Why You Can Trust CNET Best Tablet Deals: Big Savings on Samsung, Apple and Microsoft With Amazon's Big Spring Sale
Grabbing a new tablet doesn't have to be super expensive -- check out our favorite deals to get a great tablet for less.
A great tablet is a wonderful way to enjoy the latest games, watch the latest movies and TV shows, and if you're keen on ditching the laptop, get some work done, too. But they can be pretty expensive, especially if you're going for something a little bit more high-end that can give you more versatility. The iPad from Apple often dominates the competition in the tablet market, and that means a lot of folks will be on the lookout for an iPad deal. That said, there are reasons you might choose an Android tablet or a Windows tablet if you aren't already entrenched in the Apple ecosystem.
Whether you're all in on Apple gear or you want a tablet that offers a similar experience to your non-Apple phone, we've found some tablet deals that'll help you get your hands on one of these nifty devices for less. We'll also keep an eye on the very best deals as they crop up and update this list accordingly so be sure to check back if you don't yet see the right deal for you.
We're pretty sure that you will, though. Amazon's Big Spring Sale is in full effect right now and it's brought with it some big discounts. You'll find them all below, but act fast. These prices are unlikely to stick around for long.
Best tablet deals
At its discounted price, this relatively budget Android tablet is a good pick as an affordable entertainment tablet for kids. It features a small (kid-friendly) 8.7-inch display, with a 1,340x800-pixel resolution, protected by a sturdy, metal (kid-resistant) enclosure. Note that the keyboard case isn't included, and to get such a steep discount you need to go with the T-Mobile version.
The Tab S6 Lite is a great midrange tablet that has a little bit more power under the hood. It also runs a 2,000x1,200 resolution screen that's 10.4 inches. There's also a larger 128GB of storage compared to other budget-friendly Samsung tablets, but you can expand it if you want to. Best Buy is also offering a deal where you get a one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass, as well as three months of YouTube Premium if you're a new subscriber.
The entry-level 10.2-inch iPad from 2021 should be your starting point for tablet shopping. This model lacks USB-C and still has the old-school home button, but it's compatible with the Apple Pencil stylus (sold separately). The baseline iPad remains a great option for kids, families and anyone else who wants a best-in-class touchscreen and Apple's full App Store and services support. Read our 9th-gen iPad review.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE is part of the latest lineup of Galaxy tablets, and while it's not as powerful as the Ultra or the Plus, it is a lot cheaper. It's 10.9 inches and runs a 2,304x1,440 resolution screen, and has a powerful Exynos 1380 processor that's going to handle most stuff you throw at it.
You can save $150 on Apple's latest iPad Air at Amazon right now. It costs $599 from the Apple Store and features Apple's M1 chip, found in the company's iPad Pros, along with 5G and a wider-angle, front-facing camera that has the Center Stage autofocusing video feature. CNET's iPad expert Scott Stein still recommends the less-expensive 10.2-inch iPad for most people but sees this iPad Air as a solid step up. Read our iPad Air 2022 review.
The Surface Pro 8 was supplanted by the Surface Pro 9 at the top of Microsoft's tablet lineup last fall, but the new model offers only a modest upgrade -- newer Intel CPUs, a slightly faster type of RAM, 5G support and some new color options. When you can find a Surface Pro 8 at a sizable discount, it makes a compelling cost-saving alternative to the Surface Pro 9. This Surface Pro 8 features a high-resolution 13-inch display powered by an 11th-gen Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. And this model includes the snap-on keyboard cover with your purchase. It's a hefty $650 off at Target.
The Surface Pro 9 offers a modern 12th-gen Core i7 CPU, an ample 16GB of RAM and a relatively roomy 256GB SSD. The 13-inch display offers a crisp 2,880x1,920-pixel resolution. One last note: You'll need to purchase the requisite keyboard cover separately unless you have one from an older Surface Pro 8 or Pro X -- those are compatible with the new Surface Pro 9. Just note that not all colors have the same discount.
More tablet deals
The discounts below are less compelling than the ones above but remain on this list so we can highlight when the sale prices dip periodically.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is a midlevel Android tablet that occupies the space between a basic iPad and an iPad Pro. The baseline Galaxy Tab S7 FE (short for Fan Edition) with 64GB of storage is discounted by $31 right now at Amazon. The tablet features a roomy 12.4-inch display and includes Samsung's S Pen stylus for drawing and jotting down notes.