Cheap As Chips £45 Android Tablet?

British IT Bod

British IT Bod

British IT Bod

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Joined
25 Nov 2012
Posts
16
Location
Powys - UK
I just bought myself something I may come to regret - to good to be true?

I just ordered a (as spec) 7" 5-point capacitive Android tablet with a 1.2GHz single core CPU and 512MB RAM, with a resolution of 480 x 800 - which cost me, plus shipping (from China ofc) - £53.12.

Is this too good to be true? I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post links or mention names as I'm pretty new here, and not 100% with all the rules - if it's OK, someone say and then I can add a link?

I ordered it thinking "What a bargain". I am now thinking I'm probably going to get some really shoddy piece of plastic with a resistive screen and a 600Mhz CPU with a 100 x 200 resolution and 128MB of RAM...

Has anyone bought a tablet this cheap and been impressed? Or am I in for dissapointment? (I'll post back when it comes - meant to be here for the 30th)
 
Not too good to be true because the specs seem very, very average. I have a phone with those specs and it performs average at best.
 
A reseller in Cardiff is offering one with what appears to be an identical specification for £54.95 and free delivery... possibly a bit safer than buying from China!
 
£53, from China - you'll get stung for customs, which is rated at our 20% VAT (so ~£10) and the postal company will slap £8 admin charges on top. You'll end up paying about £71-72 instead of the £53.
 
Problem is (for me) the resolution.

800x480 is what midrange phones use, imagine one of those screens stretched an extra 3 inches.
 
Should have spent a bit more and got a second hand kindle fire or 8gb nexus :p

Post your thoughts when it turns up though. I imagine the viewing angle and the response of the screen will be dire though!
 
It will be crap and will unfairly sour your taste about Android, I'd recommend saving up and getting a nexus.
 
Getting on for three years ago I got an HTC Desire with 1GHz single core CPU, 512MB RAM, 480 x 800 3.7" display.

It was great for its time and I still use it but it feels slow and laggy now. Video is often choppy and switching between apps takes an age. Probably down to the lack of RAM making the apps I navigate away from be terminated rather than suspended. Really annoying when switching back and forth copying things from web browser to email.

Will be buying a Nexus 4 when back in stock.
 
One of my mates has 2 tablets of that specification that he just uses for home automation stuff. They are pretty crap really but for simple tasks like he's using them for then they are fine.
 
It'll run like a dog and the screen would look horrible at that res. I have a Advent 10" Tab that was 800*600 and that was awful too.
 
Yeah I'm not expecting the earth, and yeah it's Android 4.0. I wasn't in to sign for it today, but I should have it by tomorrow - I was thinking of doing an unboxing / review of it anyway to let others know how impressive / crappy it is... Also I don't think I've been charged at customs - my postage note mentions nothing of the sort. Plus, as lush as the Nexus is, it is £100 dearer! And my taste of Android won't be soured, I've got the Orange San Diego Intel Powered phone and that thing, is a tank. Once it got the 4.0 update, the thing was working great. However is has had a bit of trouble with some apps. N64 emulator for one - but those things are temperamental at the best of times. Anyway I'll get back to you when I go get it tomorrow.
 
benjo said:
Should have spent a bit more and got a second hand kindle fire or 8gb nexus :p

Post your thoughts when it turns up though. I imagine the viewing angle and the response of the screen will be dire though!
Click to expand...

Or one brand new at £99!
 
Which would be better out of the Nexus 7 8gb & the Kindle Fire? I'm in the market to get the parents one for Christmas but not sure which one.
 
Mattey1 said:
Which would be better out of the Nexus 7 8gb & the Kindle Fire? I'm in the market to get the parents one for Christmas but not sure which one.
Click to expand...

I tried a Kindle Fire in-store - was pretty crap compared to a Nexus 7.

I think its still based on Gingerbread, at best ICS. so no buttery smoothness. Web browser sucked, was a stuttery mess compared to Nexus 7.

List goes on, Nexus 7 looks better, better screen, aesthetics +feel, software updates and full play store. Well worth the extra £££. :)

EDIT: I think I actauly tried out the Fire HD - so lord knows how bad the standard Fire is :D

edit2: - Yup Fire runs 2.3 GB, Fire HD runs 4.0 ICS - http://mashable.com/2012/09/06/kindle-fire-vs-nexus/
 
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kona786 said:
I tried a Kindle Fire in-store - was pretty crap compared to a Nexus 7.

I think its still based on Gingerbread, at best ICS. so no buttery smoothness. Web browser sucked, was a stuttery mess compared to Nexus 7.

List goes on, Nexus 7 looks better, better screen, aesthetics +feel, software updates and full play store. Well worth the extra £££. :)

EDIT: I think I actauly tried out the Fire HD - so lord knows how bad the standard Fire is :D
Click to expand...

Cheers buddy, I think I'd prefer them to have the Nexus 7 too, I wish Google would still sell the 8gb one though as I don't think they'd need the 16gb. Might have to settle with that though.

I notice it is using the Tegra chipset that kinda puts me off it :E

Any idea how the Tegra compares to the OMAP in the HD?
 
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