I'll start by saying I'm a bit weird -- Have built my own PCs for 25+ years but never forayed into other devices, still using a Lumia Windows phone from 2014. I'm finally needing an android device for occasional Bluetooth/WiFi duties such as connecting endoscopes, MP3 serving to amps, televisits, picture documentation, etc. Currently looking at 9"-11" tablets in the $100 or less range. My question is what should I be looking for or, in particular, looking to stay away from in regards to hardware (CPU, GPU, display, etc.).
However, do note that when you pay peanuts - you will get monkeys. So, cheap tablets (all hardware in that matter), have several cons. Up to you to decide if you can live with the cons those cheap tablets have or not. If not, better look towards mid- or high-range, which are built better with less (or no) faults.
I probably should have been a bit clearer with my ask. My interest is just to make sure there weren't particular component model/versions to shy away from, processors in particular. Not sure if your mentioning "there's little, if any, option regarding hardware" was pertaining to these items or not but I suspect the more inexpensive tablets would be.
The tab will actually, as mentioned, see only occasional use and not require cutting edge performance or feel (build quality). Will probably be legacy before I get $80 worth of use out of it. ;-) I'll still definitely perform my due diligence in choosing a tablet based on memory, display, ports, size, reviews, etc.
For that, tablet review is best, since that tells if the CPU that is included with it, is powerful enough to run the whole thing without stutters or not.
In a similar sense, is Intel Core i3 (e.g i3-14100) CPU bad, to be shied away from?
If Core i3 is put into a workstation/gaming PC (paired with e.g RTX 4090), where the workload of the CPU is too much for it to handle, it doesn't make the CPU itself bad. Instead the CPU is combined with too beefy hardware, where CPU struggles.
But if Core i3 is put into office PC (paired with e.g RTX 4060), where the workload for the CPU is low, CPU would excel in that system.
So, there is no "bad" CPU out there. That includes CPUs inside desktops, laptops, tablets and smart phones as well.
Only with desktop PCs, you can choose which CPU to get. All other hardware (laptops, tablets, smart phones) are all-in-one devices, where you can not replace the CPU it comes with. Hence why i said that there is little, if any, option regarding hardware selection. Some laptops do offer selection within RAM or SSD but that's it.
If you want to have Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 CPU, then your only option is Galaxy Tab A9+.
But if you want to have Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU (good CPU btw), then your options are Galaxy Tab S9, S9+ or S9 Ultra.
There, each and every generation has only 1 option and every generation is with different CPU.
8th gen iPad - Apple A12 Bionic CPU
9th gen iPad - Apple A13 Bionic CPU
10th gen iPad - Apple A14 Bionic CPU
But if you want a tablet with Apple A16 Bionic CPU, which is inside iPhone 15, then you're out of luck. No such Apple tablet exists as of right now. Latest, 10th gen, has A14 Bionic CPU released in 2020. While the latest CPU from Apple is A18 (inside iPhone 16).
Following is just my contemplation, not relevant to your question. So, you don't need to read it.
When to think about it , Apple has interesting concept regarding their CPU usage. They 1st develop a new CPU (let's say A15 Bionic) and put it into iPhone (namely into iPhone 13). Once few years pass and no-one isn't buying their iPhones anymore, they either develop a new CPU, or release new iPhone with same CPU (A15 Bionic is also inside iPhone 14). Eventually, when sales dry up, they release new generation of tablets and put that old CPU inside of it.
This is evident from the 10th gen iPad, which is currently latest tablet generation. 10th gen released Oct'22 and has A14 Bionic CPU in it. A14 Bionic CPU was released Sept'20, while at the same time, the latest CPU: A16 Bionic, was already at hand, released early Sept'22.
So, rather than putting latest CPU inside their tablets, Apple is instead using old stock. With this, the new upcoming 11th gen iPad will have Apple A15 Bionic CPU in it (from Sept'21), rather than the current latest A18 or A18 Pro CPU.
With Samsung, you won't be using old stock. Instead Samsung tablets are using latest CPUs currently available.
E.g Galaxy Tab S9, S9+ and S9 Ultra were released in Aug'23, while the CPU in them, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, was released earlier in that year: Q1 '23.
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