Best iPad and tablet deals in the sales

Looking for a great deal on an iPad or a tablet from one of Apple's rivals? Our experts track what's on offer in the sales to keep you up to date on the best iPad and tablet deals.

We check out sale prices on mid-range models, as well as high-end, big-screen tablets that can replace a laptop.

Like all tech products, tablets are constantly being updated and refreshed with new versions. That means there are plenty of deals to be found on last-generation models, as well as the occasional discount on the very latest models. Here we list the best tablet deals and highlight the best sales.

We also run through some top tips on how to find the latest deals on iPads, Android tablets and Microsoft Surface tablets.

For our expert advice on how to get the best of this year's winter sales, including how to spot fake reviews, go to our winter sales insider's guide.

The best iPad deals 2021

Apple iPad Air Pro (2021) - £949

• £130 off typical price 
• 12.9-inch screen 
• 128GB storage

We like: Responsive touchscreen

We didn’t like: No headphone jack

This is the 2021 version of the iPad Pro and it has a 12.9-inch screen – the biggest screen you can get.  It's powered by a mighty M1 processor and there’s 8GB of Ram backing it up. The model we tested has 128GB of storage, but you can buy versions with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB at higher prices.

The 128GB version has recently been discounted again. The cheapest we found from £949 at a range of retailers, including Amazon, AO.com and Currys. This is around £130 less than its typical price.

Read our Apple iPad Pro (2021) review to see if it's what you need.

• Got your heart set on an iPad? See all of our Apple iPad reviews to see which you should buy
• Want to save money on a cheaper table? Find out which is best for your budget - check out our tablet reviews
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Best Samsung tablet deals 2021

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ - £679

• 12.4-inch screen
• Android tablet 
• £120 off the usual price, according to the retailer

The Galaxy Tab S7+ is the brands top-tier tablet from last year. It has a huge 12.4-inch screen, which makes it larger than some laptops and Samsung includes its S-Pen stylus with the tablet as standard (Apple charges extra for its own Pencil stylus). 

It has a claimed internal storage capacity of 128GB and there's a microSD card slot for expanding that if you need to. You should bear in mind there’s no headphone jack on this tablet, so if you have wired headphones you will need to buy a USB-C to headphone adaptor. 

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ is available for the sale price of £679 from Argos and Currys. 

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ review to see how it did in our expert tests. 

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 - £519

• £100 off original price
• 11-inch screen 
• 128GB of built-in storage

We like: Very fast, brilliant speakers

We didn't like: Costly keyboard accessory

A rival for Apple's iPad Pro range, the Tab S7 is a high-end tablet with a big screen – great if you're after a device that can replace your laptop. Bear in mind, however, that you will need to buy the keyboard separately, which will increase the total cost by a fair bit. At the time of writing, the keyboard had a sale price of £189 in most UK retailers. On the plus side, the S-Pen stylus does come as standard. 

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 is available for £519 from Argos and Currys.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 review to see how this laptop fared in our tough lab tests. 

Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e – £319

• 10.5-inch screen
• Facial recognition camera and a fingerprint scanner
• 64GB of built-in storage

We like: Compact design, long battery life

We didn’t like: No headphone jack

This Android tablet has a facial recognition camera and a fingerprint scanner, so you can easily unlock your tablet and authorise payments without having to type in a Pin or password.  

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e is currently on sale for £319 from Argos.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e review to see how it did in our tough lab tests.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G 64GB - £449

• 12.3-inch screen
• £70 off usual price
• 64GB of built-in storage

We like: Runs fast, crisp and precise display

We didn’t like: Sound lacks finesse

This Samsung tablet is a great alternative to the iPad Pro and is much cheaper. The operating system is smooth and it can be unlocked via facial recognition. It doesn't have a headphone jack but you can connect with a Bluetooth adaptor.

The Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G 64GB is currently available for £449 at Samsung.

Read our full Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G 64GB review to see how it did in our tests.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite - £119

• 8.7-inch display
• 32GB built-in storage
• £30 off usual price

We like: Touchscreen is fast and easy to use

We didn’t like: Poor camera quality

One of the cheapest Samsung tablets we've reviewed, this Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is great if you're shopping on a budget. Although it can take some time to start up, the operating system and touchscreen run smoothly, making this tablet easy to use.

The Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is currently on sale for £119 at Currys and John Lewis (two-year guarantee included).

Read our full Galaxy Tab A7 Lite review to see how this tablet did in our tests.

Best Microsoft Surface tablet deals 

Microsoft Surface Pro 7 (8GB RAM, 256GB) - £879

• 12.3-inch screen
• Windows tablet
• 256GB of built-in storage

We like: Great screen, good speakers

We didn’t like: Large, pricey accessories

This Microsoft tablet is incredibly easy to use and, with that 12.3-inch screen, it's actually quite large. If you add a keyboard, it works as a laptop. We found the speakers were excellent and deliver clear speech – perfect for watching TV.

The 8GB Ram, bigger-storage 256GB version of the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is currently available for £879 at Argos. It was £719 at Amazon, but the website says it's temporarily out of stock. We'll keep an eye on it and will let you know when it's on sale again.

Read our full Microsoft Surface Pro 7 review to see how it did in our tests.

