Dell Venue 8

There’s no shortage of high-performing Android tablets available on the market right now, but the Dell Venue 8 isn’t quite like many of the models you can buy for less than $200. For starters, it runs on an Intel dual-core processor clocked at 2GHz, and uses an 8-inch screen best described as “sharp” according to Lisa Eadicicco of Laptop Mag. She also says that the “attractive design and clean Android interface” helps it provide users with “an enjoyable tablet experience.”

The Venue 8 comes with a number of typical Android tablet features, such as a pair of cameras (5-megapixels at the back, 2-megapixels up front), 2GB of RAM, up to 32GB of internal storage, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and a 4100mAh Li-Pol battery. It also supports microSD and microSDHC cards for memory expansion. And all of its features are packed into a casing that measures no more than 10mm thick.

Andrew Vacca of Android Central calls it a “refreshing reminder that a solid Android slate doesn’t have to break the bank.” He follows this up by calling it “a well-built tablet featuring stock Android experience, and one that performs pretty well too.” It can be likened to the Windows-powered Dell Venue 8 Pro, only it runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean instead of Windows 8.

All in all, this looks to be a fine choice for those don’t need a mobile powerhouse but require something that can offer more than simply the basics.

As K.T. Bradford of Digital Trends says, “If Dell set out to make a decent middle of the road budget tablet with the Venue 8, it succeeded.” There may be certain things that it can’t do because it lacks the necessary hardware and software features, but at least it’s able to “balance value and price” reasonably well.