With more options than ever, it might seem complicated to commit to a tablet before you make the investment. But we can tell you with complete confidence that no matter which iPad you choose, it’ll be the best tablet in its respective category. You can expect elegant design, excellent craftsmanship, a high-quality Retina display, and effortless performance from every product in this list — all of which make the iPad price tag worth pressing the ‘buy’ button every single time.
During its recent “Peek Performance” keynote event, Apple unveiled a refreshed iPad Air and an updated entry-level iPhone SE. Both gadgets are available to order, with the iPad Air starting at $599 and the iPhone SE rocking a $429 sticker.
Today's iPad Lineup
- Best for Most Consumers — Apple iPad Air (5th Generation)
- Best Budget — Apple iPad (9th Generation)
- Most Powerful and Feature-Packed — Apple iPad Pro (5th Generation)
- Most Compact — Apple iPad mini (6th generation)
The new iPad Air is the latest to get a FaceTime camera with Center Stage, meaning that every Apple iPad now offers this feature. With the help of machine-learning tech, Center Stage can keep you in the center of the frame (hence the name) even if you move around. It's great for video calls and virtual work meetings.
Apple's selection of tablet-friendly apps and games is the best in the industry. They range from apps for streaming your favorite content to immersive augmented reality offerings. In this instance, tablet rivals that use Android, Chrome OS, and Windows 10 are so far behind that there’s no point in comparing them.
You'll get Apple's iPadOS, too with the new iPad, too. The platform is based on Apple iOS, but it's packed with unique features that take advantage of the tablet's big screen. It has baked-in support for a mouse and a trackpad, making the iPad an even more exciting laptop alternative. Best of all, the platform comes with many years' worth of timely updates, ensuring that you'll always get the best iPad experience.
Every iPad is backed by an industry-leading selection of original and third-party accessories. This is another major reason to choose Apple's products over the product category's rivals.
What to Consider
The most important thing you need to know when shopping for an iPad is that the more you spend on one, the better its performance and available features will be. Opting for a pricier model will inevitably get you a higher-quality display panel and a better camera setup, to name a couple of features.
Storage is also essential, so we always suggest skipping the entry-level variant of every iPad iteration for one with more memory. It probably won’t take long before you find the additional expense to be well worth it.
Save for the entry-level option, every iPad offers optional 5G connectivity for $130 extra. By delivering fast network speeds, the functionality makes the slate a great tool for staying connected and productive while commuting, or in places without access to a Wi-Fi network. We highly recommend this option if you plan to use your iPad on the go frequently.
Here's a breakdown of what each iPad offers, so you can pick the best one to suit your needs.
Best for Most Consumers
Key Specs
• Apple M1 chip with a Neural Engine
• 10.9-inch Retina display with True Tone technology
• Up to 256GB of available storage
• 12MP camera with 4K video recording
• Built-in stereo speakers
• Compatible with Magic Keyboard and second-generation Apple Pencil
The latest iPad Air is the best for most buyers, offering iPad Pro-like design and performance at a more agreeable price. With the same Apple M1 chip as the iPad Pro, the MacBook Air, and the 13-inch MacBook Pro, the new iPad Air is the fastest, most powerful product in its price range and beyond. While testing it, I discovered that there is no work- or entertainment-related task that it isn’t up for.
I also like the large and vibrant Retina display of the iPad Air. It has thin bezels, as well as True Tone tech. This handy feature reduces eye strain by automatically adjusting the white balance and color temperature, depending on your lighting conditions.
The fifth-generation iPad Air has a recycled aluminum housing available in five colors (blue, pink, purple, space gray, starlight). Its Touch ID fingerprint sensor is conveniently integrated into the power button, just like in the outgoing model.
Compared to the pricier iPad Pro, the new iPad Air lacks a ProMotion Retina display with a high refresh rate, a dual rear camera, and Face ID. The Pro also has more built-in storage in the entry-level guise (128 versus 64GB). But unless you plan to utilize the Pro's hardware features regularly, there's probably no need to spend an extra $200 to get one.
