The update is huge but also comes with a $100 price increase, meaning the new iPad mini starts at $699, or $58.25 per month for 12 months. Fortunately, Apple also increased the trade-in value for older iPads.

It's not a massive increase — $20 more than previous rates at most — but it might help take some of the sting away from the new price tag.

As a reminder, this depends on the model. A newer iPad mini 7 will get you more money, and the tablet's condition matters, too. The numbers we're showing here are potentially what you can get if everything is in good shape.

MacBook trade-in values

This week we're expecting Apple to introduce a new version of the MacBook Pro, likely featuring the M6 chip that we just tested in the updated Mac mini. Additionally, like the iPad mini 8, we should also see a new MacBook Pro with a touchscreen OLED display, a first for Apple.

Like the iPad trade-in program, the Mac and MacBook version will also get a bit more money. Unfortunately, that suggests that the new MacBook Pro and MacBook Ultra will be far more expensive than last year's models.

We're looking at a potential $3,000 price tag for the OLED MacBook.

With that in mind, here's what you could get for trading in your MacBook or Mac.

Right now, we know that pre-orders for the iPad mini 8 will open up on Wednesday, October 28, with shipping beginning on November 6. Presumably, the new MacBooks will have a similar pre-order and shipping window.

How to trade in your iPad or Mac

If you haven't traded in with Apple before, you can swap out your device online or at an Apple Store.

In-store is pretty straightforward. You'll want to unpair any accessories, back up the device and sign out of services like iCloud, iTunes and the App Store. For an iPad, you don't need to erase anything as an Apple specialist will help you with that.

On a Mac, however, Apple requests you erase your hard drive and reinstall macOS. Once those are done, take it into an Apple Store where a specialist will inspect the device and give you a value; if it has no value, Apple will recycle the device.

If you go the online route, you'll need your device's serial number. Plus, you'll do it as part of purchasing a new Apple device. Adding the device is part of the checkout process. Apple will send you a trade-in confirmation email with instructions for backing up your data and prepping the device.

Finally, you can mail the device in or drop it off at an Apple Store. The company will include step-by-step instructions for this part in the confirmation email.

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The iPad mini 8 starts at $699, and pre-orders started at 10:10 a.m. PT on October 26. Right now you can head to Apple's website to learn about all the details.

Want the full iPad experience in a small package? The iPad mini has always been a go-to for powerful performance on the go, and the 8th iteration of the tablet looks like it's going to be better than ever.

For starters, it now comes with an 8.5-inch OLED panel — or Super Retina XDR panel, as Apple calls it. OLED displays arguably offer the best visuals of any display type, with enhanced contrast making colors truly pop off the screen. There's also now an option for a nano-texture display that will cut down on glare, making this device easier to use in bright conditions.

Also new for this tablet is an IP67 durability rating. This rating ensures the tablet can survive submersion in water in case it takes an accidental dip.

iPad mini 8 pre-orders begin on October 28. Don't forget to lock yours in to secure your tablet!

This time around, Apple is widely expected to unveil OLED MacBooks in both 14-inch and 16-inch variants. And, at long, long last, Apple will make the jump to a full touchscreen for the first time ever. Slight sidebar here; my colleague Jason got tired of waiting and has already strapped a touchscreen to his MacBook Pro.

Mark Gurman, the Apple Whisperer himself, confirmed in a report over the weekend these machines are coming but added there'll be a twist to the tail. Although the MacBook Pro OLEDs will come with touch enabled, they'll be saddled with an M5 Pro and M5 Max chipset, while an also-announced non-touch MacBook Pro 14-inch will debut with the brand new M6 chip. Strange stuff indeed.

But there's going to be more on offer this week than just the MacBook OLED. Apple has today announced a refreshed iPad mini 8 — so let's dig into exactly what you can expect to see at Apple's "Pro and tell" event this week.

Apple 'Pro and tell': When is it?

Apple's "Pro and tell" event is taking place on Wednesday, October 28 and, just like the "Welcome home" showcase a couple of weeks ago, it was teased by Apple's senior vice president of marketing, Greg Joswiak.

There has been very little information beyond the name of the event, but some journalists (Tom's Guide included) have been invited to Los Angeles for an in-person presentation at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 5pm GMT on Wednesday, October 28.

We haven't seen any details on a livestream and following today's surprise iPad mini 8 announcement, it seems like Apple's plan is to drip-feed the announcements between now and Wednesday. We may see a few announcement videos and corresponding press releases posted to Apple's newsroom over the next few days.

Finally, once the products are out in the open, Apple will host its showcase on Wednesday giving media the chance to go hands-on with them. Of course, we'll be giving you up-to-the-minute reports as it happens, so stay tuned to Tom's Guide.

Apple 'Pro and tell': Confirmed and rumored products

If the rumors are to be believed, we could see up to four different devices unveiled by Wednesday.

Let's take a look at each one of them in turn.

Confirmed: iPad mini 8

The new iPad mini 8 is official and swaps the 8.3-inch LCD on the iPad mini 7 for a larger 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel. As a result, the tablet is thinner and lighter.

Another design upgrade is IP67 water and dust resistance. The iPad mini 8 is also powered by the A20 Pro chip, which should make it the fastest iPad mini yet.

You can read everything about the iPad mini 8 right here.

Rumored: MacBook Pro OLED

The most exciting new product likely to launch is the touchscreen-enabled MacBook Pro I mentioned up top. This could be the biggest upgrade to the MacBook product line in years but will require some heavy tweaks to macOS 27 to make it more touch-friendly. Considering Apple has been refining iPadOS for years, this isn't a chasm that'll be difficult to cross.

Elsewhere, the benefits of and OLED display will be hard to beat. You can expect a much better contrast with deeper blacks that the already-impressive Liquid Retina XDR display on the existing MacBook Pro.

As mentioned above, Mark Gurman seems to believe the MacBook Pro OLED (MacBook PrOLED?) will arrive with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips instead of an M6 chip. It will reportedly come in 14- and 16-inch variants and will be slimmer and lighter than the current MacBook Pro. Expect a sky-high price tag, though. Possibly as high as $2,399 for the 14-inch model and $3,599 for the 16-inch variant.

Rumored: M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch)

Alongside the MacBook Pro OLED, it's likely we'll also see an upgrade to the base level MacBook Pro, bumping it from the M5 chip to the M6 that was first unveiled inside the Mac Mini earlier this year.

Some rumors suggest we'll get a hole-punch front-facing camera in place of the current notch. Otherwise, it's likely to be the exact same outer shell as the current 14-inch MacBook Pros.

Rumored: M6 iMac

Following in the footsteps of the upgraded M6 MacBook Pro it's been heavily rumored we'll also see a new version of the iMac with the M6 chip on board. As with the M6 MacBook Pro, the M6 iMac will be an iterative upgrade that likely consists of a chip upgrade and little change to the design or the screen.

The current iMac features a 24-inch 4.5k Retina display with a 4,480 x 2,520 resolution and a max brightness of 500 nits and I'd expect to see the 2026 model remain unchanged.

There may be a lot of potential iMac customers out there hoping Apple will give its all-in-one the touchscreen treatment. Sadly, that doesn't look like it's on the cards for this week either.

Apple 'Pro and tell': Prices and should I buy?

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but judging by the way prices have skyrocketed this year, it's unlikely these new Apple products are going to be easy on the wallet.

For example, the new iPad mini starts at $699, or $58.25 per month for 12 months, for the Wi-Fi model, and $849, or $70.75 per month for 12 months, for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. That's a big jump from the $499 starting price of the iPad mini 7 a couple of years ago and I expect the other devices announced this week to follow suit.

However, in some cases if you've been holding out on an upgrade for awhile, this could be the time to make your move. Pre-orders will almost certainly be available from Wednesday, October 28 (that's the case for the iPad mini 8) with shipping likely to occur in November.

Of course, we’ll keep an eye on the prices of outgoing models the day they’re discounted, so you’ll know exactly when the discount is real. And let's not forget that with Black Friday on the horizon we could see some stellar discounts on slightly older models that might make more sense for some people. Either way, the next few weeks are going to be prime time for buying a new Mac.

More from Tom's Guide

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As posted in the Apple Newsroom, the new iPad mini swaps the old 8.3-inch LCD for a larger 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel. As a result, the tablet is thinner and lighter. Another design upgrade is IP67 water and dust resistance. The iPad mini 8 is also powered by the A20 Pro chip, which should make it the fastest iPad mini yet.

Here's everything we know about the new iPad mini.

iPad mini 8: Price and release date

The new iPad mini starts at $699, or $58.25 per month for 12 months, for the Wi-Fi model, and $849, or $70.75 per month for 12 months, for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.

Pre-orders begin on Wednesday, October 28, with shipping starting on November 6. The iPad mini will be available in Midnight and Starlight with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB configurations.

iPad mini 8: Display

The biggest overhaul is the 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, as Apple calls it. According to the company, it delivers a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, which is more than double the previous peak brightness. Like the iPhone Duo, there is a nano-texture option to cut glare.

Apple doesn’t mention ProMotion, so this likely stays at 60Hz. Even so, the shift from LCD to OLED with true blacks and much higher brightness should be immediately noticeable for video, reading, and general use.

iPad mini 8: Design

The new mini keeps the same overall footprint but is now just 5.4mm thick, and the bezels are 24% thinner. That lets Apple fit a slightly larger screen without making the tablet any bulkier in your hand or bag.

It comes in midnight and starlight colors and carries an IP67 rating for splash, water, and dust resistance, which is a first for any iPad. Apple notes the rating isn’t permanent and can diminish with wear, but it’s still a meaningful upgrade for a device people toss in bags or use outside.

There’s also a new Acoustic Display speaker system with redesigned drivers for punchier bass and clearer highs, plus a 12MP Center Stage camera now placed on the landscape edge.

iPad mini 8: Performance

Inside, the iPad mini 8 packs an A20 Pro chip, which is the same one as in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Apple says it offers up to 60% faster multithreaded CPU performance and up to 2.7x faster graphics, along with a major jump in AI capability (up to 4.5x). Higher storage configurations get a dual 16-core Neural Engine.

Connectivity also improves with the N1 chip, adding Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread, while cellular models get the more efficient C2 modem. The tablet runs iPadOS 27 with the latest Apple Intelligence features.

iPad mini 8: Outlook

The rumors appear to be true, as the iPad mini 8 has received its biggest upgrades in years. This is especially true with the addition of OLED and water resistance.

The higher price will be the main sticking point, especially after recent increases across Apple’s lineup. That said, the new features could make folks forgive the new sticker price, as this promises to be the best iPad mini yet. Stay tuned for more!

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• 'Polished but rough': The common flaws in the iPhone Duo found by nine different reviewers

The sturdy aluminum unibody is great in hand, making it feel like a premium device. It’s also thin and light enough to hold comfortably for extended periods. My favorite feature is the 12-inch 2.8K display. Though it’s not an OLED, everything you see looks bright and colorful. The optional Nanomatte anti-glare option is also a huge game-changer.

This Alexa tablet runs full-blown Android, bringing Google Play services to an Amazon tablet for the first time. It also serves as an excellent replacement for the best Kindles. This helps make the Alexa tablet feel like an extension of the Amazon ecosystem, though that part might not matter much if you don’t already own Alexa devices or a Kindle.

After using the Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro as my daily driver for watching videos and reading for the better part of a week, I can comfortably say it’s one of the best Android tablets and best tablets right now. Sure, it’s not for everyone, but if you’re an Alexa user or want a slate with an anti-glare screen, you won’t go wrong here. Find out more in my full review.

Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? As its name suggests, the Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is a slate built to work with the Alexa ecosystem. Beyond that, it’s an Android tablet that arguably rivals Apple’s entry-level iPad.
• Who is it for? This device is for folks who want a tablet that can control their Alexa devices or an Android slate with an anti-glare display.
• What does it cost? The Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro starts at $499 for a model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. For $150 more, you can add a Nanomatte display. The most expensive stand-alone model with 256GB of storage and a Nanomatte display costs $679. A productivity bundle that includes the Alexa Pro Keyboard and Alexa Pro Pen is also on sale for $799.
• What do we like? We like the sleek design, lovely display, Alexa+ integration, smooth performance, and long-lasting battery life.
• What don’t we like? We don’t like the high cost of upgrading storage and moving to the Nanomatte model. The peripherals can also get quite pricey.

Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro review: Specs

Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro review: The ups

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro has a lot to offer, thanks to its superb display, sleek design, long battery life, and smart Alexa integration.

Sleek design

Amazon didn’t reinvent the wheel of tablet design, as the Alexa Tablet has the basic form of modern-day slates. That said, it’s a beautiful aluminum slab with a slim profile and elegant curves. The all-black chassis also gives the tablet an air of sophistication.

The design is decidedly minimalist. In landscape, the power button sits on the top-left edge, while the volume buttons sit on the top-left corner. The 8MP front camera lies right in the center, along the thin bezel. On the back, you’ll find the 13MP rear camera and the Alexa logo. Like most modern tablets, it has a single USB-C port on the right side, or bottom if you’re holding the tablet in portrait mode.

Speakers flank the left and right sides, and they’re pretty good for tablet audio. Dialogue-heavy podcasts and videos sound great, with clear, distinct voices. The speakers also do a good job with movies and TV shows that feature a wide range of audio. And while music can lack bass, it’s still plenty punchy and clear.

Vivid display

The 12-inch display on the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is a wonder to behold. Everything appears crystal clear, thanks to the sharp 2800 x 1840 resolution that brings out even the smallest details. While this isn’t an OLED, it still delivers excellent contrast between dark and light elements. Colors are vivid, and the overall brightness never overwhelms.

I watched a lot of YouTube videos during my testing, and I loved how the matte display diffused the lighting in my living area. Whether it’s bright and bold animated series like Invincible or gritty action shows like Reacher, everything looks fantastic. I also appreciate how the matte display on this tablet doesn’t soften color nearly as much as I’ve seen on other devices utilizing similar tech.

How did the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro do in our display benchmarks? As you can see above, color reproduction (sRGB and DCI-P3) isn’t oversaturated, and color accuracy (Delta-E) matches other tablets and laptops we’ve tested.

The numbers line up with my experience, as I found the hues generally looked natural. HDR brightness doesn’t get as high as on other devices, but to my eyes, the brightness was just perfect. Numbers-wise, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is comparable to the Apple iPad 11.

The display on my review unit has a slightly rough texture that mimics paper, which is great for reading. Speaking of reading, comic books look gorgeous because the matte display slightly mutes colors, creating a more paper-like appearance. If you’re into reading digital comics like I am, this is arguably the best tablet for reading your favorite funnies.

