Best Of The Cheapo I-Pad Knock Offs?

[jaideeguy]

I'm starting to see a few cheap I-pad knock offs ranging in price from 2,500 to ?? Just wondering if anyone can suggest a cheapo brand with reliability, decent service and user friendliness for dummies. Android, of course!

Intended use will be for the wife to 'facebook' and for me, the news, email and the occasional movie.

Any comments or suggestions?? brands, models and prices please ...........

[thrilled]

I wouldn't call them knockoffs they are what they are.some fairly new ones are better than apple.

[DogNo1]

The thing to be careful with when choosing an Android tablet is the processor speed and the length of time that you can run it on one battery charge. I bought a Samsung look-alike seven inch tablet at MBK and found that it does the same things as my Nexus 7, just much more slowly and for only three hours. You get what you pay for and at under 3,000 Baht you are probably not going the get the best tablet. The slowness can be quite frustrating even though since I use it at home, charging it constantly is not a problem. My advice would be to go for one of the genuine Galaxy tabs bought in one of the large shops. The price will be the same as that asked by the smaller shops, even though you could probably talk them down somewhat, and the quality will be guaranteed. Good luck

[jaideeguy]

Brands, models and prices please........

Apple is just a high priced and showy fruit to me.

[JustAnotherFarang]

If you are looking to buy a cheap tablet with dual core/quad core specs then I would recommend looking to buy one from China. I bought a 10 inch Cube U30gt about a year ago for around 7000 bht from a company called Pandawill and it's still going strong and I am more than happy with it. Nowadays you can get a quad core machine for the same price and you can check out the reviews of the model you like on Google before you buy.

JAF

[uhuh]

Scope Hercules, 7 inch, available at Advice (in Pantip, in Fortune etc) 2990 B

they say it doesnt work with 3G but mine does (need aircard)

Android 4

Onda V972, 10 inch, available at Digilife (in Pantip 3F or Fortune 3F) 8900 B

Wifi, 3G, Retina display

sometimes hangs, it may help to install Nova launcher

there is a whole thread on it here on TV

Android 4

you can also get Nexus 7 for 10900 B (32 GB, 3G)

[craigt3365]

I have several friends who have purchased knock off tablets in the past year. Not one has performed properly and 3 out of 5 of them quit working after a few months. The screen on one is really bad.

I think your best bet is to do what you are considering...get a major brand name not just one of the unknown copies.

[keeniau96]

Look for a fast CPU eg. MKU6589 quad core, IPS capacitive touch screen and Android 4.1 or higher. Will be hard to find all that under US$150, but doable at $200.

[nikster]

I'd consider the google Nexus as baseline. Google subsidizes the price - at least in the US - so these tablets are sold basically at cost. They're as cheap as you can make them without some major tradeoffs.

Aren't the Samsung tablets the same price as iPads? If so there really is no reason to get one.

PS: A 3000 Baht for a paperweight is not cheap, it's very expensive. Sometimes people lose sight of that.

Edited May 8, 2013 by nikster

[craigt3365]

nikster, on 08 May 2013 - 10:50, said:

I'd consider the google Nexus as baseline. Google subsidizes the price - at least in the US - so these tablets are sold basically at cost. They're as cheap as you can make them without some major tradeoffs.

Aren't the Samsung tablets the same price as iPads? If so there really is no reason to get one.

PS: A 3000 Baht for a paperweight is not cheap, it's very expensive. Sometimes people lose sight of that.

Samsung tabs are a bit cheaper than iPads. And they run android. A few reasons people buy them.

Our Samsung tab was $550 in the US compared to around $800 for the iPad. But I don't have any other Apple products, so didn't want to buy an iPad.

[Familyonthemove]

Brands, models and prices please........

Apple is just a high priced and showy fruit to me.

I'm not sure that the brands mean a lot when you buy the Chinese products? Manufacturers seem to have several brand names and overlapping ranges.

Perhaps better to give it a good try and buy on spec and look and feel of the touchscreen?

[impulse]

I like my Aigopad M80D, current price 2990 baht (I paid 3900 a year ago).

Had an Aigopad M80 for 5490 baht (2 years ago) and it was a POS. I bought the M80D before my GF pronounced it a POS (after she had taken over ownership in that oh-so feminine way). Now we each have an M80D and both like them.

Downsides: No GPS, no SIM card and no Bluetooth. I can't speak for battery life since I rarely play it in portable mode. I use it every night on my nightstand to play movies from a 2TB external hard drive. I also keep a 32 gig micro-SD chip in it for the road. When I need 3G interweb, I tether via wifi through my Samsung phone.

