- Jul 9, 2010
- 3,483
- 436
Number of stars, up to 5, denotes level of recommendation. Stars in brackets indicate additional value added for day-to-day Android enthusiasts (can follow instructions to install APK files, rooting, firmware flashing)
This will be updated as the market changes, if myself or other moderators have time to make changes to this.
As I am in Canada, this list does not necessarily reflect the devices available in your area.
If there's a device not on this list of at least mentioned implicitly, it's probably not recommended. It's either too expensive, too buggy, or too much tweaking required. If you know enough to disagree, you probably are one of those who doesn't mind spending days tweaking the heck out of a device before using it for the first time, which I'm not trying to cater to here. At the end of the day, I'm just trying to help you make the right decision.
Last updated Feb 11, 2010
Local Buys
These devices have good customer support, a real return policy.
Hassle Free Recommendations
Samsung Galaxy Tab *****
$399 with a contract, around $500 without.
Manufacturer Link
I really don't have to talk about this one do I?
The best on the market. Need I say more? Capacitive touch, best display technology on the market, Samsung support, Google backing...
Huawei Ideos S7 ***(*)
$299 at Best Buy
Manufacturer Link
With phone capability via SIM Card, and AT&T 3G data support.
A 7" phone/data tablet. Still packs Android 2.1, and only has a resistive touch screen. Proven chipset at a bargain price. Official Froyo scheduled for Q1 2011. Will not go Gingerbread officially. Still not bad for the features it packs. Singapore firmware allows underclocked CPU to go to full speed of 1GHz easily. Was seen as low as $249
Archos 70 ***(*)
Manufacturer Link
$280
Android 2.2. Screen resolution isn't kind to some apps. No Android market or Google apps, but extremely easy to install. Does video chat. Low availability, and price is a little high
Archos 101 IT ***(*)
Manufacturer Link. $300
Android 2.2. Screen resolution isn't kind to some apps. Does video chat. No Android market or Google apps, but extremely easy to install. Low availability, and speed becomes an issue at larger screensizes.
Dell Streak ****
Manufacturer Link
$500 from Dell
Pricy, but it is everything it promises to be. Android 2.2. You don't have a better option at this form factor for a capable capacitive phone/data tablet at around 5".
Some Tweaking Required (Not for everyone)
Coby Kryos with TCC8902 (MID7005, MID7015). 7" Android 2.1 **(*) $150
Rebrand Manufacturer Link.
Excellent video playback compatibility. Full SD slot. Poor 3D graphics performance. Buttons in the front are not very responsive. USB hosting.
MID7015 is another one to consider, with better buttons but is without a full USB and SD port, nicer build quality.
Was seen as low as $130. HDMI, 1080p video playback and output. Android market is a more complicated install, and applib isn't very good. Gaming is weakpoint.
Creative ZiiO 7 **(*)
Press
Android 2.1, resistive, Cortex A8, $250. Q1 upgrade to Android 2.2. A little expensive for the hardware it packs. Android market a difficult install.
Viewsonic G-tablet with Tegra II at 10" **(***)
Manufacturer Link. $399.
Lots of good custom modifications and high potential device. Bad shipping firmware, and LCD quality not great (netbook screen on a tablet).
Advent Vega with Tegra II at 10" ***(**)
Wikipedia 250 pounds at PC World.
Modaco custom ROM and other custom ROMs. Similar to gTablet in terms of hardware.
Also P10AN01 or POV Mobii Tegra
Toshiba Folio 100 *(**)
Extra sticker price over Advent Vega is unjustified. Terrible out of the box.
Nook Color 7" *(****)
Link. $249
Shipping with Android 2.1, requires significant tweaking to become usable. Android 2.2 coming. Good quality.
Custom firmware good tablet. Shipped as ebook reader out of the box. Has still not reached full potential. Lack of built in camera and USB hosting functionality. Was as low as $175 at one point.
Pandigital Novel White Version *(***)
Link. Good if $120 or less. Sales occur often.
