Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music
Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music
Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music
The best iPad to buy
I’ve spent years using various iPads for both entertainment and work and have tested all of the current and recent models to know what they are best suited for. Out of the box, any iPad provides an excellent portable video or movie-watching experience; access to a wide array of apps and games through the App Store; the ability to read ebooks, documents, and web articles on a bright comfortably sized screen; and communicate via email, messaging services, or video calls. Apple also has a strong track record of supporting the iPad for many years with software updates, so even older models can benefit from the majority of new features.
That means you can often find excellent options on secondhand, open-box, and refurbished iPads that save a lot of money and still offer an up-to-date, performant experience.
The refurbished market changes too frequently for me to make specific recommendations in this guide, so everything here is based on the new, full retail cost. But I’ve personally bought multiple refurbished iPads over the years and have never regretted not having the latest and greatest model. Released in 2022, the fifth-generation iPad Air offers a bright 10.9-inch high-resolution display, extremely fast performance thanks to its M1 processor, a modern design with even bezels around the screen, and excellent speakers. It’s compatible with the same keyboard and stylus accessories as the iPad Pro, so it can work well as a small laptop-like device or digital notepad / drawing tablet.
The Air comes in a variety of colors, including blue, pink, purple, gold (which Apple calls “Starlight”), and a dark gray. The iPad Air can be paired with Apple’s Magic Keyboard to turn it into a small laptop replacement for productivity work.
It’s significantly larger than a phone and provides a better video-watching, reading, and multitasking experience, but it’s not nearly as large as a laptop display, so it’s easier to carry around or hold when lounging on the couch. The size makes it easy to transition from reading in portrait orientation to knocking out an email in landscape mode.
The jump to 256GB costs $150 (at Apple’s regular retail price), but it’s worthwhile if you plan to hang on to this iPad for multiple years. If you are a frequent traveler and plan to use an iPad outside of your home a lot, however, a built-in cellular connection is often faster, more reliable, and easier than using your phone’s hotspot. I’ve used an iPad Pro with built-in cellular during a long train commute for years, and it’s been worth the cost every time. The Air’s design is the same as that of the iPad Pro, with a squared-off aluminum back and sides and evenly proportioned bezels around its whole display.
But when you’re holding the iPad Air in landscape orientation, the camera feels like it’s in the wrong spot, and Apple’s software tricks to correct it are not always the most convincing. (Apple has addressed this problem with its lower-tier 10th-gen iPad by moving the camera to the longer edge, but it has not yet done so for the rest of the lineup.)
The Air’s stereo speakers (one on the left and right side, when held in landscape orientation) are loud and clear and work great for movie or video watching. The Air also supports Apple’s latest Pencil ($129 retail, sometimes on sale for less) for writing and drawing, and it can magnetically snap to the side of the tablet for charging and storage.
You, as a parent, will still want it to be updated to current software and security patches, so it’s important to avoid something that isn’t supported anymore. The ninth-gen model has the traditional iPad look, with larger bezels around the screen and a home button (with Touch ID biometric authentication). It’s clear that even Apple realizes the 10th-gen iPad isn’t quite a direct replacement for the ninth-gen model due to its significantly higher price and different features. So as long as Apple continues to sell the ninth-gen model, that is our recommendation for budget shoppers and an iPad for kids.
It works fine as a stylus for writing and drawing on the screen, but there’s nowhere to store it when you’re not using it unless you buy a third-party case, and charging it requires plugging it into the iPad’s Lightning port, which is awkward and clumsy. In my testing, it never lagged or slowed down when I was using it, the screen is sharp and colorful, and it’s comfortable to hold for long stretches of time. The 12.9-inch Pro rewards you with a more expansive display for juggling multiple apps, especially if you use the new Stage Manager windowing feature. It also has the best screen on any iPad, with its Mini LED technology, providing searing brightness, deep blacks, and rich colors. As a result, many iPad Pro 12.9 owners find they don’t end up taking it out of the Magic Keyboard case very often. A new feature introduced with the 2022 model allows you to preview line strokes or selections with the Apple Pencil before you put them onto the screen.
