A few months later, the company introduced the sixth-generation iPad Pro, which stands as the most powerful and responsive tablet in Apple’s current lineup. On top of that, the iPad Pro includes Apple’s ProMotion high-refresh-rate display for a silky smooth experience when navigating and working on the tablet.
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.
Is 64GB Enough For iPad? Which Storage Capacity You Should Get?
In the world of tablet computers, the iPad has been the best option for quite a long time. With its large screen size, unbeatable hardware, top-notch software, and a huge list of apps, the iPad is the go-to device for many people who are looking for a tablet.
While the rest of the hardware remains the same in a model, the only thing that determines the price is its storage.
The first thing to remember is that the operating system (iPadOS) occupies a part of the storage on the iPad.
The cameras in iPads can take beautiful photos and record high-quality 4K videos. While most of the media content nowadays is online or streaming-based, if we want to download some music, movies, or TV Shows for offline viewing, then they occupy a lot of storage.
For example, if you download a Full HD movie from any popular streaming service (Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Prime Video, Hulu, etc.) Coming to the iPad Pro, the smallest possible storage option bumps up to 128GB.
We will try to answer this with respect to the typical application or use-case scenario of the iPad and also the price.
As we mentioned in the previous section, TV Shows, Movies, and Music are all now available as “Streaming” content. Your iPad needs to have a stable and reliable internet connection to watch streaming content. The large screen of the iPad (larger than an iPhone but smaller than a MacBook) is suitable for watching movies and TV Shows.
Coming to storage, if your main choice of media consumption is only online streaming with very less offline downloads, then a 64GB iPad is enough. But if offline downloads are your main requirement, then you will quickly run out of storage if you choose the 64GB variant.
If you take a lot of photos with your iPad and even record Full HD or 4K Videos, then you know that a 64GB Storage model is not the one for you. The high-end hardware on the iPad allows users to install all kinds of design applications such as Photoshop, Illustrator, or other similar ones.
They don’t use smartphones to take snaps but shoot on high-end DSLRs or Mirrorless Cameras. With its powerful processor and large screen size, the iPad Pro is ideal for professionals such as developers, photographers, and people who use advanced tools (Photoshop, etc. As the base storage of the iPad Pro starts at 128GB, this is suitable for developers, gamers, etc. But for professional photographers, designers (graphic, image), or those who edit videos, larger storage such as 512GB or 1TB is the minimum requirement.
At the time of writing this guide, the price of all the latest versions of different iPad models is as shown in the following table.
Be it for browsing, consuming media, or even for professional applications such as arts and photography, the iPad can do it all. Finally, we answered the popular question “Is 64GB enough for iPad?” with performance and price as the key factors.
Apple iPad
The iPad is a line of tablet based computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc. that use Apple’s iOS and iPadOS mobile operating system. Apple maintains a list of Supported iPad models on its website.
Best iPad deals for January 2024
Just remember, iPads are always in high demand, so as a result they tend to sell out fast. As a result, we’re recommending you snatch up any iPad deals you see right now before models run out of stock.
The tablet features a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display (2360 x 1640), 12MP wide (rear) camera, USB-C charging, and Magic Keyboard support.
In our iPad Pro 2022 review we called it an all-around great tablet that delivers solid performance, a handy new Apple Pencil Hover feature, and excellent video quality.
If you’re an artist, using an iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil can be just as effective as a high-end graphics tablet for a much lower price. The matte finish, weighted feel and wireless charging also make it a great upgrade over the 1st Generation Apple Pencil.
It’s got an outstanding feature set, with a built-in keyboard and trackpad and dedicated shortcut buttons. Through the year, I’ve learned to spot a good iPad deal from an ordinary sale.
Generally speaking, Amazon and Best Buy are my go-to retailers for iPad deals. No other retailer comes close to offering the prices you’ll find at Amazon and Best Buy. So if you see one iPad on sale at Best Buy, chances are high Amazon is also offering that price (or will in the very near future). One of my favorite ways to save money on your next iPad purchase is to trade-in your old model.
Note: iPad deals on new models can usually be found within a month of the tablet’s release, sometimes faster. Check out our iPad 2021 review to see our full thoughts on Apple’s budget tablet. But don’t let its size fool you — the iPad mini is one powerful tablet. The 2021 iPad mini features an all new thin-bezel design, a larger 8.3.inch Liquid Retina display, A15 Bionic CPU, 12MP wide camera, and USB-C connectivity.
It packs Apple’s powerful M1 chip, a 12MP front camera with Center Stage, and 5G connectivity (optional). 11-inch iPad Pro ($749): This tablet packs an 11-inch 2388 x 1668 Liquid Retina display with ProMotion (120Hz).
Note: This tablet doesn’t feature mini-LED technology found on the larger iPad Pro 12.9-inch. Other retailers like Best Buy, B&H Photo, and Walmart tend to offer similar prices. So when looking for iPad deals at Amazon, it’s worth checking various colors for the lowest price. So it’s always worth checking older iPad models (when available) to save some extra cash.
Deals: Apple’s iPad Pro Reaches Up to $449 Off in Amazon’s Latest Sales
Amazon is marking down a wide variety of 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models this week, with prices starting as low as $749.00 for the 11-inch tablet. Highlights in this sale include the tablets with higher storage that are seeing new all-time low prices, like the 2TB Cellular 12.9-inch iPad Pro for $1,949.99 ($449 off). For a few of these tablets, shoppers should note that there are delayed shipping estimates and dwindling stock, so be sure to check out the deals soon if you’re interested.
Prime Day may be over, but there are still some incredible Apple Deals: Here’s some of the best
Amazon has rolled up the banners, put away the signs and stored them all ready for next year. In fact, there are still some brilliant deals to be had on loads of Apple devices. It seems, in fact, that some of the lowest prices we saw over Prime Day are sticking around for a little while, so you can still save bit on Apple devices.
It’s still not a bad reduction, and one that makes the watch more affordable than it would be at full price.
Apple Watch Ultra | $799 $779 at Amazon We’re seeing a slight discount of $20 on the Yellow Ocean Band Apple Watch Ultra, with all other prices holding fast at $799. If you waited to see if it would get cheaper, you’re not in luck – but this deal remains a good price.
iPad 10th gen | $449 $399 at Amazon Prime Day brought with it the lowest-ever price, and while not quite as low as that, this $50 saving is still a nice reduction. MacBook Air M1 | $999 $749 at Amazon What could arguably called the deal of Prime Day, this $250 saving is still around even though the big sale is over.
This is the lowest price the MacBook Air M1 has ever been, and in some ways is even the deal of the year.
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