Strong performance

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro delivers solid performance for an Android tablet, thanks to its mid-range MediaTek Dimensity 8400 processor and 8GB of RAM. While this isn’t a workhorse tablet, it generally performs well for web browsing and video streaming. However, I noticed that performance slowed when I opened up multiple Chrome tabs and other apps.

On the Geekbench 6 CPU test, Amazon’s new tablet scored similarly to the Apple iPad 11 in both single- and multi-core performance. These results match my experience: throwing too much at Amazon’s slate makes it struggle.

You can certainly use this tablet for productivity, especially with its optional peripherals, but it won’t replace a traditional laptop. However, if you’re using Amazon’s slate mainly for entertainment and light work in Google Docs, its performance won’t disappoint.

Long battery life

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro delivers excellent battery life. In our battery life test, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi with the display set to 150 nits of brightness, the tablet endured for an astonishing 13 hours and 17 minutes! As you can see below, that’s almost two hours longer than the iPad 11.

During a stay-at-home weekend, when I sporadically watched YouTube videos and read comics and novels with the display at 70% brightness, the tablet generally dropped from 80% battery to the low 40s over 16 hours.

On weeknights when I’m only home in the evening, the battery drops by about 10% over four hours of use. This is more than enough for all-day usage!

Seamless Amazon ecosystem integration

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro works great as a standalone slate, but it really shines as a hub for your Amazon devices and apps. As Amazon says, the tablet has the intelligence of Alexa+ and has built-in access to Google Play Store apps. And naturally, the tablet also works well as a Kindle.

I own an Amazon Echo Dot and have two smart lights that support Alexa. When I was winding down for the night, I could dim the lights right on the tablet instead of pulling out my phone to open the Alexa app. And if I wanted to fire up a song on my Echo Dot, I either typed or vocalized the request to the tablet. All of this was relatively seamless. If you don’t care to chat with Alexa, you can go into settings to swap to Google or Bing’s respective voice assistants.

I’m a fan of Kindles, so I loved using this tablet as another Kindle device. When you open the Kindle app, a fun wave-like animation washes across the screen. This isn’t just for show, as the tablet instantly lowers blue light and disables notifications to replicate the Kindle reading experience. This also helps extend battery life. I also like that it has three visual modes: full color, muted colors like on a Kindle Colorsoft, or full black and white.

If you own a lot of Alexa-supported devices, this Alexa tablet does a nice job of letting you control them all. It serves that purpose well, but it might not be a feature for everyone, which leads us into the next section…

Sharp cameras

If you want to look your best on video calls or snap some photos, the tablet’s front and rear cameras are up to the task. The front 8MP camera captures details of my face, clothing, and background, as you can see above.

Then there’s the 13MP back camera, which also captures details nicely. While I wouldn’t personally use a tablet to take selfies or capture video, I’m impressed by the strong resolution both cameras deliver.

Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro review: The downs

While the Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is a great Android tablet, it has its drawbacks.

For Amazon users only

This is a very Alexa-centric tablet. That's clear the moment you see the home screen, where you’ll find an assortment of Amazon apps like Prime Video, Audible, Kindle, the Silk browser… and even Luna!

And since it runs on Android, you can also quickly access a slew of Google apps. If that wasn’t enough, UI elements like an Alexa+ widget in the bottom-right corner also remind you that this is an Alexa device.

All of this can be extremely handy for folks who often utilize Amazon and Google apps. I use many of the latter and several of the former, and it’s nice being able to access those apps quickly. However, if you’re not invested in the Amazon ecosystem, they might as well be bloatware, especially if you just want a no-frills Android tablet.

Speaking of Android, it’s still not nearly as snappy and consistent as iPadOS. There is always a slight bit of delay when scrolling through pages on sites and apps. I also had some apps take forever to load or completely crash unexpectedly. Those instances aren’t frequent, but they happen far more often than they do on an iPad.

Expensive peripherals

To get even more use from the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, you can purchase the Alexa Pro Keyboard and Alexa Pro Pen.

The Pro Keyboard isn't just for typing; it also doubles as a protective case for the tablet. This peripheral has a leather-like texture that feels good against your fingers and palms. The membrane keys are better than you’d expect for a tablet keyboard, with nice travel distance and even spacing. I don’t have problems typing on this keyboard, even with my big hands. I also like the dedicated Alexa button beside the arrow keys that instantly brings up the AI assistant.

The Pro Pen is a pretty great stylus, having a similar weight and feel to an Apple Pencil Pro. Thanks to the tablet’s matte texture, writing with the stylus (almost) feels like writing on paper. Writing notes in the margins of a Kindle book is almost identical to doing the same action on a Kindle Scribe — which makes sense given how they’re both Amazon devices.

While I think the Pro Keyboard and Pro Pen are excellent peripherals, they’re both pretty expensive — the former costs $149 and the latter $89. There’s currently a $799 bundle that saves you $120, but that’s still a steep price to pay on top of the tablet.

Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro review: Verdict

I enjoyed my time with the Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, as it’s a far better slate than I expected. Sure, Android can be somewhat sluggish, and I've rarely (if ever) needed to interact with Alexa+, but the excellent hardware ultimately won me over. The design is perfect, and the Nanomatte display makes for a wonderful viewing and reading experience. I also love how this tablet doubles as a Kindle.

Serious Alexa or Google users will find a lot to like about the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro. If you don’t fall into that category, the iPad 11 offers a more responsive, stable operating system and has almost all the apps and services on the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro. But if you liked what I had to say about this slate, then you should consider checking it out. You might end up loving it as much as I have!

Unlike the Amazon Kindle (2024) and prior iterations, the new Kindle features a flush display for a streamlined look, similar to the Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Colorsoft. Like those two higher-end models, you can upgrade to a Kindle with an aluminum design. The power button is now on the right-hand side of the device instead of at the bottom.

This is certainly one of the best Kindles, but it’s not perfect. The main sticking point is the new $149 asking price — which is a lot for an e-reader without adjustable warm light. The new plastic design no longer feels cheap, but even that doesn’t make the $40 price bump easier to swallow. And if you want the aluminum version, prepare to pay $189.

If you’re brand-new to Kindles and want to see what they’re all about, the asking price might be worth it, since it still delivers a fantastic e-reading experience and a robust digital library. However, if you own an older model, you won’t miss much by skipping this iteration. Find out more in my full review of the Kindle (2026).

Amazon Kindle (2026) review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The new entry-level Kindle model, now featuring a more flush display, a new power button location, and an optional aluminum design.
• Who is it for? For those with very old Kindles or who want an aluminum Kindle.
• What does it cost? The new Kindle (2026) starts at $149 on Amazon. This model has 16GB of storage and is lockscreen ad-supported — which you can remove for an extra $20. The $189 aluminum model isn’t ad-supported and packs 32GB of storage.
• What do we like? We like the streamlined, uniform design, easy portability, sharp 6-inch display, and the optional aluminum design.
• What don’t we like? We don’t like the $50 price hike and the lack of adjustable warm light.

Amazon Kindle (2026) review: Specs

Amazon Kindle (2026) review: The ups

There’s a lot to like about the new Kindle, including its sharp, flush display, streamlined, portable design, snappy interface, and long battery life.

Streamlined design

The new Kindle has been streamlined with more rounded edges and a slightly thinner profile. The most immediate difference is that the display is now flush with the bezels, so there’s no longer a gap between them. Thanks to these changes, the Kindle now appears closer to the Paperwhite and Colorsoft, just smaller.

This Kindle has a plastic chassis, but it feels more premium thanks to its slightly rougher texture and rigidity. That “hollow” sound you’d experience when tapping the tablet’s back is completely gone. The bezels are generally the same size as before, especially the larger bottom one where you’d generally place your thumb when reading.

The other big change is that the power button has been repositioned from the bottom to the right-hand side. The Kindle Scribe also has its power button in the same location, so it’s good to see this and the other new Kindles follow suit. Not accidentally pressing the power button is a huge game-changer, and I’m glad Amazon finally fixed it.

My review unit came in the new Ube color, which is a fancy name for purple. Graphite (or black) is good for a more traditional look, but I’m a fan of Ube since it gives the Kindle some flair.

I also tested the aluminum model, and it's my favorite to hold because it feels like a smartphone. This model weighs slightly more than the non-aluminum model, but it doesn’t feel uncomfortable to hold even over long periods.

Sharp display

Aside from the flush design, the display is virtually identical to the previous one, with its 6-inch size and 300ppi resolution. This resolution matches that of the larger Kindles, so you still get a reading experience that’s pleasing and easy on the eyes.

There’s no adjustable warm light (more on that later), but as before, you can turn the brightness up fairly high or turn it off completely. But whether you read with the front lights on or off, the black text on white backgrounds looks sharp and defined. The same is true in dark mode. If you find it hard to read, you can always go into a book’s settings to adjust the font size, font type, line spacing, and more.

There’s a slight drawback for comic book fans. Unless you have excellent vision or don’t mind pinching and zooming, you’re going to have a hard time reading your favorite stories on this device due to the 6-inch screen. Manga, with its larger panels and often fewer dialogue balloons, fares a bit better, but the Kindle is best for reading standard text.

Lastly, while Amazon advertises that the Kindle has a glare-free display, that’s not entirely accurate. Don’t get me wrong, you get significantly less glare on this device than you would on a tablet with a glossy display. However, if you’re under direct sunlight, you’ll still see a diffuse glare. If that happens, you’ll need to adjust your viewing angle to compensate for the glare—or find a nice shaded area.

Long battery life

One of the best things about Kindles is their epic battery life, and this one is no different. Amazon says you can get 6 weeks of battery life on this device. While I haven’t used it long enough to test that claim, I expect this Kindle will last just as long on a single charge as older models I’ve used.

To get the 6 weeks of battery Amazon touts, you’ll need to shut off wireless, read about 30 minutes per day, and keep the backlight at 13. If you’re an avid reader, then you’ll likely read for much longer per day. You might also want to bump up the brightness. This will drain the battery faster, but you’ll likely still get a good two or three weeks before you need to recharge.

As for me, I read about an hour on a weekday and about two to three hours a day on the weekend, with the backlight off and Wi-Fi enabled. I’ve used the Kindle for about a week, and the battery is around 83%, down from 95% when I began reading. Doing the math, it’ll likely be a few more weeks before I have to recharge, which is awesome.

Excellent Kindle experience

If you’re familiar with Kindles, then you’ll be at home here, as it’s largely the same experience as before.

On the Home page, you’ll see a list of all the books you’re currently reading or have recently purchased from Amazon’s site or your Kindle. Directly below that is a “Top Picks For You” section that features books similar to those in your library. The same is true for the top Kindle Unlimited and other sections further down. For the most part, the recommendations are pretty spot on.

The Kindle's dropdown menu is the main hub for enabling settings such as airplane mode, Bluetooth, sync, brightness, and dark mode. You can also jump to the settings page from here. In the settings menu, you can view device information and wireless settings, but don't expect the kind of robust settings menu found on the best phones.

You get more options when you’re actually reading a book, as I mentioned before. Beyond those, you can skip to specific chapters, highlight words or sections, get dictionary definitions, and more. The dictionary feature is especially handy when reading old books with unfamiliar words.

Kindle store and Goodreads integrations are present, and they’re a nice way to easily purchase your next read or update friends on your book progress (respectively). Some aren’t fond of Goodreads, but it’s one of my favorite social platforms—and a good way to track how many books I’ve read each year.

Amazon Kindle (2026) review: The downs

Though I’m a big fan of the Kindle, it has some flaws worth discussing.

Steeper asking price

One of the entry-level Kindle’s main selling points was its relative affordability. While the new Kindle isn’t exorbitantly priced, it still stings that it costs $40 more than the previous model.

I can’t say the higher asking price won’t be worth it to everyone, as the upgrades do make for a better e-reader. However, as much as I appreciate the new chassis, repositioned power button, and flush display, they’re not essential — especially if you’re happy with the Kindle you own.

Amazon always has Kindle sales, especially during Black Friday or its own Amazon Prime Day events. So my advice is to wait for one of those times if you’re considering buying a new Kindle.

No warm light option

People weren’t happy that previous basic Kindles lacked adjustable warm light like the Paperwhite and Colorsoft. I always forgave this due to the Kindle’s relative affordability. However, at the new $149 sticker price, I think this should have been standard.

If you’re like me and mostly read with the Kindle’s lights off while sitting by an external light source, then you won’t miss adjustable warm light. But if you need a front-lit screen to help you read and you’re trying to minimize your exposure to blue light, you might be frustrated that you don’t have the warm light option.

Amazon Kindle (2026) review: Verdict

The basic Kindle is now more like its larger siblings, which is both a blessing and a curse. The flush display and sturdy design make it feel more premium. Objectively, this is the finest Kindle yet. However, those upgrades come at a cost, which puts the once super-affordable Kindle closer in price to the Paperwhite and Colorsoft — though those are also more expensive than before.

That said, if the price doesn’t deter you and you want a top-of-the-line basic Kindle, you won’t go wrong with this model. This is especially true if you splurge on the $189 aluminum model. If you’re using a Kindle that’s half a decade old, or if you’re brand-new to the Kindle ecosystem, you’ll be impressed by what this small wonder offers.

Like the iPad Pro M5, the iPad mini 8 will reportedly get an OLED panel, making it the second iPad with that display technology. In addition, the diminutive tablet will also get a repositioned front-facing camera and redesigned speaker system.

The iPad mini 7 is currently among the best iPads. If what we’ve heard about its successor is true, that tablet could make that list, too. Here are all the rumored upgrades for the iPad mini 8.

iPad mini 8: Rumored launch date & potential price

Reports haven’t provided a definitive launch date or price for the iPad mini 8, but we can indulge in a few educated guesses.

Based on my experience, Apple typically launches devices around a week after they’re unveiled at events. If that holds here, the iPad mini 8 could arrive the week of November 2. Previous iPads have arrived in that timeframe, so this is a relatively safe bet.

Price is where things get nebulous. The iPad mini 7 originally started at $499 for a 128GB Wi-Fi model. However, thanks to Apple price hikes, this small tablet now starts at $599. Given the rumored upgrades, I'd be surprised if Apple keeps the $599 price, so I think this tablet will likely cost $50 to $100 more.

And on the subject of upgrades…

iPad mini 8: Design & display

If rumors hold, the iPad mini 8 won’t be just a simple spec bump over the 2024 model.

Rumors claim the iPad mini 8 will have an OLED panel. Now, whether this is an optional upgrade or built-in is anyone’s guess. We also haven’t heard whether Apple will use the same tandem OLED tech as the iPad Pro, or opt for a different kind of OLED.

