With Memorial Day sales in full swing, there are some deep discounts going on for anyone looking for an Apple tablet. The devices are always in huge demand so the Memorial Day iPad sales are truly reflecting that, being highly competitive. Apple offers a tablet for pretty much every price range and need so there’s sure to be an iPad below that will suit your needs. Alternatively, you may want to check out the Apple Memorial Day sale to find something else fruit-flavored, Whatever your plan, read on below for the best iPad deals and don’t be afraid to hit that buy button fast. The deals won’t stick around for long.
Apple iPad (2021) — $309, was $329
Why Buy
- The best iPad for most people
- Solid hardware for the price
- Excellent front camera
- 64GB of onboard storage standard
The new ninth-gen 10.2-inch iPad was rolled out last year, and Apple didn’t reinvent the wheel with the most recent iteration of its classic tablet. That’s fine by us: The standard iPad has been our most recommended tablet for years now, and that hasn’t changed with its latest update — even if most of the improvements over the eighth-gen model aren’t visible to the naked eye. For starters, the 2021 iPad 10.2 replaces the A12 Bionic chip with the A13 Bionic CPU, the same one found in the iPhone 11 series. Base storage has also been doubled: You now get 64GB standard, rather than 32GB as you did with the eighth-gen iPad.
Another worthy improvement is the front camera. Whereas the 2020 iPad had a rather mediocre 1.2 megapixel front camera, the new model features a much better 12MP front sensor. That’s a welcome addition for active FaceTimers, selfie-takers, and others who frequently rely on that front-facing webcam. It also features an ultrawide lens and improved face-tracking technology. Those upgrades alone might not be enough to buy the new iPad if you already have the 2020 model, but if you’re buying your first iPad, the ninth-gen model is the one to get.
The iPadOS software is also a dream to use, and it performs beautifully. The 10.2-inch iPad may not rock Apple’s new M1 chipset, but its internal hardware is more than capable, and the software is smooth and intuitive as you’d expect from Apple. You could, in theory, even use this as a lightweight 2-in-1 if you pair it with a keyboard, but the iPad Air and iPad Pro are much better for that — see the other Memorial Day iPad deals for those. That said, the 2021 iPad is a fantastic buy, and if a solid Apple tablet is all you need, look no further.
Apple iPad Mini (2021) — $409, was $499
Why Buy
- Compact design
- Powerful performance
- Loud speakers
- USB-C charging
The Apple iPad Mini is a little powerhouse, basically. While it might lack the M1 chip you see in pricier iPads, it more than pulls its weight when it comes to processing power. That’s thanks to its A15 Bionic chip with Neural Engine. Combined with iPadOS, it means that the iPad works pretty speedily at all times. Whether you’re looking to work hard on the move (or on the couch) or you simply want a form of gaming tablet, the Apple iPad Mini is able to do it all. Its 8.3-inch screen is a Liquid Retina display that has True Tone and wide color support so it’s easily able to convey great colors and work in any lighting situation.
Alongside all that, the Apple iPad Mini also has some fairly convenient cameras for a tablet. It has a 12MP Wide back camera for occasional photos you may wish to take. It also has a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera that is great for taking video calls. That’s further helped by its Center Stage support. Center Stage is a relatively new addition to the Apple arsenal and it means that you’re always central to the shot when taking a video call. Even if you move around, it keeps an eye on your tracking so the call looks far more professional than you walking away.
The Apple iPad Mini also has other useful features like landscape stereo speakers that are impressively loud for their size. They’re perfect for streaming content without missing out on any audio. Also, there’s up to 10 hours of battery life with the Apple iPad Mini recharging via USB-C which is pretty convenient. If you feel like getting more creative, you can always use an Apple Pencil (2nd generation) too which is great for sketching out designs or writing up notes in a more tactile form. The Apple iPad Mini is a delightful all-rounder that offers more power than its size suggests.
Apple iPad Air (M1, 2022) — $569, was $599
Why Buy
- Powerful Apple M1 CPU
- Sleek and lightweight
- Vibrant and colorful Liquid Retina display
- Great software performance
Apple gave its iPad Air a facelift in 2020 with the fourth-generation release, but as this model dropped right on the cusp of the rollout of the new M1 CPUs, it didn’t feature Apple’s powerhouse chips — the iPad Pro line would be the first to receive those with their 2021 update. This year, though, Apple brought the M1 chip to the iPad Air 5, delivering a welcome performance boost that tightened the gap between the Air and Pro tablets. The iPad Air 5 can’t replace a MacBook Air, but it comes close.
That’s not to say that you can’t use the iPad Air as a lightweight 2-in-1 laptop — pair it with a keyboard case and you absolutely can. The fifth-gen model now sports a 10.9-inch display (a slight size upgrade over the iPad Air 4), putting it at about the same size as the 11-inch iPad Pro. Its M1 CPU and 8GB of RAM are more than capable of running apps smoothly and allowing you to comfortably multitask; the only real limitation of the iPad Air 5 is its onboard storage. It comes standard with 64GB, the same amount you get with the regular 10.2-inch iPad. That’s not a massive drawback, but your only other option is 256GB, and storage upgrades on Apple products aren’t cheap.
If you can work around that, though, then the iPad Air 5 is a great buy. Its M1 CPU is a powerhouse, its 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display is vibrant and colorful, and it sports a similar 12MP front camera to the new 10.2-inch iPad (complete with ultrawide capabilities and the new Center Stage face-tracking technology that works great). If you want something more capable than the standard iPad but not as expensive as the iPad Pro line, then the iPad Air 5 is the perfect mid-range pick that has finally come into its own with the addition of the M1 processor.
Apple iPad Pro (11-inch, 2021) — $749, was $799
Why Buy
- Excellent value for Apple’s high-end tablet
- Superb performance
- Serves handily as a laptop
- 128GB of onboard storage
If you’re at all familiar with Apple’s range of tablets then you’re already aware that the iPad Pro models represent the cream of the crop. That means, of course, that they’re also the most expensive, so deals are always welcome. This 11-inch iPad Pro is still a solid value for the money, though, especially if you’re looking for an Apple tablet that’s powerful enough to be used comfortably as a 2-in-1. Pair it with something like the Apple Magic Keyboard or Smart Keyboard Folio and you’ve got a highly capable laptop/tablet hybrid.
That power comes from the iPad Pro’s M1 CPU, an upgrade that these premium Apple tablets received with this 2021 model. That chipset, combined with standard 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, gives the fifth-gen iPad Pro MacBook-like performance for work and play. The 11-inch edge-to-edge display and overall design look great, too, even if this model lacks the mini-LED screen of its larger 12.9-inch sibling. Check out our breakdown of the differences between the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the 11-inch iPad Pro if you want a more detailed comparison, but the long and short of it is that aside from their displays, the two are all but identical.
Although another notable difference is the price. The 11-inch iPad Pro is considerably less expensive, retailing for $300 less than the larger model If you don’t need the extra 2 inches of screen that the 12.9-inch Pro gives you, then this one is definitely a better buy: It’s gorgeous, it’s powerful, it’s efficient, it’s capable of serving as a laptop, and with Memorial Day iPad deals, it’s not as pricey as you might have expected. These factors combine to make the 11-inch iPad Pro the best iPad to buy in 2022 if you’ve got the budget for it.