Moddable and fun ebook reader with tablet functions with custom firmware for Android 2.2, useless out of the box. 256MB RAM. Avoid the black version. Could be had for very cheap at times with deal stacking. As low as $60. Not a very quick device. Poor video capabilities (working low quality Youtube), but audio works fine. Easy to flash, but hardware is really slow.
Cruz Reader **(*)
Link
Can be inexpensive. A decent buy below $120. Sales occur often.
Android 2.0
Custom ROM development much slower than cousin Pandigital Novel. Much better out of the box.
Elocity A7 *(**)
Link. $369-399
Custom ROM allows good use out of Android 2.2. Not very good out of the box. Single touch capacitive with limited pinch to zoom.
Disgo 6000 / Sylvania 7" Tablet *(*)
Disgo
Cheap price for a decent tablet (if around $140)
HDMI, 1080p, Infotmic ARM11 core. Android 2.1
Works out of the box. 7". Make sure it is running the latest firmware. Android market is possible via a ugly workaround. Decent graphical capabilities.
Shanzhai Buys
Buying shanzhai means variable quality control. The device is not likely to last as long. If you are local to China/HK, or simply don't mind taking a risk, there are some decent devices out there. The main concern is that the products don't last, and tend to have various hardware and software issues. Having to buy from China automatically knocks a star off.
Good Budget devices
Anything with TCC8902. 5/7" Android 2.1 **
Around $140 per unit
Beware of fakes. New batches are much better. Works decently well out of the box
Anything at 7" with the TCC8902 is pretty much a recommend from me. Quality has varied greatly between variants in recent weeks, but M701 seems to be going strong. Emdoor EM units are good, but more expensive.
Buys for the Adventurous
Witstech A81G *(**)
TI OMAP Android 2.2 at 7"
$200
Firmware continues to improve. Firmware has gotten decent for a Chinese tablet. Resistive version is now a decent device, especially after installation of a custom ROM. Too expensive. GPS optional, but doesn't really work that well. Custom firmware increases experience of device greatly.
Malata Zpad *(**)
10" Android 2.2
if $399. Generally closer to $500
Said to be the OEM variant of the Viewsonic G-Tablet OEM. Up to 1GB of RAM, with 3G support. Generally ridiculously overpriced. Capacitive multitouch
Gome Flytouch II at 10" **
~$180 resistive with GPS, $160 without
Only worth it if you are getting the GPS option. It does seem to be better overall than its cousin, the ZT180. Lots of variability with this choice in terms of build quality. If you find one that's built right, it isn't that bad. But don't ask me where to go look for a good one. Also the superpad, wowpad. The fun feature is the GPS, which works with offline navigation software. Really the only cheap 10" I would throw my money at. Easy to recover, lots of uses. 256MB RAM. Android market. Easy OTA updates. Difficulty in obtaining from reliable buyer, as registration code is required to continue updates.
Zenithink ZT180 V1 *(**)
~$140-180
Buying this for more than $180 doesn't make sense. One of the more flexible devices out there if you aren't afraid to flash firmware. Has been relatively stable in recent months. Android 2.2 upgrade in progress, but will take months to stabilize.
Leader G10/BluePanther Thunder 7" **
~$200 with GPS,
GPS capable, Android 2.2. This device works decently well out of the box. Poor video performance. 256MB RAM. Android market. A little expensive. Resistive
Good soldering skills
IMX515 8" (Herotab M802) *(*)
~$160-200
Cortex A8 resistive, Android 2.2, full Android apps working well out of the box, 4:3 and 8" 800x600 screen. Stupid 30pin connector with quality and reliability concerns. Hardware hack available to fix very shaky touchscreen which renders long-presses useless. Cheapest Cortex A8 on the market. Firmware is buggy but stable. Can become a decent ebook reader. Easy to modify firmware for some added value.
