Tablets are becoming more of a niche product nowadays and not everyone wants to buy a tablet. They are productivity machines and you will see them being used by creative or business people. So today we decided to look at the best tablets under $500. The Tablets listed below will serve you whether you are a creative or business person.
There have been arguments on if they can replace laptops but that is yet to be seen. The tablet market is mainly dominated by Apple, Samsung, and Lenovo. Other brands barely compete in terms of what these brands are offering. So below are the best tables for less than 500 US dollars.
These are the 10 Best Tablets Under $500 Dollar right now
1. OnePlus Pad
The OnePlus Pad is the first of its kind from the brand and it comes with some great features for its price range. It has a premium finish with an aluminum frame and glass at the back and front. You can use a stylus on the tablet making it suitable for creative projects. The display is IPS LCD and it comes with a 144Hz refresh rate and 11.6 inch size. It has a maximum nits of 500 nits outdoors and you might struggle on a sunny day. The pad is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 with 8 or 12GB RAM and up to 256GB storage space. It has a 13MP primary camera and an 8MP selfie camera. The battery is 9510mAh and it supports 67 watts fast charging.
- Display Size: 11.61 inches
- Display Type: IPS LCD, 144Hz (2000 x 2800)
- Rear Camera: 13MP Selfie Camera: 8MP
- Operating System: Android 13, Oxygen OS
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 9000
- Ram: 8 or 12 GB
- Storage Space: 128 or 256 GB
- Battery: 9510mAh
2. Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE is the latest budget tablet from Samsung. It is one of the best tablets under $500 and it comes with an aluminum build at the back. The tablet supports a stylus pen and it has an IP68 water and dust resistance rating. It is powered by the Exynos 1380 with 6 or 8GB RAM and up to 256GB storage space. The main camera is 8MP and the selfie camera is 12MP. It has decent stereo speakers tuned by AKG and the battery is 8000mAh.
- Display Size: 10.9 inches
- Display Type: IPS LCD, 90Hz (1440 x 2304)
- Rear Camera: 8MP Selfie Camera: 12MP
- Operating System: Android 13, One UI 5.1
- Processor: Exynos 1380
- Ram: 6 or 12 GB
- Storage Space: 128 or 256 GB
- Battery: 8000mAh
3. Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro (8GB RAM & 256GB Storage)
The Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro is another great option with a budget of around $500. It comes with an aluminum frame and it has support for a stylus. The display is an IPS LCD with a 144Hz refresh rate and 550 nits max outdoors. It has a size of 11.0 inches and it is responsive to touch. There are two cameras at the back, a 50MP primary camera and a 2MP depth lens. You can shoot 4K videos with the cameras and there is a 20MP selfie camera upfront. It comes with four speakers and an 8600mAh battery. The tablet also supports 67 watts fast charging.
- Display Size: 11.0 inches
- Display Type: IPS LCD, 144Hz (1800 x 2880)
- Rear Camera: 50MP + 2MP Selfie Camera:20MP
- Operating System: Android 13, MIUI 14
- Processor: Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
- Ram: 8GB
- Storage Space: 256 GB
- Battery: 8600mAh
4. Apple iPad 10.9 inches (2022)
The Apple iPad 10.9 inches 2022 is one of the best tablets under 500 dollars. It is powered by the A14 bionic chip and 64 GB storage space for the base model. It is good for multitasking and creative artists can use it to create and edit videos. The Apple iPad is running on IOS 16.1 after receiving the update. It has a 12MP rear camera that can shoot 4K videos. The iPad has a completely aluminum build and it supports nano or eSim. It comes with a liquid Retina IPS LCD display with a 1640 resolution. There is a fingerprint scanner at the top of the iPad and it’s quick. You can get up to 10 hours of battery life from the tablet under intensive usage. It is otherwise known as the Apple iPad 10th Gen.
Apple iPad 10.9 inches 2022 Key specs
- Display Size: 10.9 inches
- Display Type: Liquid Retina IPS LCD Display (1640 x 2360)
- Rear Camera: 12MP Selfie Camera: 12MP
- Operating System: IOS 16
- Processor: A14 Bionic
- Ram: 4 or 6 GB
- Storage Space: 64 or 256 GB
- Battery: 7540mAh
5. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is one of the best Android tablets under $500. It can be used for work and it has the speed to match. The tablet is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 with 8GB RAM and up to 256GB storage space. You will enjoy gaming on the tablet as well as consuming content online. It has an 11-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1600 resolution. There is a slot for a memory card which is amazing on a tablet. It has two cameras at the back with a 13MP main camera and a 12MP selfie camera. You can shoot 4K videos with the cameras on the tablet. There are 4 speakers on the tablet and it has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. It is compatible with Samsung DeX and it has an 8000mAh battery and 45 watts of fast charging support.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Key Specs
- Display Size: 11 inches
- Display Type: TFT LCD, 120Hz (1600 x 2560)
- Rear Camera: 13MP + 6MP Selfie Camera: 12MP
- Operating System: Android 13, One UI 5
- Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
- Ram: 8 or 12 GB
- Storage Space: 128 or 256 GB
- Battery: 8000mAh
6. Apple iPad Mini (2021)
The Apple iPad Mini 2021 is another great option if you want a tablet below $500. It has a complete aluminum build with support for nano or eSim. The tablet has support for 2nd gen stylus and it has an IPS LCD display. It has an 8.3-inch display size with a symmetrical bezel and 500 nits of brightness outdoors. The iPad is powered by the A15 bionic chipset with 4GB RAM and up to 256GB storage space. There are two 12MP cameras on the iPad mini with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. It has up to 10 hours of battery life and it can run heavy games smoothly. The iPad mini has a compact size and it’s portable to carry around.
