I replaced my iPad with a $100 Android tablet, and here’s my verdict after a week

Good, affordable tablets are few and hard to come by, but I’ve been lucky enough to test multiple that have thoroughly impressed me. These include the $300 iPad 11, $239 TCL Nxtpaper 10, and the midrange Honor Pad V9. Now, I can confidently add the Celero5G Tab<!–> to that list.

Also: I gave away my Kindle and iPad within hours of testing this tablet

This budget-friendly tablet is a Boost Mobile network-exclusive device, so it’s available only through the carrier and is meant to be used with a Boost Mobile data plan. Existing customers with plans can get the Celero5G Tab for only $100, which is quite affordable for an entertainment tablet.

Inexpensive tablets are perfect for entertainment because you don’t have to break the bank to get a good device that can go with you wherever you go. As someone who takes my tablet with me almost anywhere, I like being able to whip out my Kindle app to read while I wait for my kids to finish an extracurricular activity. I can stream content, play games, browse, and catch up with work emails and messages. 

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The Celero5G Tab is a 10.9-inch full HD tablet with a 90Hz refresh rate. It has a pretty good 7,500mAh battery and 128GB of internal storage. The tablet has two main cameras, 13MP and 2MP, and a 5MP front-facing camera. 

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This tablet features BoostMax Audio, which enhances the audio experience when listening to something on the tablet’s dual stereo speakers. The difference when you turn BoostMax Audio on or off is remarkable, so this is a setting I’d recommend using when streaming videos. The tablet also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, which isn’t all that common in tablets anymore, but is convenient for many users.

Also: The 5 best iPads of 2025: We’ve tested every iPad on the market. These are the best ones

The Boost Mobile network is also surprisingly reliable, which makes the $20/month data plan a convenient addition. Without a data plan, I’ve always used my phone’s hotspot to connect my tablet. But I also like having inexpensive mobile plans, so using my hotspot drains my data. Having the inexpensive Boost Mobile plan means I can stream content without worrying about my monthly data limit, and still be able to rely on the network to send emails and messages.

Because this is an affordable, entry-level tablet, you can expect it to be a bit slower than other popular ones. This is why I only recommend this tablet for light work and entertainment.

The Celero5G Tab isn’t in the same category as the latest iPad base model, so these Geekbench scores are only for reference.

In my tests, the Celero5G Tab performed well on everyday tasks, but it wasn’t very snappy. This tablet is great for basic use, but heavy gaming and video editing on it will prove to be frustrating. Comparing the benchmark scores for older base model iPads with it showed that the Celero5G Tab has a third of the processing power of the 2020 iPad 8th generation and about an eighth of the GPU performance of the iPad 11th generation.

As an Android tablet, the bloatware that the Celero5G Tab comes with also influences its performance. The initial setup prompts you to agree to some Boost Mobile terms and gives app recommendations that you can decline or accept. The recommendations have several apps selected by default, so if you want to pass on installing them, you must ensure they’re not selected.

Also: Why I recommend this OnePlus tablet over iPads for streaming movies and casual browsing

I left the recommendations as they were to test the tablet, but that resulted in 66 apps installed right off the bat. Some apps crashed while watching YouTube and browsing the web, so I decided to delete at least 20 of these games and entertainment apps. Thankfully, deleting a third of the apps made a marked difference in performance.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Celero5G Tab<!–> is a great affordable tablet for light work and entertainment. Many inexpensive tablets are traditionally considered a good choice for younger and older users, whether a kid using it to play or a senior adult using it for streaming. But the Celero5G Tab is actually a great option for anyone. It is capable of handling work emails and messages, writing documents, and transitioning smoothly into a means of entertainment. The price is certainly an attractive feature on its own. 

However, if you’re looking for a tablet that can handle more demanding tasks beyond web browsing and streaming, you’ll likely benefit from upgrading to an iPad 11th-generation or a Lenovo Tab Plus.