Walmart’s Six New Onn Tablets Reset Expectations for Budget Slates
Walmart is aggressively expanding its Onn lineup, launching six new budget Android tablets priced from USD 97 (approx. RM450) to USD 288 (approx. RM1,340). At the entry level, the Onn 7" Core offers a 7‑inch 1024 x 600 display, a 2 GHz MediaTek Helio G80 chip, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. Higher up, the Onn 8.1" Core and Onn 11" Core step in with sharper IPS panels, more memory, and more storage, positioning themselves directly against Amazon’s Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10 while undercutting many mainstream rivals. Crucially, all of these Walmart budget tablets ship with full Android 16 and Google Play pre‑installed, avoiding the ecosystem compromises of forked platforms. In a market where prices have generally crept upward, this broad Onn portfolio restores genuinely affordable tablets under 300 to the shelves without feeling like pure throwaways.
Onn 13 Pro: A Serious Cheap iPad Alternative
At the top of the stack, the Onn 13 Pro is the clearest shot yet at Apple’s entry‑level iPad. For USD 288 (approx. RM1,340), it brings a 13‑inch 2400 x 1600 IPS display, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, plus 8‑megapixel front and 13‑megapixel rear cameras. The tablet runs Android 16 on a 2.6 GHz MediaTek processor, and early hands‑on impressions highlight an aluminum build that looks far more premium than its price suggests. Unlike many budget Android tablets, Walmart includes a stylus and folio case in the box, quietly boosting its value as a productivity and note‑taking device. While an in‑depth Onn tablet review of real‑world performance is still pending, the raw specifications and bundled accessories put meaningful pressure on competing cheap iPad alternatives that often demand extra cash for similar add‑ons.
Specs, Screens and Software: Budget Android Tablets Grow Up
What makes this wave of affordable tablets under 300 different is how few obvious compromises they carry. The Onn 8.1" Core pairs an 8.1‑inch 1524 x 1000 IPS display with a Snapdragon 685 chipset, 6GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage, specification levels that used to be reserved for mid‑range devices. The Onn 11" Core steps up to a 1840 x 1280 panel, a 2.2 GHz MediaTek Helio G99 processor, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage, all while staying well below the psychological USD 200 (approx. RM930) mark. Just as important, every model arrives with Android 16 and Google Play access, avoiding the app gaps that plague some rivals. Larger, higher‑resolution screens and more generous memory configurations are turning what were once basic media slabs into credible all‑rounders for streaming, light work, and everyday apps.
How Walmart’s Push Reshapes the Budget Tablet Market
By fielding a full Android 16 lineup that spans kids’ devices to the Onn 13 Pro, Walmart is forcing a rethink of what budget Android tablets should deliver. Amazon’s Fire range still leans on aggressive pricing, but its forked OS and lack of Google Play make Walmart budget tablets look more straightforward for users who just want familiar Android. At the same time, Apple now has to justify why its entry‑level iPad commands a significant premium once you factor in accessories like keyboards and styluses that come bundled with the Onn 13 Pro. For price‑conscious buyers, there are suddenly multiple cheap iPad alternative options that do not feel like severe downgrades. If these tablets perform as well as their spec sheets suggest, premium brands will have to lean more on ecosystem, support, and long‑term updates to defend their higher prices.
