Which iPad is best for you? There is a lot of choice and it can be confusing. There are four different varieties of iPad, listed below, and each is available with or without cellular (including 5G on certain models), which costs extra. That’s before we get into storage capacity, colours and second-hand alternatives.
Our in-depth buying guide assesses the whole range of iPads sold by Apple and explores all the factors that should influence your iPad buying decision such as value for money, how much storage you need and whether or not to buy a cellular version. We also reveal whether an updated version of each device is likely to be launched soon – answering the question of whether now is a good time to buy an iPad.
EVERY iPAD APPLE SELLS
Apple’s iPad line-up is perhaps one of the most expansive product line-ups presented by the company.
There’s the iPad, which represents Apple’s cheapest iPad option. The cheapest iPad is actually the 9th generation model that launched in 2021 and offers a 9.2in screen. This is the only iPad to offer a Home button. A 10th generation iPad launched in October 2022 features, among other things, a larger 10.9in screen.
Next up is the iPad mini. This is Apple’s smallest model – it has a 8.3in display. It might be small but it is actually more powerful than the standard iPad thanks to it’s A15 processor, which is a generation newer than the A14 in the 10th gen iPad.
The iPad Air has a 10.9in display, like the 2022 iPad, but it’s smaller, thinner and lighter than that device. It’s also got an M1 processor, making it a more powerful option than the mini.
The iPad Pro comes in two sizes and a variety of capacities all the way up to a massive 2TB. While both models have an M2 processor, the 11in iPad Pro is a very different proposition to the 12.9in iPad Pro, the latter has a superior Liquid Retina XDR display, which can support 1,000 nits max full screen, 1,600 nits peak brightness. Both screens offer ProMotion technology, which means the refresh rate can be really high, so that users experience smooth scrolling and better gaming performance.
iPad (9th gen)
• 10.2in (2,160x1,640; 265ppi) Retina IPS LCD display
• Touch ID on the Power button
• Apple A13 Bionic (7nm+) processor
• Rear-facing camera: 8Mp, f/2.4, 31mm (standard), 1.12µm, AF
• Selfie camera: 12Mp, f/2.4, 122-degree (ultrawide)
• Supports Apple Pencil 1
• 250.6x174.1x7.5mm
• 487g (Wi-Fi)/498g (LTE)
iPad (10th gen)
• 10.9in (2,360x1,640; 264ppi) Liquid Retina IPS LCD display
• Touch ID on the Power button
• Apple A14 Bionic (5nm) processor
• Rear-facing camera: 12Mp, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF
• Selfie camera: 12Mp, f/2.4, 122-degree (ultrawide)
• Supports Apple Pencil 1
• 248.6x179.5x7mm
• 477g (Wi-Fi)/481g (LTE)
iPad mini (6th gen)
• 8.3in (2,266x1,488; 327ppi) Liquid Retina IPS LCD display
• Fingerprint sensor (side-mounted)
• Apple A15 Bionic (5nm) processor
• Rear-facing camera: 12Mp, f/1.8, (wide), AF
• Selfie camera: 12Mp, f/2.4, 122-degree (ultrawide)
• Supports Apple Pencil 2
• 195.4x134.8x6.3mm
• 487g (Wi-Fi)/498g (LTE)
iPad Air (5th gen)
• 10.9in (2,360x1,640; 264ppi) Liquid Retina IPS LCD display• Fingerprint sensor (top-mounted)• Apple M1• Rear-facing camera: 12Mp, f/1.8, (wide), 1/3in, 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF• Selfie camera: 12Mp, f/2.4, 122-degree (ultrawide)• Supports Apple Pencil 2• 247.6x178.5x6.1mm• 461g (Wi-Fi)/462g (LTE)
