Before Samsung could release the mid-end Galaxy A15 5G and A25 5G handsets in the US with absolutely no fanfare alongside the super-premium Galaxy S24 family, pretty much the same thing happened with a larger-screened Android mid-ranger last week.
The 11-inch Galaxy Tab A9 Plus, which was internationally unveiled back in October 2023, quietly went up for grabs stateside at a starting price of $219.99 with a $50-worth book cover included at no extra cost. That was an undeniably solid regional launch deal for a very well-balanced tablet with a smooth 90Hz display and reasonably powerful Snapdragon 695 processor on deck, but to the surprise of absolutely nobody the least bit familiar with the US wireless industry, T-Mobile can now do (a lot) better than that.
Believe it or not, the Tab A9+ can be yours totally free of charge right now from the nation-leading “Un-Carrier”… after bill credits with one special requirement you need to meet. Don’t worry, we’re not talking about an obligatory device trade-in or anything else quite so inconvenient, but merely a new “qualifying” tablet line.
All T-Mo plans with 5GB or more are eligible for this excellent new online-only promotion, which slashes a grand total of $276 off a regular price of, you guessed it, $276. That’s different from the $219.99 mentioned above because you’re looking at a 5G-enabled version of the Galaxy Tab A9 Plus that’s otherwise identical to a Wi-Fi-only model.
In addition to blazing fast mobile connectivity, this complete steal of an iPad alternative also has a large (enough) 7,040mAh battery going for it, as well as a razor-thin 6.9mm profile, four powerful speakers pairing up with the aforementioned 90Hz LCD panel to deliver a more than satisfying portable entertainment experience, and Android 13 software undoubtedly set to be freshened up with Android 14 goodies soon enough.
Is this the best budget tablet available in the US right now? As far as 5G-capable products are concerned, that could definitely be the case, as it massively undercuts the cheapest cellular-enabled iPads around while easily eclipsing something like the ultra-low-cost T-Mobile REVVL Tab 5G in almost every meaningful way.