Apple iPad Mini 2021 Key Specs
- Display Size: 8.9 inches
- Display Type: Liquid Retina IPS LCD (1488 x 2266)
- Rear Camera: 12MP Selfie Camera: 12MP
- Operating System: IOS 16.1
- Processor: A15 Bionic
- Ram: 4 GB
- Storage Space: 64 or 256 GB
- Battery: 10 hours of battery life
7. Microsoft Surface Go 3
The Microsoft Surface Go 3 is a little bit different because it uses Windows OS. It is perfect for office work because you will have access to Microsoft 360 apps. The tablet can also run lightweight PC games. You can run multiple applications at the same time without any delay. Students can also use it in place of a laptop especially if they can’t afford a decent laptop. The display is 10.6 inches with an 8MP main camera and a 5MP selfie camera. You can get up to 11 hours of battery from the tablet. It comes with 4 or 8GB RAM with 64GB eMMC or 128GB SSD storage space. The tablet uses the Intel Pentium Gold or Core i3 depending on the model you buy. There is also a slot to expand the storage space using SD card. It is one of the best tablets under $500.
Microsoft Surface Go 3 Key Specs
- Display Size: 10.51 inches
- Display Type: TFT LCD (1280 x 1920)
- Rear Camera: 8MP Selfie Camera: 5MP
- Operating System: Windows 11
- Processor: Intel core i3 or Intel Pentium Gold
- Ram: 4 or 8 GB
- Storage Space: 64 or 128 GB
- Battery: 11 hours of battery life
8. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is one of the more affordable tablets from Samsung. It has a 10,090mAh battery with 45 watts of fast charging support. The tablet has an aluminum frame and back with support for a stylus. The display is TFT LCD and it’s 12.4 inches big. It has a 1600 resolution with an 84% screen-to-body ratio and almost 250 pixels per inch. The tablet is running on Android 13 and One UI 5 is the user interface. There is a Wi-Fi-only model powered by the Snapdragon 778G 5G and a mobile variant powered by the Snapdragon 750G 5G. It comes with 4, 6, or 8GB RAM with up to 256GB storage space. The main camera is 8MP and we have a 5MP selfie camera on the tablet.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Key Specs
- Display Size: 12.4 inches
- Display Type: TFT LCD (1600 x 2560)
- Rear Camera: 8MP Selfie Camera: 5MP
- Operating System: Android 13, One UI 5
- Processor: Snapdragon 778G 5G or 750G 5G
- Ram: 4, 6, or 8 GB
- Storage Space: 64, 128, or 256 GB
- Battery: 10,090mAh
9. Lenovo Yoga Tab 13
The Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 has a large 13-inch IPS LCD and a 1350 resolution. It has a complete aluminum build with a metal kickstand at the back made of stainless steel. You can use the stylus on the display but you have to buy it separately. The tablet is running on Android 11 and ZUI 12.5 is the user interface. The Snapdragon 870 5 G powers it with up to 8GB RAM and 256GB storage space. There is a stereo speaker on the tablet tuned by JBL but no headphone jack. It also has a micro HDMI port to let you use it as a secondary display. The battery is 10,200mAh and its only available in gray color.
Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 Key Specs
- Display Size: 13 inches
- Display Type: IPS LCD (1280 x 1920)
- Rear Camera: 8MP Selfie Camera: 5MP
- Operating System: Android 11, ZUI 12.5
- Processor: Snapdragon 870 5G
- Ram: 8 GB
- Storage Space: 256 GB
- Battery: 10,200mAh
10. Microsoft Surface Go 2
The Microsoft Surface Go 2 comes with slim bezels around the display with a 10.5-inch display. You can get up to 11 hours of battery on the tablet which is remarkable. There is also a fingerprint scanner and headphone jack on the tablet. It comes with 4 or 6GB RAM and up to 256GB storage space. The Intel Pentium Gold or 8th Gen Intel Core M3 powers the tablet. It has an 8MP camera at the back and a 5MP front-facing camera.
Microsoft Surface Go 2 Key Specs
- Display Size: 10.51 inches
- Display Type: TFT LCD (1280 x 1920)
- Rear Camera: 8MP Selfie Camera: 5MP
- Operating System: Windows 11
- Processor: Intel core m3 or Intel Pentium Gold
- Ram: 4 or 8 GB
- Storage Space: 64, 128, or 256 GB
- Battery: 11 hours of battery life
A Quick Recap of the Best Tablets Under $500:
- Apple iPad 10.9 inch (2022)
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
- Apple iPad Mini (2021)
- Xiaomi Pad 5
- Microsoft Surface Go 3
- Lenovo Tab P11 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE
- Lenovo Yoga Tab 13
- Chuwi Ubook X
- Microsoft Surface Go 2
