Want the best Black Friday tablet deal? Forget the iPad Air, this Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE deal is a steal

Your first stop shopping Black Friday tablet deals is probably the Apple iPad, but don’t sleep on Samsung’s excellent Galaxy Tab tablets, especially this Galaxy Tab S9 FE, currently on sale for the lowest price ever. I reviewed the larger Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus, and I think most people would be happier with Samsung’s tablet than even Apple’s svelte iPad Air.

Both tablets are currently on sale for Black Friday. The iPad Air is available for $499 / £452 from Amazon, and that’s a great savings knocking $100 / £140+ off the full retail price. The Galaxy Tab S9 FE is also on sale at Amazon for only $299.99 / £374.17, which drops the price by $150 / £75. I’d pick the Galaxy Tab over Apple’s M2-equipped iPad any day, and twice on Black Friday.

Sure, the iPad Air is powerful, but for what? The Galaxy Tab S9 FE (and the larger Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus) have better software for actually getting things done, like working between two documents or browsing the web while on a video chat. Samsung even gives you the S Pen for free, while Apple charges extra for the Apple Pencil.

• Browse all Black Friday deals at Amazon

My favorite feature on the Galaxy Tab S9 FE is its water resistant and durable design. It’s not a thin as an Air, but you can get it wet – heck, you can even take it for a dip in the pool. It’s IP68 water resistant, so it’s better for the beach, and if it gets dirty you can rinse it in the sink. That’s pretty amazing for a tablet.

These are the best prices I’ve seen on the Galaxy Tab S9 FE and Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus since they launched in 2023, and it’s unclear if Samsung will offer a Galaxy Tab S10 FE as a replacement. If you need a serious tablet that is seriously tough, this is the one I’d buy.

Not in the US or UK? Check out the best Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE deals in your area at the bottom of this page.

Today’s best Galaxy Tab S9 FE deal in the US

Today’s best Galaxy Tab S9 FE deal in the UK

While the iPad Air uses Apple’s powerful Apple M2 chip inside, the same processor you’ll find in a Macbook Air laptop, the Galaxy Tab S9 FE and Tab S9 FE Plus have no trouble keeping up with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. This flagship platform was the brains behind the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and in my review it had no trouble running multiple apps, editing photos, and being getting things done.

I usually criticize Samsung’s mobile software for being cluttered and overstuffed, but on the larger tablet screens it really works well and makes for a better interface than Apple’s iPadOS. You can even connect a Galaxy Tab S9 FE to a separate monitor and keyboard and use Samsung’s DeX, which turns the tablet interface into something more like a Chromebook.

Want more tablet deals? We’re tracking all Black Friday tablet deals including all of the best Black Friday iPad deals, and if you need a new phone, check out our Black Friday phone deals page as well.