Most people do not need all of the features of the latest iPad Pro, which makes buying an older version a compelling option. At full prices, the iPad Air is a better option than the 11-inch Pro, but if you’re able to find a prior-year model refurbished or on sale, then it might be the one to go with. The Mini provides access to many more reading sources than a Kindle, though it can’t match the battery life of Amazon’s e-reader. This is the only iPad that Apple doesn’t make a keyboard accessory for, and it’s obvious why: it’s just too small to really be comfortable to type anything of length on.
Best iPad for students 2023
To make things easier, it’s good to know that you’ve got the right tech to help you write your essays, take notes in lessons, and kick back with Netflix and games when the work is done. The iPad has evolved in recent years to something that can now act as a laptop replacement for many students, with accessories like the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil making it one of the most versatile devices you can buy. Choosing the best iPad can be tricky, as Apple currently offers a wide range of models with different prices and features.
Apple offers money off new iPad purchases to students in higher education all year round.
Plus, if you’re a student and you buy an iPad (or a Mac) from Apple, you might be able to get a free gift such as a pair of AirPods or vouchers while the company’s “Back To Uni” event is running. (This usually runs from June to September in the U.S. and Canada, and from July to October in the U.K. and January to March in Australia) While this is the cheapest iPad, it still offers enough performance and features to make it an excellent choice for many students. Add a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse and you have a very workable laptop that should cope with most coursework demands.
Support for Apple Pencil (gen 1) means you can annotate documents, sketch, and of course practice your handwriting. Centre Stage for FaceTime calls Cons 64GB storage may be too limiting Best Prices Today: If the most important factor to you is portability there’s one iPad in particular that you might want to consider. We think this screen size is perfect for reading books or taking notes (especially with an Apple Pencil), so it may well be ideal if that’s how you intend to use your iPad. And don’t let the diminutive form fool you: the A15 Bionic chip is the same as that found in the iPhone 13 Pro Max, so there’s no shortage of power on tap.
Connectivity is top-notch too, with support for Wi-Fi 6 and LTE 5G networks available, depending on the model you choose. There are two storage options available (64GB and 256GB) and, as with the 10.2in iPad, we’d recommend the larger of the two as it allows you to store more apps, music, movies, photos, and videos.
This is an increase over the previous generation, and the late-2022 price bump outside the U.S. doesn’t help, but you do get some serious up-to-date tech in the new iPad mini.
This makes room for a larger display than on its predecessor, the iPad 10.2-inch (9th gen), which Apple has kept in its catalog for those who want a cheaper device that’s still equipped with a Home button (see above).
You probably won’t notice it at all, but if you intend to use the Apple Pencil for notes (gen 1 is supported) then you may experience slight delays in the tracking. If your course requires any kind of video content, then either the front or back optics of the new iPad should prove more than sufficient–plus you can call home and look good doing so. An A14 Bionic processor is at the heart of the new iPad, which is the same chip that powered the iPhone 12 devices (including the Pros). So there’s more than enough power for word processing, note-taking, coding, and most other education apps, not to mention gaming and entertainment duties. The switch from a Lightning port to USB-C also opens up the ability to use various peripherals and even power an external display if you want the iPad to become more like a fully-fledged computer.
There are four colors to choose from (Blue, Yellow, Silver, and Pink) so you should be able to find one that suits your personality, and for extra functionality, you could invest in the new two-piece Magic Keyboard Folio, although the $249/£279 price tag does seem very high. As you can see, there are a few caveats (mainly around the increased price), but with its modern design, solid processor, and larger display, the new 10.9-inch iPad (10th gen) is a great all-rounder that would prove a wise investment for those heading off to pursue their studies. Unfortunately, it’s not as cheap as it once was, especially outside the US, with the updated format and construction methods bringing the costs up to $599/£669 for the 64GB model and $749/£849 for the 256GB variant (which is the one we’d recommend).
