The Best Back-to-School Tablet Deals: $100+ Off Apple, Samsung, Lenovo

Tablet computing has gone from a novelty to a necessity, as losing the keyboard doesn’t mean a lot when applications are tuned to run without one. Artists, scientists, journalists, and students all over the world use them for work, school, and play. They’re powerful, convenient and lightweight enough to take with you everywhere.

Back-to-school season is one of our favorite times to purchase new hardware, as retailers and manufacturers are looking to grab a slice of the market with deep discounts on quality products. Right now, Amazon has some incredible deals on iPads, Samsung tablets, and more — some of which are still at Prime Day prices.

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Apple iPad 9th Generation

We gave the 9th generation iPad a glowing review, proclaiming it the “best tablet for most people” based on its powerful performance, durability, and reliability. Most people includes students, and the iPad(Opens in a new window) has numerous uses in the classroom, from taking notes naturally with the compatible Apple Pencil(Opens in a new window) to sharing files over Bluetooth, taking photos, video conferencing, and many more. Battery time is also exceptional, with Apple claiming 10 hours of full operation between charges. This $80 discount is also the same price we saw on Amazon Prime Day, but we don’t expect it to last long.

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Apple iPad Air 5th Generation

Using Apple’s proprietary M1 silicon, we reviewed the 5th gen Air as a “nearly perfect balance of features and performance,” and that rating still stands. The 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display makes it an excellent pick for creative students, and 64GB of internal memory lets it hold a lot of work before you sync it up to the cloud with Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. Record 4K video or take crisp, clear photos of your notes with the 12MP camera. It’s even great for gaming if you’ve finished all your homework. And $40 off is a solid price drop, the same we saw on Prime Day.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite

If budget is a concern—and, let’s be frank, it usually is—this is an opportunity to get a solid tablet for even cheaper than it normally is. We can’t deploy a lot of superlatives toward the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite(Opens in a new window)—it’s fine. But fine is sometimes fine! It has 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, a functional and bright 8.7-inch screen, and weighs in at under a pound. Battery life is also strong, with 10 hours of usage between each charge. It’s not going to wow your classmates, but for surfing the web, watching videos, and general daily activities you can’t beat getting 20% off on this one.

(Credit: Samsung)

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

When we reviewed the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, we called it the “best way to get an active stylus tablet at a relatively low cost.” And with $100 off the list price, it’s a great option for students. The included Samsung S Pen is a remarkable input tool, with pressure and tilt sensitivity letting you interact with the tablet in a bunch of different ways, including converting your handwriting into text, translating foreign words, and even acting as a remote for the camera. Dual speakers deliver solid stereo sound and solid battery life rounds out the package.

(Credit: Lenovo)

Lenovo Tab M10 Plus

Another low-priced Android tablet with some surprising functionality, Lenovo’s Tab M10 Plus(Opens in a new window) boasts a tremendously nice screen, one of the best in this price bracket. The 10.6-inch 15:9 IPS display has a 2,000-by-1,200-pixel resolution at 400 nits of brightness. Throw in four-speaker Dolby Atmos sound, and it’s a little multimedia powerhouse. If video streaming is a big part of your tablet usage, this is going to be the pick of the litter here. Solid battery life and durable build quality make this one a great value for back to school.

(Credit: Sascha Segan)

Apple Pencil 2nd Generation

Sure, you can use your fingers on your brand-new tablet’s screen, but you’re not in kindergarten anymore. It’s time to level up and start using a stylus. Advanced pressure and tilt sensitivity lets you interact with your apps in a whole new way, opening the doors for your creativity and efficiency. Take notes quickly and accurately, sketch, draw diagrams and more with incredible precision. Inductive magnetic charging means you just stick it to the side of your iPad to juice it up. The second-gen Apple Pencil earned a rare 5/5 stars in our review, and you can grab it now for $40 off and use it with your 5th generation Air or above.