4 great, reasonably priced tablets
Amazon Fire HD 8
Cnet rating: 4 stars out of 5
The good: The Fire 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 an iPad Mini; to truly take advantage of what the tablet has to offer, you need a Prime membership; slow charging (takes six hours to fully cap battery).
The cost: $70 to $83
The bottom line: Despite small drawbacks, you just won’t find a tablet with these features and performance at this price.
Asus ZenPad 3S 10
Cnet rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
The good: The ZenPad has a sharp HD screen and its design is both comfy and cool. The fingerprint scanner adds extra security. Comes with a good amount of storage for its price.
The bad: The speakers are easy to block when holding in landscape orientation. Games take their time to load.
The cost: $287 to $300
The bottom line: The Asus is a fantastic portable video watcher with enough storage to get you through long flights at a reasonable price.
Apple iPad Mini 2
Cnet rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
The good: This iPad has a sharp Retina screen, an ultra-portable design, great battery life and it’s the most affordable tablet with access to the iOS App Store. Upgradeable to iOS 10 this year.
The bad: Android and Amazon tablets — and even Windows laptops — are available for less. Base model includes only 16 GB of non-expandable storage. It’s missing the Touch ID fingerprint sensor and split-screen feature found on newer iPads.
The cost: $240
The bottom line: It lacks the features and speed of a cutting-edge iPad, but the Mini 2 is still a solid tablet for basics, especially if you can buy it at a discount.
Lenovo Tab 4 (10-inch)
Cnet rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
The good: The 10-inch Tab 4 has a big screen and an attractively low price. It has a long-lasting battery, front-facing speakers and a microSD card slot.
The bad: It’s heavier than comparable tablets. The screen is underwhelming.
The cost: $180 to $188
The bottom line: The Lenovo is a good option for an affordable, bigscreen tablet that doesn’t feel too cheap.
The following Cnet staff contributed to this story: Xiomara Blanco, David Carnoy and Laura K. Cucullu. For more reviews of personal technolog y products, visit www.cnet.com.