by Sarah K. White

9 great tablet deals for your holiday shopping list

Feature
Dec 18, 2015
Computers and PeripheralsConsumer ElectronicsHolidays

If you still haven't finished your Christmas shopping, here are eight great deals on tablets for the techie on your list.

Tablet deals for your holiday shopping list

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still great deals on tablets. If you’re looking to get a tablet for your loved ones this holiday season, here are nine of the best deals on tablets you can find between now and Christmas.

Fire HD

Fire HD

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You don’t have to spend a lot on a tablet, especially if it’s only going to be used for apps, Web browsing and streaming video. If that’s the case, then look no further than the Amazon Fire HD 6, which you can pick up for just under $80 at the time of this writing. It has only 8GB of storage, but for about $10 more you can get 16GB. Amazon also throws in free unlimited cloud storage for all your Amazon content. It’s a 6-inch display with a resolution of 252 dpi, making it a great choice for streaming Netflix or Hulu Plus. The battery life supports up to eight hours of video, music, Web surfing and reading, which just might make those holiday car trips with kids a little quieter.

Fire HDX with 4G LTE

Fire HDX with 4G LTE

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If the 6-inch Fire HD isn’t enough screen real estate for you, check out the third-generation Kindle Fire HDX 8.9-inch tablet. The 16GB model with Wi-Fi with 4G LTE is currently $100 off on Amazon’s website, bringing it to just $350 at the time of this writing. It’s a good deal if you want a tablet that is equipped with not just Wi-Fi, but mobile connectivity as well. Since it’s the third-gen model, it’s not the most recent tablet from Amazon, but it’s still equipped with everything you need to stream, browse and play. The real selling point on this tablet is the fact that you can get it with 4G LTE capabilities for such a low price point. To compare, the older iPad Air with 4G capabilities will currently run you $430 (normally $530) with promotions at Best Buy, while the iPad Air 2 with 4G LTE is currently $504 (normally $630) with the same promotion.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 4

Samsung Galaxy Tab 4

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This 7-inch tablet from Samsung features Android Kit Kat OS, 8GB of storage, 50GB of free Dropbox storage, 1.5GB of RAM and expandable storage up to 32GB with a microSD card. It’s a compact device that is great for entertainment purposes, especially for kids. You can currently purchase this device on Amazon for just $126 or directly from Samsung for $130. Amazon also offers the option to buy the Galaxy Tab 4 with a 32GB microSD card for an extra $10 if you want to give the recipient a little extra storage right off the bat.

Asus ZenPad 8

Asus ZenPad 8

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The Asus ZenPad is an 8-inch tablet running Android 5.0 lollipop. It features an IPS display, an Intel Atom Quad-Core 64 bit processor and a microSD card with support for up to 128GB of extra storage. There are two models to choose from — one offers 2GB of RAM and 32GB of on board storage and other offers 4GB of RAM and 64GB of on board storage. Both are a great deal, with the 32GB model on sale for $170 on Amazon and the 64GB on sale for $270, at the time of this writing. It’s a great, compact and stylish tablet for anyone on your list who could use an Android device for entertainment.

Google Nexus 9

Google Nexus 9

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For the Android purist in your life, there’s no better option than the Google Nexus tablet, which offers a truer Android experience without the third-party interfaces, like Samsung’s TouchWiz for example. The 32GB Google Nexus 9 is currently $310 on Amazon at the time of this writing, which is a savings of $170. It ships with Android 5.0 Lollipop and as it weighs just under one pound and it’s the perfect portable entertainment device for any Android fan. This device boasts a NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor, 2GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear camera and an 8.9-inch IPS LCD display. Google’s Nexus devices are centered on those who want a pure Android experience — something that is especially popular with developers.

iPad Air 2

iPad Air 2

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Some outlets have pointed to the big price decreases (for Apple at least) on the iPad Air 2 as a sign that the iPad Air 3 will be announced in early 2016. However, that doesn’t mean the iPad Air 2 will be rendered ancient in just a few months. It’s still a great tablet for the iOS fans in your life and if you purchase any model of the iPad Air 2 at Target, you’ll instantly receive an $80 gift card. Best Buy is also running some impressive deals on the iPad Air 2, with the 16GB model listed at just under $375, while it normally retails for $499.99. The 64GB and 128GB models are both $125 off as well, priced at $475 and $574, respectively.

iPad Mini 4

iPad Mini 4

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For the iOS fan who doesn’t need a 10-inch tablet, there’s the iPad Mini 4, measuring just under 8-inches. If you purchase any of the iPad Mini 4 tablets at Target, you’ll get a $50 gift card with your purchase. Best Buy is also running a good deal, offering $100 off the retail price of the devices. That means you can get the 16GB model for $299, the 64GB model for $399 and the 128GB model for $499. You can also get $100 off the cellular models as well, if you prefer a device that has 4G LTE capabilities.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2

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Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S2 is essentially an iPad for Android fans. It features a sleek, lightweight design and with 3GB of RAM — and it’s screaming fast. Normally this device sells for around $500 for the 9.7-inch model, but you can currently get this device on Amazon and Best Buy for $399. Best Buy is also running a current promotion that gives you a full year subscription to Netflix for free when you purchase the S2. The device comes with 32GB of onboard storage, but with the MicroSD card, you can add an additional 128GB of storage. Colors include white, black and gold, and there’s even an 8-inch version that you can pick up for around $50 less.

Samsung Galaxy View

Samsung Galaxy View

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If you’ve been looking for a new cable TV service and are in the market for an 18-inch tablet, you’re in luck because Best Buy is offering $400 off the 18-inch Samsung Galaxy View when you sign up for DISH TV in the store. That means you can get this enormous tablet, with an 18.4-inch Full HD display and octa-core processor, for just $200. It’s a great gift for the early adopter techie in your life – that one person who always has the first-generation of the newest gadgets. It’s meant to be a coffee table device, or something you can use with the entire family. It’s not exactly portable, but it’s more portable than say, an 18-inch desktop computer monitor and tower.