Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab A is a family-friendly Amazon Fire rival

Families looking for a low-cost tablet they can pass around the house are spoilt for choice. At $230, the 2017 refresh of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A definitely doesn’t belong in the bargain bin with Amazon’s cheapest, but if you’re after an Android (7.1.1 Nougat)-enabled device that isn’t an accident waiting to happen in the hands of little Jimmy, it may well tempt you. The tab has an 8in, 1280 x 800 display, and comes in either black or silver. Under the hood, there’s a Snapdragon 425 and 2GB of RAM keeping everything ticking along, with up to 256GB of extra storage. The Tyke-friendly interface can be streamlined so only parent-approved content is accessible, and a “Kids Mode” loads up the machine with appropriate apps and games. Keep your eyes peeled for UK availability.

Matt Tate Contributor

About

I'm fascinated by all things tech, but if you were going to leave me on a desert island, I'd probably ask for my Nintendo Switch, a drone, and a pair of noise-cancelling cans to block out the relentless seagull racket. When I'm not on Stuff duty you'll probably find me subscribing to too many podcasts, playing too many video games, or telling anyone who will listen that Spurs are going to win a trophy this season.

Areas of expertise

Video games, VR, smartwatches, headphones, smart speakers, bizarre Kickstarter campaigns