There is also no concrete reporting about the iPad mini’s refresh rate. The iPad mini 7 tops out at 60Hz, but some believe the new model will bump that up to 120Hz. While Mark Gurman says Apple has tested 60Hz and 120Hz versions, the company hasn’t decided which to go with.

The latest iPad Air and iPad Pro tablets all have landscape-oriented front-facing cameras, and the iPad mini 8 is expected to finally get its own. That’s a smart upgrade, as it makes video calls and selfies feel more natural in landscape.

If the OLED rumors are true, then the iPad mini 8 should be thinner and lighter than the last model. After all, that’s why the iPad Pro is even slimmer and lighter than an iPad Air, which lacks an OLED. That, along with rumored thinner bezels, could make for a more pleasing experience.

iPad mini 8: Performance

MacRumors reports that the iPad mini 8 will use an A20 Pro chip, the same processor powering the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Built on TSMC’s 2mn process, the chip can deliver up to 1.5x faster CPU performance and 2.5x faster GPU performance than the A17 Pro chip in the iPad mini 7.

Memory-wise, the iPad mini 8 will allegedly have 12GB of RAM, a big bump from the iPad mini 7's 8 GB. This, along with the A20 Pro chip, should deliver noticeably better performance in games and with AI features.

iPad mini 8: Outlook

Apple hasn’t officially announced the iPad mini 8, so take all the reports I’ve detailed above with a healthy dose of skepticism. If these reports and rumors are true, we could be looking at a pretty significant upgrade for Apple’s small wonder tablet.

Of course, these upgrades likely won’t come cheap, so brace yourself for a steeper-priced iPad mini 8 when Apple eventually announces it. In the meantime, stay tuned for more!

More from Tom's Guide

• At $1,000, Apple's rumored HomeView Max better do the dishes, too
• My iPhone 18 Pro Max just arrived and I immediately regret the purchase
• 20 smart iOS 27 features that will make your life easier

A deluge of leaks point to an OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro, a new entry-level M6 MacBook Pro, M6 iMac and an OLED iPad mini 8 — with announcements expected at an in-person media “experience” on Wednesday, October 28, and sales starting as soon as Friday, November 6.

Translation for anyone with a shopping cart open right now: close the tab.

First, the thing you actually came here to do

If you are considering buying a MacBook Pro, iMac or iPad mini in the next 30 days, stop.

You are standing in the exact spot where people have handed Apple full price for hardware that becomes last year’s model in literal days. Three separate outcomes favor you being patient:

• You want the latest? Wait two weeks — the new machines are about to exist, and the OLED MacBook Pro is the biggest notebook upgrade Apple’s shipped in years.
• You want a bargain? Wait slightly longer — when Apple refreshes, the outgoing machines don’t vanish. They get discounted, and retailers will start clearing stock at genuine discounts within weeks.
• You need a laptop today? That’s fine, this advice has an escape hatch, and it’s at the bottom of this piece.

Now, the fun part — what have you been waiting for.

What October 28 is (probably) going to bring

Let’s start with the big one: the OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro. This redesigned prosumer notebook has been rumored for years, and it’s going to be the biggest change to Apple’s notebook lineup in years.

Outside of all that vivid OLED goodness, gorgeous contrast and easy-on-the-eyes HDR, this is a tectonic shift in the way you can actually interact with your Mac — taking notes from the iPad to bring touch to the conversation. If you’ve faithfully owned an M1 MacBook Pro, this is the upgrade you’ve been waiting for.

Then, there’s the new entry-level M6 MacBook Pro. The rumors seem to be aligning around this sharing the exact same 14-inch shell of the MacBook Pros you’ve seen over the past few years, but with that all-important silicon upgrade.

As we’ve found out from testing this base model over the past few years, it’s become clear that the “cheapest MacBook Pro” has always been the best-value Mac nobody noticed.

Next, the all-in-one looks set to get the silicon bump. The M6 iMac is less revolution, more the annual injection of “newer is faster,” to keep the all-in-one up-to-date for folks who would rather not think about towers, monitors or cable management.

And finally, there’s the OLED iPad mini — which is, low key, the one I’m most excited for. I’ve loved the iPad mini for a while now, but that LCD display has always been the thorn in its side. Clearly, the mini’s been on borrowed time for two years; this is Apple saying it isn’t dead, it’s just been saving its energy.

Who’s actually safe to buy now?

Playing both sides of the wallet is my job, so here’s the honest carve-out. If your laptop just died, your classes start this month, or you’re about to spend your rent money — buy what you need, today.

Any Mac on Apple’s current shelves is absurdly fast; your productivity is worth more than a speculative OLED panel, and the M4 MacBook Pro is still a monster.

What you should not do in a panic: buy the current MacBook Pro at full price as a “just in case” machine while your old one still works, which is how a lot of folks look when refresh cycles hit.

And if you’re holding a trade-in-eligible Mac: lock in your trade-in quote now or wait for the dust to settle, because trade-in allowances on older generations typically drop once new silicon is officially on the table.

What to do while we wait

Stay locked in on Tom’s Guide — we’ll update the moment Apple confirms or changes anything. We've received our invite to the October 28 event, and we can’t wait to see everything the Cupertino crew’s been working on!

On top of that, we’ll keep an eye on the prices of outgoing models the day they’re discounted, so you’ll know exactly when the discount is real. If the November 6 sale date is true, Black Friday collides with fresh discontinuations, and that is going to be the single best fortnight of the year for buying Macs.

The “Pro and Tell” pun may be a bit cringe, but the buying window is not.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Duo wait times — latest updates and how to beat Apple's January delay
• I’ve been living with Nvidia’s RTX Spark for a week — it’s not a MacBook Pro killer but something much weirder and wildly powerful
• At $1,000, Apple's rumored HomeView Max better do the dishes, too

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman revealed that Apple is planning another product launch in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28. He specified that the event will showcase a touchscreen MacBook, iPad mini and M6 Mac.

Here's what we know about the three devices based on rumors and leaks.

Touchscreen MacBook

The MacBook Ultra will be the headliner of the event as it should be Apple's first laptop to feature both a touchscreen and an OLED display. It was rumored to be thinner and lighter thanks to the slimmer OLED panel, but a new leak last week walked that back.

The high-end laptop should come in 14- and 16-inch versions powered by either the M6 Pro or M6 Max chipsets.

Thanks to the OLED touchscreen and flagship silicon, we expect the MacBook Ultra to carry a steep premium price that could be at least 20% higher than the current MacBook Pro. That translates to a starting price of around $2,499 for the 14-inch model and $3k for the 16-inch version.

iPad mini 8

The eighth-generation iPad mini is expected to follow its larger brethren and finally sport an OLED display. It's not clear if it will be a tandem OLED like in the M5 iPad Pro though.

Beyond that, with the iPhone 18 Pro finally here, it's likely that the new iPad mini will feature the A20 chipset.

And that's it for the hardware; if the HomeView event is any indication, expect to hear a lot about Siri AI and how it'll work with your iPad.

M6 upgrades

Beyond the iPad mini and MacBook OLED, Apple should introduce M6 versions of the 14-inch MacBook Pro and the iMac desktop computer. This follows the initial launch of this upgraded chip in the new Mac mini M6.

We're not expecting any major redesigns or updates for those devices beyond the new chip.

Tom's Guide will be on hand with all the latest news from the October 28 event so keep us in your tabs to find out what Apple reveals in two weeks.

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• Apple 'Welcome home' event RECAP — HomeView, Apple TV 4K, HomePod mini 2 unveiled — all the news, prices and release dates
• iPhone Duo Geekbench scores leak, and Apple's foldable is about to leave Android rivals in the dust

Ever since I stumbled upon one of TCL’s NXTPAPER tablets at a mall in Taiwan, I’ve been obsessed with the screen tech powering them — and for good reason.

Unlike glossy displays that catch every beam of sun or ray of light, the matte ones TCL uses in many of its phones and tablets remain completely glare-free. After testing the NXTPAPER 11 Plus, NXTPAPER 14, NXTPAPER 70 Pro phone, and more recently, the new Note A1, it's been a complete game changer.

In fact, I’ve been daily driving TCL’s NXTPAPER devices for almost a year now because I just can’t imagine going back to a glossy screen. From the way their matte displays feel on my fingertips to how they all pack in stylus support for sketching and note-taking, they’re an absolute joy to use.

While October Prime Day may be over, you can still save loads on these unique devices. If you’re looking to trade in your Kindle and iPad for an all-in-one alternative that’s as great for reading as it is for productivity, TCL’s NXTPAPER line is certainly worth checking out, especially since they’re all still on sale.

Here are five of my favorites that I personally recommend — whether you’re looking for something small and portable or a massive tablet that feels like a digital clipboard.

Quick List

• TCL Tab A1 Plus: was $399 now $299 @ Amazon
• TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus: was $279 now $249 @ Amazon
• TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro: was $329 now $299 @ Amazon
• TCL NXTPAPER 14: was $469 now $379 @ Amazon
• TCL Note A1: was $599 now $549 @ Amazon

TCL NXTPAPER deals

At the same time, Amazon's new tablets now prominently feature Alexa+ as a persistent widget that lives in the lower righthand corner of the devices, to be summoned at a moment's notice.

In addition to receiving spoken or written queries, Alexa+ is also able to look at whatever is on the screen of the tablet, and act on your prompts.

For example, you might have a picture of a plant you've photographed on the screen; Alexa+ can look at the photo and tell you what it is.

The other really clever feature on the new Alexa tablets is a "Kindle Mode" — open the Kindle app, and the tablet will silence notifications and change the display to a more Kindle-like experience, muting the colors and making it seem closer to an actual e-reader.

Here's a rundown of the new tablets; there are five in all — three Amazon Alexa Tablets, and two Amazon Kids Tablets, aimed at younger audiences.

Amazon Alexa Tablets

Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro

The headlining model is the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro and its optional nanomatte display. Amazon said it worked with Corning to create a photolithography process that helps preserve color and contrast while cutting down on glare.

Looking at the nanomatte and glossy displays side by side, the latter did exhibit deeper blacks, though the nanomatte display was pretty close — and as you can tell by the photo, dramatically reduces the glare.

When using both my finger and the optional stylus, the nanomatte display also felt very comfortable and smooth.

The Tablet 12 Pro, like the other modes, is made out of aluminum, and has a much more premium feel than older Fire tablets. It's 6.5mm at its thinnest, and has a 12-inch, 280 PPI display (2800x1840) with a 120Hz refresh rate and a rated brightness of 500 nits. It has a 3:2 aspect ratio, which Amazon says is better suited for productivity work.

Inside is a 4nm 8-core chip with up to 16GB of RAM, along with Dolby Atmos speakers, and Wi-Fi 6E. Amazon says the Tablet 12 Pro will last up to 16 hours of video playback, which goes up to 20 hours when in Kindle mode.

One of the long edges of the tablet has a small indentation to magnetically attach the Amazon Alexa Tablet Pro Pen ($89.99, sold separately); on the other edge is a pin connector for the Amazon Alexa Tablet Pro Keyboard ($149.99).

The Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro will start at $499.99 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage; the nanomatte model starts at $549.99.

Amazon Alexa Tablet 11

Geared more for entertainment, the Amazon Alexa Tablet 11 has a 2.5K display (276 ppi, 2560x1600, 90Hz refresh rate) in a 16:10 aspect ratio, which the company says will be better if you want to kick back and watch a movie.

Like the 12-inch model, it has an aluminum unibody, but has an 8-core processor with 8GB of RAM, dual Dolby Atmos speakers, and will last up to 15 hours playing video.

Amazon Alexa Tablet 11 starts at $329.99 in Graphite, Amethyst, and Matcha, with 8GB RAM and 64GB storage; unlike the Tablet 12 Pro, there's no option for a nanomatte display.

Amazon Alexa Tablet 8

Last is the Amazon Alexa Tablet 8, which has an 8.7-inch 1340x800 display, and weighs 11.6 ounces. It has an 8-core processor, Wi-Fi 6 and will last up to 14 hours of video playback. It starts at $229.99 with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, and comes in three colors: Graphite, Rosette, and Teal.

Amazon Kids Tablets

Amazon is also relaunching its Kids Tablets in two sizes: 8.7 inches and 11 inches. Like earlier models, these too will come with protective bumper cases, which will be offered with designs from popular franchises like Paw Patrol and Barbie. The 8-inch tablet will last up to 14 hours on a charge when playing video, and the 11-inch will last up to 15 hours.

Like previous kids' tablets, these models will have the usual array of parental controls, from content restrictions to time limits to whitelisted web pages. Like the grown-up tablets, there's an Alexa+ button in the corner, but it's a more siloed, kid-friendly version.

The Amazon Kids Tablet 8 starts at $229.99 and Amazon Kids Tablet 11 starts at $329.99.

Outlook

All of the new Amazon tablets will be go on sale in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada on October 14, 2026, and will be available in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain on October 19.

Having held all of the new tablets, I can attest to their much-improved design, and the 12-inch model certainly felt responsive when I was swiping and using the stylus; we'll have to get one in our lab to see how it compares to the best Android tablets, but its matte display will surely be a differentiator.

Even though these tablets have Alexa+ as their go-to AI, because these are Android-based, you can also use Gemini as the default voice assistant, which makes for an interesting dichotomy.

These new tablets are also more expensive than previous versions; the Fire HD 8 tablet, for instance, only cost $129, while the kids' model was $179. This is partly a reflection on the current state of electronics as well as the fact that the new tablets use more durable materials, but the higher prices could give some parents pause.

Stay tuned for our full assessments of these devices; we hope to get them reviewed soon.

More from Tom's Guide

• I finally found a tablet with a paper-like display that’s perfect for productivity without the distractions
• I thought smaller was better until I tried a massive 14-inch tablet that feels like a clipboard
• I used this Android tablet for three weeks — and its giant speaker has spoiled me

Amazon’s Kindle lineup has become the de facto e-reader option, packing a ton of eye-friendly tech into a slim chassis for those looking to read on their commute, in direct sunlight, or anywhere in between.

And, as you’d expect on Prime Day, a handful of Kindles are seeing significant price cuts. However, there's a small catch in that Amazon just refreshed its Kindle lineup with a new batch of e-readers for 2026. (You can check out our Kindle 2026 preorders page for more buying info). Here are my top deals on the previous-gen Kindles along with what you need to know about the new tablets.

Quick Links

• shop all last-minute October Prime Day deals
• Kindle (2024): was $149 now $103
• Kindle Paperwhite (2024): was $199 now $149
• Kindle Colorsoft (2024): was $289 now $189

Best Kindle Deals

New Kindles are coming

It's worth noting that there are brand new Kindle models for 2026. However, they're not on sale for Prime Day and all of the previous-gen models are great value buys at their current discounted pricing.

