2014 Android rooted cheap tablet recommendations

[Dylan]

The 2013 Nexus 7 is fantastic and the price is unbeatable. And Asus tablet hardware is far from terrible.

You're not going to find anything that comes rooted unless you buy used, but rooting the N7 is as easy as plugging it in and running the Nexus Root Toolkit

 

[spry]

Personally, I use Asus MeMO Pad 7 and Nexus 7. Can't really complain with that kinda 'affordable' price tags. I'm satisfied to say the least.

Yes, most tablets that I came across, does not come rooted out-of-the-box. It isn't a hard one to root it either, considering there are a number of third-party software's and documentations/tutorials which are easily available via the WWW.

However, if you are considering 'rooting' the device after purchase, one will have to keep in mind that the warranty will/might go void [drawback]. I assume this is a global practice by various manufacturers. I could be wrong though.

 

[joepie91]

I actually downgraded to a stupidphone about a week ago to thwart the tracking efforts of Google and the NSA.

There has been talk for a while, of newer brickphones coming with always-on eavesdropping functionality. Seems plausible, given recent revelations... especially since these phones are popular as "burnphones".

 

[nunim]

You really can't go wrong with a Nexus 7, you can find first gen's on sale for pretty cheap but I would probably spring for the 2013 version as it's worth it for the true HD screen.

 

[willie]

First gen Nexus 7 screen has high enough resolution for its size (and my eyesight, ymmv).  Main attraction of 2013 version for me is the higher res camera. 

 

[MCH-Phil]

I had a Motorola Xoom until it was left in a window and it rained.  Who would expect it to rain in the desert.  Meh.  Though on point, it is / was a great tablet.  Even for it's age.  I know you don't want much as far as having to root / etc.  I wouldn't suggest one unless you are willing to, though it's very easy.  Xoom was a great device and last I checked is still developed for in the Android community.  Which is good, if you like your privacy etc.

Personally before purchasing an Android device, I will check xda and see what the developers are saying about the device.  I'm a little picky though, if a dev has an issue... Whats to say one day I might go back down that road, again.  I don't like hack-y android on my devices.

I also feel the need to add a disclaimer saying I absolutely <3 Motorola devices.

 

[talktosandy]

am using iball slide. 8 gb internal memory, 1gb ram, 1ghz processor working fine for me.

 

[Dylan]

First gen Nexus 7 screen has high enough resolution for its size (and my eyesight, ymmv).  Main attraction of 2013 version for me is the higher res camera. 

I felt that way too as a first-gen Nexus 7 owner... until I got the second-gen one and used it for a while. It's so much easier and more comfortable to read text for an extended period of time on the higher-res screen. I don't think you can really appreciate the difference on your eyes until you use the new one for a while and then try going back to the old. The original is by no means bad, but the screen difference is night and day.

 

[Sardonik]

It requires a small bit of futzing around, but the Nook HD+ give pretty good bang for the buck at $150. Buy the download version of the N2A card for $20, slap that onto a cheap microSD card, boot from said microSD card and you've got a nice 8.9" CyanogenMod based tablet with root.

If you feel like fiddling, the instructions for installing CM yourself are Googleable and get you access to the latest version with ease.

The Nook HD+ has middle to low end specs, but the screen is superb and it's very light, even in a book - style case. Worth looking at if the 7" nexus is too small for you.

 

[drmike]

Nook HD+ ... 

Would that be booting the OS from the microSD then?   How does that perform?  Have a similar hack with a Barnes and Noble model and it sucks / slow booting / running like that.

 

[MCH-Phil]

Booting off an SD card is going to be largely dependent on the speed of the card.  SD cards are rated and have classes.  Higher class = faster min. write speed.  Also, the device accessing the SD card may only be able to access it at a certain speed.  Do you know what class your card is?  Most have them printed on the card.  Sometimes a number, circled.