Avoid
Android 1.5, 1.6
VIA WM8505
128MB RAM
Rockchip RK2808
Anything smaller than 5"
Cruz Tablet, Augen, MIPS
No g-sensor
This will be updated as the market changes, if myself or other moderators have time to make changes to this.
As I am in Canada, this list does not necessarily reflect the devices available in your area.
If there's a device not on this list of at least mentioned implicitly, it's probably not recommended. It's either too expensive, too buggy, or too much tweaking required. If you know enough to disagree, you probably are one of those who doesn't mind spending days tweaking the heck out of a device before using it for the first time, which I'm not trying to cater to here. At the end of the day, I'm just trying to help you make the right decision.
Last updated Feb 11, 2010
Local Buys
These devices have good customer support, a real return policy.
Hassle Free Recommendations
Samsung Galaxy Tab *****
$399 with a contract, around $500 without.
Manufacturer Link
I really don't have to talk about this one do I?
The best on the market. Need I say more? Capacitive touch, best display technology on the market, Samsung support, Google backing...
Huawei Ideos S7 ***(*)
$299 at Best Buy
Manufacturer Link
With phone capability via SIM Card, and AT&T 3G data support.
A 7" phone/data tablet. Still packs Android 2.1, and only has a resistive touch screen. Proven chipset at a bargain price. Official Froyo scheduled for Q1 2011. Will not go Gingerbread officially. Still not bad for the features it packs. Singapore firmware allows underclocked CPU to go to full speed of 1GHz easily. Was seen as low as $249
Archos 70 ***(*)
Manufacturer Link
$280
Android 2.2. Screen resolution isn't kind to some apps. No Android market or Google apps, but extremely easy to install. Does video chat. Low availability, and price is a little high
Archos 101 IT ***(*)
Manufacturer Link. $300
Android 2.2. Screen resolution isn't kind to some apps. Does video chat. No Android market or Google apps, but extremely easy to install. Low availability, and speed becomes an issue at larger screensizes.
Dell Streak ****
Manufacturer Link
$500 from Dell
Pricy, but it is everything it promises to be. Android 2.2. You don't have a better option at this form factor for a capable capacitive phone/data tablet at around 5".
Some Tweaking Required (Not for everyone)
Coby Kryos with TCC8902 (MID7005, MID7015). 7" Android 2.1 **(*) $150
Rebrand Manufacturer Link.
Excellent video playback compatibility. Full SD slot. Poor 3D graphics performance. Buttons in the front are not very responsive. USB hosting.
MID7015 is another one to consider, with better buttons but is without a full USB and SD port, nicer build quality.
Was seen as low as $130. HDMI, 1080p video playback and output. Android market is a more complicated install, and applib isn't very good. Gaming is weakpoint.
Creative ZiiO 7 **(*)
Press
Android 2.1, resistive, Cortex A8, $250. Q1 upgrade to Android 2.2. A little expensive for the hardware it packs. Android market a difficult install.
Viewsonic G-tablet with Tegra II at 10" **(***)
Manufacturer Link. $399.
Lots of good custom modifications and high potential device. Bad shipping firmware, and LCD quality not great (netbook screen on a tablet).
Advent Vega with Tegra II at 10" ***(**)
Wikipedia 250 pounds at PC World.
Modaco custom ROM and other custom ROMs. Similar to gTablet in terms of hardware.
Also P10AN01 or POV Mobii Tegra
Toshiba Folio 100 *(**)
Extra sticker price over Advent Vega is unjustified. Terrible out of the box.
Nook Color 7" *(****)
Link. $249
Shipping with Android 2.1, requires significant tweaking to become usable. Android 2.2 coming. Good quality.
Custom firmware good tablet. Shipped as ebook reader out of the box. Has still not reached full potential. Lack of built in camera and USB hosting functionality. Was as low as $175 at one point.
Pandigital Novel White Version *(***)
Link. Good if $120 or less. Sales occur often.