The all-new Kindle 2026 ($149) is even thinner than its predecessors and comes with a six-inch display. Amazon says the idea is to be able to slide it into your pocket more easily, and we can see it.

Meanwhile, the new Paperwhite 2026 ($249) is thinner and lighter than the previous model. The waterproof e-reader also features an adjustable warm light for comfortable reading at any hour. It sports the highest contrast ratio in a Kindle Paperwhite — delivering deep blacks, crisp text, and images that pop off the screen.

Finally, the Kindle Colorsoft 2026 ($289) sports a completely redesigned display. It packs micro-deflectors that minimize stray light and improve uniformity. There's also an ultra-thin optical coating in the display stack improves clarity. But it’ll set you back $289 — that’s the kind of budget usually reserved for a more general, all-purpose tablet.

Shop more Amazon deals

• shop all last-minute October Prime day deals
• YETI sale: deals from $10
• Amazon devices: deals from $12
• Fall jackets/hoodies: from $18
• Anker Smart Display Charger: was $39 now $23
• Skechers: from $25
• TV sale: deals from $69

If you’re looking to buy one of the best iPads, then you’re in luck, as the October Prime Day event is happening this week. Although the sales officially run October 6 and October 7, Amazon has slashed prices on all current iPad models. While these prices aren’t as low as they were in the past thanks to Apple’s price hikes, you can still save big on the company’s tablets.

Right now, you can save $100 on the iPad mini and the 11-inch iPad Air M4. The same is true for the 11- and 13-inch iPad Pro models. If you want the most affordable Apple tablet right now, you can’t go wrong with the base iPad for $50 off.

These sales aren’t too shabby, but we could see deeper discounts once October Prime Day is officially underway. To that end, bookmark this post, and I’ll update it with the latest prices. Without further ado, here are the best Prime Day iPad deals happening now.

Quick Links

• shop all iPads on sale at Amazon
• 11" iPad (A16): was $449 now $399 @ Amazon
• 8.3" iPad mini: was $599 now $499 @ Amazon
• 11" iPad Air (M4): was $749 now $649 @ Amazon
• 13" iPad Air (M4): was $949 now $849 @ Amazon
• 11" iPad Pro (M5): was $1,199 now $1,139 @ Amazon
• 13" iPad Pro (M5): was $1,499 now $1,399 @ Amazon

Best iPad deals

Best iPad Air deals

Best iPad Pro deals

Rumors of the iPad mini's death are greatly exaggerated. I'll go to my grave defending Apple's smallest tablet and right now, thanks to Amazon Prime Day, it's been given a nice price cut. So maybe you don't need to spend two grand on the iPhone Duo.

Right now, the iPad mini 7 is $100 off at Amazon. That brings the price back to what it was before Apple hiked prices on its devices earlier this year. Even though it's a smaller iPad, you still get the full experience. I'll admit the A17 Pro chip is showing signs of age at this point, but you can't beat it for portability.

Don't be so quick to write off the iPad mini just because the iPhone Duo is on the horizon. The latter is a $2,000 device, and while I was mightily impressed when I saw it, I don't think it'll displace the iPad mini anytime soon.

Apple's diminutive slate is one of the best tablets, measures 7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25 inches and weighs just 0.6 pounds. It might not fold in half, but you can have it sitting in your backpack for most of the day without even realizing it. Furthermore, there are a ton of accessories — like cases, keyboards and gamepads — that you can use to get even more from it.

The iPad mini 7 runs on the A17 Pro chip, the same processor that arrived with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. It's true that we're now a few years on and while it won't match up to the silicon in the newest iPads, it's going to be more than adequate for the majority of use-cases. You can manage multiple browser tabs as well as stream audio or watch YouTube without stress.

And yes, it can update to iPadOS 27 with full compatibility with Apple Intelligence features like conversational Siri, writing tools, and photo editing enhancements like Clean Up and Extend.

Finally, the battery life on the iPad mini 7 is still a champ. We ran it through our typical lab test, involving continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi with the display set to 150 nits, and our unit lasted for 10 hours and 36 minutes.

Your mileage may vary, but if you need a dependable little tablet with the full suite of Apple software, this is the one to go for. It still stings that a tablet selling for $400 in 2025 is now on sale for that much — but this is still the best price I've seen since Apple rolled out its price hikes and the best way to sidestep them so far. It's also a lot cheaper than what the iPhone Duo is going to cost you.

Shop more deals

• See all deals in the Prime Day sale
• All headphones on sale at Amazon

The iPhone Duo has been getting a lot of attention thanks to its hybrid design, offering an iPhone and iPad-like experience in a single device. But as exciting as that may be, the $2,000 price tag is more than a lot of us can justify. Which is why Prime Day iPad deals are worth checking out.

If you want to save the most money and still get the iPad experience for the times you need it, this deal on Apple's iPad 11-inch option is worth considering. Amazon has dropped the price of the entry-level iPad down to $399, which is $50 off the normal price.

This deal doesn't bring the iPad 11-inch down to its pre-price hike cost of $349. But considering major discounts on Apple products are rare, and the price isn't going to come down in the near future, this deal is worth taking advantage of.

Obviously picking up the cheapest iPad Apple offers means you're not going to get the same premium experience you would with an iPhone Duo — or even an iPad Air. For starters, this is a Wi-Fi-only model, and adding cellular support is going to cost you another $150.

On top of that, it misses out on the anti-reflective matte display that Apple utilizes on its foldable. I can speak from experience that the entry-level iPad's glossy Liquid Retina display is incredibly reflective — and that can cause problems at certain angles or in bright conditions. The A16 Bionic chipset isn't as powerful as the A20 Pro, and there's only a single main camera to work with.

None of that means the iPad 11-inch is a bad device. You get a large 11-inch display to do all those tablet-y things an iPad is good for. Whether that's reading, streaming, drawing, writing or something else entirely. You'll need an Apple Pencil USB-C for the latter two, and that costs extra, but I find it so useful that I wouldn't be without a stylus regardless of which tablet I own.

Plus our custom battery life testing found the iPad 11 lasted 11 hours and 25 minutes on a single charge. That's almost an hour longer than the iPad mini 7, though it isn't quite as much as the iPad Pro M4's 13 hours and 13 minutes.

If you're looking for a simple iPad experience, without the high price tag of other Apple tablets (and the iPhone Duo) command, then the iPad 11-inch is an ideal choice for you.

Shop more deals

• See all deals in the Prime Day sale
• Sign up for Amazon Prime

Over the years, I’ve tested many of the best tablets — from a compact, gaming-focused slate to a massive 14-inch one that felt more like a clipboard than something you could easily slide into a bag. Yet of all the devices I’ve used, only one ever solved the constant battery-drain dilemma.

With its magnetic charging dock, I really felt like Google's Pixel Tablet set a new standard that other companies would follow. Boy, was I wrong. Not only did Google recently discontinue the Pixel Tablet, but I've yet to see another manufacturer attempt a similar always-charged dock setup.

If you can’t keep a device permanently docked, the next best solution is a low-power, simplified approach that simply refuses to die. After testing out TCL's full-featured NXTPAPER tablets, I recently got my hands on the new TCL Note A1. Unlike those general-purpose slates, this one is built entirely around reading, writing, and taking notes with its included T-Pen Pro stylus.

After using the Note A1 for the past three weeks, it’s become the only tablet I reach for at my desk — and the one I slip into my backpack whenever I leave the house. If you’ve had your eyes on a productivity-focused slate from reMarkable, Boox, or even Amazon’s Kindle Scribe, here’s why the TCL Note A1 deserves a spot on your shortlist.

A display-first approach

The Note A1 that TCL sent over for me to check out arrived in a single box split in two. While the larger half held the tablet itself along with a stylus, some extra pen tips, and a charging cable, the smaller half held a magnetic flip cover.

Right from the start, I knew I was dealing with a very different type of tablet thanks to the quote printed on the inside of its box: “Knowledge grows by piling up facts, wisdom shines through simplicity.” I couldn’t sum up the design philosophy behind the Note A1 better myself.

At 10.24 x 7.74 x 0.22 inches, this 11.5-inch tablet gives you plenty of screen space to work with in an incredibly slim package. Meanwhile, at 500 grams or just over a pound, the Note A1 is designed to be easy to carry and take with you anywhere — because you never know when inspiration will strike.

Instead of going with thin bezels all the way around, the one on the left side of the device is a bit larger at roughly three-quarters of an inch wide, just like on the original Kindle Scribe. The larger size makes the device easier to hold in your left hand while you write, but that extra space is also used to house a home button with a built-in fingerprint scanner.

This is a bit different from the rest of TCL’s NXTPAPER tablets that lack a fingerprint scanner, but I found it to be a welcome addition — just like the one integrated into the power button on my NXTPAPER 70 Pro phone.

When you look around the sides of the Note A1, you won’t find much. There’s a power button on the top left, and then on the bottom right, there’s a USB-C port for charging. Given it wasn’t designed as a media consumption device like a lot of other tablets, there isn’t a physical volume rocker.

If you’re wondering why the USB-C port isn’t centered, I suspect this probably has to do with TCL’s optional keyboard case. When attached, you can plug a charging cable in cleanly on the bottom right without having it hanging awkwardly from the middle of the device. It’s a small but well-thought-out touch.

Around back, the Note A1 has small, circular magnets wrapped in soft-touch plastic on three of its corners along with a 13 MP rear camera and a trio of pogo pins for connecting the keyboard case. The tablet’s case is made from aerospace-grade aluminum, and in addition to letting you quickly snap on a cover, these round magnets prevent the back of the device from getting scratched.

TCL definitely went with a less-is-more approach with some parts of the Note A1, but the company didn’t skimp on its specs either. Powered by an older but very efficient MediaTek Helio G100 processor, the tablet ships with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

Despite being less than a quarter inch thick, the Note A1 still packs an 8,000 mAh battery with 33W fast charging. The display is the star of the show, though, and instead of an E-Ink screen, it’s equipped with an 11.5-inch NXTPAPER Pure display with a 3:2 aspect ratio and my personal favorite, matte anti-glare glass.

After adding my fingerprint and going through the rest of the setup process, it was time to see what the Note A1 was capable of.

Not your typical tablet

Instead of completely reinventing the wheel, TCL took many of the best aspects of its NXTPAPER tablets and incorporated them into the Note A1.

While you can’t switch between modes and instantly go from full color to black and white like with other NXTPAPER devices, you still get that matte, paper-like quality from the tablet, which makes reading ebooks and documents a very satisfying experience that’s also easy on the eyes.

The Note A1 isn’t entirely black and white, either. There are hints of color throughout its UI, and you can look at photos or watch YouTube videos like you would on any other tablet. Speaking of the display, it's flicker-free and buttery smooth thanks to its 120Hz refresh rate. You won’t see any of the typical lag you do on an E-Ink screen here.

Besides its lack of volume buttons, the one thing that made me instantly realize the Note A1 isn’t just your typical tablet occurred the instant I turned it on for the first time. Instead of going to your standard Android home screen, the device’s main page is actually for notes. You can view all of your existing notes and documents or create new ones with a tap on the plus icon.

The Note A1 is powered by Android, and once you dive into the settings menu, this is immediately apparent. However, the Android version wasn’t listed there, and tapping on the build number didn’t unlock developer options like it does on other Android devices.

It did take me a bit to get used to, but now that I’ve become accustomed to the Note A1’s Android skin, I actually wouldn’t mind seeing it on one of TCL’s next Android phones. At a time when people are installing custom launchers to fight doom-scrolling, the company did an excellent job of equipping this tablet with a distraction-free UI.

Just like with its other recent tablets and phones, you also get access to all of TCL’s AI tools for transcription, translation, and more, but you can turn them off if you want. One AI feature I particularly liked is Inspiration Circle. When you long-press the button on the T-Pen Pro stylus, you can then circle a note or file to add it to a dedicated Inspiration Space.

In practice, this works a lot like the Essential Key and Essential Space on newer Nothing phones. It’s worth noting that if you do decide to use TCL’s AI features, many of them are handled locally on the Note A1, while more demanding ones are carried out over the cloud through a partnership with Microsoft Azure.

Although the Note A1 comes with Microsoft’s apps like Edge and Outlook pre-installed, you can download Google apps or pretty much any other app you like from the Play Store, unlike on reMarkable’s E-Ink tablets.

Just note that your mileage will vary from app to app. For instance, while I could download, log in, and use Reddit, I kept getting an error message that I was using an incorrect version of X when I tried to launch it. You can also sideload Android apps, but I wouldn’t recommend that unless you know what you’re doing and what you’ve downloaded for security reasons.

I tried reading a few graphic novels uploaded as PDF files right from the Note A1’s home screen, and while it worked, I just couldn’t get it to save my place. Then, after downloading and installing CDisplayEx, I was able to read Resident Alien and other digital comics with ease. In fact, they looked great on the Note A1’s 11.5-inch, 3:2 screen.

I’m sure there’s even more I can do with TCL’s latest tablet. However, after three weeks of taking notes, reading ebooks and graphic novels, checking my Gmail and Slack messages, and reading the news, I’m very impressed with the Note A1 and its simpler, more streamlined Android skin.

A tablet worth keeping handy

As I normally do when testing out a new tablet, I kept it right at the ready on my desk. Surprisingly, though, while I’d be constantly recharging other tablets, the Note A1’s battery life continued to wow me during the time I spent using it as my daily driver.

Over the course of three weeks, it never ran out of battery and flat-out died. In fact, after leaving it untouched for a few days, the lowest I saw its battery get was 30%.

Even now, as I’m writing this late on Friday, after charging it on Tuesday before heading out to take pics, it’s still at 70% battery life. In addition to its extra-large 8,000 mAh battery, I think a big part of its lengthy battery life comes down to how the Note A1 enters Standby Mode when not in use for extended periods.

Now, would I recommend this tablet for watching YouTube videos and playing games? Absolutely not, as one of the best cheap tablets would be better for the former, while a more powerful device like the RedMagic Astra 2 would be a better fit for the latter. You can certainly watch videos on the Note A1, but your fingers need to be quick on the draw to pull down its Quick Settings menu since you don’t have physical volume controls after all.

