Best tablets under AU$500

Innovation around tablet computers is progressing at a fierce pace, and the only thing keeping up with this rate of change is how quickly older tablets are losing their value. These days, you can get a very good tablet for less than AU$500.

For the amount of technology you can in a tablet, this is a bargain. But you still have to make sure you get everything you need before handing over your money. You aren't getting the biggest and best at this price, but if you know what you are looking for, you can get everything you need while saving a bunch of money.

Apple's iPad is a great example, where the cheapest 2012 iPad is AU$539. But, if you can do without the new Retina display and its updated chipset, then you can grab a 16GB Wi-Fi only iPad 2 for just AU$429 through Apple.

For more than a hundred dollars cheaper than that, you can choose Google's Nexus 7 tablet instead. It has a smaller 7-inch display, but in many ways, it will serve the same purpose. There are also plenty of other Android-powered tablets available for around the same cost. Below are our favourites in this price category.