Best Prime Day tablet deals: Score huge discounts on Apple, Samsung and more
Amazon’s October Prime Day sale is coming to an end, but there are still plenty of great deals available. In addition to some top TVs and headphones, you’ll find discounts on tablets from Apple, Samsung and Amazon. Now is the time to buy before these deals expire.
To help you make the most of these bargains before they’re gone, we’ve rounded up some of the best tablet deals right now. Keep in mind that some Amazon discounts are exclusive to Prime members, but you can find plenty of other deals at competing retailers like Best Buy and Walmart. We’ll continue to update this page throughout the sale, so check back often for the latest deals.
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Best Prime Day tablet deals
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. This price is for the 32GB version with lockscreen ads, but different configurations, with more memory, different colors and/or no ads on it. the lockscreen, are also discounted.
Even though it’s a previous-generation model, the ninth-generation iPad is a solid tablet, especially when you can get one for just $199. 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 wrong with the cheapest iPad from Apple.
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. The mid-range Fire is one of the best tablets you can buy, and that’s especially true at this price point.
This 2022 model may have an older M2 chip, unlike the faster M4 model that came out this year, but it also costs less for all the bells and whistles. The 12.9-inch version on sale here comes with 1TB of storage (up from the base’s 256MB) and the option to connect to mobile networks – a 13-inch M4 iPad Pro with those options costs $2,100. Your purchase also includes three months of Apple TV, Apple Music, and iCloud Plus for new or returning subscribers, and three months of free Apple Fitness Plus for new subscribers. Want to trade in an older tablet? Qualifying trade-in credits can provide up to $425 in trade-in credit.
If you are looking for an alternative to the big brands, the OnePlus Pad is a great option. It’s our favorite mid-range Android tablet of 2024, with an 11.6-inch screen, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It also features a slim and lightweight design weighing just 552 grams and 6.54mm thick.
Don’t necessarily need a full-size tablet? The iPad Mini could be your problem. 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 Prime Day tablet deals are available now
- 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 with Instant Coupon). For creatives, this 2024 powerhouse with a huge screen currently has some modest savings.
- Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 Plus, 11-inch (64GB): $152 (save $68). This budget model is great for Android users.
- Microsoft Surface Pro, 13-inch (512 GB): $1,200 (save $300). With a 13-inch OLED screen and a Snapdragon
- Lenovo Tab P11 Tablet 11-inch (64 GB): $130 (Save $70). This older, budget Android tablet should be fine for basic tasks like watching your favorite shows and movies.
- Amazon Fire 7 Kids Tablet: $50 (Save $50). This deal includes a six-month subscription to Amazon Kids Plus, with thousands of ad-free books and videos from brands like PBS Kids and Nickelodeon.
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 achieve the lowest dollar prices that you might see as a breakthrough this holiday season, but we still expect some savings. 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 plenty of 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.
