Comparison Table for Cheap/Budget Tablets Chart of Specifications for Fusion5, Tablet Express, NATPC Economy, Klastor & Alternatives

There is a bewildering array of options to consider. To help you choose between the Amazon Kindle and the Google Nexus, we have prepared a chart of specifications.

At first, they can all look pretty similar, but some now have quite significant differentiators. To be honest, some also have significant problems. Our comparison chart is split into handy tabs for you to compare similar models side by side.

Budget Tablets

Here you'll find the cheaper tablets, with prices generally of £100 or less (around $170). This page is mostly for the brands you won't have heard of. The slightly higher priced, and higher resolution Kindle Fire HD, the Nexus 7 are compared on the small, branded devices page.

Ideal for those on a budget and sometimes looking to keep the kids occupied - and a little more. Be sure to check out our article on whether the cheaper prices are worth the sacrifices. It shows the specs you can compromise on to lower the price and ones that you probably really do need.


  Samsung Galaxy Tab2 7 Fusion 5 Compact Xtra Fusion5 Xtra Power4 ISA IT Dual-core A20 9-inch NATPC 9.2" Economy Acer Iconia B1 Argos MyTablet Cambridge Sciences StarPad 7 Klastor Rugged Green for Boys Universal Gadgets 9" AllWinner A13 Versus 7 Generic 7" Android Tablet BlackBerry PlayBook  
 

Argos MyTablet
Accessorize your MyTablet
 
Recommended     3 starWhy       £99   3 star Good screen at this price Look for one dispatched from the UK to avoid duty charge   3 starWhy star star Almost Recommended
Available May 2012 May 2013 March 2014 May 2013 March 2013 February 2013 October 2013 November 2011 August 2013 August 2012 June 2012 September 2012 April 2011 Available
Operating System The Google Platform 4.2.2 Jelly Bean The Google Platform 4.2.2 Jelly Bean The Google Platform 4..4.2 Kit The Google Platform 4.2.1 Jelly Bean Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich The Google Platform 4.1 Jelly Bean The Google Platform 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with added apps Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich The Google Platform 4.1 Jelly Bean The Google Platform4 Ice Cream Sandwich
Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwic Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich QNX Operating System
Display 7" WSVGA PLS TFT 10" 10" 9" 9" 7" 7" 7" 7" 9" 7" 7" 7" Display
Resolution 1024x600 (169 ppi) 1024x600 (118 ppi) 1024x600 (118 ppi) 1024x600 (118 ppi) 800x480 (104 ppi) 1024x600 (170 ppi) 1024x600 (170 ppi) 800x480 (133 ppi) 1024 x 600 (170ppi) 800 x 480 (104ppi) 800 x 480 (133 ppi) 800x480 (133 ppi) 1024x600 (170 ppi) Resolution
Apps Full Google Play Store + Samsung Apps Full Google Play Store Full Google Play Store Full Google Play Store Google Play Store Full Google Play Store Google Play Store Google Play Store Full Google Play Store Full Google Play Store Google Play Store Full Google Play Store Blackberry AppWorld Apps
Camera (front) VGA 1.3MP 1.3MP 1.3MP 0.3MP VGA 0.3MP Yes 0.3MP Yes Yes 0.3MP 3MP Camera (front)
Camera (rear) 3 MP 2MP 2MP 2MP 2MP

No

 2MP No 2MP No No No 5MP Camera (rear)
Processor Dual Core 1GHz ARM DUAL-CORE Cortex A7 (1.5Ghz) ARM QUAD-CORE Cortex A7 (1.5Ghz) ARM DUAL-CORE AllWinnwinner A20 Cortex A7 (1.5Ghz) Allwinner A13 1.2GHz ARM dual-core 1.2GHz Dual-core 1.6GHz 1.5GHz A10 + 500MHz GPU Rockchip RK2928
1.0 GHz		 AllWinner A13 ARM Cortex A8 1Ghz A13 Cortex A8 1GHz 1GHz dual core Processor
Memory 1 GB RAM 1GB 1GB 1GB 512MB DDR3 512Mb 1GB 1GB 512MB 512MB RAM 1GB (but check website or box before you buy) 512MB 1GB RAM Memory (RAM)
Storage 8 / 16 / 32Gb + up to 32 Gb on MicroSD 16GB + micro SD Slot 16GB + micro SD Slot 8GB + TF Slot up to 32Gb 8 GB + microSD 8 GB + microSD 8GB Flash + 32GB via micro SD 16GB + microSD up to 32GB 8Gb + up to 32 Micro SD 8GB 4/8GB + micro SD 4GB + TF card up to 32GB 8-64GB Storage
USB Ports Yes 2xMicro-USB 2xMicro-USB Yes Yes (Mini) Yes (Micro) Micro-USB USB + mini-USB Micro-USB   Mini Yes Yes USB Ports
HDMI out Need adaptor Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No   Yes No Yes HDMI out
WIFI Via dock 802.11 b/g/n 802.11 b/g/n 802.11 b/g/n WiFi (802.11 b/g/n) 802.11 b/g/n   802.11 b/g/n 802.11 b/g/n 802.11b/g/n 802.11 b/g/n 802.11 b/g/n 802.11 a/b/g/n WIFI
3G 802.11 b/g/n No No No No Optional dongle No Optional No No Support for 3G dongle 'Supports external 3G connection' Currently via a "bridge" to a Blackberry phone 3G
Battery 4000 mAh 5000mAh
5800mAh
6000mAh (Although buyers seem sceptical)
 4600Mah. LI-PO
4-5 hours		 Li-Po 2710 mAh 3000mAh 5 hours 3000 mAh     2800mAh / 4 hrs claimed 3200 mAh 5300mAh - 8-10 hours Battery
Weight 440g TBA TBA TBA 523g
320g   350g 481g 699g 370g ? (581g boxed) 425g Weight
Flash Support Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes, 10.1 Flash Support
GPS Yes No No No No No No No No   No No Yes GPS
Comment   Rather unlikely claim of 2GB RAM at one point in current Amazon spec.(22/4/13)   Seems to be some variablility in what gets delivered. Some good reviews and some bad reviews     Sad SmileyOverpriced for the spec