Instead, I think this tablet is a great fit for those who want something simpler that’s easy on the eyes while also being incredibly thin and light — without the premium price you’d pay for an iPad Air. The Note A1 is exactly what its name implies: a handy device that comes with a stylus in the box for taking notes, brainstorming, and jotting down ideas.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried the TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus and this budget tablet is easily my iPad killer
• I use these 3 tricks with all my tablets so they don’t just feel like a bigger phone
• I got tired of having a bad remote play experience so I used Wi-Fi 7 and this powerful gaming tablet to fix it for good

The new basic Kindle has a lot going for it, but you're arguably getting a better value with a bundle for the 2024 model. While the new Kindle costs $149 for the device alone, Amazon is currently selling a Kindle Essentials Bundle that includes a fabric cover and the e-reader for $125 — a savings of 38%.

Again, the new Kindle seems like an excellent upgrade, but you might not need it. Here’s why.

• shop all early October Prime Day deals

Why the older Kindle is still worthwhile

The 2024 Kindle is largely a refresh of the 2022 model, with the same design and core features. This 6-inch e-reader features a 25% brighter front light, sharper contrast, and a matcha green color.

This 6-inch e-reader is an ideal companion for leaving the house or going on a trip because it’s small enough to fit comfortably in most pockets. Its compact, lightweight design also makes it easy to hold for longer periods, even compared to its cousins, the 7-inch Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Colorsoft.

The display is another highlight. Though it lacks color temperature adjustment, it’s just as sharp and clear as the display on the more expensive Kindle models. Beyond novels, it’s also great for reading manga or black-and-white comic books, as the drawings look crisp on the 300ppi display.

You also get long-lasting battery life. Amazon claims the Kindle can last up to 6 weeks, but that’s only if you keep the backlight level low, turn off wireless, and only read for 30 minutes a day. In my experience, with the backlight off, wireless on, and about an hour of reading a day, the Kindle’s battery dropped to around 70% in two weeks. Needless to say, this Kindle has strong endurance and won’t suddenly run out of battery.

The new Kindle is a nice upgrade

The new Kindle isn’t revolutionary, but it has meaningful upgrades meant to deliver a better overall reading experience. If you’re brand-new to the best Kindles, this is arguably the device to start with. (Check out our 2026 Kindles preorders page for a rundown of all the new models).

This base model starts with 16GB of storage and includes lock screen ads. It comes in two colors: Ube and Graphite. Beyond new colors, the chassis has been redesigned with a more flush display, giving the e-reader a more uniform look. This also makes this Kindle appear closer to the Paperwhite and Colorsoft, both of which have flush displays.

Performance-wise, Amazon says the new Kindle is 30% faster than before. During my hands-on time with the device, I certainly felt a difference when I scrolled through the pages of a digital novel. The days of the basic Kindle feeling extremely sluggish are officially over.

The 6-inch display is largely the same as before, but because it’s now more flush, text appears clearer and sharper. The 300ppi display ensures that everything, even black-and-white images, looks crisp and clear.

If you want to upgrade to premium, there’s a $189 aluminum model with 32GB of storage and no ads. This e-reader supports magnetic accessories, such as covers, and comes in Alpine Sky and Seaglass Green. Thanks to its aluminum build, holding this Kindle feels similar to holding a smartphone. Yes, it's pricey, but it’s pretty great.

Bottom line

Based on what I’ve seen, the new Kindle seems like a worthwhile upgrade. However, if you want your cash to go a bit further for a device that still delivers the same excellent Kindle experience, the Kindle Essentials Bundle for $125 is hard to top!

Given how the October Prime Day event starts next week and runs from October 6 through October 7, it’s possible we’ll see even deeper discounts. But if you don’t want to wait, I say take advantage of this Kindle bundle deal now.

The new lineup includes the 6" Kindle (16GB, $169), 7" Kindle Paperwhite (16GB, $199), 7" Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (32GB, $249), 7" Kindle Colorsoft (16GB, $289), 7" Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (32GB, $319), and the 6" Kids Kindle (16GB, $179).

We went hands-on with the new Kindles and found the upgrades to be genuinely useful, even though the previous-gen models were already near-perfect e-readers. The faster page turning was particularly noteworthy and we also like the assortment of new colors.

Unfortunately, the Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, and Kindle Colorsoft are now pricier than their predecessors, but we're hoping they'll be discounted during next week's Prime Day sale. (Alternatively, these previous-gen Kindles are all on sale ahead of October Prime Day).

The basic Kindle and Kids Kindle are now available to purchase. The rest of the models won't ship till October 28. Here's how to buy each new e-reader or secure your Kindle preorder for the holiday season, plus how to save with the first bundle deals.

Quick Links

• shop all early Prime Day deals
• 6" Kindle (16GB): buy now for $169
• 7" Kindle Paperwhite (16GB): preorder for $199
• 7" Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (32GB): preorder for $249
• 7" Kindle Colorsoft (16GB): preorder for $289
• 7" Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (32GB): preorder for $319
• 6" Kids Kindle (16GB): buy now for $179

Kindles

Kindle preorders

Accessories

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I got to check out the new Kindles firsthand during a recent event and was impressed by what I saw. Updating Kindles can be tricky as the devices are darn near perfect e-readers already, but some of the additions do make for a more pleasing reading experience. I’ve been an avid Kindle user for the better part of a decade, so the upgrades are certainly worth getting excited about.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new Kindles.

Price and availability

Amazon is releasing three new Kindles, with the basic Kindle available right now, and the Paperwhite and Colorsoft arriving on October 28 — right in time for the busy holiday season.

The entry-level 6-inch Kindle starts at $149, comes with 16GB of storage, and includes lock screen ads. The aluminum model starts at $189, packs 32GB of storage, and is ad-free. It also supports magnetic accessories, such as covers. The entry-level model comes in Ube and Graphite colors, while the aluminum version comes in Alpine Sky Aluminum and Seaglass Green.

Next up is the 7-inch Kindle Paperwhite, which now starts at $199 with 16GB of storage and ads. The $249 Signature Edition features an aluminum chassis, 32GB of storage, an auto-adjusting light sensor, and a built-in accelerometer. It replaces standard Qi wireless charging with a pogo pin dock system, but you can also charge it via the USB-C port. The starting color is Graphite, and the aluminum colors are Graphite and Seaglass Green.

Last but not least is the 7-inch Kindle Colorsoft, which starts at $289 with 16GB of RAM. Like the other models, there will also be an aluminum model, which will cost $319 and pack 32GB of storage. Colors are the same as the Paperwhite, though the aluminum also comes in Fig instead of Seaglass Green.

Expect new accessories as well. This includes the $34 Kindle Click, which works with all the new models and current-generation Kindles. It has assignable page forward/backward buttons and a dedicated volume-style wheel for brightness controls. And for Kindle Oasis fans, the $79 Page-Turn Button Case (exclusive to Signature Series devices) features physical, tactile page-turn buttons directly on the case bezel.

Hands-on with the new Kindles

All of the new Kindles are now thinner and lighter than their respective predecessors. You won’t notice that at a glance, but when I held the new basic Kindle against the previous model, the difference wasn’t stark but certainly noticeable. The aluminum versions are naturally heavier, but not by much. Thanks to the new design, you should be able to read more comfortably for longer.

Each model comes with an assortment of new colors, engineered so the device’s color doesn’t bleed onto the display. That’s why prior Kindles had black bezels that absorb light. Books now open about 30% faster on the base Kindle, and I noticed the difference right away since I use Kindles so much. Your smartphone still refreshes faster, but I appreciate the speedier page turns.

Except for the basic Kindle, the Paperwhite and Colorsoft are both fully waterproof (IPX8). So if you want to read in the bath, you can do so without worrying about the Kindle falling into the water.

The aluminum models are my favorites since they feel like holding a smartphone (which Amazon deliberately wanted). Even the basic Kindle feels more premium thanks to its smooth, sturdy aluminum chassis. That’s not to say the non-aluminum models feel bad to hold, but the aluminum Kindles just step things up. I typically keep Kindles in cases, but I might not with the aluminum models.

Speaking of cases, there are the standard Kindle cases that the e-reader slots into. They’re also color-coded to the Kindle’s specific color, which is a nice touch. The ones I liked most were the new magnetic cases for the aluminum models, since they magnetically snap into place.

The biggest game-changer for me is the power button, which, like with the Kindle Scribe, is now located on the right-hand side instead of at the bottom. Many users like me have long asked for this, since accidentally turning the Kindle off has always been frustrating. You might not think this is a big deal, but trust me, it absolutely is.

Outlook

Kindles are my favorite way to read novels, so I’m glad Amazon keeps improving a device that is already excellent at what it does. The aluminum models look and feel great, and I love the repositioned power button. Again, I’m not enamored with the higher prices, but it’s hard to complain much thanks to these upgrades.

We’ll have full reviews of the new Kindles for you soon, so stay tuned!

More from Tom's Guide

• I just tested the Kindle Scribe — and it will be hard going back to the Paperwhite
• Find the best Kindle for you with our quick quiz
• How to read library books for free on your Kindle or other e-reader

As before, this tablet features an enormous 14.6-inch display that’s as perfect for watching your favorite streaming shows as it is for juggling multiple apps. The thin, lightweight, and sturdy design makes it an unobtrusive travel partner, while the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chip inside provides the slate with enough power to run your apps and games. You also get nearly 12 hours of battery life to get you through most of the day.

While the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra has many of the things I liked about the previous model, it also shares some of that tablet’s shortcomings. The tablet can still be too cumbersome to hold comfortably for long periods, and DeX Mode still isn’t the Windows 11 equivalent you’d expect. To truly use the Tab S12 Ultra for work, you’ll need the $399 Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra Pro Keyboard—which is in addition to the slate’s already higher $200 price hike.

Despite its shortcomings, there’s no denying the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra delivers on screen size and an ultraportable design. Right now, it’s one of the best Android tablets around — even if it isn’t the laptop replacement you might expect. Find out more in my full review!

Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra is the latest version of the company’s flagship, oversized tablet.
• Who is it for? For anyone who wants a large OLED tablet that can also serve as a laptop replacement.
• What does it cost? The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra starts at $1,399 / AU$2,299.
• What do we like? We like the sharp and vivid OLED panel, elegant lightweight design, strong Android tablet performance, and long-lasting battery life.
• What don’t we like? We don’t like the $200 price bump from last year’s model, and that DeX Mode requires an external monitor for full functionality.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra review: Specs

Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra review: The ups

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra has one of the best OLED displays among tablets, along with strong performance, long battery life, and a sleek, thin design.

Thin and light design

There’s not much to say design-wise, as the Tab S12 Ultra is virtually identical to its predecessors. As before, this Android tablet measures 12.8 x 8.2 x 0.2 inches (326.3mm x 208.5mm x 5.1mm) and weighs 1.6 pounds (695 grams). Though holding this enormous tablet isn’t always comfortable, the thin, lightweight design makes it easy to travel with.

When you hold the Tab S12 Ultra horizontally, the power and volume buttons are on the top left-hand side. On the right-hand side, you’ll find a microSD card slot and a single USB-C port for charging. Before you ask, no, there is no headphone jack.

Design-wise, Samsung isn’t looking to reinvent the wheel. Some folks might have wanted a fresh look, but I’m fine with this tried-and-true design. The Tab S12 Ultra is as thin and light as ever, and that’s what matters here.

Vibrant OLED

Another carryover from previous models is the large 14.6-inch OLED panel, which remains as impressive as ever. The OLED delivers excellent contrast between dark and light elements, while the sharp 2960 x 1848 resolution helps you see every detail in whatever you’re watching.

That was my experience watching a nature video on YouTube, where the animals and locales looked lifelike thanks to the OLED panel’s strong detail and contrast. Trust me, your eyes won’t be disappointed when viewing videos on this tablet.

How did the Tab S12 Ultra fare in our lab tests? Color reproduction (sRGB and DCI-P3) is generally oversaturated, as both go past the 100% target, which makes for more vivid colors. Color accuracy (Delta-E) is also great. And as before, this tablet also gets plenty bright when displaying HDR content, nearly hitting 1,000 nits across the entire screen.

The Tab S12 Ultra does well against competitors like the iPad Pro M5 and OnePlus Pad 3. Samsung’s slate delivers brighter SDR than both, though the iPad Pro gets a tad brighter with HDR content. Color-wise, the iPad Pro and OnePlus Pad 3 aren’t as vivid, though their values deliver more naturalistic hues than the Tab S12.

Strong performance

The new Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra upgrades the prior model’s MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ processor to the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chip, while RAM remains the same at 12GB regardless of how much storage you choose. Although there isn’t a massive performance boost from gen to gen, you’re still getting a slate that offers solid performance.

Though I wouldn’t replace my laptop with this tablet, I could still get work done on it without too much trouble. It can handle my typical workflow, which includes multiple open Chrome tabs and the occasional YouTube video. Android also feels snappy, and I rarely (if ever) have apps take too long to load. Navigating the tablet’s settings is also seamless.

As you can see in the table above, the new Tab S12 Ultra has slightly better single- and multi-core performance than last year’s model. That’s commendable, but it’s still not comparable to the powerful iPad Pro M5, which remains the fastest tablet out there.

Again, the Tab S12 Ultra isn’t a slouch when it comes to performance, but Apple’s premium slate still outclasses it. However, if you’re just using this tablet to play Android games, run some work-related apps, or watch YouTube, that performance gap won’t matter much.

Solid battery life

To be upfront, the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra doesn’t last as long as last year’s model. So why is battery life still in “The ups” section? Because even though this tablet’s endurance is lower, it’ll still last you for the better part of a workday and then some.

In our battery life test, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi with the display set to 150 nits of brightness, the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra lasted 11 hours and 31 minutes. In contrast, its predecessor lasted over 30 minutes longer.

Though you don’t want battery life to decline in a newer model, it’s not a steep drop-off. That said, the iPad Pro M5 and especially the OnePlus Pad 3 outpace the Tab S12 Ultra by a wide margin. Leaving the included charger at home won’t be an emergency, but it’s better to take it with you just in case.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra review: The downs

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra is an impressive and massive Android tablet but it's not without its downsides which include DeX Mode limitations and a higher price than last year's model.

DeX Mode still isn’t great

DeX Mode, which provides Samsung devices with desktop-like functionality, remains largely unchanged from the previous version. While it certainly makes the UI feel more like Windows, it still has some of the shortcomings from before.

To make the most of DeX Mode, you’ll need to connect the Tab S12 Ultra to an external monitor. Doing this brings up a Windows-like taskbar on the connected monitor, while the tablet gets a less functional taskbar. Sure, this mostly works as advertised, but I still liked it better when DeX Mode functioned on its own without the need for peripherals.

$200 price bump

To be clear, the Tab S Ultra series has always been Samsung’s most expensive tablet line. Even so, the $200 price increase over last year’s model could make some reconsider their decision to buy this slate.

