Since the debut of the original iPad in 2010, Apple’s tablets have led the way in terms of creating a portable device that can stream media, play games, browse the web, edit audio, pictures and video and even double up as a laptop. The iPad has managed to become one of the most popular tablets, despite the high price, and although the tech giant rarely takes part in sales, savvy shoppers can often pick up the iPad with a 5-10 per cent discount at select retailers. If you’re a student or teacher, Apple recently relaunched its Apple’s education pricing, which could save you a substantial amount of money and you may just get a free pair of AirPods thrown in. The cheapest iPad you’ll find is the 10.2in model, which launched in 2021 and is still sold by Apple.
The ninth-generation iPad is still a fast and powerful tablet with a great screen and full-sounding stereo speakers. It works with the Apple pencil and the smart keyboard too, unlocking extra functionality for anyone who wants to stay productive while on the move. The starlight colourway of the fifth-generation iPad Air is currently reduced by £40 at Amazon. Launched last year, this model offers up to nine hours of battery life, touch ID for easier authentication – which is built into the button on the top of the device – a 12MP wide rear camera and 12MP ultra-wide front camera.
It includes features common to the bigger tablet, such as a flat-edge design, compatibility with the second-generation Apple pencil (which snaps onto the side magnetically) and an all-screen front. “It has the best unlock setup of any iPad – a sophisticated and convenient touch ID button,” our writer said in their review. In terms of a slick, capable tablet you can take anywhere, the iPad mini has the lot.” A small amount, yes, but considering it’s the newest model, the saving is pretty good.
“The large iPad Pro is especially brilliant (literally, thanks to the mini LED backlighting that brightens everything) and has a super-fast processor that handles everything you throw at it with ease,” our writer said in their review. The 2021 model of the top-of-the-range iPad pro is a fiercely powerful device, with Apple’s blazing-fast M1 chip thrumming away behind its luscious, 12.9in, edge-to-edge retina display.
Featuring a 10-hour run-time, 8GB RAM, ultra-wide cameras and blisteringly fast speed, the 128GB space grey version currently has £140 off at Laptops Direct. If you’re on a tighter budget, it’s definitely worth considering buying a refurbished iPad from Apple directly or from a third-party reseller, such as Amazon or MusicMagpie.
All refurbished products on Apple’s website are given a new battery and outer shell, contain all the same manuals and accessories and come in a new white box, plus you get one year’s warranty – the same as if you had bought a brand-new iPad. They’re inspected for damage, fully tested to ensure all of the functions are working, and missing or broken parts are replaced, the item is fully cleaned, and only then will it be sold – at a discount.
If your iPad breaks within a year, Amazon will either replace it or give you a refund. MusicMagpie says every iPad or tablet sold on its website store goes through an extensive in-house refurbishment process, performing more than 90 tests before they’re resold.
You’re covered for 12 months if you find a technical defect, and if you’re not happy, you’ve got a 14-day money-back guarantee. “Pristine” products will be in an excellent condition cosmetically, “very good” devices will have some small signs of use, and “good” devices will have moderate signs of wear and tear.
Used iPad Buyers Guide: How To Buy A Cheap iPad
You may still be able to install some apps on an older device like this, but don’t be surprised if some are a no-bueno ☹ No matter which iPad you are opting for, we have cheap deals for you, even when it’s not Black Friday!
Apple iPad vs iPad Air: What’s the difference?
Though the price has fluctuated and grown in line with inflation, the 10th-gen iPad will generally set you back around £499/$449. Though it got a little flatter and bigger in recent years, it’s still quite reminiscent of the original iPad with thick bezels and a now-ageing Home button.
It’s also more limited in terms of accessory support, lacking the smart connectors present on most other recent models of iPad.
It ditches the Home button completely to expand screen space with much smaller bezels than the entry-level tablet, sports smart connector support for advanced accessory use and, as the name suggests, it’s pretty damn lightweight too. That said, the processing power of the iPad Air is usually equal to – or greater than – what’s available on the equivalent flagship iPhone of the time. That means that the iPad Air 4 shared the same A14 Bionic chipset as the iPhone 12, both of which appeared in September 2020.
That’s a significantly more powerful chip compared to the A14 Bionic inside the vanilla iPad, with our benchmarks (see above) proving so. Rather than supporting the older first-gen Apple Pencil and basic folio keyboard, recent models of iPad Air boast support for the same pro-level second-gen Apple Pencil and premium Magic Keyboard, making them a tempting option for those that want a tablet for both work and play without forking out for an iPad Pro. But you’ll likely only notice that performance difference if you engage in heavy duty tasks such as video editing – the iPad 10 is perfectly fast enough for day-to-day jobs.
Elsewhere the iPad Air boasts an advantage with the addition of a fully laminated display, support for the 2nd Generation Apple Pencil, and a marginally slender design.
