Expensive vs Cheap Tablets – What Are the Differences?

You won’t find as many types of tablets as phones on the market. If you have your mind set on buying one, know that the differences between a cheap and expensive tablet are profound – you usually see people opting for the pricier type. We discussed 8 differences between the two. You’ll know if you want to splurge or not by the end of our article.

RAM

One of the major differences between cheap and expensive tablets is the RAM present. When it comes to tabs, you’ll usually find 1-8 GB of Random Access Memory. The more RAM a tab has, the smoother experience it’ll offer– you’ll be able to run multiple programs at once. When there’s less than 1 GB, whatever you’re running in the background may force-close. The sweet spot for the devices would be 3 gigs. However, they don’t come for budget prices.

If you compare the most expensive tabs with phones, you’ll realize that phones come with more RAM. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S10 offers up to 12 GB.

Storage

Like laptops and mobile devices, the amount of storage space they offer influences the experience you’ll have. If they come with very little space, you’ll regularly be deleting files to download whatever you need to. Some tablets under $200 offer capacities up-to 32 gigs. If you want to go cheaper, you’ll find some offering 16 gigs, but they might not be enough for you.

Most tablets come with expandable storage – keep an eye out for them. Some tablets offer more space, like 64 and 128 gigs, but people mostly use the devices to browse the internet, so you won’t need much.

Stylus

You would have heard of the iPad Pro before – it’s one of the best tabs around, and Apple regularly issues newer versions of it. They cost a lot, but one of the best things about them is the fact that they can be used to make art. They have super sensitive styluses and come with procreate which is a customizable program that lets detailed graphic art to be made. Most tablets that come stylus ready are on the pricier side.

Just because they come with a stylus doesn’t mean they can be used for art. One of the best things about the iPad Pros is that their displays are very pressure-sensitive. This lets you creative pen-like strokes.

Screen

Price does not affect how large their displays will be. Instead, price affects the quality of their screens. You want a screen that’s over 1280 P – it’d look sharp. The great thing about 1280 P displays is that you won’t be able to differentiate them from the 1440 P.

As the devices have large displays, vibrancy is important. This is influenced by the type of panel present. The more expensive tablets rock Super AMOLED or another type of OLED. They’re vibrant as they produce so much contrast. More affordable tabs offer IPS LCD fronts – they pale in comparison.

Battery

When it comes to the devices, the more expensive products don’t have larger batteries. Manufacturers want them to be as slim as possible which large batteries prevent. They last longer due to their processor. Regardless of price, you’ll find units with batteries over 5000 mAh.

But this isn’t set in stone – some expensive tablets have goliath batteries. We’re fans of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus as it comes with one that is over 10,000 mAh. It can last around 2 days.

Build

If you compare a cheaper phone to a more expensive one, a major difference you’ll see is in the build. Its rear would likely be plastic. This is true for tablets as well – materials like aluminum and Gorilla Glass 5 are costly.

Thankfully, manufacturers have been working on this to make users happy – they make the plastic on cheaper devices very shiny. This makes them look like glass from afar. Something common in cheaper phones is the presence of effects on their backs, like gradients. Some tablets on the lower end of the price spectrum come with them too.

Manufacturers are well aware that the more weight a device has, regardless if it’s a tablet or not, the more premium it’ll feel. Sometimes they use heavier plastic on cheaper tablets to make them feel more premium.

Camera

Remember that tabs are primarily used to browse the internet. Companies don’t create them with the same vision as phones in mind. That’s why you might find decent camera set-ups in budget handsets, but less-than-great ones in affordable tablets. They’ll usually have cameras below 10 MP. They’d especially be bad in low-light.

This doesn’t mean that more expensive devices have massive set-ups. As we mentioned, they’re primarily used to surf the internet, so even units that cost an arm and a leg like the third-gen Apple iPad Pro have a 12 MP rear camera.

Android Version

Tablets released years ago tend to be cheaper. They not only come with outdated hardware, but the Android version is outdated too. You need the latest OS for the best user experience. Unfortunately, manufacturers aren’t fans of updating older tabs with them as it’s a waste of energy. This doesn’t mean that you won’t find tabs with Android 9 or 10. Those released this year or last would have it – like the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8”.

Final Thoughts

As you can imagine, there are many differences between cheaper tablets and their more expensive counterparts. The expensive devices have better builds and are made from more premium materials. They also have sharper displays with better screen panels – as the front is so big, this is important.

Overall, tablets aren’t major on cameras. They are used to browse the internet, so even the more expensive devices don’t focus on them. You’ll see more pricey devices with stylus features, though – they give graphic tabs a run for their money.

So, which of the above points contributes the most to the difference in price? We think it’s RAM.