Deals: Samsung Galaxy S23 FE gets even cheaper, Tab S6 FE price also falls

11 May 2024

Last week we reported that the price of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE had fallen from $600 in late April to $550 (this is for the 8/128GB version). Well, now the phone can be yours for $500. The 8/256GB versions is available for $60 more and it looks like a good upgrade, since there’s no microSD slot on this phone.

Samsung didn’t bring the Galaxy A55 to the US, saying that the S23 FE is the higher end alternative to the A35. And with these prices, it makes sense. For reference, the A35 is $400 right now, but that’s with no discounts.

Last week we also mentioned the OnePlus 12R. The 16/256GB model sure offers a lot of RAM compared to Samsung and it brings a newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip (vs. 8 Gen 1), not to mention an LTPO display. That being said, the 12R is now the more expensive phone – and things used to be the other way around.

Apple launched new 11” and 13” iPad Airs this week and upgraded the chipset to the M2. The 11” 128GB model is $600, the 256GB one is $700. This is for the Wi-Fi model, the 5G one is $150 more. Amazon still has some of the older iPad Air left in stock (10.9”, M1) and the 256GB model goes for $600, the 256GB 5G one for $750. Basically, you trade the performance upgrade (M2 for M1), but get extra storage.

If you’re looking at 2022 tablets, check out the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+. It offers a larger 12.4” OLED display (2,800 x 1,752px, 16:10, 120Hz) and is powered by the older Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. The iPad Air supports Stage Manager (multi-window multitasking on an external display), the Galaxy slate supports DeX both on its own and on an external display.

Back to Apple for a moment, the company is selling a 13” MacBook Air with an M2 chip for $1,000 and an M3 version for $1,100. Amazon has the older M2 variant at $830 in an 8/256GB configuration and $1,050 if you want to upgrade to 512GB storage.

With that, we continue with tablets – new ones this time. A month ago, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) was $330 with a $100 gift card. That effectively made the tablet’s price $230, but you had to buy something else from Amazon for that to work. Well, no more – the 4/64GB variant is now $230, no gift cards involved. There is also a variant with 128GB storage, but both versions have only 4GB of RAM (and a microSD slot).

We would consider the Samsung Galaxy A9+ – it has the better LCD (11” 90Hz vs. 10.4” 60Hz, comparable pixel density) and it is meaningfully cheaper. The A-series tablet lacks DeX and it has a weaker chipset (Snapdragon 695 vs. Exynos 1280), but the 128GB model has 8GB of RAM and is only $220, $10 less than the base Tab S6 Lite.

Another model to consider is the Amazon Fire Max 11. It has an 11” IPS LCD (2,000 x 1,200px, 15:9) and for $200, you get a version with 128GB storage and no ads. The 64GB model is a bit cheaper (both have 4GB of RAM), but it’s only $20 cheaper and it does have ads, so you’re better off with the 128GB one.

This is part of Amazon’s Mother’s Day promotion, you can find Amazon products at up to 50% off. If you just want to get your mom a tablet to stream her shows on, the Fire HD 10 is a fine pick for just under $100. This is for a 3/32GB model, but streaming doesn’t need much. There is a 64GB version for $10 more, but if you need more storage, you may be better off with a microSD card (nothing on this tablet needs fast storage).

We looked at Android and iPadOS tablets, but there are other ways to browse documents and take notes – the Kindle Scribe from Amazon offers a 10.2” 300ppi display that is easy on the eyes in all lighting conditions and battery that outlasts even the top Android/iPadOS tablets. And you get the premium pen for note taking.

Apple’s iPad event came and went – we were wondering whether it will introduce new headphones, but no. This means that the original AirPods Max are still the latest and greatest over-ear headphones from Apple, never mind that they are 4 years old at this point.

Alternatively, you can pick up the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, which are lighter by around 130g, plus they offer both better active noise cancellation and longer battery life with ANC on. And they have a 3.5mm jack if you want to go old-school.

The Bose headphones are a bit cheaper than the AirPods, but Sony’s WH-1000XM5 are even cheaper. Both the Bose and Sony headphones are comfortable for hours on end, but the WH-1000XM5 is a bit easier to transport as it folds flat and they have longer battery life with ANC on. Both have great audio quality and ANC.

Samsung users who want a tracking tag will be best served by the Galaxy SmartTag 2. You can pick up a single tag for $21 or a pack of four for $70. Note that these do not support Google’s Find My Device network.

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