Best cheap tablets: top budget options

The iPad 4 still rules the roost as the best 10-inch (technically 9.7-inch) tablet in the world, but with prices starting at £399 and rising all the way to £659, it's clearly priced in a bracket way above many people's budget.

Apple's sky-high prices mean those wanting a more affordable tablet experience will have to look elsewhere, although the iPad Mini has recently entered the fray at a lower price point.

Google's Android operating system now adorns a multitude of tablets, from those priced at the same lofty heights of Apple's offerings, to those that can be picked up for £100 at your local supermarket – although we'd advise against purchasing most of these, and instead check out the superior options below.

Be sure to check out our tablet buying guide too.

If you can't quite hack the lower offerings, and you've managed to scrape together enough money to indulge in a pricier tablet experience, then take a gander at the following:

• 10 best tablet <a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>s in the world today</li><li>15 best Android tablets in the world</li></ul><p>For those of you who are still with us, well done. To reward you for your loyalty, here are some top tablets for under &pound;300.</p><h3>1. iPad mini</h3><p><figure>PGltZyBzcmM9Imh0dHA6Ly9jZG40Lm1vcy50ZWNocmFkYXIuZnV0dXJlY2RuLm5ldC8vYXJ0L3RhYmxldHMvaVBhZC9pUGFkTWluaS9QcmVzcy9pUGFkTWluaS1QcmVzcy0wNi01ODAtOTAuanBnIiB3aWR0aD0iNTgwIiBhbHQ9ImlQYWQgbWluaSI+<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9maWd1cmU+<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9wPjxwPjxzdHJvbmc+UHJpY2U8L3N0cm9uZz46IGZyb20gJnBvdW5kOzI2OTxicj48c3Ryb25nPk9T<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9zdHJvbmc+OiBpT1MgNjxicj48c3Ryb25nPlJldmlldyBzY29yZTwvc3Ryb25nPjogNC41LzU8L3A+PHA+QXBwbGUncyBmb3JtZXIgQ0VPIFN0ZXZlIEpvYnMgZmFtb3VzbHkgc2xhbW1lZCBzbWFsbCB0YWJsZXRzIGEgZmV3IHllYXJzIGJhY2ssIGxlYWRpbmcgbWFueSB0byBiZWxpZXZlIHRoZSBDdXBlcnRpbm8tYmFzZWQgZmlybSB3b3VsZCBuZXZlciBkYWJibGUgaW4gdGhlIGJ1ZGdldCBlbmQgb2YgdGhlIG1hcmtldCwgYnV0IGhlcmUgd2UgYXJlLjwvcD48cD5JbiB0ZXJtcyBvZiBjb25zaXN0ZW5jeSBpbiB0aGUgdGFibGV0IG1hcmtldCBBcHBsZSBjYW5ub3QgYmUgbWF0Y2hlZCwgYXMgaXQgbm93IGxheXMgY2xhaW0gdG8gdGhlIGZ<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">pc</a>nN0IHR3byBwbGFjZXMgaW4gb3VyIHRvcCAxMCwgd2l0aCB0aGUgaVBhZCBtaW5pIHRoZSBqZXdlbCBpbiBhbiBhbHJlYWR5IGdsaXN0ZW5pbmcgY3Jvd24u<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9wPjxwPlRoZSBzbGlnaHQgZG93bnNpZGVzIHRvIHRoZSBpUGFkIG1pbmkgYXJlIHRoYXQgaXQgbWlzc2VzIG91dCBvbiBhIFJldGluYSBkaXNwbGF5IGFuZCBpdCBwdXNoZXMgdGhlIHVwcGVyIGVuZCBvZiB0aGUgYnVkZ2V0IHByaWNlIGJyYWNrZXQsIGJ1dCB5b3UgY2FuIGp1c3RpZnkgdGhhdCBwcmljZSB3aXRoIGl0cyBzbGljayBvcGVyYXRpb24gYW5kIHByZW1pdW0gYnVpbGQgcXVhbGl0eSwgbGV0dGluZyB5b3Uga25vdyB5b3UgaGF2ZSBhIHRvcCBwaWVjZSBvZiBraXQgaW4geW91ciBoYW5kIC0gYXMgd2Ugc2FpZCBpbiBvdXIgcmV2aWV3ICJ0aGUgaVBhZCBtaW5pIGlzIHRoZSBiZXN0IGlQYWQgQXBwbGUgaGFzIGV2ZXIgY3JlYXRlZC4i<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9wPjx1bD48bGk+UmVhZCBvdXIgaW4tZGVwdGggaVBhZCBtaW5pIHJldmlldzwvbGk+<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>91bD48aDM+Mi4gR29vZ2xlIE5leHVzIDc8L2gzPjxwPjxzdHJvbmc+PGZpZ3VyZT48aW1nIHNyYz0iaHR0cDovL2NkbjQubW9zLnRlY2hyYWRhci5mdXR1cmVjZG4ubmV0Ly9hcnQvdGFibGV0cy9Hb29nbGUvTmV4dXMlMjA3L1ByZXNzL05leHVzN18wNF9QcmVzcy01ODAtMTAwLmpwZyIgd2lkdGg9IjU4MCIgYWx0PSJHb29nbGUgTmV4dXMgNyI+<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