Best iPad 2024: Which iPad to buy

Which iPad should you buy? There are a lot of choices 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, colors, 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.

If you’re thinking of buying an iPad for college or university you might also like to read our guide to the best iPad for students. You may also like to read our best iPad for kids guide.

Update May 7: Added new iPad Air and iPad Pro models and new 10th-gen iPad pricing. The iPad mini price has also dropped outside the U.S.

Apple iPad comparison chart

The table below summarizes the main features of the iPads in Apple’s current lineup and highlights the price for each. We have more information about the individual iPads and buying advice below. Click the links in the table of contents to go to the section most relevant to you.

Every iPad Apple sells

Apple’s iPad lineup is perhaps one of the most expansive product lineups presented by the company. Below we offer information about each model, but we also answer questions further down the article such as which iPad is the best value for money, which size is best, how much storage you need, and whether to get cellular (you can jump to these sections from the table of contents above).

The iPad that is best for you will depend on what you need from an iPad. If you just want an iPad for reading books, watching movies and TV shows, email, and web browsing, then you don’t need all the bells and whistles. An iPad or iPad mini might be best here.

If you are looking for an iPad that will do everything that a laptop can, then you might want to consider a model that is more powerful and supports additional components, including one of Apple’s newer keyboards or the Apple Pencil, the iPad Air might suit you.

And if you will be using your iPad for gaming, video editing, photo editing, or anything high-powered and graphic intensive, then you will probably be looking at an iPad Pro.

Below we will run through every iPad you can buy so you can find the one that’s best for your needs.

iPad Buying Guide: What to look for when buying an iPad

As you can see from the above there are a lot of iPads sold by Apple–that doesn’t even include the many previous-generation iPads that are still on sale at various resellers and at Apple’s Refurbished Store.

When confronted by so much choice what should you consider when deciding which iPad to buy?

For many the choice will be based on price and value for money. Some may be influenced by the screen size, others by the weight. The ability to get more than 256GB storage may be important, as may the inclusion of Face ID or Touch ID. Finally, the decision of whether to get a cellular version, which invites the assessment of the minefield of network contracts, will no doubt be a factor for some.

We will look at each of those factors below.

Which iPad is the best value for money?

One person’s value for money is another person’s extravagance.

You might be looking for the cheapest iPad. That would be the 10th generation iPad, launched in 2022. In May 2024, Apple reduced the price from its original $449 price to $349 (price drops were matched around the world). It has a 10.9-inch screen, a 12MP rear-facing camera, an A14 Bionic processor, and 5G as an option.

If you are happy to buy an older iPad model then there are plenty of discounts available while they are still in stock. There are also some great savings to be had on refurbished models. We recommend you check the following deals roundups, where you can see the best prices right now on various iPads: 

If you have more to spend, what can you get for your money? The iPad mini more than justifies its slightly higher price tag of $499/£499 (especially now that the price has dropped from the staggering £569 in the U.K.) with its faster A15 processor, True Tone flash, and a fully laminated, better quality, display, among other things. But its biggest draw will probably be its size for those who want a small iPad. The iPad mini is not much bigger than a hard-backed book making it the perfect size to carry around in a bag and a great size for kids.

Apple

Apple

Apple

Next up is the iPad Air, which starts at $599/£599 for the 11-inch model. It might be worth every extra penny if you want a faster M2 processor. The iPad Air display is still superior to that of the iPad, fully laminated and with an antireflective coating (like the iPad mini).

The iPad Pro, updated in May 2024 is the ultimate in this category. Starting at $999/£999, the Pro has a lot to offer, with an incredible display and an M4 chip for starters. But we think these features are probably more than the average person needs.

Those are the prices that Apple sells its iPads for, but you don’t have to pay that much. Take a look at our regularly updated iPad deals page for the lowest prices and best discounts on iPads new and old.

iPad screen size: Which size iPad to choose

Size is a question of taste rather than simply going for the biggest iPad you can get your hands on. Bigger isn’t necessarily better if what you need is small and light.

The most obvious aspect of this decision comes down to screen size. All screens are measured diagonally from corner to corner, or from the place where the corners would be. You’ve got four options:

• 8.3-inch iPad mini
• 10.9-inch iPad (10th gen)
• 11-inch iPad Air and iPad Pro
• 13-inch iPad Air and iPad Pro

But how big a screen do you really need? You can think of the tablets in terms of print publications: the mini is roughly the height and width of a paperback book; the mid-size iPads are closer to a hardback (albeit much slimmer); and the 13-inch iPad Pro is like a magazine.

The larger screen is obviously better for immersive entertainment. Whether watching films or playing games, it’s a more enjoyable, richer experience. But really this is a question of priorities. Are you more set on getting maximum screen space, or are you willing to compromise on that front in order to get a lower price tag and improved portability?

• iPad Pro 13-inch (2024): 281.6mm x 215.5mm x 65.1mm; 579g/582g (Wi-Fi/cellular)
• iPad Pro 11-inch (2024): 249.7mm x 177.5mm x 5.3mm; 444g/446g
• iPad Air 13-inch (2024): 280.6mm x 214.9mm x 6.1mm 617g/618g
• iPad Air 11-inch (2024): 247.6mm x 178.5mm x 6.1mm; 462g/462g
• iPad 10.9-inch (2022): 248.6mm x 179.5mm x 7mm; 477g/481g
• iPad mini 8.3-inch (2021): 195.4mm x 134.8mm x 6.3mm; 300.5g/308.2g

Also read: Every iPad display compared.

