars out of 5 (Good)
The good: The Acer Iconia One 10 is cheap, has clear-sounding front-facing speakers and an expandable microSD card slot.
The bad: The screen looks pixelated. It’s clunky to use and feels flimsy to hold.
The cost: $149.99 to $200.97
The bottom line: If you’re strapped for cash, the Acer Iconia One 10 is one of the most affordable 10-inch tablets to get, however if you want a good tablet, you’ll need to spend more.
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The following CNET staff contributed to this story: Associate Editor Xiomara Blanco, Executive Editor David Carnoy and Senior Editor Laura K. Cucullu. For more reviews of personal technology products, please visit www.cnet.com.
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