3/10 Poor screen, sluggish		 Archos vs. Cambridge Sciences Good screen at this price

Model N900

Cheap and with some compromises

 This or similar models in some high street shops. Be sure to check these are not old stock. Used to be manufactured by "LelikTec" Support fornative Emailing etc. (without bridging via a Blackbery phone) via update

Limited access to Android apps.		 Comment

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Platform options (Operating Systems)


Android Jelly Bean 4.1 and 4.2

Ice Cream SandwichThis is quite a minor increment compared to Ice Cream Sandwich, but it has been generally well received. This version of the platform was introduced along with the first tablet to be sold directly by Google - the Nexus 7. One feature that has been particularly celebrated is the ability to have multiple user-profiles on one device - meaning multiple users can use the device while keeping settings and preferences walled off from eachother.


Android Ice Cream (or Ice Cream Sandwich or ICS)

Ice Cream SandwichThis is hoped to be the saviour for Android tablets. It's been launched for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus Smartphone in the UK. The source code has also been released, resolving what was looking quite a big issue for Honeycomb. There is so far just one tablet avaialble - and that's in China!


Version 2.3 Gingerbread

Available since December 2010. Claimed to be very stable and to better support devicess with less than 1Gb of RAM.


iOS

This is Apple's wildly successful mobile operating system. While it only works on Apple hardware and does not support Flash, it has withstood the attentions of more (and more demanding) tablet users than any of the alternatives.


Notes

The Google Play Store now has 700,000 apps. However, a number of tablets are not officially recognised by Google who appear to want all devices running Android 2.x to be fully functioning mobile phones, despite their size. As a result, many devices are not officially permitted access to the market. In most cases, the manufacturer has added some sort of library of their own. Generally, these aren't very successful. However, the more ambitious user can follow reasonably simple instructions to download an unofficial copy of the Play Store and install it. This market should work properly, giving you access to free and paid apps and taking your money in the normal way. However, paid apps are not available in all countries.

Updates:

25 January 2014

Added Universal Gadgets 9" A13 in place of CloudNine Neuropad2

2 December 2013

Klastor Rugged Tablet for Boys or Girls replaces 2012 SuperPad 7

2 October 2013

Added TabExpress Dual-core 9" A20 and removed A1CS X220 - as it was getting old

28 August 2013

Removed the Dual-Core NATPC M009S and the Aionol Novo 7 Paladin and added the Fusion 5 Xtra and the Flytouch Superpad 7 - which confsuingly is 10"

25 June 2013

Added ZooStorm PlayTab

23 April 2013

Moved more expensive (and newer) Onda V812 to the small page and replaced it with the consistently popular (and now pretty cheap) RIM Blackberry Playbook

22 April 2013

One Archos replaced by an Acer B1. Cambridge Sciences StarPad 7 updated

21 March 2013

Versus 7 replaces Archos Arnova 7 G2

21 January 2013

Onda V971 Dual Core, Cambridge Sciences StarPad 7 and LelikTek 7" Android Tablet replaced now unavailable TabTech and Cambridge Sciences tabs.

23 October 2012

Replaced the Archos 70 with the A1CS Rapid5 7" and added the Jelly Bean Platform outline.

3 April 2012

Replaced the Hanspree HansPad with the CloudNine NueroPad 2
Updated the Capacitive M009S to show update which includes Ice Cream Sandwich

6 January 2011

Added Archos Arnova 7 and NATPC M009S capacitive

10 December 2011

Added Cambridge Sciences G7-III [ Be careful not to confuse it with the G7-II ]

18 August 2011

Added Cambridge Sciences G7-II, A1CS 8 and Tabtech A816

9 August 2011

Added Disgo 6000

 

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