When most people think of a tablet, they think of the iPad. Apple’s slates are synonymous with the category, but they have a big problem: price.
The most affordable model Apple currently sells is the 10.9-inch one from 2022, which starts at £329/$349 for just 64GB of storage. If you want 256GB instead, that’ll cost you £479/$499.
If you’re just looking for a device to watch Netflix or YouTube, it’s simply not worth it. So, what about Android tablets?
On the surface, there aren’t many great options here either. Samsung is leading the way, but its Galaxy Tab S10+ and S10 Ultra are too expensive, while the budget Tab A9 and A9+ are designed for general usability rather than great content consumption.
However, it looks like there might be a solution from Honor. Its new Pad V9 tablet costs just €250 (UK price TBC), yet offers a surprisingly good audiovisual experience.
An 11.5-inch, 2800 x 1840 LCD display might not sound particularly impressive, but I’ve really enjoyed using it during my hands-on time with the Pad V9.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
It delivers the rich, vibrant colours and deep blacks I’d usually associate with OLED panels, plus excellent detail and a fast 144Hz refresh rate. The device can also get impressively bright, so I wouldn’t be worried about visibility, even in direct sunlight.
Of course, display is only one aspect of a great device for movies and TV. Speakers play a big role too, and the Honor Pad V9 has no fewer than eight of them!
They’re positioned at either end of the device and deliver audio that can rival a flagship tablet. The sound is consistently rich and full-bodied, offering a nice hit of bass.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Yet at the same time, they can get impressively loud without introducing any audible distortion. Whether you’re listening to music, dialogue or special effects, you can pretty much guarantee a great listening experience.
But if you’d prefer to connect headphones or speakers, you have the option of both Bluetooth 5.2 and a 3.5mm jack. The latter supports 24-bit hi-res audio and has been approved to offer cinema-like IMAX Enhanced quality.
Crucially, the Honor Pad V9’s MediaTek Dimensity 8350 chipset offers strong performance across all everyday tasks. Combined with that 144Hz refresh rate, you’re getting an impressively premium experience.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
And as it’s running Android 15, you’ll have full access to all your favourite apps and streaming services.
However, software is also where you’ll find the Pad V9’s biggest drawback. Honor’s MagicOS 9 skin is quite different to what you’ll find on a Galaxy or Pixel tablet, and not in a good way for most people.
It feels very cluttered, with dozens of extra pre-installed apps and frequent pop-ups. There are some genuinely useful features, but even as someone who’s used Honor tablets before, I found them difficult to find and get used to.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
None of that really matters if you just want a device for watching movies and TV on. But there are a couple of things we still don’t know about that might be.
The first is battery life. The Pad V9 has a decent 10,100mAh battery, but how much viewing time will that actually get you? And how fast can 66W fast charging get you back up to full?
Software support also remains a big question mark. To be worth buying, you probably want a guaranteed four years of security support, with new features in major OS updates less important. We’ve reached out to Honor for clarity and will update this article if we hear back.
Provided those two unknowns are taken care of, the Honor Pad V9 is an impressive affordable tablet for movie and TV fans.
However, the software experience prevents it from being an easy recommendation for productivity. If that’s your priority, there are better options in our best tablets and best budget tablets guides.