ViewSonic Viewpad 10e Pro Reviews

ViewSonic hypes the ViewPad 10e as a high-performance entertainment tablet but this simply wasn't our experience. Plasticky build quality should be expected for a cheap device although the ViewPad 10e does have a good screen and some useful connectivity. Ultimately it falls down on performance. We’d suggest it's not worth spending £199 to be constantly frustrated by an unresponsive experience.

As it stands the Viewsonic ViewPad 10e is a rather impressive large screen tablet with an attractive price tag. There are a few rough edges, like the absence of the Android Market and mediocre battery life, but nowhere near as many or as serious as I’ve encountered on other budget tablets. Battery life aside, its other shortcomings can be easily dealt with or should be eliminated by the imminent ICS update that it's due.

If you're looking for a budget level Android tablet then you still might like to pause, before considering the ViewSonic ViewPad 10e – until its Gingerbread OS is upgraded to Ice Cream Sandwich.

Low on storage and power, but it’s a thin and light 9.7in tablet for half the price of an iPad 2

A great screen, slimline design and non-widescreen aspect instantly had us interested in ViewSonic's latest tablet, but these neat features are drowned-out by the laggy, outdated, buggy software. It also lacks Android Market support and Google's roster of apps. Some of its specs impress at the price, but as the tablet market develops, £199 is starting to not look all that cheap for a device like this.

By far one of, if not the best-looking budget Android tablets on the market, the ViewSonic ViewPad 10e has traded a sleek, ultra-thin form more reminiscent of its higher-end competitors for basic function. Having compromised on a number of key components, primarily the uncertified Android operating system, smooth user interaction is never quite on the cards. While to achieve such a low price point we know some corners must be cut, such poor craftsmanship to the point where the screen is easily coming free from the frame is inexcusable, no matter how much money it saves. That said, for just £199/$399 the ViewSonic ViewPad 10e is a well positioned entry-level tablet for those looking for the latest plaything and little else. While it might struggle with more taxing tasks, chances are that it'll come up against them on very few occasions.