Despite the fact that tablets are, overall, a bit of a dying form factor, many users are still interested in them. And now, during the holidays, tablets can make great gifts for kids as well.
The iPad remains one of the great tablets of all times. However, for those customers looking for something less expensive, there are some good Android tablet options out there.
Google Pixel C
According to 9To5Google, the Pixel C by Google is one of the best Android tablets on the market, both on practice and on paper. The device comes with a premium all aluminum build and is running on an Android Nougat operating system. This is one of the few devices on the market that comes with full support for Android Nougat's windows mode.
The Pixel C is a great tablet that features a 10.2-inch Quad HD display and USB-C charging. The device's official keyboard is offering plenty of key travel and a unique magnetic attachment. You'll never run out of battery since it can even be charged by the Pixel C.
The 32 GB Pixel C model has a price tag of $499. Customers who want the 64 GB variant have to pay an extra $100. The tablet can be purchased directly via the Google Store.
Lenovo Yoga Book
Lenovo Yoga Book is perfect for productivity and comes unique design. The tablet makes an excellent option with it's fast charging and the unique built-in "halo keyboard." It runs on Android Marshmallow with special multitasking features in the software and it offers a 10.1-inch display. The added drawing features make it a great option for artists.
Amazon Fire Tablet
The Amazon Fire Tablet can make a great choice for those consumers who are shopping on a budget and need something reliable but cheaper. The tablet comes with a 7-inch display and offers Amazon's suite of services. It features 8 GB or 16 GB of storage with a microSD slot.
Maybe Amazon Fire is not the best tablet currently on the market but for a cheap price it offers plenty of functionality. The device can handle all the basic tasks such as reading, watching videos and playing casual games. It could make a good gift choice for Christmas, especially for children. It usually sells for $50 but can be found currently at Amazon for a price as low as $40.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2
Galaxy Tab S2 from Samsung is the best Android tablet you can get outside of Google. The device comes with an AMOLED display at either 8-inches or 9.7-inches and is packing a premium metal build.
Powered by an octa-core chipset, the Galaxy Tab S2 is certainly a high-end tablet. Among its other features are worth mentioning 32 GB of storage, 3 GB of RAM and Android Marshmallow. However, it is expected that the tablet will come soon with the newly released Nougat.
The Galaxy Tab S2 starts at a price of $399 for the 8-inch model. At Best Buy, the tablet can be found currently for a price as low as $249, with free shipping. The larger 9.7-inch model costs currently $499. The Galaxy Tab S2 can also be found at various other retailers.
Nvidia Shield K1
The Nvidia Shield K1 is a mid-sized tablet that was designed with a core focus on gaming. As its name suggests, the tablet is powered by the Nvidia K1 processor. It is running an Android Marshmallow operating system and it comes with an 8-inch 1080p display, 2GB of RAM and front facing speakers. Among other interesting features, the Nvidia Shield K1 also has the unique ability to stream several PC titles from the cloud. The tablet comes with a price of only $199.
Barnes & Noble Nook 7″
The $50 Amazon Fire Tablet isn't the only cheap choice out there. Another great budget tablet is Barnes and Noble's Nook 7″. The device packs similar specs as Amazon Fire, but when it comes to games and multi-tasking it is slightly less powerful. However, compared to Amazon's option, the Nook trades that for better hardware and software. The device comes hardly with any bloatware and offers a good Android experience with Google Play.