Why the price hike for nominal upgrades? As I’m sure you’ve already guessed, it’s likely due to the ongoing RAM crisis, which has driven up component costs. Not only does this probably account for the price hike, but it also explains why Samsung didn’t pack more RAM into this tablet than into last year’s model—doing so would’ve driven the price up even further.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra review: Verdict

Even if the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra can’t truly replace your laptop and is now $200 more than last year’s model for nominal upgrades, it’s still an overall great Android tablet at what it does. Even if its performance isn’t equal to iPad Pro’s, the beautiful OLED panel certainly rivals that of Apple’s premium slate.

If you’re an Apple fan, then you’re better off with an iPad Pro or even an iPad Air. And if all you’re looking for is an Android tablet to stream content on, then the much more affordable $399 Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 is a better bet. But if you’re a Samsung user and want an Android tablet with the largest canvas out there, you can't go wrong with the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra.

I haven’t spotted any deals on standalone Kindles just yet, but Kindle bundles are currently up to 42% off. Plus, all three Kindle Kids models are also discounted, making this a particularly good time to shop if you’re buying for a young reader.

One of the best deals for adults is on the Kindle Colorsoft Essentials Bundle, which is just $201 (was $346) and includes a protective case and a charger. Similarly, you can also grab the Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle (16 GB) for just $125 (was $161).

If you're in the marker for a new Kindle this fall, now is the perfect time to snap one up with a markdown. Keep scrolling to see my favorite Kindle deals.

Quick Links

• shop all early Prime Day deals
• Kindle Kids: was $179 now $122
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle (16 GB): was $161 now $125
• Kindle Paperwhite Kids (16 GB): was $229 now $169
• Kindle Colorsoft Essentials Bundle (16GB): was $346 now $201
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Bundle (32GB): was $276 now $203
• Kindle Colorsoft Kids (16GB): was $299 now $209
• Kindle Scribe Colorsoft Essentials Bundle (32GB): was $789 now $569

Kindle Deals

Shop More Deals

Right now you can get up to £170 off Kindles. There's pretty much no better time of year to curl up with a good book, so make sure to pick up these deals while you can!

Keep scrolling to see my favorite Kindle deals. I also recommend checking out our Amazon promo codes.

Quick Links

• shop all Amazon deals
• Kindle (16 GB): was £149 now £94
• Kindle Kids (16 GB): was £159 now £99
• Kindle Colorsoft (16 GB): was £259 now £144 [Lowest price ever!]
• Kindle Colorsoft Kids (16GB): was £274 now £179
• Kindle Scribe Colorsoft (32GB): was £569 now £399

Kindle deals

Shop more deals

With dual USB-C ports, you can charge the Astra 2 with a mobile game controller attached or even connect the tablet to a monitor or TV for a big-screen gaming experience. Speaking of gaming, there’s a physical switch on the side that activates RedMagic’s dedicated Game Space launcher. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, you can also run full PC games from Steam right on the tablet using the company’s optional Game Hub app.

Then there’s the screen. With a 185Hz OLED panel, the Astra 2 isn’t just fast, but it delivers stunning visuals with deep blacks and excellent picture quality overall.

I’ve been using the Astra 2 as my daily driver for the past two months — both at home and while traveling — and this compact but almost overpowered gaming tablet hasn’t let me down yet, even if it can be a little rough around the edges at times. My RedMagic Astra 2 review will help you decide if this is the best tablet for your needs or if it’s worth sacrificing raw performance for a more budget-friendly alternative.

RedMagic Astra 2: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A compact Android tablet with high-end specs for gaming.
• Who is it for? For people who want the best mobile gaming experience on a tablet, as well as for Android users who want a small tablet like the iPad mini.
• What does it cost? The RedMagic Astra 2 starts at $699, or you can get an upgraded version with more memory and storage for $799.
• What do we like? Its compact size and premium design, the integrated fingerprint scanner in the power button, the gorgeous 185Hz OLED screen, and that it has dual USB-C ports and the performance of its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor.
• What don’t we like? The tablet’s premium price, that it doesn’t come with any extra accessories, how RedMagic OS feels clunky and that the main, full-featured USB-C port isn’t centered.

RedMagic Astra 2: Specs

RedMagic Astra 2: The Ups

From its premium build and powerful components to its stunning OLED display, the Astra 2 isn’t just another budget Android tablet. Instead, it feels even better than Apple’s iPad mini in hand while delivering a console-like experience if you want it.

The anti-iPad mini

At 8.15 x 5.28 x 0.27 inches, the Astra 2 is slightly larger than the iPad mini to account for its 9.06-inch display versus the latter’s 8.3-inch panel. With an anodized aluminum frame, rounded corners, and a glossy screen, this Android tablet instantly feels premium.

On the left side — assuming you’re holding the tablet in landscape mode — there’s a power button with an integrated fingerprint scanner next to a set of speaker grilles. When holding the Astra 2 this way, I really like how my index finger rests right on the top edge, which makes securely logging in via my fingerprint a breeze.

Then on the right side, there’s a full-featured USB-C port next to the other set of speaker grilles. One thing that sets the Astra 2 apart from other tablets is the red toggle switch across from its volume rocker. Called the Competitive Key, switching it on lets you jump from your Android home screen right into RedMagic’s GameSpace launcher, but more on that later. There’s also a second USB-C port for charging the device or connecting accessories centered along the bottom edge.

It’s only when you flip the Astra 2 over that you realize this isn’t an iPad mini or even your standard, compact Android tablet. At the top of the device, there’s a 3D vapor chamber for cooling, complete with customizable RGB lighting and a glass strip on top so you can see everything. Then on the right edge, there’s a 13MP camera.

While this design choice might not be for everyone, I really like it. You get just a touch of gamer flair while knowing that, yes, this tablet is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. If this chipset sounds familiar, that’s because it powers many of the best phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the OnePlus 15, and even the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Deep blacks and faster frames

Despite all that power under the hood, the Astra 2’s display immediately steals the show when the tablet is powered on. With symmetrical 4.9mm bezels on all sides, you see more of the screen than on the iPad mini 7, which has thicker 8.5–9mm bezels and a 3:2 aspect ratio. At a resolution of 2400 x 1504, you also get a bit more screen real estate to work with, though Apple just barely wins on pixel density at 326 vs 316 pixels per inch.

The Astra 2 also features a 16:10 aspect ratio, which results in less letterboxing when watching TV shows and movies. Although I don’t normally watch movies on a tablet, I made an exception while testing the Astra 2 thanks to its stunning OLED display.

While watching Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings to get ready for Avengers: Doomsday, the darker, nighttime fight scenes in Macau stood out for their rich, deep blacks, while the lush greenery of Ta Lo in the latter half of the film really popped.

Thanks to the Astra 2’s full-featured USB-C port, I also connected a pair of the best smart glasses, the Viture Pro 2, and watched several films on the tablet during a flight home from Berlin. As with Samsung’s DeX, RedMagic lets you use the tablet’s display as a trackpad while wearing display glasses, though it lacks some of the polish of Samsung’s implementation, with written directions hardcoded across the screen.

You can’t crank up movies and TV shows past 60Hz, but with games it’s a different story. There are quite a few of the best Android games that let you play at a higher 120Hz or 144Hz, or on the Astra 2, which has an 185Hz refresh rate. Given I’m more of a PC gamer, though, RedMagic’s Astra 2 has another really cool trick up its sleeve.

A tablet-sized console

The Astra 2 is nothing if not a highly versatile gaming tablet. Sure, you can play all the most demanding Android games, from Zenless Zone Zero and Wuthering Waves to Genshin Impact and Fortnite, with ease and all the settings turned up. However, that’s far from your only way to play.

Just like how you can dock the Nintendo Switch 2, if you have one of the best monitors with USB-C in, you can get a one-cable, big-screen gaming experience with the Astra 2. Likewise, with a device like the Genki Covert Dock 3, you can connect the tablet to a TV.

With the Astra 2 connected to my Innova CB32U1 monitor, I toggled the Astra 2’s Competitive Key and got a full-fledged game launcher on my display, and I could also use the tablet simultaneously. All of the games you have installed appear in RedMagic’s Game Space, and you can also stream games from your PC or consoles using their respective remote play apps.

Although it didn’t come pre-installed on my review unit, I was able to get the full AAA experience locally after downloading RedMagic’s GameHub app. That’s right, with GameHub installed and your Steam or Epic Games account linked, you can play many of the best PC games via emulation directly on your Android tablet.

I loaded up a few and played my go-to game, the skateboarding sim Session, along with Valve’s Portal 2 at 50–60 fps without having to turn down their settings too much. The experience wasn’t perfect, and getting to the main menu in Metro Exodus took much longer than I expected. Still, being able to play the PC games you already own on your Android tablet is much better than being limited to mobile games, especially when big ports like Resident Evil 4 or Death Stranding are only available on Apple’s iPadOS.

RedMagic Astra 2: The Downs

The Astra 2 is an impressive Android tablet that easily rivals Apple’s iPad mini, but it’s not without its downsides. From a very premium price for a smaller tablet to a USB-C port that isn’t quite in the right place, there are certainly some kinks RedMagic needs to iron out before a potential follow-up.

Full-featured but off-center

Two is always better than one, and that’s especially true for USB-C ports on a device like the Astra 2. That way, you can play and charge at the same time or even use a wired keyboard and mouse while emulating PC games in the GameHub app. However, there’s just one problem: these dual USB-C ports aren’t identical.

While the USB-C port on the right side of the Astra 2 is a 3.2 Gen 2 port with DisplayPort out, the one on the underside of the tablet is a slower, less capable USB 2.0 port. Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem, and on my Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 with an identical dual-port setup, it isn’t. However, the Astra 2’s more powerful USB-C port is located in a very awkward place.

Now that many of the best mobile game controllers support smaller tablets like the Astra 2 or iPad mini, my first instinct was to attach one on either side of RedMagic’s tablet.

Unfortunately, instead of being centered, the more powerful USB-C port is located above the speaker grille on the right side. With my Razer Kishi Ultra connected, a good portion of the Astra 2 hangs below the controller, similar to the screen lip on the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+. However, while that handheld gaming PC’s screen extends slightly, almost half of the Astra 2’s display was positioned below my telescopic controller.

You see similar setups when people try to put a telescopic game controller on one of the best foldable phones. I just never expected to have to deal with something like this on a tablet specifically made for gaming — and mobile gaming at that.

A steep investment without the extras

At $699 for the base model or $799 for the version with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, the Astra 2 is certainly a premium Android tablet. If mobile gaming is your thing and you want to play on a larger screen, or if you want a very future-proof tablet, the Astra 2 could be worth it.

After paying $549 for the Legion Tab Gen 3 back in 2025, before RAMageddon hit, it makes sense that RedMagic had to raise the price of the Astra 2. With components getting more expensive, launching it at $499 for the base model, as the company did with the Astra 1, no longer makes sense.

What surprised me, though, was how little was in the box. Of course, I got the tablet itself and a charging cable, but I was disappointed I didn’t find any other extras beyond a few stickers. For comparison, the Legion Tab Gen 3 included a folio case with a removable magnetic front cover and a glass screen protector.

Apparently, Lenovo has also become a bit more stringent with included freebies in the Tab Gen 5, likely to keep costs down. Still, I would have loved to see a case with a built-in stand included with the Astra 2, especially since you can’t comfortably use a mobile game controller with it because of that off-center USB-C port.

RedMagic Astra 2: Verdict

The RedMagic Astra 2 is certainly an outlier among Android tablets. For starters, it has a compact, portable 9-inch design with true flagship power under the hood. Its 185Hz OLED display makes whatever content you’re watching or playing stand out in the best way. You also get dual USB-C ports and a fingerprint scanner integrated directly into its power button for secure, seamless logins.

While the off-center, full-featured USB-C port is a bit of a bummer, along with the Astra 2’s higher price, the device still feels exceptionally premium in hand. Still, I would have loved to have a case in the box and for RedMagic to work out a few of the kinks in its proprietary Android launcher.

If you want the versatility of a tablet that’s also highly portable and a gaming experience that’s almost on par with one of the best PC handhelds, the Astra 2 can’t be beat. It’s one of the best Android tablets I’ve tried yet, and while using it, I didn’t miss my iPad mini at all.

The images were found by Aaron Perris, a regular contributor to MacRumors. It's not clear what code Perris dug through to find the images, though usually it's one of the major operating systems like iOS or macOS.

Per MacRumors, where the images were discovered indicates that these devices could launch very soon.

Here's what we know about the four products.

Apple TV 4K

The image Perris discovered appears to be labeled "Apple TV 4K (4th generation)." Based on this image, the fourth generation will look pretty much exactly the same as gen three.

The upgrades should all be inside, including a new chip, anything from an A17 Pro all the way up to the A20, based on rumors. The newer chip will come with more RAM and the ability to run Apple Intelligence and the new Siri AI.

It's also rumored to get an Apple-designed N1 chip (possibly the N2) and WiFi 7 support, plus an updated Remote.

iPad 12

Not every leaked image comes with potential technical specifications, but the iPad 12 apparently did. According to the code, Apple's updated entry-level iPad 12 will feature an A19 chip, an Apple-built C1X modem, an N1 chip and 8GB of RAM.

In all, those are expected updates based on previous rumors. Like the Apple TV, more RAM and a more recent chip will enable the iPad 12 to support Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, which the current iPad 11 can't run.

iPad mini 8

Interestingly, the leaked code of the iPad mini 8 doesn't seem to discuss the rumored OLED display. Instead, MacRumors found that it will have an A20 Pro chip, a new landscape front-facing camera, and an updated speaker system.

Many previous rumors have suggested that the next mini tablet will be the iPad mini with OLED, meant to launch this October. Just because OLED doesn't appear in the code doesn't mean that it won't launch this fall though.

That said, the iPad mini running the A20 Pro chip is new and should make Apple's smallest tablet quite powerful. For instance, the iPad mini 7, released two years ago features an A17 Pro chipset.

HomePod mini 2

It appears that new version of the HomePod mini will be released in five colors which appear to include white, black, green, blue and a pinkish variant. The current models come in blue, yellow, orange, midnight and white.

We've tracked the HomePod mini 2 on our rumor radar since at least 2023. It should be a simple update including a new chip that will likely let it run Apple Intelligence and Siri AI as with every other device listed above. It's also expected to have improved audio.

We expect all four devices to launch before the end of October alongside the HomePad smart home hub, and new M6 Macbooks.

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Right now, you can get the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 for $289 at Lenovo. This tablet typically retails for $399, so you’re saving $110. The big deal here, and I mean that quite literally, is the enormous back speaker that delivers loud, punchy sound for a tablet. Its rotatable built-in kickstand is also noteworthy. Read on to see why you should consider buying the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2. (For more deals, check out our guide to the best tablet sales).

