Looking for a Solid Tablet in the $200-300USD range

Hardware Hub Phones, Tablets, & Wearables
1

Hey Gang,

I've started my Mobile App Dev. class for Android, and the class is made a lot better by our possessing a tablet of some kind. I've looked very minimally into specs on Mobile Devices, and it seems pretty straightforwardly similar to any other PC hardware... But I'm sure there are things to look out for and to look for.

What recommendations, preferably from Best Buy, can you make? I say Best Buy because I have financing options with them that can help the old empty bank account recover, after paying my soul and first born child for classes.

Maybe two or three different recommendations?
Also, what specifically should I look for in a device to test my mobile apps besides HDD and RAM?

The class will be 60% practical apps/learning apps and 40% project apps (thinking of creating a choose your own adventure app or recreating an old classic game for my project.)

Cheers!

2

One of my preferred tablets would be the nexus 9 which has come down a bit in price at Best Buy and is currently at $349. However if that's a bit too much the Asus Zenpad 7.85 isn't as expensive and will offer exceptional performance.

I would try to stay away from Samsung as that's what they'll try to sell you. Although they've improved on their software, updates still seem to be non-existent and in two years it'll be worthless once Android goes through another overhaul.

I'm currently still rocking my Nexus 10 from 2012 with 5.1.1 and it's arguably better than when I bought it. However I wouldn't recommend it as a new tablet as it's performance has aged considerably.