Apple has just revealed its new range of tablets, continuing its lineage of pretty terrific (and affordable) tablets worth spending money on. So, Apple included, what are the cheapest tablets that aren’t terrible?

Although Apple rules the tablet market, it’s not the only brand selling great quality cheap tablets. Below you’ll find our favourite cheap tablets across Apple and Android.

Our favourite cheapest tablet: The iPad (9th Generation)

At just $549, Apple’s 9th Generation iPad is one of the best tablets on the market in terms of affordability and performance. Released in September 2021, this iPad is likely to satisfy your tablet needs with its nice screen, great performance (via the A13 bionic chip) and its battery life.

That being said, it’s not the best tablet aesthetically, as it still uses a button on the front screen and looks much older than a lot of other Apple tech. If you don’t mind spending a little bit extra, the 10th Gen iPad is coming soon and will start at $749.

The Oppo Pad Air

Recently released in Australia for $379, the Oppo Pad Air received reasonably good reviews in other countries for its price, screen and design. It’s not a terrific multitasking device and would likely struggle when putting up with multiple applications, but for its price, it might just be worth the compromise. It’s also the cheapest tablet on this list.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite isn’t an especially new device, released in April 2020 and now priced at $549 on the Samsung website, but it offers great performance at this price if you’re after a tablet with Samsung’s Android OS. It packs a nice battery life, an included stylus and a headphone jack, although you may be disappointed by its screen compared to other similarly priced tablets. If you’re interested in getting better performance, consider the Galaxy Tab S7 FE (starting at $800 in Australia).

The iPad Mini (6th Generation)

Ok, the iPad Mini isn’t exactly the cheapest tablet on this list, priced at $829 in Australia, but it is an absolutely beautiful device and is tough to beat if you’re after performance in a smaller-than-usual tablet package. Aesthetically, it looks more modern than the 9th gen iPad and has greater performance, but obviously we’re at the edge of “cheap” when talking about the iPad Mini. At its size though, it’s hard to beat.

That’s about it for our cheapest tablets (for now)

We’re keen to try out more tablets, but for the moment, these are our cheap favourites. If you’re after a more heavy-duty Android tablet with an emphasis on productivity, you might be interested in a Chromebook. Additionally, Google is working on the Pixel Tablet, which may end up being a worthy contender in the cheap tablet space when it is released.