With Samsung offering some of the most expensive devices on the market, a good deal goes a long way. As far as the best Android tablets are concerned, the Tab A series has provided affordability without sacrificing too much, so those on a budget can enjoy the tablet experience. The most recent slate, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8, is exactly that. It offers a solid tablet experience for an affordable $230 price point, matching the same cost as its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7, while beating out the entry-level iPad by $100.

When it comes to tablets as affordable as this, it’s not all peaches and cream. The weak performance and dim display of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 won’t let you forget about its budget status, and the smaller size makes it feel more like an extra-large phone than a laptop substitute. For only $230, though, the experience might be acceptable enough to please most buyers.

Price and availability

Samsung is pretty good about making their devices widely available to all users, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is no different. The budget tablet can be purchased from Amazon, Best Buy, or straight from the Samsung website for $229, although the company offers a wide range of rebates and deals, so you could get it for even less on the right day.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is available in three different colors — silver, grey, and pink gold — and provides three options when it comes to storage: 32 GB, 64 GB, or 128 GB.

Design, hardware, what's in the box

The first thing you'll notice when taking the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 out of the box is how thin and sleek it feels in your hands. The metallic build gave me confidence that it could survive a drop or two without a case. Its 10.5-inch display is big enough for the basics — and just a touch larger than the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 — but it definitely feels small for productivity tasks, given its larger bezels. Plus, considering the ratio at 16:10, it feels more comfortable vertically than horizontally, making it feel more like a bigger phone than a smaller tablet.

At 1.12 lbs and 0.27 inches wide, the dimensions of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 are nearly identical to those of the newest 10.9" iPad, meaning it's both slimmer and heavier than the Amazon Fire Tablet HD 10. I was even able to fit the Galaxy Tab A8 in the pocket of some particularly baggy basketball shorts — think Adam Sandler-levels of bagginess — but there was a notable risk of it falling out if I simply sat down.

While the bezels may seem large compared to smartphones, the screen-to-body ratio measures in at around 80%, which is about the same as the Galaxy Tab A7. The bezels are consistent across the entire device, with no chins, notches, or other display interruptions to be found.

The 1920 x 1200 pixel LCD looks crisp and clear enough considering the price, but it won't impress anyone at first glance. For those looking for an e-reader alternative, 327 nits aren't ideal for taking in your favorite novel while lounging on the beach, but they will allow you to do some social scrolling with a bit of a squint.

The speaker placement is one of the primary reasons the Galaxy Tab A8 feels better vertically than horizontally. With four speakers on the device — two on the top and two on the bottom when held like a phone — holding it horizontally almost guarantees a blocked speaker. Luckily, the sound is pretty robust either way, thanks to the Dolby Atmos tuning, but you'll get a clearer sound in the vertical position.

As you can expect from a budget tablet, you won't find any frills alongside your Samsung Galaxy Tab A8. You'll just see the tablet, a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, a charging brick, and the standard assortment of paperwork.

Software, performance, and battery

Paying $230 for a tablet always comes back to haunt you regarding software and performance, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is no different. The budget device lags when opening apps and folders, swapping between landscape and portrait modes, and playing demanding games. It's a big step down from something like the similarly-sized Galaxy Tab S8, though it's worth remembering the savings here — the Tab S8 costs nearly three times as much as this slate.

If you don't need the snappiness provided by a faster processor and just want a tablet built for basic usage, the Tab A8's performance is more than acceptable. You can scroll through TikTok, reply on Twitter, and stream content on Netflix without any major hiccups getting in the way. Even video chats don't experience any substantial problems; you should be able to get through a 40-minute meeting without dropping the call or having to switch to audio only.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 shipped with Android 11, but it's perfectly equipped to update to the new Android 13 released in early January. The refreshed UI improves on the already not terrible Android tablet experience, which, while many love to hate on it, seems to be coming into its own.

Sure, it can't match the iPad regarding ease of use just yet, but at least they're on the right path. Unfortunately, multitasking leaves a lot to be desired, with no taskbar at the bottom and only a pop-up view available instead of displaying the two windows side-by-side. Still, the price tag and screen size should prevent you from expecting much on the productivity side of the device.

The battery life is respectable, considering you'll likely use the device for basic tasks like social media and email. The 7040 mAh is the same as the previous iteration and easily lasts through a full day as long as you aren't streaming videos for 24 hours straight. The 15W charging is where it falls really short, gaining only 25% in an hour and more than four hours to go from 0% to 100% with the provided cable.

Cameras

No one is buying a tablet for the camera. Still, if you want to make sure your video chats are clear, or you're planning on leaving your smartphone at home for a child's recital, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 cameras will certainly get the job done, even if you won't be turning heads any time soon.

The 8 MP main camera and 5 MP selfie camera — which are the same as the Galaxy Tab A7 — are well below the standard for smartphones today, but they are good enough for standard usage. Sure, the photos come out a bit dark and grainy without the AI-powered improvements you'll find on smartphones like the Pixel 7, but you shouldn't be trying to win a photography competition with a tablet anyway.

For video, the main and selfie cameras record 1080p at 30fps, which is more than enough for work meetings, virtual happy hours, and anything else required by your online life. Admittedly, you won't score any points with the TikTok algorithm for high-quality video, but your boss will be able to see your eyes roll in the all-hands meetings.

Competition

Samsung has plenty of budget tablets available for users today, including the Galaxy Tab A7 and Tab A7 Lite, providing different specs and price points, depending on your needs. The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 has a barely larger screen and a better process than the Galaxy Tab A7, sporting an Octa-core Unisoc T618 Processor against the A7's Snapdragon 662 Processor. You'll also have a few more storage and RAM options with the Tab A8, with 4GB RAM and 128 GB storage options available, which the A7 does not provide. Other than that, the battery size, ports, and battery are all the same.

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 has a bigger screen than the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite by almost two full inches, and it has a smaller battery. For that reason, the A7 Lite is one of the more affordable tablets out there, coming in at only $160 compared to the Tab A8, which costs $230.

Should you buy it?

If you're in the market for a budget Android Tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is easily one of your best options. It looks good, feels sturdy, is affordable, and runs Android 13, which should be all you're asking of a tablet at only $230. Compared to other budget options, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is cheaper than Apple's budget iPad by a notable amount, and it's more powerful than the Amazon Fire Tablet HD 10, making it an ideal middle-ground option for deal-seekers who don't want to miss out on a baseline level of performance.

Yes, you'll sacrifice some speed at this price, but if it fits your needs — streaming, scrolling, and low-demand gaming — you could pay more and still do worse than this tablet (like with the Nokia T20). The screen is big enough for an enjoyable viewing experience, and the performance is good enough to handle a game of Angry Birds without a problem. Simply put, this is a tablet for fun, not work, and that price tag should clarify that.