Reddit reviews ASUS ZenPad S 8 Z580CA-C1-BK 8" 64 GB Tablet

Finding cheap tablets that run Minecraft well is a bit tricky, and finding cheap tablets that may continue to work well for the next few years makes things a bit more difficult. I would only look for devices made after 2014 if possible. Anything before then would likely be worse than your current Samsung Galaxy Tab 3, or may not keep up with the ever more demanding games and apps in the coming years.

It's worth mentioning that there aren't many kid-friendly tablets that would be a significant upgrade from your current device. For example, the Kindle-Fire kids edition, while an excellent first tablet for kids, performs similarly to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 and thus wouldn't be much of an upgrade. The devices I list are meant to be possible upgrade suggestions that utilize better hardware than cheaper tablets geared towards kids. However, some of the tablets I list can make for a great family tablet, and you can find accessories and cases for some of the options that make them more durable from inevitable drops and other accidents that may occur.

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I currently have 6 tablets listed in three different price ranges that may be slightly or significantly better than your current device. Prices are in USD and may or may not include shipping in the cost. Also, with Black Friday and other holiday deals coming up, I would keep an eye out for other good deals and price drops as well.

Under $200:

• Amazon Fire HD 8 (2016) - $90 for "Special Offers" version (essentially advertisements), $105 for version without Special Offers. While considerably cheap, it isn't too much of an upgrade over the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3, though it's still a good option. However, one major drawback is that this tablet does not come with the Google Play store, but instead uses the Amazon app store meaning all apps will have to be repurchased. It is possible to install and use the Google Play Store or Play Store apps on this tablet if you're willing to follow some technical guides.
  
  
• Lenovo TAB 2 A10 (2015) - $150 for lowest tier model on manufacturer's site. Despite being released in 2015, this may not perform a whole lot better than your current Samsung Galaxy Tab 3.
  
  $200 - $300 range:
  
  
• NVIDIA Shield Tablet K1 (2015) - $200 on manufacturer's site and Amazon. This device is comparable to the Galaxy Tab S2 in terms of performance, and is overall a very good tablet for its price.
  
  $300 - $400 range:
  
  
• Huawei MediaPad M3 (2016) - Currently $300 on Amazon. Based on performance benchmarks, this is the best device on this list using some of the latest hardware for a fairly competitive price. Note that it won't ship in the US until November 21st.
  
  
• ASUS ZenPad S 8 4GB RAM model (2015) - $300 on Amazon. While there is a $160 version with 2GB of RAM and a slower processor, reviews say the cheaper model is not great for gaming and tends to lag.
  
  
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8-inch (2015) - $350 on Amazon. Samsung previously had deals on the more expensive 9.7 inch version going for as low as $300, so it may be worth watching. This tablet is featured in some review sites as a good tablet for kids in-part because of Samsung's kids-mode feature.
  
  Edit 1: added Asus ZenPad and Nvidia Shield tablet recommendations.
  
  Edit 2: updated the link for the Samsung Galaxy Tab A to include the price-cut model.
  
  Edit 3: added Amazon Fire HD 8.
  
  Edit 4: Removed the Samsung Galaxy Tab A as nearly every device in the list outperforms it for the same price or less, making it a poor deal.
  
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  Sorry if this is an overwhelming amount of information to take in. If you have any other questions, feel free to reply! Also, if any other users have good deals or devices they want to mention, please do!

I don't have personal experience with this one - but it has 4GB's of RAM, and good reviews - the Asus Zenpad Z580CA

https://www.amazon.ca/ASUS-ZenPad-Z580CA-C1-BK-64-Tablet/dp/B012UEUQM0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462290744&sr=8-1&keywords=ASUS+ZenPad

($375 CAD - I imagine it's like 299 American)

edit: US version $279

https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-ZenPad-Z580C-B1-BK-32-Tablet/dp/B011TVF5QC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1466450687&sr=8-2&keywords=ASUS+ZenPad+S+8+Z580CA

The [Asus Zenpad S 8.0] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012UEUQM0/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=dimz04-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B012UEUQM0&linkId=eaa720fa41fa410156cb3df47bdeb713) i would go with

The aspect ratio is good for portrait mode, browsing, reading, etc, but not great for watching videos.

Personally, I would not worry about the screen resolution or battery life. Would you be looking at the 9.7" model?

I am probably going to get a samsung tab 8.4 s refurbished off of amazon for my brother. If you get a lemon/dud, you have 90 days to return it.

Another option you might look into is the Nexus 9, although I think it also has the 4:3 aspect ratio. Another option would be the Asus Zenpad s8, 4gb version.

Asus Zenpad s 8.0. Down to $249 on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-ZenPad-Z580CA-C1-BK-64-Tablet/dp/B012UEUQM0