When it comes to low-cost Chinese smartphones, there are now many leading exponents with a good value for money, while the same principle does not seem to apply to tablets.
Yet among the most prestigious brands in this segment is Teclast, which has not always managed to achieve the goal. This time, however, with Teclast M40 it seems to have succeeded in its intent. That's why we think this cheap tablet ( only 140 euros ) is a good buy.
Aesthetics
First of all, the aesthetics. In the past we have happened to review tablets with a completely different appearance from the one published on the site. It happened precisely with the Teclast M16, which at the opening of the package offered eye-catching cornices, unlike the advertising images in which rather thin edges were appreciated.
Fortunately, Teclast M40 is as it appears in the marketing images. Aesthetically it is very good , and offers rather minimal frames on all four sides. This time, whether it was an aesthetically more refined tablet, it was perceived by the packaging, well done.
Despite the very large 10.1-inch display, the tablet is small in size. In particular it measures 243 x 163 x 9.2 mm, with a weight of about 500 grams. These are the dimensions and weight that make this tablet really comfortable and versatile , especially for sofa use, but with the possibility of carrying it around easily in any backpack or business bag.
This is certainly a plus for Teclast M40, considering that is a 4G tablet, therefore with the possibility of making calls . A professional could, for example, think of taking it with him, for productivity on the move, but also to make and receive calls, perhaps connecting it to a good pair of earphones.
Still, despite being an extremely cheap tablet, in addition to being well assembled, the materials are also pleasant. The frames are made of plastic at the front, while the back cover is made of aluminum on the back. This material makes it more pleasant to the touch, and will certainly help in the 4G signal.
The edges of the tablet are extremely clean. Only on the upper edge is the 3.5 mm headphone jack input well hidden (a luxury nowadays), while on the short side there is a volume rocker, power button and USB-C input for charging. Aesthetically, we would like to promote Teclast M40 with flying colors, also in consideration of the low cost.
Display
As already mentioned, Teclast M40 offers a 10.1-inch LCD display, with Full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,200 pixels and a pixel density of 225 PPI . Sure, we're not on top-level specs, but considering the really low price range, it was impossible to do more. The colors and definition are still sufficient, and you can safely enjoy everything that the Android landscape has to offer, from apps, to games, to the multimedia department.
Unfortunately, the ambient light sensor is missing, which will require the user to automatically intervene numerous times during the day. The maximum brightness is not bad at all, but since it cannot be adjusted automatically, it will be necessary to lower it at night. Likewise, there is no automatic dark mode switching.
The vibrancy of the colors is revisable, and compared to higher-end tablets, slightly duller or washed-out shades are noticed. Again, blacks and whites tend to veer a bit towards blue and gray, respectively, especially when tilting the tablet.
Attention, however, we are still talking about a display that is certainly worth what it costs , and that makes the experience enjoyable, even when watching movies or movies on streaming platforms. In this regard, we noted, however, that YouTube is not allowed to watch movies in 2K or 4K.
Usually, even if the display is Full HD, the video is still reproduced even at higher formats: in this case, however, the screen will turn black, and it will be possible to hear only the audio.
Technical specifications
Strange choice when it comes to the processor. Teclast, in fact, has decided to snub both MediaTek and Qualcomm this time. And in fact, this M40 is equipped with a Unisoc T618 SoC, a 2.0GHz 2 x ARM Cortex A75 octa-core CPU + 6 x 1.8 GHz ARM Cortex A55 .
The processor is supported by 6GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 128GB of internal memory, which can expand via microSD. Furthermore, on a graphic level the tablet is equipped with the most classic of the 850MHz Mali-G52 GPUs, which offers more than enough performance for standard use.
The tablet moves well in everyday life, it allows you to install most of the apps that we usually use on smartphones, from social networks, to streaming platforms, from the productivity suite, to some casual games. The 128 GB of integrated memory help a lot in this, allowing the user to really give up on anything.
The tablet runs well, has no slowdowns whatsoever: you surf the web well, switch between apps without lag, and you can also play most of the casual titles without problems.
A tablet with which you can also work, certainly with a paired bluetooth keyboard to increase productivity. Social department approved, as well as all messaging apps work fine. In short, a really cheap tablet that allows you to work and have fun on the go.
The speakers (there are two) on the lower part, do their job, and offer an acceptable volume, which certainly makes it possible to watch movies without any problems.
Of course, it is an audio that is not too full-bodied and with shades tending to cold, but even in this case we can consider the sound department sufficient for the cost of the tablet. Furthermore, the positioning at the bottom is particularly intelligent: when you hold the tablet in your hand, both for watching movies and for playing games, it will never cover the speaker grille.
Software and calls
At the software level we are faced with a Android 10 stock . There is no customization, which is certainly good on a budget tablet, but if you look at the patches, they are still up to date as of September 2020. There is also the Google Discover feed by scrolling the screen on the left, which will offer a good way to start the day by reading all the user's favorite news.
As already mentioned it is a 4G Tablet, which therefore allows you to insert the SIM to make calls. The earpiece is missing, of course, which is why only hands-free calls are possible.
The conversation is also possible via the microphone and earphones of the tablet, albeit with a not excellent quality, but to tell the truth it is normal to combine a pair of BT earphones to use a device as large as a phone. And then, the quality of the call will be directly proportional to the quality of the earphones used.
Battery and autonomy
The 6000 mAh battery has a normal behavior, in the sense that it does not suffer from abnormal and sudden discharge, and keeps the charge well when in stand by. Obviously, the autonomy varies enormously depending on the use made with the device.
If it uses it all day, however, it will be able to take you to the evening without any problem, while with more moderate use it could even take several days before having to recharge it.
Camera
The real sore side of this tablet is certainly the cameras. It has two, one front and one rear, both 8MP. It goes without saying that with this tablet you will not be able to take home worthy shots, even in optimal light, let alone at night.
It is, then, a very standard multimedia equipment, which in any case will serve you for video conferences, thus making it possible to use apps such as Skype, Google Meet, Zoom, and others, particularly useful at a time when smart working and DAD are particularly used methods of interaction.
Conclusions
This time Teclast M40 succeeds in its intent to achieve a very good quality / price ratio. It costs about 140 euros, and for this price range it is just fine in everything : from productivity to watching movies, using classic social networks, checking emails or browsing Network.
Aesthetically it is also valid and the possibility of using it also for calls makes it a valid ally even for a professional on the move. Too bad for the quality of the cameras, which all in all could be a secondary feature, considering that by definition tablets are not among the portable cameras to be preferred.
At the moment on GearBest it costs about 140 euros on a flash offer. Click here to buy .
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