tablets

Apple’s base iPad is the most cost-effective way to get an iOS device, and now you can pick one up for even less than usual. In a rare sale, most models are down to record-low prices at Amazon right now. Key among them are the 256GB iPad for $399, which is $80 less than usual, and the base, 64GB version remains on sale for $299 as well. As for cellular models, you can pick up the 64GB tablet for $400 thanks to an extra $30 coupon that’s automatically applied at checkout, or the 256GB version for $550.

Buy iPad (64GB, WiFi) at Amazon – $299Buy iPad (256GB, WiFi) at Amazon – $399Buy iPad (64GB, Cellular) at Amazon – $400Buy iPad (256GB, Cellular) at Amazon – $550

It may not look as slick as the iPad Air or the latest iPad Pros, but it’s hard to argue the utility of Apple’s most affordable tablet. We gave it a score of 86 when the latest model came out last year, and we consider it to be the best budget tablet you can get. It has solid performance and an excellent, 14-hour battery life, and since Apple upped the base amount of storage to 64GB from 32GB, you’ll have a good amount of space even if you pick the cheapest option. That’s important for those who download tons of apps and games, or those who plan on using the iPad to hold all of their personal, work or school documents. While we think some of the more advanced iPads make better laptop replacements, the base tablet would make a good on-the-go device if you pair it with accessories like the Smart Keyboard or the first-generation Apple Pencil.

The most dated things about the iPad are its chunkier bezels and the physical Home button that supports TouchID, although some may prefer the latter to FaceID. Otherwise, the slab has a 2,160 x 1,620 resolution Retina display with True Tone, an 8-megapixel rear camera and an updated 12MP front-facing camera with support for Center Stage, which will come in handy if you FaceTime a lot with friends and family. While it doesn’t have many of the extra features you’ll find on the iPad Air, those are fair trade-offs considering its low starting price.

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If you missed last month’s sale on the base iPad, you have another opportunity to pick up the tablet for less right now. Amazon knocked $30 off the 64GB, WiFi-only iPad, bringing it back down to a near record low of $300. At the time of writing this, b…

If you’ve been holding out for a good deal on the latest iPad mini with cellular connectivity, you’re in luck. Amazon has dropped the prices of all color options for the 64GB iPad mini with LTE, bringing them all down to $550. That’s nearly $100 off their usual rate, not to mention the cheapest we’ve seen these models. It’s hard to get your hands on the iPad mini right now if you’re going through Amazon — most WiFi-only models are sold out, and very few WiFi + Cellular models are in stock. But if this configuration fits your needs, you can save a good sum of money if you pick it up right now.

Buy iPad mini (64GB, WiFi + Cellular) at Amazon – $550

Apple gave the iPad mini a much-needed facelift last year, and it only made the small tablet better than it was before. It now looks like a smaller version of the iPad Air, with a nearly edge-to-edge, 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, flat edges, a TouchID power button and a USB-C port for charging. It also has Apple’s latest camera array that features Center Stage, making the tablet even better for FaceTime calls.

Overall, the iPad mini is a slick little device that should not be underestimated purely because of its size. Powered by the A15 Bionic chip, the iPad mini handled everything we threw at it well. We also like that it works with the second-generation Apple Pencil, allowing you to treat the tablet almost like a digital notebook. Battery life is solid, too: we were able to get around 12 hours before needing to recharge the device.

The iPad mini now supports 5G, too, so you’ll get faster data speeds if you’re in an area of 5G coverage. Would we recommend using the iPad mini as your daily driver when you’re out and about? Not necessarily, but only because most people prefer larger screens. The iPad Air may be better if you’re looking for a true laptop replacement, but it’s hard to beat the iPad mini if you want something as lightweight as possible to use when you’re on the go.

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Amazon’s Fire tablets make great couch devices or gadgets to give to your kids when you don’t want them messing with your more expensive tech. They’re usually pretty affordable, but Amazon Prime Day brings the opportunity to grab any of Amazon’s tablets at all-time-low prices. Both the Fire HD 10 and Fire HD 8 tablets are half off and down to $75 and $45, respectively, while the 2019 Fire 7 tablet is only $30 for Prime Day. On top of that, all of the Kids Pro versions of the slabs are also on sale, so you can pick one up for as low as $50.

Buy Fire HD 10 at Amazon – $75Buy Fire HD 8 at Amazon – $45Shop Fire tablet deals at Amazon

You’ll get the best bang for your buck if you spring for the Fire HD 10. It’s the most powerful of Amazon’s tablets, running on a 2.0 GHz oct-core processor, 3GB of RAM and at least 32GB of storage. It has a 10.1-inch 1080p display, Dolby Atmos support and a USB-C port for charging. Amazon estimates you’ll get up to 12 hours of battery life on a single charge, and it takes roughly four hours to charge the device up from nothing. The Fire HD 10 also supports Show Mode, which essentially lets you turn the thing into a makeshift Echo Show smart display. If you have a stand or case that props the tablet up, you could use it in Show Mode to display information like the weather, calendar events, news stories and more.

But the best option under $50 this Prime Day is the Fire HD 8. We gave the tablet a score of 81 for its refined design, decent performance, hands-free Alexa capabilities and good battery life. While the display isn’t as high quality as the HD 10’s, and it won’t feel as zippy as the larger slab, the Fire HD 8 is a solid option if you just want a basic tablet at a great price.

If you’re thinking about buying a Fire tablet for your kids, maybe as a first device of theirs, consider getting one of the Fire Kids Pro devices. They’re basically the same as the standard Fire tablets, but they come with additional parental controls, a customizable home screen theme, a two-year warranty, a protective case and a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+. The latter is the company’s service that provides child-friendly, ad-free games, books, videos and other content that kids can access from their tablets.

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