Chuwi Hi9 Air is an affordable Android tablet if you're still interested in one

Chuwi, the Chinese OEM with a series of tablets and laptops, has unveiled its latest Android tablet – Hi9 Air. Founded in 2004, the Shenzhen-based company has seen its products trickle into markets across the world via Chinese online retailers like AliExpress, Banggood, and GearBest.

The Hi9 Air is the beefed up and oversized version of the Hi9 released last year. I used the Hi9 for over a month, and while it was a solid value-for-money tablet, it was powered by Android Nougat, and most Chinese OEMs don’t offer upgrades.

The Hi9 Air looks solid on paper and can compete with the likes of much expensive HUAWEI MediaPad M5 spec-by-spec. A dual SIM tablet, Hi9 Air also supports WorldMode LTE allowing it to work with 4G networks across the globe.

Chuwi Hi9 Air Specifications

• Operating System: Android 8.0 Oreo
• Display: 10.1-inch IPS | 2K (2560 x 1600) resolution | OGS fully laminated
• Processor: MediaTek Helio X20 | 64-bit deca-core | ARM Mali-T880 GPU
• RAM: 4GB DDR3
• Storage: 64GB eMMC | 128GB TF expansion
• Camera: 5MP front camera | 13MP rear camera with LED flash
• Battery: 8000mAh
• Dimensions: 241.7 x 172 x 8.2mm
• Weight: 550g

The Chuwi Hi9 Air is priced at $239 and sold via Banggood – there are a few initial promotional offers and at the time of writing it was going for $199. Even though the Android tablet market is on life-support, the affordable ones are a quick pick for an on-the-move reading or multimedia experience.

The Hi9 Air looks good on paper and not very expensive. Would you like to pick one up, or are you really not interested in an Android tablet anymore?