TCL TAB 10S tablet review
The tablet world can be a confusing one for non-techies looking for something inexpensive and functional, as they pretty much all look the same and seem to do the same as well, writes DAVE BULLARD. So it seems to come down to one question: I don’t want to spend well over $1000, but will a sub-$400 tablet do what I want it to?
If you’re after a tablet for professional purposes, such as movie and music production and art, or as a laptop replacement, it won’t. If you want to go on social media, check your emails, watch movies and play the odd game, it probably will.
So if you fall into the latter category, read on, because the $399 TCL TAB 10S will give you great value for money.
It has a 10.1-inch display (measured diagonally, as all screens are) housed in a sturdy, well-constructed body measuring 241 x 158.6 x 8.3mm and weighing 490g. At that already-good price, it even comes with a bundled matte-grey flip case/stand and a stylus – probably worth about $100 if bought separately.
The screen itself is sharp and vibrant, though in bright conditions it struggled a bit, even at full brightness.
TCL has put an emphasis on eye protection, building blue light reduction directly into both the software and hardware. In fact, it says it’s reduced blue light emissions – which can throw the body’s biological clock out and affect sleep – by 50 per cent.
The T Pen stylus is nicely designed and ergonomic and feels like a regular pencil. I found the TAB 10S to be a bit laggy and inaccurate when drawing and writing, however, and this was more pronounced if I was resting my hand on the screen. That isn’t to say it’s not good for these tasks, though – you might just find yourself doing a bit of correction.
The tablet is also a little slow when performing tasks, but I’ve found this to be pretty normal for models in cheaper price brackets.
The TCL TAB 10S has excellent battery performance. Its big 8000mAh battery tended to last me a few days, but obviously this will vary by user. TCL says it will give 400 hours of standby time and recharge in just under four hours.
For those interested in what’s under the hood, it runs the Android 11 operating system, has an entry-level Mediatek MT8768 chipset, 3GB RAM and 64GB ROM of internal memory and accepts an external Micro SD card of up to 256GB. Connectivity includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 and USB-C.
The bottom line
The TCL TAB 10S tablet gives you good value for the price. As you can tell from my comments above, it has some shortcomings that you won’t get if you pay three or four times more for a tablet. But it’s a better tablet than its competitors at around the $400 mark.
THUMBS UP
- Good build quality
- Sharp and colourful display
- Great battery performance
- Comes with a case and stylus
THUMBS DOWN
- Despite its qualities, the display is slightly dull
- Laggy performance
TCL TAB 10S price
RRP $399
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