Android tablets are a dime a dozen these days, and there are certain lower-end models going for as little as $40 at Walmart. Many manufacturers have multiple versions of the same tablet, and it’s often hard to decide which one to go for when they often share the exact same specifications. Further, many tablets have similarly-sized screens, that doesn’t mean they’re the same, as it’s the type of screen that will determine how well it will perform.
We at Dealspotr have looked at scores of tablet reviews across the web to find the best Android tablet your money can buy. These reviews include expert rundowns of Android tablets that evaluate the performance of the hardware to more consumer-friendly rundowns from bigger publications.
The Nvidia Shield Tablet is the best Android tablet on the market today in terms of price, performance, and features, beating out its competitors from other well known manufacturers like Samsung, Dell, and ASUS. Its advanced Tegra K1 processor, GRID game streaming service, and full HD display make it perfect for anyone to upgrade their at-home tablet or for someone who is used to lugging their tablet with them wherever they go.
Virtually every review of the Nvidia Shield Tablet mentions its powerful Tegra K1 mobile processor, which is able to deliver incredibly fast performance, even for a tablet. The 2.2GHz Quad Core processor opens and closes applications extremely quickly, a conlusion that is shared in the Digital Trends review, which goes on to state that the Android Shield tablet was “superfast at average, everyday tasks. Videos and apps loaded smoothly too.” In-depth benchmarks also showed that the Tegra processor was able to heavily outperform tablets like the Nexus 9 and the Sony Xperia Z2.
What sets truly sets the Nvidia Shield apart from the competition is its more-than-capable GPU performance—something you don’t typically expect to hear from a tablet. In addition to being able to play all the games you would expect from Google’s Play store, you’ll have ability to stream some of the most recent video games through Nvidia’s GRID service, a feature that you won’t find on any other tablet out there. Ars Technica considers the Nvidia Shield tablet to have “stellar gaming specs for the price,” while AnandTech writes that “outside the tablet itself, the gaming features are compelling.”
Despite its super fast operating speed and stellar graphics performance, the Nvidia Shield Tablet isn’t a perfect device. While certain reviews have different negative points listed for the tablet, most reviews, including those from CNET, TechRadar, and Trusted Reviews agree that the controller, which unlocks the user’s ability to play many of the games from GRIL, should have come bundled with the device as opposed to being sold separately at $60 a pop.
The other qualm was the relatively short battery life of the Nvidia Shield Tablet when playing games. While you’re likely to see 10+ hours of battery life from the tablet under normal use, you won’t get nearly as much when playing games, especially if your using the GRID service. TechCrunch summarizes the Nvidia Shield Tablet’s battery as such: “The battery life on the Shield Tablet lasts around a full day under mixed use, but when you’re streaming or running even demanding Android games, you’re going to burn through it a lot quicker.”
When compared to other tablets in the same price range like the 9-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab or the Dell Venue 8, you get way more features on the Nvidia Shield Tablet. PC Magazine said it best when it summarized the tablet: “Nvidia Shield Tablet blows other tablets out of the water…it’s genuinely impressive Nvidia could fit so much power and flexibility into an 8-inch tablet.” If you’re looking to upgrade your tablet and have $300 to spend, we consider the Nvidia Shield Tablet the best Android tablet your money can buy.