• shop all early Prime Day deals

While it’s not entirely fair to call this a speaker with a tablet attached, it also wouldn’t be inaccurate, since that huge JBL-9 unit speaker is the main reason you’d want to buy this tablet. There are 9 built-in speakers: four tweeters, three woofers, and two passive radiators. Those last two speakers deliver deep bass, while the tweeters handle higher-frequency sounds. As a result, movies, podcasts, and music sound vibrant. You can even use Lenovo’s tablet as a Bluetooth speaker, which is a nice bonus.

Then there’s the built-in kickstand, which attaches directly to the speaker. It can rotate 360 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise, letting you orient the tablet horizontally when watching movies or vertically for reading. The kickstand is made of aluminum, like the rest of the tablet, so it stays firmly in place once you’ve set it up. This is easily the best kickstand I’ve seen for a tablet.

While the big speaker is the main draw, this is still a tablet. The 12.1-inch (2560 x 1600) display delivers sharp, bright, and colorful image quality, despite not being an OLED panel. Color reproduction is generally oversaturated, which accounts for the vivid colors. Those colors truly stand out thanks to the bright SDR and HDR brightness.

The Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 isn’t the most powerful tablet out there, but if you just want an entertainment-focused slab with strong picture quality and exceptional speakers, get this one now while the deal lasts.

The AT&T amiGO Jr. Tab 2 has all of that, but after giving it to my 5-year-old, the feature I ended up appreciating most wasn't what the matte screen, the lack of AI or the variety of entertainment options. In fact, it's something that other tablets like the Fire Tablet lacked. It has stylus.

A stylus is a rare feature for a kids' tablet

To be completely honest, my son was using the tablet for a few days before I even realized it had a stylus. But, tucked in a tight pocket on the back of the cover is a crayon-like stylus perfect for little hands.

Combined with the tablet's matte display, this simple accessory has turned the amiGO Jr. Tab 2 into something my son can use to draw, trace and practice some of the same fine motor skills he's working on as he learns to write better.

It's not perfect, In particular, I wish its protective bumper stayed attached more securely and I wish there was a way to keep the stylus better tethered to the case. If there's one universal truth about giving a small accessory to a 5-year-old, it's that its eventual home will probably be somewhere between the couch cushions. I'll admit, we lost it within days, but ended up finding a third-party crayon-like stylus on Amazon, that worked just as well. It comes in a pack of two so there's a backup. (If you know, you know).

However, after watching my son use the amiGO Jr. Tab 2 day after day, it's clear that some thoughtful decisions went into designing this tablet for younger kids.

Set up was a breeze

Setup is easy, the parental controls don't feel unnecessarily complicated and, refreshingly, the tablet isn't trying to shove generative AI in front of a young child. You'll actually find no AI on this tablet unless you choose apps or use Google on it. (All of which can be disabled).

I kept it connected to my account rather than giving my 5-year-old free rein, which meant I could control what he had access to without constantly hovering over him. I could decide which apps he could use, set limits around screen time and lock down features I didn't want him wandering into.

That simplicity is one of the things I appreciated most. There's no chatbot waiting for him to start a conversation, no AI image generator and no AI assistant encouraging him to ask it questions. For a device aimed at younger kids, I really appreciate that the amiGO Jr. Tab 2 mostly stays in its lane: games, videos, books, drawing and the apps a parent decides to put there.

The cost is reasonable for a quality tablet

We are an AT&T family but you don't have to be. It just seemed to make things easier. Through AT&T's amiGO app, parents can use location tracking and communication tools designed to help them stay connected with their child. It's an especially useful addition if the tablet is going to leave the house, since it gives parents another way to keep tabs on both the device and the child using it.

The amiGO Jr. Tab 2 is available now at AT&T for $239.99 outright or $4.99 per month over 36 months with a qualifying new line. It has an 8.7-inch anti-glare display, a 6,000 mAh battery and 64GB of storage, giving younger kids plenty of room for apps, games, books and downloaded videos without making the tablet feel unnecessarily big or heavy.

The bigger upgrade over the original amiGO Jr. Tab is connectivity. The Tab 2 supports AT&T 5G rather than relying primarily on Wi-Fi, which means kids can use it in the car, while traveling or anywhere else you have a cellular connection. That connectivity also powers some of the best features.

The matte screen is the real star

One of the first things I noticed about the amiGO Jr. Tab 2 was its display. It isn't shiny like an iPad or Fire Tablet, instead it has a matte, anti-glare finish. It might not sound like a major feature, but put a tablet into the hands of a 5-year-old and the benefits become obvious quickly.

It cuts down on reflections, and fingerprints aren't nearly as noticeable — useful when the primary user tends to touch every square inch of the display. More importantly, when a child uses the stylus, the slight texture on the surface supports easy movement of the stylus. So, instead of sliding across slick glass, there's a slight pull, which makes a surprisingly big difference.

When he draws or traces letters, the matte screen provides just enough resistance to keep the tip from shooting across the display. I can see him slowing down and making more deliberate movements with his fingers and hand.

He's still 5, of course. Sometimes he's carefully tracing a letter, and sometimes he's furiously scribbling across the screen. But I've found myself encouraging him to grab the stylus rather than simply use his finger because it gets him holding and controlling an actual writing implement.

This brings me to durability. My son is a thrower. Meaning, when he is done with something he will throw it. He has special needs and we are working on it, but for the sake of helping parents understand the durability of this tablet, I have to say, this thing can take a blow. My kiddo threw it off our porch onto the driveway as we were headed for a long road trip. (Don't ask me why, he's 5). And the tablet survived like nothing happened. I haven't spoken to AT&T about how they stress test the tablet, and I certainly don't recommend throwing it, but just know, when the cover is on, it can take a hit.

Keeping the cover on

The tablet is very sturdy as long as the cover is on. The bumper gives it the chunky protection I'd expect from a device meant for young kids. The problem is that it comes away from the tablet too easily around the edges.

My 5-year-old quickly discovered he could get his fingers underneath it and start peeling it away. And once a 5-year-old discovers that something can be peeled, there's essentially no going back.

That's frustrating because this is exactly the age when I want a protective case that stays firmly attached. It's not enough to ruin the experience, but I'd like to see a tighter-fitting bumper on the next version.

Endless activity

Since it runs Android/Google Kids Space, the games depend on what you approve and install rather than being limited to an AT&T-specific game library. For my kiddo, a few of his favorites include:

PBS KIDS Games — lots of simple educational games featuring Daniel Tiger, Wild Kratts, Curious George and other PBS characters.

LEGO DUPLO World — building, vehicles, animals and open-ended play aimed specifically at younger kids.

Toca Boca World — imaginative, dollhouse-style play where kids create characters and stories. He enjoys playing this one with is siblings.

Sago Mini World — very preschool-friendly mini games and activities without complicated instructions.

Khan Academy Kids — reading, numbers, drawing and early-learning activities presented as games.

Crayola Create & Play — kids can draw, color and do creative activities that work nicely with the stylus.

Minecraft — this available through Google Play, although it's obviously a much more involved game.

YouTube Kids / streaming apps — it can also function as a regular video tablet when you allow those apps.

My son bounces between games, videos and drawing apps, and the stylus is particularly useful for coloring, tracing and other activities that required more precision than tapping the screen with a finger.

Verdict

The AT&T amiGO Jr. Tab 2 gets something right that a lot of technology designed for children doesn't: younger kids don't simply need a watered-down version of an adult device and they do not need AI.

My son doesn't care about processor benchmarks or the latest AI assistant. He cares that he can pick up his tablet and immediately use it. I care about whether I can control what he accesses, whether it can withstand life with a 5-year-old and whether it offers something beyond keeping him entertained.

That's why the amiGO Jr. Tab 2 is parent and kid approved. From the matte screen and chunky stylus to straightforward parental controls, 5G connectivity and a refreshingly AI-free core experience, this feels like a tablet that knows exactly who it's designed for.

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It’s undeniably expensive, however. The base 256GB model will set you back $1,999 which critics have noted is more than it would cost to buy the iPhone 18 Pro and the latest iPad mini 7.

So is that worth doing, or does the unique form factor of the iPhone Duo justify the extra cost? Here’s what you should consider before making your choice.

Why you should choose iPhone Duo

Unmatched portability

The main thing the iPhone Duo has going for it is its portability.

When folded, it measures 117.8mm x 84.1mm x 11.3mm. Though that’s not too far removed from the iPhone 18 Pro’s 71.9mm x 150mm x 8.75mm, add in a 134.8mm x 195.4mm x 6.3mm iPad mini 7, and pockets alone just wouldn’t cut it.

And while the iPhone Duo weighs a not-insubstantial 254g, that’s still lighter than the combined weight of the phone and tablet, which together tip the scales at 504g.

When Tom's Guide sat down to talk with CEO John Ternus and Greg Joswiak following the Apple keynote, Joz specifically highlighted the joy of being able to fold up an iPad and take it around with you as part of the device's appeal.

Unique features

As well as the cool factor of a folding phone, the iPhone Duo has a couple of features that are unique to the iPhone family. The internal FaceTime camera is an under-screen model, only visible when required. And that internal screen has a matte finish for less glare and fewer reflections.

In addition, the iPhone Duo's apps can morph based on the folding state of the device. For example, if you're watching Netflix and fold the device like a laptop, you'll see the video up top and controls down below.

Also, bear in mind that while the iPhone Duo uses the same A20 Pro chipset as the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, the iPad mini 7 is a bit longer in the tooth, still using the same A17 Pro silicone as the iPhone 15 Pro. The iPad mini 8 will no doubt close the gap, but its release date (and likely price increase) is still to be determined.

Better multitasking

One of the main reasons people use a tablet is for the enhanced multitasking abilities that a larger screen offers.

While both the iPhone Duo and iPad mini allow multiple apps for genuine multitasking, the former has the advantage here. Why? Because all your files, apps and notes are in one place. With an iPad mini, you’d need to make sure your files were synced between devices — something made that bit harder if you opt for the Wi-Fi-only model.

Only one device to keep charged

Keeping electronics charged is one of the more tedious things about modern living. As a two-in-one device, you only need to monitor the battery of one handheld, rather than two.

Why you should choose an iPhone 18 Pro and an iPad mini

Significant savings

The most obvious advantage of opting for a phone and a tablet over the iPhone Duo is the price difference. An iPhone Duo starts at $1,999, whereas buying both an entry-level iPad mini 7 and a base iPhone 18 Pro together comes to $1,698 — a $301 saving. Even if you opt for an iPhone 18 Pro Max with the iPad mini, you'll still pay a combined $1,798 that comes in cheaper than the Duo. Given the iPad mini 7 is coming up to its second birthday, you’d be able to save a packet by shopping around, too.

These savings can be even greater if you opt for a different combo, too. The iPhone 17 starts at $899 on the Apple site, immediately slashing a further $300 from the price, and again, if you shop around, you’ll be able to get it cheaper.

The battery power of two devices

Though I already covered the hassle of having to top up two batteries, the flip side to this is the added longevity.

The iPhone Duo is expected to have a battery that will last for 44 hours of video on the outer screen, or 31 on the internal one. The iPhone 18 Pro is quoted as going for 34 hours of video (our own battery test knocked it out after 16 hours and 17 minutes of real-world endurance), and the iPad mini lasted just over ten hours in our battery tests. That’s a slight edge to the pair of devices if the Duo is only used folded, and a resounding win if unfolded.

Better camera power

For a flagship device, the iPhone Duo is surprisingly under-specced in the camera department. There are two 48MP rear cameras: a f/1.6 main lens and a f/2.2 ultrawide.

While the iPad mini’s camera can be safely ignored for the most part, the iPhone 18 Pro is clearly far more flexible. Not only does the 48MP main camera include a variable aperture, letting photographers choose between f/1.48m, f/1.8m f/2.8 and f/4.0 values, but you also get an additional 48MP telephoto lens with 4x optical zoom.

A full Apple Pencil experience

Although the iPhone Duo supports the Apple Pencil on both of its screens, there is one big caveat: you have to use the paired-back USB-C version. That means there’s no pressure sensor, haptic feedback, Find My support or added features like squeeze or double-tap.

While that’s better than the iPhone 18 Pro, which doesn’t support any Apple Pencils, the iPad mini 7 lets you use the USB-C model or the far better Apple Pencil Pro. That makes it the superior option for serious doodlers.

iPhone Duo or iPhone 18 Pro + iPad mini?

Ultimately, there are benefits to both configurations. The iPhone Duo is undoubtedly more convenient and portable than lugging around two devices, and it has a few neat features that aren’t (yet) available on other Apple handhelds, like the under-screen selfie camera and a matte display.

But opting for both a less glamorous iPhone and iPad instead will save you at least $200, and likely more if you shop around or look beyond the brand new iPhone 18 Pro. On top of that, you get a superior camera setup and the full Apple Pencil experience.

In short, there’s no straightforward right or wrong answer here, and what you should choose will depend on your budget and specific circumstances.

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The problem is that paying for AppleCare on multiple devices can get pretty expensive, especially if you're part of a whole family of Apple users. AppleCare One already offers the chance to cover up to three devices on a single plan, and now AppleCare One Family offers that same coverage for up to six people — for $50 a month.

What devices you can add

There are surprisingly few limits on the number of devices you can add to this plan. All devices that are covered by AppleCare will be automatically added to the Family plan when you sign up, as will any devices purchased within the previous 60 days.

However, devices that are over four years old, or AirPods and Beats that are over a year old, will need to undergo a device check to ensure they're in good condition. This can be done remotely, or by visiting your nearest Apple Store. Apple has also made it clear that you can't add more than six Vision Pro headsets to the plan — not that anyone would.

The usual AppleCare+ service fees still apply. Battery servicing is totally free under the plan, while repairs to the screen and back glass are $29. Other accidental damage is $99, while theft or loss claims come with a $149 deductible. You're also limited to six loss and theft claims over the course of a year.

Devices will remain covered so long as you keep your AppleCare One Family Plan active, and provided they connect to an Apple server at least once every 12 months. However, Apple does note that devices can be removed from the plan if it runs out of the necessary parts to service and make repairs.

Coverage is also dependent on the devices being signed into a family member's Apple Account. If they sign out, and a non-family member later signs in, coverage will end.

How to set up AppleCare One Family

AppleCare One Family is currently only available in the United States, and the setup process can be initiated by any adult member of a Family Sharing Group. Payments are automatically made by the family organizer, regardless of which adult actually signs up. However, the person who initiated the subscription can choose their own payment method if they prefer. Other family members will be restricted from signing up for a different AppleCare plan unless they leave the family group.

