I actually had an M2 myself and I went insane with the constant crashes in the Nero's event. Got myself a Lenovo TAB2 A10 and it works extremely well. Not to mention I got it with a discount so it was pretty affordable.
The Lenovo TAB2 A10 ZA000001 is a great tablet for word processing and such, ranked at 4.1 star tablet. has great specs such as Android 4.4 KitKat which is up gradable up to latest OS, 1.5 GHz ARM Cortex A53 Quad-Core which is for word processing and other useful apps, 16 GB Flash Memory, 2 GB RAM Memory good which is seen as a good for running apps, Built-In Lithium-Ion Providing up to 10 Hours per Charge (7200.0 mAh) 10 inches FHD IPS LCD (1920x1200) Display.
Which are, to be fair, the definition of "adequate."
Now the fact that you can get this, with a fantastic display and very nice specs for ~$177 is pretty damn amazing considering what a decent iPad costs.
I have a kindle fire HD 8, and its served me pretty well. Not the fastest thing in the world though. Warning though, by default it does NOT come with the Google Play store, only Amazon's. So you would need to sideload it on(dunno if that's an option.)
I also had a Lenovo A10. Very good device. Very responsive, good screen, decent battery life. I was very sad when it got busted(accidently dropped it on a concrete floor. :( ) And it uses the same charging port that most modern phones do, so if the cord isn't long enough, you can buy a longer one for cheap on amazon.
I would go with the Lenovo TAB2 A10 ZA000001US It has excellent customer reviews and its best i have seen out of the top tablets ranked under 200 dollars for business. It comes with a 10inch screen and good battery life of 10 hours, Android 4.4 KitKat which is Up gradable up to latest OS, 1.5 GHz ARM Cortex A53 Quad-Core, 16 GB Flash Memory, 2 GB RAM Memory.
I use this one. It was the most affordable I could find in that size that wasn't some weird off-brand, and it's performed excellently all around in the time I've had it. Great quality screen. At 10.1", it's not quite the size of a physical comic, but it's damn close, and you'd be hard-pressed to find one larger without shelling out a couple hundred dollars more.
I own one of these. Solid all-around tablet for $170. Good display, 2GB of RAM, stable OS. It's running on 5.0.1 now, but a Marshmallow upgrade is doubtful as far as I know, so that's a negative if it matters to you. It does have better than average speakers for a budget tablet, which might interest you.
As far as looks go, it's a black plastic Android slab. It's not ugly, but it doesn't stand out. The build quality is pretty average, similar to Dell's Venue line- it feels decent, with good soft touch back coating and a reasonably solid feel, but it'll maybe let out a slight creak if you grab it by one end. Par for the course at that price point.
Here is the updated version, the Tab 2 A10-70 $180 right now on Amazon. I have one and am loving it (got it back in July). No other 1920 x 1200 10 " tablets out there under $200. Best deal right now http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-10-Inch-Tablet-Navy-Blue/dp/B00TR05L9Y
If 10" is a must, then I would have definitely recommended: https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-ZA000001US-10-1-Inch-Tablet-Midnight/dp/B00TR05L9Y/ref=sr_1_8?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1479155485&sr=1-8&keywords=nvidia+tablet
and
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F57BNG2/ref=psdc_1232597011_t2_B011TVF5QC
I've been roaming through Amazon, and those are definitely the best tablets under $160. Both have amazing specs. 2GB RAM, 1080p screen, and both have Android M Asus one is bit more recent, while the Lenovo one is more cheaper.
You may want to research on which one has the better battery life and so on. Also, you can return your recently bought tablet to Amazon within 30 days, even if it is already opened.
As for tablets, there's a more limited selection at that price range (if you omit chinese knock-offs), but... The lenovo Tab A10, around $150 used: https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-ZA000001US-10-1-Inch-Tablet-Midnight/dp/B00TR05L9Y/
An ASUS Zenpad S8, $198. (I personally have one of these, and recommend it): https://www.amazon.com/Asus-Zenpad-Z580C-B1-BK-inches-Tablet/dp/B011TVF5QC
And the amazon fire tablets aren't bad, as long as you avoid the ones with sponsored offers. You can easily get one under $200 for that. Weigh the benefits, though.
I got this one over last Black Friday:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TR05L9Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
My buddy who works at a university computer lab recommended it.
Just to make sure, is this one?
BTW, what do you think about Lenovo Tab 2 A10? It got 1920x1200 display... https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-ZA000001US-10-1-Inch-Tablet-Midnight/dp/B00TR05L9Y
Good idea. BTW, what do you think about Lenovo Tab 2 A10? It got 1920x1200 display... https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-ZA000001US-10-1-Inch-Tablet-Midnight/dp/B00TR05L9Y
Recommended value-for-money 10" tablet for PDF reading?
Don't need much from it, just good display for quality and easy PDFs reading. What do you think about Lenovo Tab 2 A10? It got 1920x1200 display... https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-ZA000001US-10-1-Inch-Tablet-Midnight/dp/B00TR05L9Y Im considering refurbished as well. Something like Nexus 10: https://www.amazon.com/Google-Nexus-10-Certified-Refurbished/dp/B01F7WBUQ8/
This tablet is pretty good for media consumption and web browsing for a great price
She liked the 9.5" size of the iPad but would be happy with 8".
These are the two I'm eyeing right now:
First choice: Lenovo Tab 2 10-Inch 16 GB - This says it comes with Android 4 but after some research it appears that it can be updated to Marshmallow.
Second choice: LG Electronics G Pad II 8-Inch Tablet (LGV498)
Used should be fine as long as it's refurbished.
Some examples, for instance, the Lenovo Tab 2 for $170, I'm seeing a few Dragon Touch X10 variants around everywhere and something like this RCA Viking Pro 10".
I mean I was narrowing it down with the 4:3, but if she'd rather get a 10" I'm quite at a loss for what's fine. On one hand it's primarily for PDF viewing, but on the other she rather not spend more than we have to.
Check out the Lenovo Tab 2 A10-70. It is a 10-inch tablet that sells for around $180. The screen is 1920x1200 with 224 ppi, which is much sharper than most tablets at that price. I bought one on Black Friday and I really like it. It came with KitKat, but I already got the update to Lollipop.
Review: http://pocketnow.com/2015/10/16/lenovo-tab-2-a10-review
Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-10-Inch-Tablet-Navy-Blue/dp/B00TR05L9Y
http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-10-Inch-Tablet-Navy-Blue/dp/B00TR05L9Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1439358589&sr=1-1&keywords=lenovo+tablet You could try that and a case that folds out to stand the tablet up.
Throw in a Chromecast and your mom can project to her TV without an HDMI cable running across the room.
Edit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRwYk9mk6UI Quick video overview.
If she really wants to stick with windows, you could always get her http://www.amazon.com/Dell-Inspiron-Signature-i3043-1252BLK-Computer/dp/B00PHXJZAQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1439359237&sr=8-1&keywords=all-in-one+touchscreen One of these. I build myself gaming desktops, but for my mom, I just snagged an All-in-one.
http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-10-Inch-Tablet-Navy-Blue/dp/B00TR05L9Y. Gets the job done for me for a great price.
It depends on what 'cheap' is for you. I personally just purchased a Lenovo Tab 2 A10-70 and couldn't be happier. It's my first venture into the tablet world and does everything I could ever want for the price tag.
EDIT: Ah, I see you're looking for something smaller than 9 inches. There is the Tab 2 A8 but I don't know anything about it's performance compared to the A10.