As some of you may have already seen, here at Reviveaphone we like to provide as many low-cost tech options as possible, whilst ensuring quality and performance. Obviously, if you’re budget doesn’t stretch to the top of the market devices, there are going to be some compromises, but there needn’t be too many, especially when it comes to Tablets. Here are a few of our favourites for under £300, with one little guy even below £100!!
1. First up are contenders from Linx. This may be seen as cheating slightly as the Linx comes in 3 designs; 7”, 8” and 10”, but are all under £160. Boosting 2GB of RAM, a Quad-core processor and Windows 8.1 operating system, these tablets are powerful and pretty user-friendly. The hard drive stretches up to 32GB, but with a micro SD card slot they’re able to expand to up to 64GB, meaning you don’t have to compromise on space or speed.
Available to buy here
2. Pipo W2 – This sleek 8” windows tablet is another impressive contribution to the budget tablet world. It boosts windows 8.1, a quad-core Intel® Atom™ processor and Intel’s own HD Graphics; not bad for roughly £120!
Although bear in mind, you will probably have to ship this from Hong Kong so shipping will also have to be considered in its price. 
However, with rear and front-facing cameras, 2 GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage, it’s a pretty small compromise for some excellent value for money. Available online at various sites such as eBay from international sellers. However, the only downside is that we can’t find a well-known UK retailer as of yet so we advise you to research sellers thoroughly and carefully!
3. Onto ASUS now with the MeMO Pad. Featuring Android’s 4.4 (KitKat) operating system, HD display and 2GB of RAM this 7” tablet is perfect for everyday use. Also boosting a quad-core Intel® Atom™ processor, the MeMO Pad is just 9mm thick and has an impressive nine-hour battery life. Despite internal storage being 16 GB, this tablet also supports microSD cards up to 64GB, giving you as much scope as you need for photos, videos, apps and more. We aren’t overly impressed with the camera or volume capacity, but at under £100 from PC World, we still think you get a lot for your money.
Available here
4. Stepping away from the everyday tablet now and onto one of our gaming friends with the Nvidia Shield. Boosting a very impressive 1,920 x 1,200 display, a passive cooling system and a Tegra K1 mobile super chip the Shield is built
for more than just Facebook requests. In fact, the K1 can support most of the graphical features in a GeForce graphics card including; tesselation, HDR lighting, Global illumination, subsurface scattering, and more! Nvidia even claims that you can get 10 hours’ battery life if you use the tablet to watch videos or surf the internet, and about 5 hours’ worth if you’re gaming. Admittedly, this device is on the heavy and chunky side, but it’s still lighter than its predecessor, and its extra weight is thanks to its extra features, so it’s hard to hold a grudge. Of course, if you’re gaming with it, then you’ll need the Shield’s wireless controller, which is sold separately. It’s light, comfortable to hold and, thanks to Nvidia’s decision to operate via Wi-Fi Direct, has a 2x faster response time than Bluetooth operated controllers. Not to mention, with the 16GB model starting at around £240, it’s pretty excellent value for money.
Both available here, with free delivery!
5. Now for the tablet that really does put the “great” in great value. The Hudl 2 really packs a punch for a tiny price; HD screen, 8.3” screen, 5MP rear camera and a Quad-core Intel Atom processor all for under £100! It also features some pretty stringent parental controls; simply add a child’s profile, limit web access and they can browse and play whilst you have peace of 
mind. The obvious drawback to such a budget tablet are around performance; the Hudl 2 won’t feel as fast or as smooth as some of the other tablets here, but it’s also a fraction of the price! The memory is also pretty small, but with a micro SD slot, that problem is pretty easily resolved too! It comes in a range of colours and if you’re a Tesco Clubcard holder, you can put every £5 voucher you have as £10 towards a Hudl! That’s a pretty decent deal if ever we saw one! It’s a great tablet, just without all the bells and whistles.
Buy here
6. The next offering is from LG and comes in the form of their G Pad. An 8.3”, 1.7 GHz tablet with 2GB RAM and a
sleek metal body; definitely a step up from their first tablet, the Optimus Pad. Another aspect which is definitely an upgrade from LG’s first is the price; around £260 as opposed to the obscene £750 they wanted for the Optimus. However, despite its developments, there are still some downsides. For example, the camera on the G Pad is pretty basic and not exactly impressive, whilst there is also no option for a 3G or 4G version of the tablet. That being said, its modern design and great display makes it a firm choice for a budget tablet.
