Ameya DalviSep 23, 2022 18:35:06 IST
Not too long ago, with the size of smartphone screens growing by the quarter, it seemed like tablets were almost extinct. The Apple iPad range was probably the only exception. But, of all things, the pandemic changed its fortunes and brought about a resurgence in the category. Due to the work and study-from-home culture, many started looking at tablets as an alternative for laptops.
Be it attending online lectures or group video calls (personal and professional), a tablet seemed a lot more convenient. And of course, it also served as an extra screen at home for entertainment – larger than a smartphone, yet personal when it needed to be. Now that we have established that tablets are here to stay a little longer, at least, we look to address the most common question we get asked. Which tablet should one buy under Rs 20,000? Here are your top 5 options at the moment.
Realme Pad X (Wi-Fi only)
The Realme Pad X is easily the most powerful tablet in this pack. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC that you find in many budget 5G phones in this price bracket. Incidentally, the Realme Pad X is also 5G enabled but the Wi-Fi + 5G variant isn’t available in this budget, and you will have to make do with Wi-Fi only. Even without the 5G element, this chip offers ample processing power for most of the things you would need this tablet for. The Adreno 619 GPU is decent at handling gaming too at medium settings.
You get 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage, and there is a provision to add another 1 TB through a microSD card. This tablet has a large 11-inch WUXGA+ display with a resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels with low blue light emissions. Thanks to the 240 Hz touch sampling rate, you can also use the Realme Pencil (stylus) with it, which needs to be purchased separately, but you have an option. Dolby Atmos compliant quad speakers add to the entertainment quotient.
The Realme Pad X has some cool tricks up its sleeve. For instance, the Limelight feature tracks the position and movement of one or more people in the frame in real-time through its 105° wide-angle front camera. It also simulates zoom and rotation to keep you in focus during video calls. A large 8340 mAh battery lasts a couple of days of moderate use and more importantly supports 33W Dart charge, which is badly needed in tablets given their large batteries. It runs Android 12 with Realme UI 3.0 for Pad.
Realme Pad X (Wi-Fi only) price in India: Rs 17,999 for 64 GB storage
Realme Pad (Wi-Fi + 4G)
If you want a tablet with an equally impressive (but slightly smaller) 10.4-inch WUXGA+ display and design, and if data connectivity is important to you, then the Realme Pad (without the X) would be a very good option at its current selling price. It is powered by a Mediatek Helio G80 SoC with Mali-G52 MC2 GPU and you get 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage. You can expand it further up to 1 TB using a microSD card. The G80 processor is powerful enough for day-to-day tasks like browsing, watching videos, video calls or listening to music and some casual gaming.
Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi
It runs Android 11 with a near-stock user interface. Watching OTT content on this tablet is an enjoyable experience. The four speakers present here do a terrific job most of the time, and Dolby Atmos compliance lends it a broader soundstage than what you expect from built-in speakers on a tablet. Browsing the internet or reading e-books is also a smooth experience, thanks to multiple viewing modes here. A 7100 mAh battery keeps it running for a couple of days on moderate load. All in all, the Realme Pad is a well-rounded tablet for content consumption.
Realme Pad (Wi-Fi + 4G) price in India: Rs 15,999 for 64 GB storage
Oppo Pad Air (Wi-Fi only)
The Oppo Pad Air is another neat option but you only get its Wi-Fi variant in this budget. It is powered by a Snapdragon 680 SoC with 4 GB RAM and either 64 GB or 128 GB internal storage. There is a microSD card slot to expand it further. Given the price difference of Rs 5,000 between the two models at the moment, we feel the 64 GB variant offers much better value for money. This tablet too has a 7100 mAh battery and Dolby Atmos compliant quad speakers.
You get a sharp 10.36-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels and supports a 240 Hz touch sampling rate. As a result, just like the Realme Pad X, you can use a stylus with the Oppo Pad Air, though it isn’t a part of the package. It runs Android 12 out of the box. Did I mention that the Oppo Pad Air is less than 7 mm in thickness?
Oppo Pad Air (Wi-Fi only) price in India: Rs 14,999 for 64 GB storage; Rs 19,999 for 128 GB storage
Motorola Tab G62 LTE (Wi-Fi + 4G)
The Tab G62 LTE from Motorola, as the name suggests, offers Wi-Fi as well as LTE data connectivity. It has a 10.6-inch display with a resolution similar to the tablets above. The metal construction gives it a sturdy feel. Just like the Oppo, this tablet too is powered by a Snapdragon 680 SoC and offers 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage. No 128 GB option but you do get a memory card slot here as well.
The Motorola Tab G62 LTE runs Android 12 with a custom UI and certain privacy centric features. It has a higher capacity 7700 mAh battery and bundles a 20W charger to juice it up relatively faster. The high-res display is ably supported by Dolby Atmos compliant quad speakers here too for your entertainment needs. In case you do not need data connectivity, you get the WiFi-only variant of this tablet for Rs 2,000 less.
Motorola Tab G62 LTE (Wi-Fi + 4G) price in India: Rs 16,999 for 64 GB storage
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8
Amazon is offering a significant discount on the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8, dropping the selling price of its Wi-Fi only 64 GB variant under 14K. However its Wi-Fi + LTE variant is still selling close to 20K. That difference is a bit too much in our opinion. But the WiFi-only variant for 14K is a great deal for a Samsung branded tablet. It has a 10.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels, and yes, quad speakers with Dolby Atmos are present here too.
It is powered by a UniSOC T618 octa-core processor and accompanied by 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage that can be expanded further up to 1 TB with a microSD card. It runs Android 11 and has a few software tricks up its sleeve. Keeping it powered is a 7040 mAh battery that supports 15W fast charging, which isn’t really fast in this day and age. A good all-round package for its current price.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 price in India: Rs 13,999 for 64 GB storage (Wi-Fi only); Rs 19,990 for 64 GB (Wi-Fi + LTE)
In case you were wondering, all tablets in this list have an 8MP camera at the back and either a 5MP or an 8MP camera up front. They get the job done, especially video calls, but aren’t exactly enthusiast-grade, as is the case with almost every tablet under 20K.
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