The budget Android tablet I recommend to most people isn’t from Samsung or TCL

ZDNET Key Points

• The Blackview 18 Tablet The Android tablet is now available for $260.
• This fantastic 12-inch Android tablet has it all — a big screen, a powerful processor, plenty of RAM, and enough power to handle everything the average user needs.
• I wish the screen could be a little brighter for use in direct sunlight.

I love me iPad Pro TabletBut Apple’s 12.9-inch monster doesn’t come cheap. Those looking for a cheaper but similarly sized alternative will have to turn to Android.

See at S.click.aliexpress

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Unfortunately, I found most of the Android Tablet bulky and unwieldy, so it’s refreshing to finally find something that’s both beautiful, well-designed, and comfortable to hold — even for long periods of time.

The Blackview 18 Tablet meets all these requirements and more.

Blackview Tab 18 Specifications

• Display: 12 inch 2.4K display, FHD+ IPS, 1200 x 2000 resolution, 86.6% screen-to-body ratio
• Processor: MediaTek Helio G99 octa-core
• DAM: 12GB LPDDR4X (12GB RAM expansion)
• Internal memory: 256GB UFS2.1
• Maximum microSD/TF card capacity: Up to 1TB
• Operating system: DokeOS_P 4.0 (based on Android 13)
• Card slot: Dual hybrid card slot; 1 x SIM + 1 TF or 2 x SIM
• Camera: Samsung 8 megapixel front camera, SK Hynix 16 megapixel rear camera
• Battery: 8800mAh supports 33W fast charging
• Speaker: Harman Kardon Quad Surround Speakers
• Color: Turquoise, Glacier, Space Gray
• Size: 277.6 x 173.2 x 7.9mm
• Weight: 632g (1.4 pounds)

The first thing I noticed about this tablet was how thin and light it is.

At 0.3 inches/7.9mm thin and 1.4lb/632g in weight, it’s a bit thicker and a bit lighter than the iPad Pro 12.9-inchBut for a budget Android tablet, it’s a real breath of fresh air not having to hold a tablet that feels like it’s made of concrete.

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I’ll definitely be putting this tablet in a case to protect it from accidental drops or gravity, making it as bulky as my iPad Pro, but it’s nice to see an Android tablet that’s thin and light.

It’s also a sleek and smooth tablet, with glass and metal blending together to create a beautiful and practical look. The Space Gray finish on my Tab 18 is flawless and resists scratches, scuffs, and even fingerprints very well.

Speaking of fingerprints, the Tab 18 has a fingerprint reader And Biometric facial recognition technology, making it easy to log into your tablet.

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The 12-inch screen is also a breath of fresh air. It’s big enough to get real work done, sharp enough to make long reading or video watching sessions comfortable, and bright enough to be viewable in a variety of conditions. The touch is nice and responsive, and feels very natural. Low blue light rating certified by TÜV is a useful solution for people concerned that these wavelengths are affecting their sleep.

And then there’s the quad-speaker Harman Kardon surround sound speakers, which create an immersive soundscape that takes you out of the world around you and puts you in whatever game or movie — or business meeting — you’re listening to. I’m not an audiophile — I grew up with shoddy speakers and squishy sponge headphones — but to my ears, the sound coming from this tablet is fantastic whether I’m watching Netflix, playing a game, listening to my growing audiobook list from Audible, or making a phone call.

Also: I love everything about this Android tablet (especially the $219 price)

The 8,000mAh battery is good for around 10 hours of web browsing and general tasks like email and document editing, with gaming and video watching knocking off an hour of runtime, which isn’t bad. That’s actually a great real-world runtime for a budget 12-inch tablet.

Combine the large battery with 33W fast charging, which can charge the battery from 0 to 50% in about an hour, and I have no worries about battery life. I’ve seen much worse performance from hardware much more expensive than this.

As for thermal management, I fully expected this tablet to get warm and cozy under heavy load. While it does get warm under heavy load, the thermal conductivity that Blackview built into this system, with over 18.6 square inches/12,000mm of heat dissipation area, makes for a cool user experience, with me never seeing the tablet go above 104°F/40°C.

There’s nothing more unsettling than trying to use a tablet that slowly warms up and then heats up again, and then wondering “oh my god, is this thing going to burn me?” I pressed the Tab 18 as hard as I could for a long time, and at no point did I feel it getting hot.

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If you put aside your expectations of a high-performance, top-of-the-line tablet, you won’t be disappointed with the Blackview. The octa-core processor and 12GB of built-in RAM make for a smooth user experience.

The cameras on this device are acceptable at best. They’re good compared to even the best cameras from a few years ago, but they can’t compete with all the computational magic that higher-end devices do to their photos. At the extremes of photography—low light or full daylight—the cameras struggle. But for casual shots in normal conditions, they’re perfect for people looking for likes on social media, as well as for taking photos for reports and other work or school-related activities.

Again, keep in mind the price here. $299. Not long ago, you couldn’t dream of getting a 12-inch tablet for anywhere near that price. Now, you’re getting one with a powerful processor, plenty of RAM, plenty of storage, and a good camera for $140 more expensive than what Apple charges for a 3-meter Thunderbolt 4 cable.

ZDNET Buying Advice

The Blackview 18 Tablet is a great tablet, ideal for work, school, or if you want a tablet for the living room or studio. I tested it and had no complaints. The price makes it a no-brainer if you’re willing to forgo the Apple or Samsung logo printed on the back. Ultimately, if you want more power and performance — power and performance that most users never actually use — you’ll have to dig deeper and pay more. If you want a tablet rather than an ego booster, the Tab 18 is worth considering.