When most individuals consider a pill, they consider the iPad. Apple’s slates are synonymous with the class, however they’ve an enormous downside: worth.
Essentially the most inexpensive mannequin Apple at the moment sells is the ten.9-inch one from 2022, which begins at £329/$349 for simply 64GB of storage. If you need 256GB as a substitute, that’ll price you £479/$499.
In the event you’re simply in search of a tool to look at Netflix or YouTube, it’s merely not price it. So, what about Android tablets?
On the floor, there aren’t many nice choices right here both. Samsung is main the way in which, however its Galaxy Tab S10+ and S10 Extremely are too costly, whereas the price range Tab A9 and A9+ are designed for common usability fairly than nice content material consumption.
Nonetheless, it appears like there may be an answer from Honor. Its new Pad V9 pill prices simply €250 (UK worth TBC), but affords a surprisingly good audiovisual expertise.
An 11.5-inch, 2800 x 1840 LCD show won’t sound notably spectacular, however I’ve actually loved utilizing it throughout my hands-on time with the Pad V9.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
It delivers the wealthy, vibrant colors and deep blacks I’d normally affiliate with OLED panels, plus wonderful element and a quick 144Hz refresh fee. The system can even get impressively shiny, so I wouldn’t be nervous about visibility, even in direct daylight.
After all, show is just one side of an ideal system for motion pictures and TV. Audio system play an enormous position too, and the Honor Pad V9 has no fewer than eight of them!
They’re positioned at both finish of the system and ship audio that may rival a flagship pill. The sound is constantly wealthy and full-bodied, providing a pleasant hit of bass.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
But on the similar time, they will get impressively loud with out introducing any audible distortion. Whether or not you’re listening to music, dialogue or particular results, you possibly can just about assure an ideal listening expertise.
However if you happen to’d desire to attach headphones or audio system, you might have the choice of each Bluetooth 5.2 and a 3.5mm jack. The latter helps 24-bit hi-res audio and has been accepted to supply cinema-like IMAX Enhanced high quality.
Crucially, the Honor Pad V9’s MediaTek Dimensity 8350 chipset affords robust efficiency throughout all on a regular basis duties. Mixed with that 144Hz refresh fee, you’re getting an impressively premium expertise.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
And because it’s working Android 15, you’ll have full entry to all of your favorite apps and streaming providers.
Nonetheless, software program can also be the place you’ll discover the Pad V9’s largest downside. Honor’s MagicOS 9 pores and skin is sort of completely different to what you’ll discover on a Galaxy or Pixel pill, and never in a great way for most individuals.
It feels very cluttered, with dozens of additional pre-installed apps and frequent pop-ups. There are some genuinely helpful options, however whilst somebody who’s used Honor tablets earlier than, I discovered them troublesome to search out and get used to.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
None of that basically issues if you happen to simply desire a system for watching motion pictures and TV on. However there are a few issues we nonetheless don’t learn about that may be.
The primary is battery life. The Pad V9 has an honest 10,100mAh battery, however how a lot viewing time will that truly get you? And how briskly can 66W quick charging get you again as much as full?
Software program help additionally stays an enormous query mark. To be price shopping for, you in all probability desire a assured 4 years of safety help, with new options in main OS updates much less necessary. We’ve reached out to Honor for readability and can replace this text if we hear again.
Supplied these two unknowns are taken care of, the Honor Pad V9 is a powerful inexpensive pill for film and TV followers.
Nonetheless, the software program expertise prevents it from being a simple advice for productiveness. If that’s your precedence, there are higher choices in our greatest tablets and finest price range tablets guides.