Results of testing and review of several low-cost (less than $150) Android tablets with recommendations for top picks in the category

1. Low Cost
7” Android Tablets:
A Comparative Review

2. Why Tablets?
• Increasingly affordable & available
• Increasingly the productivity tool of choice
• Blend of portability & features
COMPUTERS
FULL FEATURE SET
MOBILE PHONES
HIGH PORTABILITY

3. Ministry Uses for Tablets
• Media Playback
• Media Creation
• Media Sharing
• Social Media
• Productivity
(email, document creation, reading, etc.)

4. Why These Tablets?
• Android – top mobile OS in the world
(85% market share globally)
• 7” screen size – sweet spot between
smartphones & full-size tablets
• microSD slot – extra file storage, facilitates file
sharing
• Under $150 – affordable while still offering
key tablet features for mobile ministry
• Global availability & service

5. Selected Tablets
• ASUS MeMo Pad 7
• Datawind UbiSlate 7Ci
• Hisense Sero 7 Pro
• Lenovo A7-50
• LG G-Pad 7.0

6. ASUS MeMo Pad 7
Pros
• Excellent battery life
(8:25 in video test)
• 16 GB of internal storage
• Fun color options
Cons
• Cameras (0.3 MP front, 2 MP rear)
• High end of the price spectrum (~ $150)
• Display was not good as other tablets

7. ASUS Memo Pad 7
A capable tablet with good
battery life and plenty of
internal storage. Unfortunately,
the price is not strongly com-petitive
and the dismal front-and
rear-facing cameras lag the competition.
Certainly not a bad choice, just not the best you
can get at this price point.

8. Datawind UbiSlate 7Ci
Pros:
• Priced under $40
Cons:
• No Google Play Store support (removed)
• Low internal storage (4 GB)
• Poor battery life (2:30 in video test)
• Low-resolution display with poor viewing angles
• Poor camera
• Poor build quality
• No Bluetooth

9. Datawind UbiSlate 7Ci
“You get what you pay for.”
But…
Lots of features for under $50 make this a decent
option for those in the developing world who can’t
afford something more expensive.
Surprise: The internal mic coupled with a good
audio recording app produced excellent audio
suitable for recording stories, sermons/training, etc.

10. HiSense Sero 7 Pro
Pros:
• Very affordable ($85)
• Extra features: MiniHDMI, NFC
• Tops in battery life (9:15 on video test)
• Great camera specs (2 MP – front, 5 MP – rear, LED)
Cons:
• Not widely available
• Largest & heaviest of all tablets tested
• Only 8 GB of internal storage
• Uncertain reliability & durability

11. HiSense Sero 7 Pro
Given its strong feature set, it
offers the best overall value
among all tablets in this review.
However…
It is not the top overall pick due to its limited
availability, size & weight, and uncertainty
about its reliability & durability since Hisense
is so new to the tablet market.

12. Lenovo A7-50
Pros:
• 16 GB of internal storage
• Cameras (2 MP front, 5 MP rear)
• Global availability & service
• Possibly the best overall display
Cons:
• Mediocre battery life (6:30 in video test)
• Slight color inaccuracy, but minor

13. Lenovo A7-50
Disappointing battery life, but
its solid specs including good
cameras and 16 GB of internal
storage, along with a competitive
price ($140), make this easy to recommend.
Bonus: Top makers like Lenovo are more likely to
push out Android updates. The installed
Android 4.2 was promptly updated to 4.4.

14. LG G-Pad 7.0
Pros:
• Nice display with rich,
accurate colors
• Strong battery life
(8:05 in video test)
• Global availability & service
• Split window option for multitasking
Cons:
• Sub-par cameras
• Only 8 GB of internal storage

15. LG G-Pad 7.0
A very enjoyable tablet to
hold & use with good battery
life to get you through the
day. It’s UI even allows you
to display and use two apps
concurrently. Unfortunately, its poor cameras
and lack of internal storage kept the G-Pad from
emerging as the top pick.

16. Final Word
All 5 tablets have merit as mobile ministry tools.
Overall top pick: Lenovo A7-50
Best value: Hisense Sero 7 Pro
Honorable mention: LG G-Pad 7.0