Moddable and fun ebook reader with tablet functions with custom firmware for Android 2.2, useless out of the box. 256MB RAM. Avoid the black version. Could be had for very cheap at times with deal stacking. As low as $60. Not a very quick device. Poor video capabilities (working low quality Youtube), but audio works fine. Easy to flash, but hardware is really slow.
Cruz Reader **(*)
Link
Can be inexpensive. A decent buy below $120. Sales occur often.
Android 2.0
Custom ROM development much slower than cousin Pandigital Novel. Much better out of the box.
Elocity A7 *(**)
Link. $369-399
Custom ROM allows good use out of Android 2.2. Not very good out of the box. Single touch capacitive with limited pinch to zoom.
Disgo 6000 / Sylvania 7" Tablet *(*)
Disgo
Cheap price for a decent tablet (if around $140)
HDMI, 1080p, Infotmic ARM11 core. Android 2.1
Works out of the box. 7". Make sure it is running the latest firmware. Android market is possible via a ugly workaround. Decent graphical capabilities.
Shanzhai Buys
Buying shanzhai means variable quality control. The device is not likely to last as long. If you are local to China/HK, or simply don't mind taking a risk, there are some decent devices out there. The main concern is that the products don't last, and tend to have various hardware and software issues. Having to buy from China automatically knocks a star off.
Good Budget devices
Anything with TCC8902. 5/7" Android 2.1 **
Around $140 per unit
Beware of fakes. New batches are much better. Works decently well out of the box
Anything at 7" with the TCC8902 is pretty much a recommend from me. Quality has varied greatly between variants in recent weeks, but M701 seems to be going strong. Emdoor EM units are good, but more expensive.
Buys for the Adventurous
Witstech A81G *(**)
TI OMAP Android 2.2 at 7"
$200
Firmware continues to improve. Firmware has gotten decent for a Chinese tablet. Resistive version is now a decent device, especially after installation of a custom ROM. Too expensive. GPS optional, but doesn't really work that well. Custom firmware increases experience of device greatly.
Malata Zpad *(**)
10" Android 2.2
if $399. Generally closer to $500
Said to be the OEM variant of the Viewsonic G-Tablet OEM. Up to 1GB of RAM, with 3G support. Generally ridiculously overpriced. Capacitive multitouch
Gome Flytouch II at 10" **
~$180 resistive with GPS, $160 without
Only worth it if you are getting the GPS option. It does seem to be better overall than its cousin, the ZT180. Lots of variability with this choice in terms of build quality. If you find one that's built right, it isn't that bad. But don't ask me where to go look for a good one. Also the superpad, wowpad. The fun feature is the GPS, which works with offline navigation software. Really the only cheap 10" I would throw my money at. Easy to recover, lots of uses. 256MB RAM. Android market. Easy OTA updates. Difficulty in obtaining from reliable buyer, as registration code is required to continue updates.
Zenithink ZT180 V1 *(**)
~$140-180
Buying this for more than $180 doesn't make sense. One of the more flexible devices out there if you aren't afraid to flash firmware. Has been relatively stable in recent months. Android 2.2 upgrade in progress, but will take months to stabilize.
Leader G10/BluePanther Thunder 7" **
~$200 with GPS,
GPS capable, Android 2.2. This device works decently well out of the box. Poor video performance. 256MB RAM. Android market. A little expensive. Resistive
Good soldering skills
IMX515 8" (Herotab M802) *(*)
~$160-200
Cortex A8 resistive, Android 2.2, full Android apps working well out of the box, 4:3 and 8" 800x600 screen. Stupid 30pin connector with quality and reliability concerns. Hardware hack available to fix very shaky touchscreen which renders long-presses useless. Cheapest Cortex A8 on the market. Firmware is buggy but stable. Can become a decent ebook reader. Easy to modify firmware for some added value.
Avoid
Android 1.5, 1.6
VIA WM8505
128MB RAM
Rockchip RK2808
Anything smaller than 5"
Cruz Tablet, Augen, MIPS
No g-sensor
Very helpful.
