Your first shopping stop Black Friday shelf deals is probably Apple’s 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 The iPad Air is available for $499 / £452 from Amazon, and it’s a significant saving, $100/£140+ off the full retail price. THE The Galaxy Tab S9 FE is also on sale at Amazon for just $299.99 / £374.17which drops the price by $150/£75. I’d choose 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 purpose? The Galaxy Tab S9 FE (and the larger Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus) have better software for actually getting things done, like working between documents or browsing the web while video chatting. Samsung even gives you the S Pen for free, while Apple charges extra for the Apple Pencil.

• Browse all Black Friday deals on Amazon

My favorite feature of the Galaxy Tab S9 FE is its water-resistant and durable design. It’s not as thin as an Air, but you can get it wet – hell, 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 whether Samsung will offer a Galaxy Tab S10 FE as a replacement. If you need a serious, heavy-duty tablet, this is the one I would 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, 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 chipset 8 Gen 2. This flagship platform was the brains behind the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and based on my review, it had no problem running multiple apps, editing photos, and getting things done.

I usually criticize Samsung’s mobile software for being cluttered and overloaded, but on larger tablet screens it works really well and offers 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 transforms the tablet’s interface into something more like a Chromebook.

Want more tablet deals? We track everything Black Friday shelf deals including all the best Black Friday iPad dealsand if you need a new phone, check out our Black Friday phone deals page also.