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Apple has really bloated its iPad lineup in recent years. Making it tougher than ever to find the right iPad for you. But on the flip side, there’s an iPad at almost every price point now. So if you’re on a budget, there’s still a few options available for you.
These days, every iPad has been redesigned, and they also all sport USB-C. So the differences here mostly come down to the processor, slight changes in screen size, ProMotion or 120Hz, and that’s about it. For instance, the Pro iPads are able to do more because they have Mac-power chipsets inside, compared to the iPad Mini or regular iPad.
With that being said, let’s go over the best iPad you can buy in 2023.
Best iPad for most people
iPad Air (5th Gen)
- Price: $599
- Where to buy: Best Buy
For the majority of people out there, the iPad Air is going to be the best iPad to buy. This model offers a lot of the features of the Pro, without the Pro price, and it’s also a bit lighter than the Pro. Making it easier to hold for hours on end. The only real downside to the Air is that it does start out at 64GB of storage. Though that is the same across all the iPads, except for the iPad Pro.
In the iPad Air, you’re getting an M1 chipset, so it’s pretty powerful and will continue to be for years to come. It comes in a variety of colors and also has a pretty good 12MP camera on the front for using with Facetime, Zoom and other apps.
Like the other iPads, except for the Pro’s, the Air does use Touch ID in the power button for authentication. So there’s no Face ID available here. The iPad Air does also work with the second-generation Apple Pencil.
Best Cheap iPad
iPad (10th Gen)
- Price: $449
- Where to buy: Target
The iPad tenth generation is the best, cheap iPad that you can buy today. It is the cheapest, new iPad available. It’s not the best iPad, as it does have some interesting quirks, like the fact that it has a USB-C port, and still supports the original Apple Pencil which charges via Lightning. So you need a couple of dongles to use the Apple Pencil with this iPad.
At launch, there was a lot of anger for this iPad, because it got the much needed redesign, but it also jumped in price from $329 to $449. Really only making it $50 less than the iPad Air when it’s on sale, which is quite often now. And honestly, unless you get this iPad at a deep discount, you should spend the extra $50 on the iPad Air.
iPad (10th Generation) - Target
Best iPad for a laptop replacement
iPad Pro 12.9
- Price: $1,049
- Where to buy: Amazon
The iPad Pro 12.9 is the best of the best, in terms of iPads. And given its starting price, it should be. This is the 2022 model, which does have the upgraded M2 chipset – the same as the MacBook Air. Which gives it access to some features like Stage Manager. Apple also equipped it with WiFi 6E, giving you super fast WiFi speeds.
There’s two iPad Pro models, but the reason why we chose the 12.9-inch model is the display. Not only is it larger, but it is also a mini LED display, a lot like the new MacBook Pros with the M1 Pro and M1 Max chipset inside. It’s a stunning display, and it is definitely worth this price.
With Stage Manager and this 12.9-inch display, it gives you plenty of room for using multiple apps at the same time. But the size does make it a bit tougher to hold onto because it is about a pound and a half. But the iPad Pro can be a laptop replacement thanks to the Magic Keyboard. Which is a keyboard case that you can pick up and use for the iPad and basically have a full keyboard and trackpad for your iPad. I’ve used it on my iPad Air and absolutely love it.
Best iPad for reading and travel
iPad Mini (6th Generation)
- Price: $499
- Where to buy: Amazon
When it comes to traveling, or reading while you’re traveling, you’ll want a small and lightweight iPad. That’s the iPad Mini. It’s one of the older iPads on this list actually, but it’s still a pretty good option. Because of that, it does have the Apple A15 Bionic chipset inside, it also comes with 64GB or 256GB of storage. Nice to see that Apple has mostly ditched the 128GB storage model.
The iPad Mini is basically a smaller iPad Air, which is not a bad thing. Though when you look at the pricing, it might be. It’s technically $100 less than the Air, but the Air is typically on sale for $499.
One of the good things about the iPad Mini is that it does come in a smaller size, around 8.3-inches. That makes it small enough to hold in one hand, and it doesn’t get hard to hold after a while. Definitely a good thing there. It’s great for reading books on, watching some movies and TV shows, and pilots love it for their flight plan. Because it is so small, so definitely a good buy.