Not quite smartphone, not quite laptop – yes, it’s the humble tablet. Globally popularised by the iPad in 2010, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a household without one or two knocking about. But tablets can be expensive, even though their capabilities rarely match those of a fully-fledged Mac or PC.

Some are cheaper though, and tablets are an ideal media consumption device, especially on-the-go.

The good news is there are often cheap tablet deals about and retailers can give big discounts to big brands; from Apple to Google, Acer to Huawei. If it runs iOS or Android (as most do), you’ve got thousands of awesome apps at your disposal.

It’s important to make sure the tablet you’re buying isn’t a dud – while you’re safe with just about any recent iPad, not all Android tablets are created equal. Check out our rankings of the best tablets and best cheap tablets for inspiration and some detailed buying advice, so that you know what to look for.

Best tablet deals right now

What tablet deals are available?

You occasionally see the odd bit of money off an iPad, so look at retailers like Currys PC World and Argos for those, as Apple itself doesn’t often discount its iPads. There are always iPads on its Refurbished Store all year round though. Official resellers like KRCS can sometimes offer more competitive prices too.

Android tablets are far more likely to be sold at more competitive prices, given their generally lower RRPs in the first place – though even high-ticket Samsung and Google tablets can also get a good price cut – so keep your eyes peeled on this page.

There are, of course, 2-in-1 tablet computer hybrids, such as the Microsoft Surface Pro and the Surface Go, which run Windows. Though slightly pricey, we have an entire article dedicated to Microsoft Surface deals, which goes through the new models, accessories, usual prices, and, of course, where to find the best deals – including how to spot deals on refurbished devices and student discounts.

Amazon’s Fire tablets all have low prices to start with and are criminally low when they go on sale – which is surprisingly frequently. They tend to drop from ‘affordable’ to ‘essential’ with offers across the Fire tablet range.

If you find that you’re missing out on Amazon’s Lightning deals, which run for just a few hours and offer limited stock, we’d recommend signing up for Amazon’s 30-day free trial of Prime, which will get you access to deals 30 minutes before everyone else. Plus, you’ll get free next-day delivery with the Prime trial, as well as access to Prime Instant Video and more.

Sign up for Prime now to take advantage.

See our guide on the best Amazon tablet, which includes comparisons, reviews and buying advice. Tech Advisor also has a range of articles on tablets, tablet cases and related gadgets and accessories which should also help you decide.

Tablet deals for students

Another great resource to help you snag deals is . The  can help you save up to 25% on big brands such as Apple (), Asus, HP, Lenovo, Logitech and many more. See .

Here are a few of the best places to check for tablet bargains:

Best Tablet Deals