If you think those features are worth paying the extra cash for, then the iPad Air is your go-to tablet.
iPad: Should You Buy? Feature List, Reviews, and Advice
Apple introduced the 10th-generation iPad in October 2022, featuring a large number of improvements and upgrades over the previous-generation model, including the addition of the A14 Bionic chip, a new USB-C port, a larger 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, a higher-quality 12-megapixel rear camera, and more, all in a new design and a range of bright color options. The 10th-generation iPad also comes alongside the all-new Magic Keyboard Folio, which offers full-size keys with 1 mm of travel, a multi-touch trackpad, a function row, a two-piece design, and a kickstand back cover.
Sale : Apple iPad : Target
This portable tablet can do everything your Mac does while keeping up with your on-the-go routine, thanks to its brilliant performance and quality bionic chips. With the built-in front and back cameras, the iPad lets you shoot amazing photos and videos, scan documents and FaceTime your friends. Use the iPad as a notebook with an Apple Pencil, a great accessory for note-taking, drawing and more.
Here are the best iPad deals right now
While the best iPad deals usually come around during major sale events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Amazon’s various Prime Days, you can still find plenty of great discounts throughout the year if you know where to look. Announced alongside the iPhone 13, the 2021 iPad is Apple’s aging entry-level tablet that still makes a fine device for doing the basics today. The ninth-gen model starts at $329 with 64GB of storage, though, the base configuration with Wi-Fi is available at Best Buy, Target, and Walmart right now for around $249 ($80 off), which is just $20 shy of its lowest price to date. It has forfeited its 3.5mm headphone jack and dedicated home button in the process, but overall, it’s a solid device that brings a fully refreshed design to Apple’s small tablet form factor.
The Air is our top iPad recommendation for most people thanks to its speedy M1 processor, modern design, and midrange price — with this current deal on the base model matching its all-time low. The new Pros still come in 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes, with the better-looking Mini LED panel once again reserved for the larger model, though both now pack Apple’s newer M2 CPU for even better processing power.
The striking resemblance to the prior generation aside, there are a few reasons to opt for a Pro over something like an Air, such as Face ID unlocking and additional base storage. Aside from that, as well as a nifty new hover feature that shows where your second-gen Apple Pencil’s tip will land before you touch the screen, they’re very similar to the older models from 2021.
If you prefer the larger 12.9-inch model with its lovely Mini LED display, B&H Photo and Best Buy are selling the M2 tablet for $1,049 (a meager $50 off).
Compare Tablet Models, Prices, Specs
Credit approval, deposit, qualifying service, and, in stores & on customer service calls, $35 assisted support, upgrade support or device connection charge due at sale. Must remain on qualifying service in good standing for duration of EIP agreement.
Best iPad deals for January 2024
Just remember, iPads are always in high demand, so as a result they tend to sell out fast. That means the base 10.9-inch iPad can be in stock in the morning and sold out by the afternoon. 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.
It packs an 11-inch 2388 x 1668 Liquid Retina display with ProMotion (120Hz), Apple Pencil 2/Magic Keyboard/Smart Keyboard Folio support, and works with Apple Pencil hover, which lets you see a preview of your mark before you make it. 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.
iPads + Tablets from Apple, Samsung, Windows and more
Whether you need to get some assignments done on the go, watch movies during a flight, or enjoy some portable app gaming, Walmart offers a variety of iPads and tablet PCs at everyday low prices to suit your needs. It features a powerful Apple A12Z Bionic chip with 64-bit desktop-class architecture for super-fast movement in and out of your favorite apps. Four speakers drive the internal audio, and the iPad Pro features advanced iSight and FaceTime HD cameras for easy, clear chatting.
The standard iPad is both powerful and portable with a beautiful 10.2-inch retina display in a thin, durable, aluminum design that weighs only a pound.
This iPad puts incredible capabilities in your hands with a powerful A12 chip plus an 8-megapixel camera, FaceTime HD camera, Touch ID, Apple Pay, Wi-Fi, all-day battery life and over a million apps on the App Store. An A12 Bionic chip provides fast processing along with second-generation 64-bit desktop-class architecture that can handle even your most demanding apps. The mini also connects to fast Wi-Fi and cellular networks, so you can download content, browse the web and share documents from virtually anywhere. It also offers a USB 3.0 port, headset jack, additional memory via a microSD card reader, stereo speakers with Dolby audio, and more.
Shop Certified Refurbished iPads
The powerful processors and long battery life let you play your favorite games or record notes in a lecture with ease. We hate to see perfectly great iPads end up in landfills before their usable life is over, so we connect buyers with pre-owned devices they can rely on. Our team refurbishes tablets that still have several years of life left in them to provide sustainable, affordable iPads to Apple lovers everywhere. Refurbishing secondhand iPads allows our gadget-loving customers to affordably enjoy the features and benefits of Apple’s tablet technology.
We make it easy to find the perfect pre-owned iPad within your budget by offering multiple generations, screen sizes, storage capacities and cosmetic conditions.
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