Conclusion

The Onda V919 Air is a strange beast. Under the pedestrian iPad-clone shell, you’ll find some decent hardware, 3G connectivity and two operating systems. Its biggest selling point is the price, rather than any of the features. The 32GB unit sells for $208, while the 64GB model goes for $215, so it’s clearly a better deal. The sample was provided by GearBest, our principal purveyor of China-brand phones and gadgets. 

Given the low price, there is really a lot to like about the dual-boot Onda, but the company also had to cut a few corners to end up with such a price. There’s no ambient light sensor, which is bad news for practicality and battery life. The plastic trim, especially the volume rocker and power button, feel cheap. There’s practically no fancy sensors on board, GPS is not on board, either.

However, as a complete package, the Onda V919 Air looks rather tempting, given the price. You still get one of the fastest Atoms on the market, aluminium build, 3G, and two operating systems. There are a few competing Chinese tablets with practically identical specs, although Onda tries a bit harder with the Atom Z3736F and a few other goodies. Either way, if you’re after a value tablet, the Onda V919 Air is definitely worth checking out.

Onda V919 Air Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Relatively good 2048x1536 panel
• Very competitive pricing
• 3G connectivity (check regional compatibility prior to making a purchase)
• Aluminium build
• Two operating systems for the price of one

Cons:

• Weak speaker
• No light sensor
• Preinstalled screen protector isn’t very useful
• Unoriginal design
• No Android 5.0