Because of the price increase, it’s no longer our top choice for students, but if you can afford it then it really is worth the investment. Unlike the iPad 10.9-inch (10th gen) the camera isn’t on the longer side of the chassis, so you still have the slightly off-center angle, but that’s about the only advantage the less expensive model has over the Air. The only major feature it’s missing is the 120Hz ProMotion screen refresh rate, but that’s hardly something most people will even notice. You could even photograph pages from books in the library and use optical character recognition to save the text to your iPad. Not only do you not need to lug all your books around with you, but an iPad is also far lighter than even the lightest laptop, so you won’t be getting backache from carrying it to lectures and the library. And when you’ve finished studying there are loads of games, and apps for video calling your parents.
iPad Air (2022) vs 9th gen iPad (2021)
At a Glance Our Verdict If you want crazy levels of performance, pretty colours, and a clean modern design that’s close the Pro models, then the Air lets you have that on a (relative) budget. For most people though, the price increase of the Air in recent years will make it a bit out of reach, and that’s fine because the 9th gen iPad (from 2021) is still on sale and it’s a great, reliable device that will still leave you with some change in your pocket. Thanks to Apple giving the Air a major redesign in recent years, it’s quite easy to tell these two devices apart just by looking at them. Because there is no Face ID there is no requisite notch, leaving the Air with an uninterrupted 10.9in display.
You get stereo speakers on the bottom edge of the iPad (2021), while its more expensive sibling is blessed with the same, but on both ends. The Air’s offering is also fully laminated, meaning there is no air-gap between the glass panel and the digitiser underneath, so you feel like you’re touching the actual pixels. The iPad Air (2022) does have an anti-reflective coating and has a higher range of colours, but again these are quite marginal gains, especially when you consider the price difference. Apple recently upgraded the Air to incorporate the M1 processor, which is the same one that powers the iPad Pros and some Macs.
But, if you want to get into digital art, play graphically intensive games or just have a really powerful device that should last for years, then the Air certainly makes a compelling argument for itself. Storage options are the same on both devices, with the most affordable model coming with 64GB (which feels a little tight in the modern age), or for an increase in price you can move up to a far more spacious 256GB.
Quick tip: If you intend to use the cameras on the Air to their full extent, 64GB will run out very fast unless you also invest in iCloud storage for your photos. While we’re not the biggest fans of using an iPad as a camera, you can certainly record some decent results with either model.
The iPad (2021) comes with an 8MP, F/2.4 Wide camera on the rear, which can employ HDR for photos and capture video up to 1080p at 30fps. The front cameras are a lot closer in spec, as they both feature a 12MP, f/2.4 Ultra Wide unit that can record video up to 1080p at 60fps. Centre Stage is another shared feature, with the clever software ensuring that you remain in the middle of any video calls even if you’re moving around. If you just want an iPad to video call the family and look good doing it, there’s nothing really to separate the two devices.
iPad Air (2022) iPad (2021) Display 10.9in Liquid Retina, 2360 x 1640 resolution, 264ppi, True Tone, Wide Colour, Fully Laminated 10.2-inch (diagonal) LED backlit Multi-Touch display with IPS technology, 2160×1620 resolution at 264 ppi, True Tone, sRGB, Unlaminated Processor M1 A13 Bionic Storage 64GB/256GB 64GB/256GB Main Camera 12MP Wide, f/1.8, SmartHDR, Wide colour, 4K video at 60fps, Slo-mo 1080p at 240fps, Continuous autofocus, Cinematic video stabilisation, Extended Dynamic Range for video up to 30fps 8MP Wide camera, f/2.4, 5x digital zoom, HDR for photos, video recording up to 1080p at 30fps, Slo-mo 720p at 120fps, Time Lapse with stabilisation Selfie Camera 12MP Ultra Wide, f/2.4, 2x Zoom out, Centre Stage, Retina flash, Smart HDR 3 for photos, Extended Dynamic Range for video up tp 30fps, 1080p at 60fps 12MP Ultra Wide, F/2.4, 2x zoom out, Centre Stage, Retina flash, HDR for photos, Cinematic video stabilisation, 1080p video up to 60fps, Extended dynamic range up to 30fps, WiFi Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 5 Bluetooth 5 4.2 LTE 5G (sub-6 GHz) Gigabit-class GPS Yes Yes Ports USB-C, Smart Connector Lightning, 3.5mm headphone jack Biometrics Touch ID Touch ID Apple Pencil Support Gen 2 1st Gen Dimensions 247.6mm x 178.5mm x 6.1mm 250.6mm x 174.1mm x 7.5mm Weight 461g (462g for cellular) 487g Colours Starlight, Space Grey, Pink, Purple, Blue Silver, Space Grey Price From £569/$599/AU$929 £319/£459 We usually recommend that you choose the model with more storage, 64GB can be a bit tight, especially if you don’t have iCloud to store photos and music and other information off device. If the extra storage is worth more to you than the faster processor and better rear camera then it makes sense to stick with the standard iPad.
iPad 9 vs iPad Air 4: Which iPad is right for you?