Best Budget
Key Specs
• Apple A13 Bionic chip with a Neural Engine
• 10.2-inch Retina display
• Up to 256GB of available storage
• 12MP ultra-wide front camera with Center Stage, 8MP rear-facing camera
• Built-in bottom/side-facing stereo speakers, Lightning connector
• Compatible with first-generation Apple Pencil
Apple's refreshed entry-level iPad has the same timelessly cool design and screen size as its predecessor, but a beefier A13 Bionic chip with a Neural Engine, an upgraded display panel, more storage, and a next-level front camera — all while retaining the same fantastic price point. The chip upgrade brings significant power and performance bumps, making the slate even better at multitasking, productivity, creative work, gaming, and augmented reality experiences, among many others.
The iPad's 10.2-inch Retina display has been updated to support True Tone tech, so it’ll adjust its colors based on the ambient lighting to deliver a top-tier viewing experience. Compared to the Retina displays of pricier iPad models, the panel cannot cover the P3 gamut, so it won't have the same color range.
Equipped with the Apple Smart Keyboard, the new iPad is also an excellent tool for cranking out work. For an even more laptop-like experience, consider this Logitech keyboard cover with a built-in trackpad instead.
Overall, the iPad will deliver a phenomenal tablet experience that’s the best in its price range and well beyond. You can order it in silver or space gray.
Most Powerful and Feature-Packed
Key Specs
• Apple M1 chip with a Neural Engine
• 11- or 12.9-inch Liquid Retina display with ProMotion and True Tone technology
• Up to 2TB of available storage
• Dual camera (12MP and 10MP), built-in LiDAR scanner, 12MP Face ID camera
• Thunderbolt-4 USB-C connector
• Four built-in stereo speakers, five built-in microphones
• Compatible with second-generation Apple Pencil, Magic Keyboard
The iPad Pro with the M1 chip is Apple’s most powerful and feature-packed iPad yet. Compared to the new iPad Air with the same chip, the Pro has a Thunderbolt-compatible USB-C connector, more storage options, Face ID, and a dual rear camera. The slate is more capable than many desktop and laptop computers in terms of hardware and graphics performance.
You can order the iPad Pro with an 11- or a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina display that’s nothing short of spectacular — and a joy to use. The screen has ProMotion tech with a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz for more fluid onscreen interactions with apps and games.
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro has an even more captivating Liquid Retina XDR display similar to Apple's Pro Display XDR monitor. The screen is a marvel to behold and the best I’ve seen on an Apple iPad yet. Its panel has more than 10,000 mini-LED lights and a peak brightness of 1,600 nits, which combine to deliver a detail-rich viewing experience with vibrant colors and deep contrast levels.
The new iPad Pro has a dual camera with a LiDar scanner, just like the outgoing model. The latter allows the slate to accurately and instantly measure the distance between objects and deliver even more immersive augmented reality experiences. The device also has five built-in microphones for a pro-grade audio experience.
The slate is compatible with an updated Magic Keyboard that's available in black or white. You can also use the second-generation Apple Pencil and a more reasonably priced Smart Keyboard Cover with your new Pro.
Overall, the new iPad Pro is the best tablet money can buy — by an insurmountable margin.
Most Compact
Key Specs
• Apple A15 Bionic chip with a Neural Engine
• 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone technology
• Up to 256GB of available storage
• Built-in stereo speakers
• Compatible with second-generation Apple Pencil
More than two years after launching the previous iteration, Apple completely revamped the beloved iPad mini with an iPad Air-like design, a bigger display, and a Touch ID sensor that’s integrated into its power button. The slate packs the same Apple A15 Bionic chip as the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, an upgraded camera setup with Center Stage tech and 4K video recording, optional 5G network connectivity, and a USB-C connector.
The iPad mini has an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone technology and compatibility with the P3 color gamut. It’s bigger and more vibrant than the 7.9-inch panel of the outgoing model, as well as compatible with the second-generation Apple Pencil. The optional accessory can snap onto the right side of the slate for charging and storage.
Combined with the fast chip, the bigger screen will help you work or stay entertained with equally impressive results. Being a small tablet, the iPad mini does not have a built-in Smart Connector for attaching a keyboard cover, so you can pair the slate with a Bluetooth keyboard instead.
When it comes to sheer portability, the iPad mini is truly in a league of its own. The most compact iPad is also hands-down the best small tablet worth your attention today. It’s available in a quartet of eye-catching colors: space gray, starlight, pink, and purple.
