Wait. Stop. Before you click "buy" on that $200 tablet deal that just popped up in your feed, we need to talk. Every year, Black Friday rolls around and everyone loses their minds over a percentage sign. 50% off! 60% off! Honestly, most of those "original prices" are total fiction. I’ve seen retailers jack up the price of a Samsung Tab in October just so they can "slash" it back down in November. It's a game.
If you're hunting for tablet black friday deals, you've gotta be smarter than the algorithm. This isn't just about finding a low price; it's about not getting stuck with a plastic brick that lags every time you try to open Netflix.
The iPad Trap and How to Avoid It
Apple basically owns this category. We all know it. But here’s the thing: people keep buying the wrong iPad.
Last year, the big story was the 11th-gen iPad (A16 chip). It hit a low of about $274 at Amazon. That’s a killer price for a tablet that’s going to last five years. But I saw people skipping it to buy the older 10th-gen because it was $20 cheaper. Don't do that. The 11th-gen finally bumped the base storage to 128GB. If you buy a 64GB tablet in 2026, you're going to spend your whole life deleting apps just to take a photo.
What to watch for this year:
- iPad Air (M3): This is the "sweet spot" tablet. It dropped to $449 last season. If you see it under $450 again, grab it. The M3 chip is overkill for most people, but it means the tablet won't feel slow until 2030.
- iPad Pro (M5): The new Tandem OLED screen is gorgeous. Seriously, it's like looking into a different dimension. But even with a $100 discount, you're still looking at $899+. Unless you're a professional illustrator or someone who hates money, the Air is usually the better call.
- iPad Mini: It’s niche. People love it or hate it. It saw a $100 price cut recently, landing around **$399**. It's perfect for reading, but kinda cramped for anything else.
Samsung is Actually Winning the Value War
If you aren't married to the Apple ecosystem, Samsung’s tablet black friday deals are where the real bloodbath happens. Samsung is aggressive. They want you away from Apple, and they’ll pay for it.
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The Galaxy Tab S10 FE is the one to watch. It bundled with an S-Pen for around $337 last Black Friday. Unlike Apple, where you have to shell out another $100+ for a pencil, Samsung just gives it to you. The FE (Fan Edition) is basically the "lite" version of their flagship, but honestly? Most people can't tell the difference.
The Flagship Steals
If you want the best of the best, the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is a monster. It’s basically a portable TV. We saw discounts of $200 straight off the top, but the real magic is the trade-in. Samsung’s official store often gives insane credit for old tech. I’ve seen people trade in a cracked iPhone and get $500 off a tablet.
Then there’s the Tab A9+. This is the "grandparents and kids" tablet. It regularly hits $149. It's not a powerhouse, but for browsing the news or playing Candy Crush? It’s perfect. Just don't expect it to edit 4K video.
The Weird Ones: Pixel, OnePlus, and Lenovo
You don't just have to choose between the big two.
Google’s Pixel Tablet is a strange beast. It comes with a speaker dock that turns it into a smart home hub. Last year, it fell to under $250. If you use Google Assistant a lot, it’s a great deal. If you just want a tablet for the plane, the dock is just extra bulk in your drawer.
OnePlus is the dark horse here. The OnePlus Pad 3 is stupidly fast and has a weird 7:5 aspect ratio that’s actually better for reading documents than the iPad. It usually hovers around $650, but keep an eye out for bundle deals where they throw in a keyboard for free. That’s where the value hides.
And Lenovo? They own the budget gaming space. The Legion Tab Gen 3 dropped to $389 and it's basically the only small Android tablet that doesn't suck for gaming. It's got the cooling and the refresh rate that the iPad Mini lacks.
How to Actually Score the Best Deal
The "Day Of" is a myth. Black Friday is now a month-long event starting in early November. If you wait until the actual Friday, you're fighting for scraps and dealing with "out of stock" banners.
- Use CamelCamelCamel: This is a free price tracker for Amazon. It shows you the price history. If a tablet says "50% off" but it was that same price three months ago, it’s not a deal. It’s just Tuesday.
- Check the "Old" Models: When the iPad 11th-gen launched, the 10th-gen prices tanked. You can often find "Renewed" or refurbished units from places like Back Market or Amazon Warehouse for 40% less than new.
- The "Hidden" Retailers: Everyone checks Amazon and Best Buy. Check B&H Photo or Newegg. Sometimes they have "tax-inclusive" deals or bundles that the big guys don't touch.
- Education Discounts: If you have a .edu email address, Apple and Samsung have student stores that often stack with Black Friday discounts. You can sometimes save an extra $50 to $100 just by being a "student" (or knowing one).
The Verdict on 2026 Prices
Look, the reality is that inflation has hit tech hard. We aren't seeing the 60% off doorbusters of 2018 anymore. Most experts, like those at Adobe Analytics, are saying that 20% to 30% off is the new "great" deal.
If you see a current-gen iPad Air for 25% off, that is your signal to buy. Don't hold out for 40%—it probably won't happen. The manufacturers are tighter on inventory these days; they’d rather sell out at a decent price than liquidate at a loss.
Your Action Plan
Before you spend a dime, decide what you actually need. Are you a "couch scroller" or a "digital artist"?
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- Couch Scrollers: Target the Amazon Fire Max 11 (usually under $190) or the Samsung Tab A9+.
- Students/Work: Look for the iPad Air M3 or Lenovo Idea Tab Pro.
- Creatives: The Tab S11+ or iPad Pro M5 are your targets.
Set your price alerts now. Use a credit card with purchase protection. And for heaven's sake, don't buy a tablet with 64GB of storage just because it's cheap. You'll thank me in six months when you still have room to download a movie for your flight.
Next Steps for the Savvy Shopper
- Check Price History: Head over to a price tracker and plug in the model you want to see its true "floor" price.
- Verify Trade-In Values: If you have an old device, go to Samsung's or Apple's trade-in page today to see what it's worth before the holiday rush.
- Bookmark Comparison Pages: Keep a tab open for the "Compare Tablets" pages on Best Buy and Walmart to quickly spot price mismatches.