9maWd1cmU+<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9zdHJvbmc+<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9wPjxwPjxzdHJvbmc+UHJpY2U8L3N0cm9uZz46IGZyb20gJnBvdW5kOzE1OTxicj48c3Ryb25nPk9T<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9zdHJvbmc+OiBBbmRyb2lkIDQuMSBKZWxseSBCZWFuPGJyPjxzdHJvbmc+UmV2aWV3IHNjb3Jl<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9zdHJvbmc+OiA0LjUvNTwvcD48cD5XaXRoIGEgcXVhZC1jb3JlIHByb2Nlc3NvciwgYmVlZnkgMTItY29yZSBHUFUsIDctaW5jaCBIRCBJUFMgZGlzcGxheSBhbmQgYmVpbmcgdGhlIGZ<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">pc</a>nN0IGRldmljZSB0byBydW4gQW5kcm9pZCBKZWxseSBCZWFuLCB0aGUgR29vZ2xlIE5leHVzIDcgaXMgcXVpdGUgc2ltcGx5IHRoZSBiZXN0IGJ1ZGdldCB0YWJsZXQgb3V0IHRoZXJlLjwvcD48cD5UaGUgMTZHQiB2ZXJzaW9uIGlzIGF2YWlsYWJsZSBmb3IganVzdCAmcG91bmQ7MTU5LCB3aGlsZSB0aGUgMzJHQiBtb2RlbCB3aWxsIG9ubHkgc2V0IHlvdSBiYWNrICZwb3VuZDsxOTkuIEl0J3MgcXVpdGUgcG9zc2libHkgdGhlIGJhcmdhaW4gb2YgdGhlIGNlbnR1cnku<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9wPjxwPlRoZXJlIGFyZSBhIGZldyBzaG9ydGNvbWluZ3MgJm5kYXNoOyBzdWNoIGFzIG5vIG1pY3JvU0QgY2FyZCBzbG90LCBtZWFuaW5nIHlvdSdyZSBzdHVjayB3aXRoIDMyR0IgYXQgbW9zdCwgYW5kIG5vIHJlYXIgY2FtZXJhICZuZGFzaDsgYWx0aG91Z2ggdGhlc2UgY2FuIGJlIGVhc2lseSBvdmVybG9va2VkIGF0IHRoaXMgc3RhcnRsaW5nbHkgYXR0cmFjdGl2ZSBwcmljZS48L3A+PHVsPjxsaT4gUmVhZCBvdXIgaW4tZGVwdGggR29vZ2xlIE5leHVzIDcgcmV2aWV3<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9saT48L3VsPjxoMz4zLiBBc3VzIEZvbmVQYWQ8L2gzPjxwPjxmaWd1cmU+PGltZyBzcmM9Imh0dHA6Ly9jZG4xLm1vcy50ZWNocmFkYXIuZnV0dXJlY2RuLm5ldC8vYXJ0L3RhYmxldHMvQXN1cy9Gb25lUGFkL1Jldmlldy8zNzFNR19UaXRhbml1bV9HcmF5X3dpdGhvdXRfQ2FtZXJhXzEyLTU4MC05MC5qcGciIHdpZHRoPSI1ODAiIGFsdD0iQXN1cyBGb25lUGFkIj48L2ZpZ3VyZT48L3A+PHA+PHN0cm9uZz5QcmljZTwvc3Ryb25nPjogJnBvdW5kOzE3OS45OTxicj48c3Ryb25nPk9T<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9zdHJvbmc+OiBBbmRyb2lkIDQuMSBKZWxseSBCZWFuPGJyPjxzdHJvbmc+UmV2aWV3IHNjb3Jl<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9zdHJvbmc+OiA0LzU8L3A+PHA+SXQncyBhbG1vc3QgaWRlbnRpY2FsIHRvIHRoZSBOZXh1cyA3IHNpdHRpbmcgaW4gc2Vjb25kIHBsYWNlLCBidXQgdGhlIEZvbmVQYWQgaGFzIGEgZmV3IHRydW1wIGNhcmRzIGluY2x1ZGluZyBhIGdyZWF0IHByaWNlLCBtaWNyb1NEIHNsb3QgYW5kIDNHIGNvbm5lY3Rpdml0eSB3aGljaCBub3Qgb25seSBhbGxvd3MgeW91IHRvIGdldCBvbmxpbmUgYnV0IGFsc28gc2VuZC9yZWNlaXZlIHBob25lIGNhbGxzIGFuZCB0ZXh0IG1lc3NhZ2VzLjwvcD48cD5Zb3UnZCBiZSBmb3JnaXZlbiBmb3Igd29uZGVyaW5nIHdoeSB0aGUgRm9uZVBhZCB<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">pc</a>24ndCBzaXR0aW5nIGNhbG1seSBhdCBudW1iZXIgdHdvLCBidXQgdGhlIEplbGx5IEJlYW4gaW50ZXJmYWNlIGlzbid0IHF1aXRlIGFzIHNsaWNrIChpdCdzIHBhY2tpbmcgYSBkdWFsLWNvcmUsIG5vdCBxdWFkLWNvcmUgY2h<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">pc</a>CksIHlvdSBjYW4gcGljayB1cCBhIFdpLUZpIG9ubHkgTmV4dXMgNyBmb3IgbGVzcyBkb3NoIGFuZCB3aGlsZSB0aGUgY2FsbCBmdW5jdGlvbiB<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">pc</a>yBjb29sLCBpdCdzIGFsc28gYSBsaXR0bGUgaW1wcmFjdGljYWwgb24gYSBkZXZpY2UgdGh<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">pc</a>yBzaXplLjwvcD48cD5UaGF0IHNhaWQgcGF<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">pc</a>iBpdCB1cCB3aXRoIGEgQmx1ZXRvb3RoIGhlYWRzZXQgYW5kIHlvdSBtaWdodCBhcyB3ZWxsIHR1cmYgeW91ciBzbWFydHBob25lIG91dCwgYXMgdGhlIEZvbmVQYWQgY2FuIGRvIHByZXR0eSBtdWNoIGV2ZXJ5dGhpbmcu<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9wPjx1bD48bGk+UmVhZCBvdXIgaW4tZGVwdGggQXN1cyBGb25lUGFkIHJldmlldzwvbGk+<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>91bD4=