If you're part of a family or friendship group that's big on using Apple products, signing up for an AppleCare One Family plan feels like a no-brainer. A simple AppleCare One plan costs $20 a month, and coverage for up to three devices is included in the cost plus $6 a month for each additional product.

The Family plan with a full six people means that you're paying $8.33 per person, and without any major device limitations. All you have to do is make sure the participants actually pay you their dues, which should be a lot easier considering sharing money is now as easy as bumping phones together.

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• I’ve used macOS Golden Gate for 3 months — and here’s what I think

I’ve been using iPadOS 27 since the beta launched over the summer, and have generally had a smooth experience with the latest OS update. Though I’m not a big AI user, the updated Siri can be handy — especially as it can do things on your behalf. And if you have kids, I’m sure you’ll appreciate the new child safety features.

iPadOS 27 isn’t a game-changer, but features like the overhauled Siri AI, the Liquid-Glass slider, and other quality-of-life improvements make using Apple’s tablets feel smoother and more personalized. Here is my full review of iPadOS 27.

iPadOS 27 review: Compatible iPads

Here are all the iPads that support iPadOS 27.

• iPad Pro (M4 and later)
• iPad Pro 12.9‑inch (4th generation and later)
• iPad Pro 11‑inch (2nd generation and later)
• iPad Air 13-inch (M2 and later)
• iPad Air 11-inch (M2, M3, and M4)
• iPad Air 11-inch (4th generation and later)
• iPad (A16)
• iPad (9th generation and later)
• iPad mini (A17 Pro)
• iPad mini (6th generation)

iPadOS 27 review: Biggest features

The new Siri

Apple Intelligence is finally ready for prime time on the company’s devices. Thanks to the new Siri AI app, you can now interact with Apple’s virtual assistant the same way you would with a chatbot like ChatGPT or Google Gemini. Apple Intelligence runs on both servers and your device to offer better image understanding and more.

There is now a dedicated Siri AI app, which looks and functions like a regular chatbot app. In this window, you can ask Siri questions or have it perform tasks for you. For example, I used Siri to send a message to one of my iMessage group chats, and it did so after I approved it. Sure, I could have just done this directly in the group chat, but it’s a good demonstration of what the new Siri can do.

Siri AI also understands what's on your screen. When I had the Tom’s Guide homepage open on Google Chrome, it correctly detailed what was on the screen, including all the articles. It couldn’t open the articles or read them aloud (despite saying it could), but since I’m testing a beta version, I’ll give it an A for effort, even if it failed to complete the task.

Siri is most useful when you’re using Apple’s own apps and programs. It can create calendar events, set reminders, play music, and more. For example, when you’re looking at a schedule, you’ll see an “add to calendar” button pop up. When you right-click certain folders, files, or apps, you’ll see an “Ask Siri” option at the bottom. Selecting this will open a window where you can start texting or talking with Siri.

Though Siri can’t yet interact with many third-party applications (such as those from Google), it’s a huge improvement over the old Siri.

Liquid Glass improvements

Liquid Glass hasn’t gone anywhere, as Apple is leaning more into the UI with its latest operating system updates. However, Apple is now giving you more control over how it looks with a new slider that adjusts opacity. You can’t eliminate the Liquid Glass look, but you can minimize it significantly.

Other improvements include more diffuse, complex background visuals, so text stands out more. You’ll also notice that the edges of icons are more pronounced to help further separate them from the background. The uniform corner radius of all app windows also helps them stand out more.

Even if Liquid Glass hasn’t gone anywhere, even detractors should find the updates tolerable since they do greatly improve overall readability and visibility. The Liquid Glass slider is a nice touch.

I've never had a problem with Liquid Glass because I think it’s an interesting visual effect. That said, I’m glad that folks can now fine-tune it to their liking. The slider is especially neat because it’s easy to use and clearly shows how much of a difference there is when you go from one extreme to the other.

Child safety features

If you’re a parent, you’ll be happy to know that Apple is expanding its parental control features with iPadOS 27. This way, you can let the kiddo use Apple’s tablet without worrying too much about the kind of content they’re watching and for how long they’re using the slate.

These updates include a redesigned, more intuitive Screen Time Dashboard with one-tap controls and expanded safeguards. There are also Time Allowances for app categories, Ask to Browse website approval, Communication Safety that blurs gore or violence, and one-tap access management. You can tailor these features to suit your child.

I don’t have kids, but I did find the child safety features simple enough to use and customize. Given how much kids love iPads, it’s smart for Apple to keep refining these safety features.

iPadOS 27 review: Other features

• Spatial Reframing: As the name suggests, you can now reframe a photo after it’s been taken thanks to this feature. You can also expand your shots with the Extend Tool and remove objects with the Clean Up tool.
• Upgraded Image Playground: Image Playground can now generate higher-quality images. You can also modify and transform existing images by describing what you want.
• Siri in Notes: Siri AI can assist with your handwritten or typed notes in the Notes app by (for example) organizing bullet points into a formatted agenda or turning handwritten lectures into a detailed study guide.
• Safari updates: In Safari, tabs can now be automatically grouped by topic, making related pages easier to find. With Safari Notify Me, you can receive an alert if there’s a price change or a restock for an item you’ve been eyeing.
• Describe Shortcuts: Instead of manually building complex workflows, you can now describe what you need, and Shortcuts connects actions across multiple apps to make it happen. This is useful if you want to set specific routines, such as launching a specific app when you connect a peripheral.

iPadOS 27 review: Verdict

I use an iPad Pro every single day and have largely been pleased with iPadOS 27. Again, it won’t set the world on fire with revolutionary new features, but the upgraded Siri AI and deeper Apple Intelligence integrations help make iPads that support the update more useful. This is especially true if you use Apple’s own apps often.

As I said in my macOS Golden Gate review, iPadOS 27 feels like a holding-pattern update for whatever big OS refresh the folks in Cupertino are cooking. But there’s also nothing wrong with not fixing what isn’t broken, so it’s fine that this isn’t a huge update. If you own a compatible iPad, you should update as soon as you can to test the new features yourself!

As with iOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate, the main attraction is the reinvented Siri, which finally lives up to its potential. Siri AI, as it’s now called, is context-aware and understands what’s on your screen. Because it’s built into the OS, it can directly control and manage apps. It also adds new child safety features, improved readability for Liquid Glass, new photo-editing tools, and more.

Here’s how to download iPadOS 27.

How to download iPadOS 27

As always, before you install a major update like iPadOS 27, back up your iPad in case anything goes wrong and you need to return to iPadOS 26.

Not every iPad will be compatible with the new operating system, but if your tablet is, the upgrade is free.

Here is the full list of iPads that are compatible with iPadOS 27:

• iPad Pro (M4 and later)
• iPad Pro 12.9‑inch (4th generation and later)
• iPad Pro 11‑inch (2nd generation and later)
• iPad Air 13-inch (M2 and later)
• iPad Air 11-inch (M2, M3, and M4)
• iPad Air 11-inch (4th generation and later)
• iPad (A16)
• iPad (9th generation and later)
• iPad mini (A17 Pro)
• iPad mini (6th generation)

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The bright, colorful 12.1-inch 2K display is ideal for watching your favorite videos and movies. The Tab Plus Gen 2 is also great for reading and web browsing. The large speaker can make the tablet uncomfortable to hold for too long, but the handy built-in kickstand balances that out, and you can rotate it for vertical or horizontal viewing.

If you’re looking for a powerful tablet for work, this slate isn’t for you, thanks to its relatively weak MediaTek Dimensity CPU and 8GB of RAM. But if you’re looking for an excellent entertainment machine with the best tablet sound, you should seriously consider the reasonably priced Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2. Find out more in my full review!

Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 is an Android tablet built for entertainment.
• Who is it for? For folks who want a tablet to watch videos and that can deliver stellar, punchy sound.
• What does it cost? The Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 is typically $399 but is often discounted. At the time of writing, it’s on sale for $289 on Lenovo’s website.
• What do we like? We like the giant speaker that pumps out phenomenal sound, the handy kickstand, and the vivid 2.5K display.
• What don’t we like? We don’t like that the tablet can be cumbersome to hold for long periods and that its performance isn’t suitable for productivity.

Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 review: Specs

Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 review: The ups

The Tab Plus Gen 2's giant speaker and rotatable kickstand instantly draw attention, but it also features a sharp, vibrant 12.1-inch display and long-lasting battery life.

Incredible speaker sound

Speaker quality is, at best, a footnote in my tablet reviews, since slates generally produce less-than-stellar sound. With the Tab Plus Gen 2, this is the first thing I want to discuss as it’s the standout feature—so much so that I had already written an entire piece about how the gargantuan speaker on this Android tablet isn’t a gimmick. If you’ll pardon the cliché, the speaker quality is music to your ears.

The JBL 9-Unit Pro speaker system is what makes the magic happen. As its name suggests, there are nine speakers: four tweeters, three woofers, and two passive radiators. Those last two speakers deliver deep bass, while the tweeters handle higher-frequency sounds.

Sound is great out of the box, but to make everything truly sound spectacular, you’ll need to head into the Dolby Atmos sub-menu in sound settings. There are three presets: Dynamic, which identifies the content and automatically adjusts for the best sound; Movie, which provides surround sound and clearer dialogue; and Music, which delivers detailed audio so every note and beat sounds punchy. Music also has presets: Detailed, Balanced, and Warm, plus a manual equalizer.

I’m a hard rock and heavy metal fan, and I’m almost always disappointed by the thin, flat sound from most tablets when listening to these genres. That wasn’t the case here, as everything from death metal bands like Amon Amarth to ‘80s tunes like Stan Bush’s “The Touch” sounded rich, punchy, and loud. Movies and podcasts also sound incredible in Movie Mode, with dialogue coming through clear and crisp.

The presets let you quickly enjoy whatever you’re listening to, but you can also dive into the equalizer settings to truly fine-tune how things sound. Regardless, your ears won’t be disappointed.

Built-in, rotatable kickstand

The other notable design feature is the built-in kickstand. Attached directly to the speaker, the kickstand can rotate 360 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise. This lets you comfortably orient the slate horizontally when watching movies or vertically for reading.

While the rotating kickstand moves smoothly, it firmly stays in place once you’ve set it to your preferred position. And when you’re ready to travel with the slate, the kickstand snaps back into place when you push it inward. This might be a minor thing to some, but rotating the kickstand is also enjoyable since you can feel small bumps along the way.

I enjoy reading digital comics, so I love propping the tablet up on my table in portrait orientation so I don’t have to hold it while I read. The 16:9 aspect ratio is relatively close to a real comic’s trim size, which also helps. Naturally, this is also a great way to read books.

Like the kickstand, the tablet is made of sturdy aluminum that doesn’t bend or flex easily. Even if you won’t hold the tablet very often (more on why shortly), its smooth metal body feels nice against your fingers. I also like how the concave volume and power buttons are on the back and easy to reach when it’s in the horizontal position.

Vivid display

The 12.1-inch (2560 x 1600) display on the Tab Plus Gen 2 might not stand out as much as the huge speaker, but it’s also no slouch. Even without an OLED panel, you get sharp image quality that’s bright and colorful.

When watching the latest trailer for the Street Fighter movie, I was impressed by how good everything looked. The detail and colors on the costumes and super moves pop. And thanks to the smooth 120Hz refresh rate, all the action moved smoothly. For watching movies, TV shows, and other videos, this display gets the job done.

Our lab test confirms what my eyes saw. Color reproduction (sRGB and DCI-P3) is generally oversaturated, which accounts for the vivid colors. Color accuracy (Delta-E) is also on par with other tablets. Those colors truly stand out thanks to the bright SDR and HDR brightness.

As you can see, Lenovo’s tablet quite literally outshines Apple’s iPad 11 and the OnePlus Pad Go 2 in both SDR and HDR brightness with adaptive brightness disabled. In fairness to the iPad, it delivers more natural hues than both Android tablets, since its sRGB and DCI-P3 values are closer to the 100% target.

Epic battery life

If you’re going to spend hours watching videos, then you’ll want a tablet that can last for the long haul. Thankfully, that’s the case here, as the Tab Plus Gen 2 offers astonishing battery life.

In our battery test, which involved continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi with the display set to 150 nits of brightness, Lenovo’s slate lasted 16 hours at 60Hz and 13 hours and 39 minutes at 120Hz. While the OnePlus Pad Go 2 lasted almost 40 minutes longer, Lenovo’s tablet outlasted the iPad by nearly four and a half hours.

I should note that the Tab Plus Gen 2 takes a while to fully charge. In our testing and in my own experience, it took 30 minutes to charge the tablet to 20%. Though you won’t have to charge the battery very often, just keep in mind that you’ll have to wait a while to fully juice it up.

Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 review: The Downs

While the Tab Plus Gen 2 excels as an entertainment device, it falls short in some key areas.

Awkward to hold

The giant JBL speaker is the Tab Plus Gen 2’s main selling point, but it can also be a hindrance.

Because the speaker adds bulk to the tablet’s bottom, holding the slate like a traditional tablet can be burdensome. While 1.69 pounds doesn’t sound that heavy, the weight distribution makes the tablet feel heavier.

If you rest the tablet on your lap or use the kickstand to prop it up on your desk, then its weight won’t be an issue. However, this isn’t a slate you can easily hold with one hand, let alone two, for long periods.

Basic performance

I don’t consider this a major drawback since this is an entertainment-focused tablet. Still, if you plan to do serious work on the Tab Plus Gen 2, you might not get the smoothest or fastest experience because of its lackluster performance.

The Tab Plus Gen 2 handles basic tasks like scrolling websites in Google Chrome and reading books on Kindle without issue. However, when I opened multiple apps or Chrome tabs, performance suffered. If I wanted to use this for work, where I typically have 20 to 30 Chrome tabs open, I wouldn't have the smoothest experience.

While the Tab Gen 2 matches the OnePlus Pad Go 2 in both CPU performance (Geekbench 6) and gaming performance (3DMark), these MediaTek Dimensity-powered Android tablets still can’t compete with Apple’s entry-level iPad.

Again, you won’t have a sluggish experience when using this tablet for its intended purpose. Just keep your expectations in check if you try to run heavier workloads or graphically demanding video games.

Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 review: Verdict

I’m an iPad Pro user, so an Android tablet truly has to go above and beyond to impress me. And that’s exactly what the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 has done thanks to its amazing sound quality, versatile kickstand, and crisp image quality.

Sure, it’s not powerful for heavy workloads, but if you mostly watch videos or read, this tablet has everything you’d need. The fact that it tops out at $399 is just icing on the proverbial cake. If you’re looking for an iPad alternative for your entertainment needs, don’t ignore the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2.