It also has a micro HDMI slot that plays beautifully through my 24" Full HD TV, but I don't use that feature much unless I'm in a hotel with crappy cable, then hook the HDMI up to the TV and watch my own movies and documentaries. The pad itself has decent resolution, unlike some others in the price range.

If I had to buy another low cost tablet, I may try an ASUS or ACER (I forget) for 3900 +/-, but they weren't available when I bought my Aigopad. And I think they have lower screen resolution, too. But I wouldn't hesitate to buy another M80D.

Edited May 8, 2013 by impulse

[craigt3365]

One thought. Try looking at places like PowerBuy. I would "think" they only sell the better brands of products, not just the dodgy clone devices.

Also, have a look here:

http://www.invadeit.co.th/category/tablets/

These guys get pretty good reviews for products, prices and after sales support!

[jimmybkk]

Just bought a copy Samsung tab from Tukcom in Pattaya for a friend. 4,500 Baht, no SIM - about half the price of the genuine article. It seemed to work ok - it downloaded apps from Google Play without a problem and connected to wi-fi. I didn't think the screen was great but I've never owned nor used a tab so I had no idea what to expect. I couldn't tell you the brand because it was disguised as a Samsung. The following day I was in an electronic store where they had similar (genuine) Acer and Asus tabs for 3,900 Baht - if I was buying for myself with the same budget I would buy one of those for sure - the screen was far superior, and they just felt and looked so much better. I can't comment on how they compared performance wise however.

[jaideeguy]

I'd consider the google Nexus as baseline. Google subsidizes the price - at least in the US - so these tablets are sold basically at cost. They're as cheap as you can make them without some major tradeoffs.

Aren't the Samsung tablets the same price as iPads? If so there really is no reason to get one.

PS: A 3000 Baht for a paperweight is not cheap, it's very expensive. Sometimes people lose sight of that.

Yeah, the google nexus 7 looks like the one for me, but where can you get them in LOS?? and service??

[Sophon]

I like my Aigopad M80D, current price 2990 baht (I paid 3900 a year ago).

Had an Aigopad M80 for 5490 baht (2 years ago) and it was a POS. I bought the M80D before my GF pronounced it a POS (after she had taken over ownership in that oh-so feminine way). Now we each have an M80D and both like them.

Downsides: No GPS, no SIM card and no Bluetooth. I can't speak for battery life since I rarely play it in portable mode. I use it every night on my nightstand to play movies from a 2TB external hard drive. I also keep a 32 gig micro-SD chip in it for the road. When I need 3G interweb, I tether via wifi through my Samsung phone.

It also has a micro HDMI slot that plays beautifully through my 24" Full HD TV, but I don't use that feature much unless I'm in a hotel with crappy cable, then hook the HDMI up to the TV and watch my own movies and documentaries. The pad itself has decent resolution, unlike some others in the price range.

If I had to buy another low cost tablet, I may try an ASUS or ACER (I forget) for 3900 +/-, but they weren't available when I bought my Aigopad. And I think they have lower screen resolution, too. But I wouldn't hesitate to buy another M80D.

Where can you get a Aigopad M80D for 3,000 baht? All the sites I can find lists it at between five and six thousand.

Sophon

[impulse]

Pantip and Fortune Tower have loads of Kiosks with the M80E at 2990. The spec's on the M80E look like the M80D. I also saw them at Queen Sirikit Convention Center at the last few tech free-for-alls= same price.

To be clear, stay away from the M80 model.

I, too was surprised the online shops are at 5000+ baht for the same.

BTW, I also like my Aigopad M60, 6" screen- just small enough to keep in my pocket and keep from wearing out the batteries on my phone. Cost 1699 and I had to buy a "gift kit" for another 300 baht, which had a charger, screen protector and cloth draw bag.

Edited May 8, 2013 by impulse

[AnotherOneAmerican]

You can get a 7" Galaxy Tab II for 6k, pretty good and the battery lasts all day.

[uhuh]

I'd consider the google Nexus as baseline. Google subsidizes the price - at least in the US - so these tablets are sold basically at cost. They're as cheap as you can make them without some major tradeoffs.

Aren't the Samsung tablets the same price as iPads? If so there really is no reason to get one.

PS: A 3000 Baht for a paperweight is not cheap, it's very expensive. Sometimes people lose sight of that.

Yeah, the google nexus 7 looks like the one for me, but where can you get them in LOS?? and service??

