Why You Can Trust CNET Tablet Tuesday: Get a 7-inch Dell Streak for $99.99
It's a refurb, and that's your post-rebate price, but it's still a mighty compelling deal on a speedy tablet.
Save for a few cheap no-brand knockoffs, tablets have yet to really crack the $100 mark. Sure, you can buy a Kindle Fire for $159 (and Amazon Gold Box has them for $129 for the next couple hours, while supplies last), but if you have only a double-digit tablet budget, you're kinda outta luck.
But not today. While supplies last, Newegg has the refurbished Dell Streak 7 (Wi-Fi) Android tablet for $99.99 shipped. That's after redeeming a $20 mail-in rebate (PDF), which comes in the form of a prepaid debit card.
Make no mistake: by today's standards, the Streak is kind of a dinosaur, though it does have a rather impressive feature set. For example, it runs at a speedy clip thanks to its 2.1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor and 1GB of RAM. It has dual cameras, built-in GPS, 16GB of expandable storage, stereo speakers, and Bluetooth.
Only the screen disappoints, and that's because it has a comparatively low resolution (800x480 pixels). Also, the Streak runs Android 2.2, though you can upgrade it to Android 3.2 (Honeycomb).
Now, if you compare this with the refurbished Barnes & Noble Nook Color, which is still available via eBay for $99, the Streak smokes it (except in screen resolution). It's a lot of tablet for the money.
But because it's a refurb, it comes with only a 90-day warranty. And there is that whole rebate hassle to contend with. So I'll put it to you, my cheeps: Deal or no deal? Is the $99.99 price tag too tempting to pass up, or is it worth paying more for a more modern tablet?
Bonus deal: In the market for a new laptop? For a limited time, our very own CNET (by way of TigerDirect) has the Asus X501A-TH31 15.6-inch Windows 8 laptop for $379 shipped when you use promo code TBU75541. Specs include a second-generation Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, and an LED-backlit screen. That's about $70 off the regular price. Woot!
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