Can anyone recommend a sub $200 Tablet for Navigation

[lacofdfireman]

I want to install a Tablet on a ram mount in my Jeep Wrangler JKUR but don’t want to spend a fortune. I run Gaia maps on my iPhone but would like a dedicated larger map screen. I’ve looked at IPad minis but for $200 you get a model 2 or maybe a 3 with 16-32 gigs and the memory isn’t upgradable. I saw Costco has the Galaxy Tablet A for $189 but I can’t seem to find any info as to if it comes with built in gps for offline out of cell phone range navigation. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

Check out some of the Lenovo tablets. I have had good luck with my much older Tab A2 10. I am not sure what the current equivalent model would be.

 

[Heavyopp]

I know it a little over your budget but I just noticed that Costco is selling the 128 gig iPads for $350 again -- Yea almost double what you want to spend but you're already familiar with Gaia on your iPhone -- why switch from IOS?

128 gb will store a lot of maps...

 

[thebmrust]

I am testing a 2012 (or 2013) Asus Nexus 7 (WiFi only). Running it through some paces to decide what OS I want (also contemplating an iPad (2018) and iPad Pro 11”. My phones are iOS and I’ve never run an Android anything. So I’m learning.

FYI- GPS mapping will be my next step.

I know Craigslist is sketchy, but if you perform your due diligence, some older tablets can be found for cheap on Craigslist. In our area many that are more than a few years old are only $50-75. But they go fast.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

If you wear polarized sunglasses you will want to go iPad. I was not able to see the screen clearly on any of the android tablets. If you go iPad the only tablets with built in GPS will be the ones with cellular abilities but you do not need a sim card for the GPS.

 

[Jeep or Tacoma]

Check out some of the Lenovo tablets. I have had good luck with my much older Tab A2 10. I am not sure what the current equivalent model would be.

Hi hill billy i have a Lenovo tablet too i think the same one i have bern having some trouble with 2 things see my long winded post about map size
What nav program are you running? I use topo usa but have a problem getting the detail that i download the maps at ? In topo usa you can download really detailed maps the higher the number the better the detail . See my other post here >

Are you having any such problems? And my battery life sucks i found this out the hard way when the tablet died very quickly because
The charging cord is loose and disconnected easily. Have you had that issue ? Any suggestions?

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

Hi hill billy i have a Lenovo tablet too i think the same one i have bern having some trouble with 2 things see my long winded post about map size
What nav program are you running? I use topo usa but have a problem getting the detail that i download the maps at ? In topo usa you can download really detailed maps the higher the number the better the detail . See my other post here >

Are you having any such problems? And my battery life sucks i found this out the hard way when the tablet died very quickly because
The charging cord is loose and disconnected easily. Have you had that issue ? Any suggestions?

Ok a disclaimer from me maybe required. I broke my Lenovo!! My own actions not a fault of the tablet. How did I break it? The USB port is broke from the CPU board. The socket has to be replaced. Their is a cell phone and tablet repair center near me that will replace the USB port for $50. How did I break it? I broke it by the way I hold the tablet to use it and putting pressure on the port when the cable it plugged in. If the port was on the bottom edge instead of the side edge it would not have had pressure on the port. I know I could rotate the tablet to portrait mode but I would rather read in landscape. Will I get it fixed? Maybe, it has some age to it so might as well spring for a battery replacement while it is in the shop.

Battery Life: turn off wifi and bluetooth when not needed. Go airplane mode. Go into settings and see what apps are using the most of your battery. Uninstall any apps that you don't need.

Loose charging cable: Get a new GOOD quality cable not the cheap thin cables. Fancy colored WalMart cables are the worse.
I buy all my cables from Monoprice. Kids and grandkids are always looking for a cable so I buy a nice assortment like buying batteries. The quality cables I buy are cheap enough I can buy a box full for $25. This is the cable I use and do not have trouble with loose connection on my USB devices. It has a larger size power conductor and does make a difference in charging.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=103&cp_id=10303&cs_id=1030307&p_id=5458&seq=1&format=2

Anything else USB I get from USB Gear.
https://www.usbgear.com/index.html

 

[Joe917]

We have been using a 10" Samsung galaxy for 4 years . Love it, no issues with polarized glasses. Good GPS, Not grossly overpriced istuff.

 

[CyberRube2]

Honestly I'd stay away from Android devices. Apps just run better on Apple Devices. And for just navigation I'd look at iPad Refurbish models with CELLAR as they offer built in GPS. This is on Amazon for 152

 

[Howard70]

I find it helpful to keep my phone and tablet on the same operating system with Gaia. It takes me awhile to become adept at a particular mapping application and once I've figured out a workflow, I prefer to have the same actions provide the same results on my phone as on my tablet - especially with Gaia. In my case that means an Android tablet to match my Android phone. In your case it might mean an iPad to match your iPhone.

Howard

 

[Photobug]

Honestly I'd stay away from Android devices. Apps just run better on Apple Devices. And for just navigation I'd look at iPad Refurbish models with CELLAR as they offer built in GPS. This is on Amazon for 152

I'd agree that apple makes a more stable device but the need to buy a cellular model to get the GPS and the lack of expandable memory tips the balance for me to a Droid device. Also the sofware between the two OS's are usually very similar so you could operate it from one to the other. If things are still the same once you own it in the one OS you can install it on other devices within the same OS.

 

[dougrz]

I've been using the ultra cheap Amazon Fire HD 10. I threw a large SD card in and have a boatload of offline maps on it. If you find using your tablet is simply displaying maps and watching movies at night, a fast unit isn't critical. If you are going to make it a main PC on the road for other things, then the Fire series are a bit slow. Android OS, and it needs some tweaking to break the chains of the Fire OS. Not a fire up and go unit in that regard.

 

[toyotech]

I run an iPad with no cellular or gps chip. I just linked it to a garmin glo Bluetooth gps unit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[yeos]

I ran an older Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 for the first time on a recent trip and it was plenty capable for Gaia GPS. It's got built in gps and expandable memory.

 

[dougrz]

For Gaia, I'd go iOS. The Android app isn't as polished and isnt fully stable, hangs on large maps, and downloads slow. It works eventually, just frustrating.