Best Lenovo tablet deals 2021

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook - £199

• We like: Sharp and colourful display, quick and responsive
• We didn't like: Cameras are mediocre

This Chromebook has a detachable keyboard, meaning it functions as both a tablet and a laptop. It's powered by 4GB of Ram (a decent amount if you plan on multi-tasking) and has a 10.1-inch display. There are two cameras: a 2Mp lens for selfies and video calls, plus an 8Mp rear camera.

This 2-in-1 device is usually on sale for around £280, but you can pick it up for a decent deal price of £199 at John Lewis (two-year guarantee included) and £214.99 at Amazon.

Before you buy, see how this device performed in our test lab with our Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook review.

Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 - £594.99

• We like: Good battery life
• We didn't like: Speakers lack bass 

One of the newest Lenovo tablets available, this Tab 13 model is particularly good for watching videos due to its large screen and exceptional running speed. The display is clear, vibrant and works well, even in bright light conditions.

The Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 is available for £594.99 at Lenovo, saving you over £100 with discount code CYBERMONDAY.

Read our full Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 review to see how this tablet fared in our tests.

Lenovo Yoga Tab 11 - £314.49

• We like: Sharp display
• We didn't like: Sound quality

Much like the Lenovo Tab 13 model, the Tab 11 is best suited for watching videos, due to its crisp display and bright colours. It features plenty of in-built storage which can be supplemented further with a micro-SD card. The battery is also very powerful, with a running time of nearly 14 hours.

The Lenovo Yoga Tab 11 is available for £314.49 at Lenovo, saving you over £50 with discount code CYBERMONDAY.

Read our full Lenovo Tab 11 review to see how it fared in our tests.

Best Amazon Fire tablet deals 2021

These cheap and mainly cheerful tablets run a cut-down version of Android. If you don't want to splash out a lot of cash on a tablet, then one of these will probably suffice. 

Amazon recently launched a higher-spec HD 10 model, so it's now taking the tablet market pretty seriously. It also means you're likely to see price drops on the older models. 

Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021) - £79.99

• £70 off the usual price
• 10-inch screen
• 32GB built-in storage

This is Amazon’s 2021 version of its 10-inch low-cost tablet. The updated tablet is thinner, lighter and now has 50% more Ram than the previous model. It's also still available in a wide variety of colours, including pink and green.

The screen is full HD and its powered by an Octa-core processor, which should help it multitask without slowing down.

It's now available for £79.99 – reduced from £149.99 – at Currys and John Lewis (two-year guarantee included).

Read our full Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021) review to find out how this tablet fared in our tests. 

Here's our round-up of other Amazon Fire deals:

• Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus (2021) review – £109.99 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire HD 8 review – £39.99 at Amazon 
• Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus review – £59.99 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire 7 (2019) – £29.99 at Amazon

See our pick of the best Amazon deals.

How to find a good deal on a tablet

We've picked out a selection of current good offers on decent tablets, but if these aren't quite right for you, don't worry as there will be ample other opportunities to find yourself a great tablet deal.

If budget is your top priority, we can help. Our experts have put together their top pick of the best cheap tablets.

Finding an iPad deal

Apple’s own website provides you with a good baseline of how much an iPad costs, because Apple never discounts new models on its own website. Knowing the full true price will make it easier to see if you're really getting a good discount on another site.

When you're shopping around for deals and looking at sale prices, be mindful that there are multiple generations of iPads on sale at the same time. Make sure you know which generation you're buying; our guide on which iPad to buy shows you which models are the latest generation. 

There’s nothing wrong with buying an older-generation iPad (in fact, it’s a great way to save money), but just make sure you’re comparing like-for-like products instead of a newer, more expensive model with an older, cheaper version.

Another way to keep costs down is to consider a refurbished iPad. While Apple's website never has deals on new tablets, there is a section on their official site for refurbished iPads that come with a one-year warranty. What’s available varies day by day, but you should be able to save at least 20% on a refurbished model over a new one. 

If you’re a student, you may also qualify for Apple’s student discount programme, which will net you discounts on iPads, among other products. 

See all of our Apple iPad reviews

Finding a Microsoft Surface tablet deal

It’s sensible to start your search for a Surface tablet on the Microsoft Store website. 

This the place to find the true RRP of the model and specification you’re after, and you might even find a discount while you’re there. It might be a simple discount on a specification, or it could be a discounted or free accessory when you buy a full-price tablet.

If you don’t find a discount on the Microsoft website, it’s highly likely you’ll find one from a different retailer. Make sure you check all the specifications and colour options, as discounts might only be on one or two of these at any time. 

See all of our Microsoft Surface tablet reviews

Finding an Amazon Fire tablet deal

Amazon Fires are hardly expensive to start with, but deals on these tablets come along fairly regularly. You will often find the best prices on Amazon.co.uk's Fire site, but you can sometimes find decent discounts from the likes of Currys and Argos. 

If there's nothing available on the day you search, you probably won't have to wait for long for a discount to materialise. So if you don’t need to buy right now, it could pay to wait until a deal comes up.

See all of our Amazon Fire tablet reviews.

Tablets and security support

Before you buy a new tablet, bear in mind that not all manufacturers are equal when it comes to security updates. We've found out that some manufacturers only support their tablets for two to three years. .

Our free tablet security tool will let you quickly check how long a tablet will continue to receive security updates. It also importantly gives you advice on how to stay safe when using your tablet.