Best tablet and iPad Black Friday deals: Early offers in the 2020 sale so far
Tablets have long been the tech companion of choice for our browsing, streaming, and news-reading needs.
They fit the gap between smartphone and laptop - particularly for those who don’t feel the need to splash their cash on the latest and greatest tech upgrades. They have also become increasingly powerful in recent years, which means you'll never have to compromise on performance.
With that said, tablets do come in a wide range of capabilities and price points, making the shopping process more difficult to navigate than that of a laptop or smartphone for most people.
Thankfully, we've done the hard work for you — these are the best early Black Friday tablet deals available to UK customers today, and we'll be updating them all the way through Cyber Weekend, which will last through the end of November.
1. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite LTE
Our favourite early Black Friday tablet deal so far, the fantastic Galaxy Tab S6 Lite boasts a huge 10.4-inch display, superb AKG sound, an S Pen (ideal for drawing and sketching), and tonnes of fun features. Of course, all your digital needs are just a touch away - including Netflix and YouTube.
2. Vankyo MatrixPad Z10 Tablet
While Vankyo isn't as big a name as Samsung or Apple where tablets are concerned, the company's MatrixPad Z10 is comparable - and brilliant value. It's powered by a 64-bit Quad-core high-performance processor with 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing camera, supporting everything you'd expect from an Android tablet.
3. Apple 10.2" iPad Cellular (2019) - 128 GB, Gold
As iPads rarely go on sale, this £50 discount on the golden-hued iPad Cellular is sure to sell out fast. In addition to a 10.2-inch Retina Display, the table is compatible with the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard (sold separately), which means you can turn it into a laptop or sketch pad with ease. It even comes with a year's access to Apple TV+ for even more entertainment.
What should I look for in a tablet?
The best tablet deals won’t necessarily be the cheapest deals you find. You’ll want to keep an eye out for a deal that affords you a tablet equipped with all the tech you need to meet your personal needs.
For some, this will be a rugged and parental-locked device to leave in the hands of young ones. For others, it might be a tablet with a super-fast processor, ideal for editing videos or perfecting creative projects .
Jot down your primary tablet needs and start from there, looking at each tablet’s processor storage capacity (especially for photos/videos), weight (to avoid discomfort during extended periods of reading/watching), and general features to ensure it’s a good fit for you personally.
If you anticipate writing or emailing regularly with it, it’s worth paying a little extra for a two-in-one tablet; most come with a detachable keyboard and stand, which makes extended use a bit more comfortable.
Of course, most tablets are simply used to make YouTube and Netflix binges that little bit better. If this sounds like you, you'll want to look for a tablet that supports your favourite apps and boasts a high-definition (HD) picture quality. Lenovo Tabs and Apple iPads are crowd favourites, in this case.
How do I choose the right operating system?
The four most trusted names in the world of tablets are Apple, Android, Windows and Amazon.
As the creator of the iPad, Apple has long been considered the birthplace of great tablet tech but the company's best models are especially expensive. iOS is a pleasure to use, however, and linking your tablet to your iPhone (if you have one) will no doubt prove useful.
Android is next, with its easy access to a wide range of apps and Google features. Android tablets are generally less expensive than Windows tablets and iPads, but some users feel Android apps aren’t as well developed as those for the iPad.
Amazon’s FireOS is very similar to Android and many of the same apps are available on both. Because Amazon sells some Fire tablets with built-in ads to price them lower they are often the cheapest tablets available for the quality.
Last but not least, we have Windows. Most Windows tablets are two-in-ones which run on a tablet-friendly version of Windows 10. Some of the apps available on these tablets are also exclusive to Windows and their complimentary clip-on keyboards regularly win consumers over.