BigC had them on sale 2 weeks ago, but not at every branch

[petedk]

I'd consider the google Nexus as baseline. Google subsidizes the price - at least in the US - so these tablets are sold basically at cost. They're as cheap as you can make them without some major tradeoffs.

Aren't the Samsung tablets the same price as iPads? If so there really is no reason to get one.

PS: A 3000 Baht for a paperweight is not cheap, it's very expensive. Sometimes people lose sight of that.

Yeah, the google nexus 7 looks like the one for me, but where can you get them in LOS?? and service??

BigC had them on sale 2 weeks ago, but not at every branch

I still see them at Rama 4 and at Ratchada branches.

By the way the Google Nexus 7 is sold under the Asus name in Thailand.

[poanoi]

I'm sick and tired of my so-called 'smartphone'

battery last 2 days max, -and thats when i dont use it.

Next phone will be a normal phone with battery lasting at least a week

[uhuh]

I'd consider the google Nexus as baseline. Google subsidizes the price - at least in the US - so these tablets are sold basically at cost. They're as cheap as you can make them without some major tradeoffs.

Aren't the Samsung tablets the same price as iPads? If so there really is no reason to get one.

PS: A 3000 Baht for a paperweight is not cheap, it's very expensive. Sometimes people lose sight of that.

Yeah, the google nexus 7 looks like the one for me, but where can you get them in LOS?? and service??

BigC had them on sale 2 weeks ago, but not at every branch

I still see them at Rama 4 and at Ratchada branches.

By the way the Google Nexus 7 is sold under the Asus name in Thailand.

still 10900 Baht?

[edwinchester]

Hi. Just want to get some ideas for wifey. She wants a tab. Android as she is used to that, borrows my Galaxy! 7" is ok. Front and rear camera. 1gb ram. Min 8gb of space, good screen and fast processor. As near to 4k bht as possible. Is that doable and does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks for reading, Ed.

[chris2004]

When you can buy a new ipad4 for 15,900 baht is it worth getting some tacky knock off which isn't going to work well for the sake of saving a few thousand ?

[MESmith]

When you can buy a new ipad4 for 15,900 baht is it worth getting some tacky knock off which isn't going to work well for the sake of saving a few thousand ?

Why pay 15,900 when you can get a budget tablet for under 4000 baht that works well. And they're not "tacky knock offs", just budget tablets, running on Android. Specs may be lower than the high end models, but they do the job.

[poanoi]

 

When you can buy a new ipad4 for 15,900 baht is it worth getting some tacky knock off which isn't going to work well for the sake of saving a few thousand ?

 

Ok, is it worth buying an ipad when it isnt even water-proof, unlike motorola defy ?

[impulse]

When you can buy a new ipad4 for 15,900 baht is it worth getting some tacky knock off which isn't going to work well for the sake of saving a few thousand ?

I wouldn't even mind the 15,900 so much as the fact that Apple keeps their hand in your back pocket long after the "new" is worn off.

I put whatever I want on my Samsung and Aigo (Android) products, into the $30 interchangeable 16 and 32gig micro-SD cards. I pay for some of the content, some of it I already own, and most of it is free. If I run out of space, another $30 and I'm good to go.

How much room you got on your IPad memory, and what's it cost if you want more?

[varun]

If you can wait long enough, Google (Nexus), is coming out with their Nexus 7 (2nd Gen) in July.

Should be a nice upgrade, and I honestly think it's probably the best tablet in terms of price-to-performance ratio.

However, cheaper Android alternatives, are a dime a dozen (3k - 6k THB range).

I've also been hearing really good things about the Huawei Android tablets, as they are spec-rich, and more bang for the buck.

[jocko]

If you can wait long enough, Google (Nexus), is coming out with their Nexus 7 (2nd Gen) in July.

Should be a nice upgrade, and I honestly think it's probably the best tablet in terms of price-to-performance ratio.

However, cheaper Android alternatives, are a dime a dozen (3k - 6k THB range).

I've also been hearing really good things about the Huawei Android tablets, as they are spec-rich, and more bang for the buck.

As you say the new Nexus will be launched soon which would mean the existing stock should get cheaper so could be worth the wait either way for a good tablet

And the Huawei phones/tablet are good valve for money.

I have Nexus tablet and Huawei phone happy with both

[jaideeguy]

Been thinking that the wife just wants a phone for her facebook and the new $99 Nokia will keep her quiet for a while and I can afford to wait a few months for a slightly larger screen than 7 in. My eyesight is not what it used to be. Anyone know what's on the horizon for 9+ inch models??