The cheapest tablets for October 2022 | Tech Reddy

Tablets exist in the space between phones and laptops, which are becoming more and more intertwined. As phones get more powerful and have bigger displays, laptops keep getting lighter. Tablet manufacturers have not rested on their laurels. Many of the latest tablets we’ve seen aim to bridge the performance gap, and in some cases perform certain tasks more efficiently than phones and laptops.

The range of tablets is also different. Affordable models like the Amazon Fire HD 10 make excellent media streaming devices, while those in Microsoft’s versatile Surface line can easily serve as dedicated laptops when paired with an optional folio-style keyboard. Then there’s the ubiquitous iPad, which has become the go-to tablet for anyone looking for something in the Apple ecosystem (and for many outside of it).

Below, we’ve rounded up deals for a range of Android, iPadOS, and Windows tablets. We’ve also broken down the deals by manufacturer to make things easier, and we’ll update this post regularly as new discounts and sales become available.

The launch of the new iPad Air earlier this year led to many retailers offering significant discounts on its last-gen predecessor, the 2020 Air. The older model may not have Apple’s flashy M1 chip, but its A14 Bionic processor can still deliver plenty of power and should be fast enough for the vast majority of apps. The tablet is also compatible with a variety of iPad Air accessories — allowing you to turn it into a dedicated laptop using add-ons like Apple’s Magic Keyboard — and it offers a 10.9-inch Retina display with a resolution of 2360 x 1640. It supports a wide color gamut, not to mention a USB-C port for charging.

Originally $749, the 256GB Wi-Fi-equipped iPad Air is currently on sale at Walmart for $599. The 64GB variant is also on sale at Walmart for $469.99 ($130 off) in select colors. Read our review.

If you’re looking for something a little more futuristic, Apple’s latest iPad Air is also currently available at several retailers. The 64GB configuration normally retails for $599.99, but is available for $559 at Amazon and Walmart. If you need more storage, the 256GB model is currently available on Amazon for $679 ($71 off) in space gray.

The latest Air ditches the A14 Bionic processor in favor of Apple’s more powerful M1 CPU, but it still offers all-day battery life and retains the same design as its 2020 predecessor. The iPad Mini and iPad Pro both come with a surprisingly powerful set of speakers and a 10.9-inch screen that’s still easy to navigate. Read our review.

Apple’s iPad remains a solid, popular tablet suitable for almost everyone. Normally $479, the 256GB model with Wi-Fi is now on sale at Walmart for just $399, one of the best prices around today. The smaller, 64GB model is available at Best Buy for $269.99 instead of $329, a modest $30 discount.

Apple’s latest, entry-level iPad has a 10.2-inch, True Tone Retina display, one with a resolution of 2160 x 1620. But it’s worth noting that with the release of the latest iPad Pro and Air models, the base model has become something of an odd duck with an outdated design. At this point, the standard model is the only Apple tablet that uses a Lightning connection, as opposed to USB-C, and is only compatible with the first-generation Apple Pencil. Perhaps more importantly, it’s also one of the only tablets in Apple’s current lineup that doesn’t use an M1-series CPU, opting instead for the A13 processor, which should be fast enough for most users.

In many ways, the iPad Pro is an enhanced version of the latest iPad Air. The 12.9-inch Pro features Apple’s M1 chip, the same aluminum form factor, and a 5G connectivity option. The 12-inch iPad Pro features a larger Mini LED display, but includes a better camera array, Face ID support, and variable refresh rates.

The 12.9-inch, 256GB iPad Pro is currently on sale at Walmart for $899.99 in the Wi-Fi-only configuration, down from its original price of $1,199.99 — the best price we’ve seen for a tablet in a while. Read our review.

If you don’t mind a limited port selection and need a tablet that offers a lot of performance in a lightweight chassis, Microsoft’s high-powered Surface Pro 8 might fit the bill. The sleek, modern slate features a 13-inch touchscreen, 2880 x 1920 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate – a rarity outside of the gaming realm. It’s also a great teleconferencing device thanks to its far-field studio microphones and 5MP front-facing camera. Best of all, it serves as a competent stand-up laptop when using the integrated kickstand and optional keyboard cover.

The Surface Pro 8 is currently on sale at Microsoft for $799.99, saving you $300 off the regular MSRP of $1,099.99. This particular model comes with an 11th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. If you need more space, you can always expand this tablet’s storage with microSD cards. Read our review.

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 series was just released earlier this year, but you can find some notable deals on the standard Tab S8 in the 128GB Wi-Fi configuration, which is currently on sale at Amazon for $531.05 (about $130 off). The S8 Plus is also discounted on Amazon, bringing the price of the 128GB model down from $899.99 to $744. Unfortunately, the S8 Ultra is currently only available at full price.

While there are some clear updates to the S8 lineup, there are also a number of similarities. They all use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, have four speaker arrays, run Android 12, and are packaged with the Samsung S Pen stylus. Each model also supports Wi-Fi 6E and is equipped with a minimum of 8GB of RAM, but the S8 Ultra is also available in 12GB and 16GB configurations. The S8 and S8 Plus essentially serve as direct replacements for their Tab S7 predecessors, while the S8 Ultra is a feature-packed model that supports 5G connectivity and sports a 14.6-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 2960 x 1848 resolution. .

In our Galaxy Tab S8 and S8 Plus review, we noted how much we enjoyed the two displays and the performance provided by the upgraded CPU. Both models are slim and light, which makes them exceptionally portable. However, while both play well with other devices in the Samsung ecosystem, many Android apps struggle due to poor optimization.

The S8 Ultra, on the other hand, impressed us with its OLED display and fast performance. Despite the attempt to bring iPad-level productivity to an Android tablet, neither the OS nor the optional keyboard is up to the task.