Our iPad Air 4 review named it one of the best tablets you can buy, in large part because of its elegant design, great hardware, and capacity to stand in as a laptop replacement — provided you pair it with a Magic Keyboard. That said, it’s nearly half the price of the iPad Air 4, and has a better front-facing camera with support for Apple’s new Center Stage video chat feature. This article will help you answer that question with an in-depth comparison of the two tablets’ strengths and weaknesses. Swipe to scroll horizontally Header Cell – Column 0 iPad Air 4 (2020) iPad 9 (2021) Starting price $599 $329 ($299 for schools) Display 10.9 inches (2360 x 1640) 10.2 inches (2160 x 1620) Processor A14 Bionic A13 Bionic Storage 64GB, 256GB 64GB, 256GB Rear Cameras 12MP wide (f/1.8) 8MP (f/2.4) Front Cameras 7MP TrueDepth (f/2.2) 12MP TrueDepth (f/2.4) Dimensions 9.7 x 7 x 0.24 inches 9.8 x 6.8 x 0.29 inches Weight 1 pound 1.07 pounds Port USB-C Lightning, headphones Accessories Magic Keyboard, Smart Keyboard Folio, Apple Pencil (gen 2) Smart Keyboard, Apple Pencil (gen 1) Connectivity Wi-Fi 6, optional 4G Wi-Fi 6, optional 4G The iPad Air 4 looks a little different: it’s a bit smaller and lighter, weighing just 1 pound and measuring 9.7 x 7 x 0.24 inches. More notably, it has thinner bezels than the classic iPad (thanks to its edge-to-edge display) and flat edges. As we compare the design and ports of these two tablets, it’s clear they represent the two remaining iPad input/output philosophies. The iPad Air 4’s USB-C port gives it a bit more versatility (Image credit: Henry T. Casey/Tom’s Guide) The iPad Air 4 offers no such luxury, of course: you’ll have to use Bluetooth headphones if you want to want to do some private listening on this tablet. It also has support for the P3 color gamut, as well as Apple’s True Tone tech that adjusts the display to complement ambient lighting. The Apple A13 Bionic chip driving the iPad 9 is an improvement over the A12 Bionic chip found in its predecessor, and Apple’s claiming it gives the iPad 9 20% faster performance in CPU, GPU and Neural Engine activities. The iPad Air 4’s A14 Bionic chip gives it plenty of power for demanding tasks like photo retouching (Image credit: Henry T. Casey/Tom’s Guide)
We have tested the iPad Air 4, however, and we can say definitively that its A14 Bionic chip gives it enough power to speed through most day-to-day tasks. On the back of the new iPad you’ll find a less impressive 8MP Wide camera, which is still good in a pinch if you want to use your tablet as an impromptu point-and-shoot. This is pretty standard for Apple, and while we can’t say for sure which tablet offers better battery life until we get a new iPad 9 in for testing, we can say that iPads are one of the rare devices which actually seem to meet or exceed the manufacturer’s battery life claims under simulated real-world conditions. Notably, when we set the iPad Air 4 up to continuously browse the web via Wi-Fi with its display set to 150 nits of brightness, the tablet lasted 10 hours and 29 minutes before powering off, beating Apple’s advertised 10-hour battery life. The iPad Air 4 supports the 2nd gen Apple Pencil, which is an excellent (if pricey) stylus (Image credit: Henry T. Casey/Tom’s Guide) And the new iPad 9 even excels in a few specific situations, most notably if you care about using wired headphones or expect to spend a lot of time on video calls and can take advantage of the iPad 9’s much-improved 12MP Ultra Wide front-facing camera with Center Stage support.
Apple iPad (2021) vs Apple iPad Air (2020): What is the difference?
has Mail Privacy Protection ✔ Apple iPad (2021) ( iOS 15 ✖ Apple iPad Air (2020) Mail Privacy Protection is a feature built into the default email app that blocks senders from using “tracking pixels” to see when you’ve read an email. Competing services upload the photos and perform this on their servers, which requires the sharing of personal data.
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