Best Prime Day tablet deals for shopping this October: Big savings on Apple, Amazon, Samsung and more
Brand new tablets can cost a pretty penny, but Amazon’s October Prime Day event is just hours away and we’re already seeing big discounts on some of our favorite, top-recommended tablets from popular brands like Apple, Samsung and Amazon .
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Don’t miss our live, 24-hour coverage of the best Prime Day Deals, curated by CNET Deals experts.
Not sure which tablet deals to choose? CNET’s shopping experts spent countless hours sifting through all the offers to find the best tablet deals at Amazon, along with Best Buy’s anti-Prime deals and Walmart’s Holiday Deals event.
Whether you’re looking for a tablet for work or school, you can find a great option today. If you have your eye on a tablet, treat yourself to one at a discounted price. Then grab an iPad, Fire tablet, or other device and cross some names off your holiday shopping list. You might as well start early. We update these offers regularly, so check back often as we get closer to the main event.
Our favorite best Prime Day tablet deals of October
The new 2024 Fire HD 8 has just been released and is launching at a $45 discount to coincide with Prime Day. It’s a rare opportunity to save big on such a new product, but this deal only runs through October 9. Other configurations receive a discount of the same amount.
Although it’s a previous-generation model, the ninth-generation iPad is a solid tablet, especially when you can get one for as little as $200. If you want a simple tablet for email and browsing, or as a gift for your child or for the holidays, then you can’t go far wrong with Apple’s budget option.
Apple’s current entry-level tenth-generation iPad is our best tablet of 2024, and right now you can get one for $50 off, bringing it down to its best-ever price of $299.
This cheap tablet has a 10.1-inch screen, 32 GB of expandable storage and 3 GB of RAM. It’s powered by an octa-core CPU and can last up to 12 hours on a single charge. This option is one of the best tablets you can buy, especially at this price.
The latest generation Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet is currently marked down by a whopping 58%, making it one of the cheapest tablets available, with a new all-time low price. It has an 8-inch HD screen, making it a great model for streaming or surfing the web, especially the version with 64 GB of internal memory.
This model may have an older M2 chip, as opposed to the newer M4 options, but that adds up to significant savings. It is also equipped with 1TB of storage and a 12.9-inch screen. It is unlocked but can be connected via Wi-Fi and cellular. Plus, with your purchase you get three months of Apple TV, Apple Music, and iCloud Plus for new or returning subscribers and three months of Apple Fitness Plus free for new subscribers. Want to trade in an older tablet? Qualifying trade-in credits can provide up to $425 in trade-in credit.
Don’t necessarily need a full-size tablet? The iPad Mini is a great option. It’s lightweight and more portable than Apple’s other iPads, yet still offers great features. And it’s compatible with the Pencil 2. At almost 25% off, this price is the best offer we’ve seen on this model at Amazon.
More early October Prime Day tablet deals are now available
- Amazon Fire Max 11, 11-inch (128 GB): $160 (Save $120). This Fire tablet offers a larger screen and 14 hours of battery life.
- iPad Pro (M4), 13-inch (512 GB): $1,399 (save $100). For creatives, this huge-screen powerhouse currently has some modest savings.
- Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 Plus, 11-inch (64GB): $170 (save $50). This budget model is great for Android users.
- Microsoft Surface Pro, 13-inch (512 GB): $1,300 (save $200). With a 13-inch OLED screen and a Snapdragon X Elite processor, this model offers incredible productivity specs.
- Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids, 8-inch (32 GB): $75 (Save $75). This tablet for children aged 3 to 7 comes with a case and a year’s supply of Amazon Kids Plus.
- Apple 10.2-inch iPad (9th generation): $200 (Save $130). If you’re trying to get an iPad without spending a lot, the base last-generation iPad is a bargain with this deal.
- Lenovo Tab P11 Tablet 11-inch (64 GB): $129 (Save $71). This Android tablet offers a great 2K 11-inch LCD display, perfect for watching your favorite shows wherever you go.
Is October Prime Day a Good Time to Buy a Tablet?
It depends. Your needs and preferences will influence which tablet you should buy, and some tablet options won’t be as competitively priced as others during Prime Day in October. If you’re considering a Fire tablet or other Amazon devices, now is a great time to make significant savings.
Other brands, like the popular Apple iPad or certain well-established Samsung models, may not hit the lowest dollar prices that you might see as a breakthrough this holiday season, but we expect some savings nonetheless that could be worth it. And if you have an older tablet that you can trade in, you may be able to save even more through trade-in programs at stores like Best Buy and Amazon on eligible models.
Extend Amazon Prime Day savings with these shopping tips
View all photosDo you need a membership for Prime Day tablet deals?
There are quite a few Prime Day tablet deals available on Amazon, but you’ll need a Prime membership to access many of the best discounts. Not every deal requires a Prime membership. The best way to know for sure is to scroll through and look for the “Prime Exclusive Deal” button on the page. If you don’t see that button, a Prime membership is not required for that discount.
Do other retailers offer high-quality tablet deals?
Yes. In response to Prime Day, many of Amazon’s competitors are cutting prices across the board, including tablets. Best Buy is having an anti-prime day sale where we’ve already spotted some top tech at a discount. Retail giants like Walmart also offer low prices. You can also spot offers directly on PKSamsung and Dell.
How do Prime Day deals and anti-Prime sales at other retailers compare to Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals?
Amazon’s Prime Day in October and the competitive sales at other major retailers have many similarities to Black Friday/Cyber Monday. Anecdotally, Black Friday tends to have better deals on big-ticket items like TVs, home appliances and laptops, while Prime Day tends to focus on more everyday essentials and items under $50. That said , Amazon’s own devices are certainly at great prices during Prime events, and there are plenty of excellent deals on Fire tablets right now.
Overall, shopping at both events will save you a ton of money over the retail price of many items. For good bargains on everyday essentials and other items, shop during Prime Day. If you’re looking for that ‘once a year’ bargain, Black Friday is probably your best bet, but stock is usually limited. If you want to beat the Christmas rush, there are plenty of price cuts on items that make great gifts for loved ones. For more help choosing the right time to invest in a new tablet, check out our guide on whether or not to buy a cheap tablet during Prime Day events.
Check this out: How to hack Amazon Prime Day: shopping advice and deals
How does CNET select the best Prime Day deals?
Our team of expert shoppers and deal hunters have been helping buyers understand which big sales and deals are legitimately good and which are more routine for years. That includes Black Friday, Prime Day, Memorial Day and countless other shopping events. We’ve gotten really good at weeding out scams and superficial deals on all kinds of tech, so you only see the best deals on things like tablets.
At CNET we look for real discounts, quality ratings and remaining sales time when choosing a deal to show you.
- Real discounts mean exactly that. We look at the price history of that product to ensure that no manufacturer is inflating prices to make the discount appear more substantial than it is.
- Quality ratings are important for any product, but especially for deeply discounted items. A device is a big investment, and if you don’t get enough miles out of it, the discount wasn’t worth it.
- The remaining sales time is a large part of our control process. If a deal is likely to be short-lived or limited to remaining stock, we will let you know in advance. So you won’t be disappointed if you come back later and find the deal has been discontinued.