7. One of the most impressive tablets we have come across is the Google Nexus 7. This 7” tablet is an excellent all-rounder and packs a tonne of excellent features to make it high-performance and feel a lot more expensive than it its (£134.49 for the 16 GB model and only £140 for the 32GB model). Featuring a 1.5 GHz Pro Quad-core processor, stereo speakers and a very impressive
battery life of 8 hours and 47 minutes (in online tests, with an HD iv on loop, see here) this tablet is fast, efficient and long-lasting. Whilst it doesn’t offer a micro SD slot, the Nexus 7 still boosts a higher amount of storage than entry an level iPad mini and you can even purchase a 4G model with 32GB of storage, but this would then take you up to £299. Not ridiculously expensive in light of some other tablets, but not as impressive
as the original model. The star of the show for the Nexus, however, has to be its remarkable screen. Offering a huge 323ppi in its 7 inch display and an extremely precise and highly responsive screen; with no need to zoom on a link or wait for an app to launch. With 4 1/2 star reviews across the internet too, we’re clearly not the only ones impressed with the Nexus 7.
Available here: 16 GB or 32 GB
8. If you’re after something a little more versatile then you’re in luck! We’ve even included a hybrid, just to keep all bases covered. You’re welcome. This hybrid is the ASUS Transformer Pad. At under £160 it’s definitely budget friendly, but as expected, there are compromises. The Pad’s appearance is far from modern and sports a rather
chunky and dated design. However, it does feel sturdy and hard-wearing with or without the keyboard attachment. Despite its clunky nature, the Transformer still only weighs 1.1kg, with the keyboard attached, which although heavier than a lot of tablets, is still on the same level as the Mac Air. Safe to say, it’s not going to weigh you down on the go. A few benefits of the Pad’s hybrid nature come with the USB port feature and the user-friendly keys with positive feedback, plus the tablet’s micro SDXC slot. These definitely add usability and versatility to the device and make a difference when you’re trying to work on the go. Other drawbacks however are definitely found with the screen display, offering only 149ppi and feeling very dated. However, the Transformer redeems itself with its nimble performance; sporting a Bay Trail processor and boosting 610ms this budget device isn’t far behind the iPad Air! Safe to say there are plenty of compromises with the Transformer Pad, but at this price there were always going to be. And its positive features definitely make up for the drawbacks.
Available here: White or Black
9. If you’re after a budget tablet with an excellent display for general use then look no further than the Acer Iconia W4. We’re seriously impressed with this 8”, Windows 8.1 fuelled tablet’s display and usability. 
Whilst the PPI is behind the Hudl and Nexus 7, the colours are crisp and defined and what’s more Acer have used “zero air gap”technology which reduces screen reflections; giving you more scope to enjoy your device wherever you like! The Iconia’s features aren’t too shabby either; 2GB RAM, Micro SD slot, Micro HDMI port and sporting Intel’s Atom Bay Trail, the tablet’s performance is pretty speedy. However, if it’s serious power you’re after then the W4 will fall behind. Try to open a few high performance apps at once and the speed definitely lags. But again, for under £260, there will always be drawbacks. Other positive aspects offered include; a 5MP rear camera and a 2MP front-facing one, which will deliver good quality images in good light and allow pretty standard quality video-chat sessions. A really excellent feature is the inclusion of Office 8, student, which gives you access to Word, Excel etc (not Outlook) allowing a really handy extra way to work. Its portability is also extremely impressive, weighing only 415g the Iconia is lighter than the Wi-Fi only iPad Air, the Kindle Fire HD and the Toshiba Encore. There really is so much packed into a very slight device. The tablet’s battery life gets it major points too, lasting over 9 hours in tests! This really will last all day and provide a very high-end feel to every day use at a very reasonable price.
Available here
10. Last but certainly not least is the…iPad mini 2! Yes, an apple tablet has made its way into the budget list thanks to it’s newer model. What’s more, all you really miss out on is the touch ID! With a dual core processor and 1GB of RAM, it’s not exactly powerful, but it is certainly sleek, stylish and extremely light with a beautiful display with 326ppi. All the perks of Apple for under £240! There’s even an option to trade in your old iPad for up to £100 off at Curry’s and PC World! Now that’s what we call a win-win.
Available here
That’s all for this installation of affordable tech. We hope we found some good options to satisfy your bank balance and your tablet needs. Please feel free to comment below if you have any other great options or feedback on these ones.
