Cheap Tablet for Zwifting

Apple TV and a cheap 1080p telly.

Definitely best to get recommendations for one that people are actually using for Zwift, as some tablets just don't have the correct hardware to run Zwift and it won't even show up in the Play Store to download.

I've got a Samsung S6 Lite which will run it, but my Wife has a Samsung Tab A & that won't - it doesn't even come up in the Play Store, although I think the companion app does.

Have you considered an Apple TV, if you like the Apple ecosystem? Although you'd need a monitor to go with that. I don't use one myself - I use a PC and have the option of the tablet if need be.

I use an old 15" laptop on a stand rather than a tablet as I heard its a bit more immersive.
My iPad won't load Zwift as I have no room as it seems to need 4gbs.
Look up Tariq Ali as he's done a YouTube video on this.

Apple TV, just works.

I just have an Amazon Fire HD tablet, it was £79 for the larger screen one in black friday sale, been fine for me.

And then a cheap tablet holder from Decathlon

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/home-trainer-tablet-bracket/_/R-p-326707

Apple TV with as big a telly as possible. Can be ancient, even 720p is fine really (altho higher res is obviously nicer) so you'd be able to pick something up cheap or even free locally I'm sure.

I did it with a tablet for a while but find big telly much more immersive and fun!

Used iPad is your best bet - lots of Android tablets won't run it.  You can get a used Air 2 on eBay for less than a hundred quid which will run it fine for the time being, add something like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07H9RT763/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And you've got everything you need.  I got one in November for exactly the same reason, just swapped it for a used iPad Pro to get a bigger screen but the Air 2 was great while I was using it, no issues at all.

Apple TV and a telly and stand is also a good choice but unless you've got a stand/wall bracket etc hanging around you'll probably end up spending more.

Apple TV and a cheap 1080p telly.

Secondhand Apple 4K TV's are around £60-£80ish then any telly with a HDMI in.

Another vote for the air 2 I got a used one in lockdown 1 specifically for zwifting. It’s still fine.

I’d love a big tv and an Apple TV but my shed is very much a shed so I cart my crap in with me when I go and ride in there.

Thanks all, the Apple TV idea is good, along the same lines, will a Firestick run Zwift? I have a spare tv and a spare Firestick.

apparently, but sounds a bit of a faff and you'll probably have to manually update it every time there's a version change.

https://www.techfollows.com/firestick/zwift-on-firestick/

Another vote for Apple TV and big telly. I picked up a boxed 4k Apple TV off eBay for cheap and a 42" hand me down telly.  The pair were about the cost of an OK tablet and far more immersive.  Wall mounted the TV on an extendable mount from Amazon.

Can also use it for watching tech tutorials or just TV/music while working on the bike. It's great.

It's also my only Apple device.

Dumb question, does the Apple TV  mirror your phone or do you connect the trainer direct to it?

currently using an iPhone with a lightening to HDMI into a 32 “ telly

it would be good to loose the lead

It has 2 bluetooth connections and you connect directly to it.

I have my Elite trainer for speed/power/cadence and resistance and a Wahoo HR monitor connected on BT then AppleTV HDMI into the telly.

You can use the companion app to control the app on the Apple TV.  I'm not sure on this, as I have an Android phone and mostly use Rouvy over Zwift and the remote works fine for me.

Also worth noting, Rouvy has no sound but I can start a Spotify playlist on the AppleTV, then open Rouvy and Spotify keeps playing.

Zwift play 2 will control the game. But not good for SB20 owners.
My next will gaming PC and monitor, future proof it.

Zwift play 2 will control the game. But not good for SB20 owners.

Just to confirm , I have a Stages SB20 so will that connect/ work with apple tv??

We have a Lenovo M10 plus 64gb for this exact purpose. Just lives permanently on our wattbike atom and works perfectly, no issues.

Shit laptop

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To secondhand £40 ATV & £50 telly.

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Will any ATV do or should I spend more on a later gen?

I got the cheapest I could from cex, was a slight pain to create an apple account to be able to update swift, but as swift is native to the atv the updates are tiny (like over your mobile hot spot tiny).

If your going to get a separate screen may as well use an old PC for better graphics. There's a group for this:

If your going to get a separate screen may as well use an old PC for better graphics.

I'd be tempted to go Apple 4K 2022 with ethernet socket and 128GB storage, such as https://www.argos.co.uk/product/1254594 for £169, IMO worth the extra £20 over the wi-fi only 64GB.

But there are deals out there such as https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/ryzen-5-5600g-16gb-3200mhz-a520-tuf-480gb-ssd-500w-vega-7-system-ps295-with-discount-voucher-at-palicomp-4147857 from two weeks ago now showing as £325 for me.

Alternatively, there's Lenovo tablet for ~£130 https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/lenovo-tab-m10-3rd-gen-101-inch-wuxga-tablet-free-lenovo-smart-clock-4gb-ram-64gb-ssd-android-11-ps12999-free-collection-at-argos-4153748

As far as I'm aware, all Android devices get the same "basic" graphic detail profile.

I think Apple 4K gets some sort of "basic/medium" hybrid detail, but there's lots of calls for Zwift to give it more detail.

Even an old Nvidia GTX1650 will do "ultra" detail.

Personally, I use my old Android mobile Mi A2.

New Pixel tablet. Can someone buy it and test it on Zwift for me?

For those with an appletv do you find it will auto update?

<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">When I try and update the app I have to accept the new terms and conditions which isn't possible on the appletv. The only way I've been able to update is to offload the app and reinstall it. Which means bringing it inside since its a 3GB download.</span>

<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">My apple account is linked to an ancient ipad mini which I don't use anymore. If you're updating successfully are you using any other apple devices? </span>

Dumb question, does the Apple TV  mirror your phone or do you connect the trainer direct to it?

currently using an iPhone with a lightening to HDMI into a 32 “ telly

I just use a lightning cable and my iphone appears to be the cheapest solution to me.

For those with an appletv do you find it will auto update?

except, unless you’re a nerd, it really doesn’t matter, plus you’re lumbering yourself with all the disadvantages of an (old) PC too… updates, Windoze, instability, probably higher power consumption.

Well that's down to personal preference but many of us can get hold of old office PCs for little money then use that or put in a cheap GPU and experience the wonderful Zwift world in all it's glory...!

Apple TV and a cheap 1080p telly.

Good luck fitting a telly on your handlebars.

plus you’re lumbering yourself with all the disadvantages of an (old) PC too… updates, Windoze, instability, probably higher power consumption.

I'm using a 11 year old PC with Windows 10, it works really well. Nothing dozy or unstable about Windows any more.

Well each to their own, depends on your space doesn’t it.

I find old computers guzzle electricity, chuck out excessive heat and can be noisy.

Apple often have refurbished Apple TVs for sale Here

I find old computers guzzle electricity, chuck out excessive heat and can be noisy.

My laptop uses about 15W idle, maybe 50W or so running Zwift. So yeah more than a tablet. But a fair bit less than a big telly.

It is quite nice having a device close by so you can type messages or operate the app etc. I prefer that to the companion app but I guess people manage with that.