Want the lightest iPad? As you’d expect, the iPad mini is a lot lighter than the other iPads. There’s a big gap between that device and even the mid-size iPads. As well as its markedly lower weight the mini also has a smaller body, which slips easily into a rucksack or jacket pocket. If you plan to mainly use your iPad out and about, on vacation, or commuting, or perhaps you’re buying an iPad for a child, the mini is your best bet.

The iPad, 11-inch iPad Air, and 11-inch Pro are pleasingly portable, but they still can’t match the mini for portability. The iPad has a similar length and width to the Air, but is thicker and heavier; the Pros are slimmer still.

The 13-inch Pro and Air are considerably less portable than their smaller cousins, but we think Apple has done well to keep the weight down, especially with the Pro: it remains a slender, relatively lightweight, and portable alternative to a laptop.

How much storage do you need?

The five iPads offer anywhere from 64GB to 2TB of storage, but if you are looking at an old, refurbished, or preowned iPad you could be confronted with as little as 32GB storage, which isn’t enough.

But what storage capacity do you really need for an iPad?

Well, first of all, remember that you can’t upgrade the storage of an iPad at a later date: this is your limit from now until you buy another iPad, so aim high and buy as much storage as you can afford. It’s better to spend an extra few pounds now than to buy an entire new iPad in six months’ time.

Storage capacity is mainly used up by three things: music, photos, and videos, in increasing order of storage drain. If you want to keep lots of films or TV shows–or even a few, to be honest–then you need high storage: probably 128GB or higher for video fans. (If you’re buying an iPad with the kids in mind, remember that you’ll want storage space for multiple episodes of their favorite show on a long car journey.)

The same applies to large photo or music libraries, to a lesser extent, although iCloud Photos and iTunes Match make it possible to keep your stuff in the cloud and access it remotely (if you pay the fees for iCloud storage).

The other thing that will fill up your storage is apps, especially games which will use up a lot of space. For that reason gamers should aim high on storage: The iPad Ait starts with 128GB and the Pro has 256GB, while the mini and 10th-gen iPad both start at 64GB. We recommend getting what you can afford

See: How much storage do you need on an iPhone or iPad? for more advice.

Should you get the most powerful iPad?

The iPad Pro models are, as you would expect, faster than their smaller and cheaper equivalents, next up is the Air, then the iPad mini and finally the iPad. You can get an idea of relative speed by looking at a few relevant specs:

• iPad Pro 13-inch (2024): M4; 8GB/16GB RAM
• iPad Pro 11-inch (2024): M4; 8GB/16GB RAM
• 13-inch iPad Air (2024): M2; 8GB RAM
• 11-inch iPad Air (2024): M2; 8GB RAM
• iPad mini (2021): A15 Bionic; 4GB RAM
• iPad 10.9-inch (2022): A14 Bionic; 4GB RAM

The M-series chips have won widespread acclaim in the Mac range and produce outstanding performance in the iPads. But that doesn’t mean the A chips are sub-standard or incapable of running modern apps; keep in mind that much of the software on the App Store was designed with A chips in mind, and even now most developers will want to make their software accessible for as many iPad owners as possible.

There is a good reason to choose the M-series chips over the A-series though. Some of the best iPadOS 16 features will only work with the M-series iPads. These include features like Stage Manager, which is a new feature for organizing your windows. There are also rumors that one day Apple may make a cutback version of macOS available on the iPad but this will be probably be restricted to the M-series chip, if indeed it ever happens..

But speculation aside, how powerful you need your iPad to be will be based on your your requirements (and how long you intend to use your iPad for). The most demanding graphic-design, video-editing, and audio apps will see better performance on the M4 and even M2 processor, so if you’re looking at high-level workloads multiple years down the line the M4 and M2 would be a better option.

But for most users, the A15 will be comfortably fast enough for the mid- and quite long-term, and even the A14 (from 2020) performs perfectly well on today’s apps.

Another important factor to consider is memory. The iPad mini and iPad 10.9-inch have 4GB. The Air gets a jump up to 8GB, while the Pros have either 8GB or a whopping 16GB of RAM, depending on your storage tier: the 1TB and 2TB versions get the higher RAM allocation.

Overall, we would advise those who want to use highly demanding apps, such as video and image editors and graphically advanced games, to choose an iPad Pro or Air. If you’re going to be using your tablet for the odd bit of email and web surfing, you’ll find an iPad or iPad mini perfectly decent.

With these general observations out of the way, it’s time to look at each device in more depth. For each iPad we record the essential information, its pros and cons, which buyer should pick it, and whether now is a good time to buy.

Should you get a Cellular iPad?

For most people cellular connectivity is a luxury, even if it’s a nice one to have. For an extra $100 or so, you’ll be able to access the web and email, and use connected apps, away from a Wi-Fi network. You need to factor in the cost of a data plan and find a network provider.

Consider carefully how often you’re going to do that: with an iPad mini there’s likely to be more on-the-go use than with a full-size iPad, but it’s still a lot to pay for something you may only use from time to time. Have you got a regular (overground) commute where you’d enjoy catching up on news headlines or e-mail? Then it could be worth the extra.

We think the best option, if you want to be able to get data on your iPad when you are out and about, is to create a hotspot and share it from your iPhone. Then you can use your iPad as if it is on the cellular network. Read about how to create an iPhone hotspot to share your mobile web connection to your iPad.

Just bear in mind that the cellular option also brings with it a GPS radio, meaning you’ll be able to input accurate location data when using your device on the go.

The other concern when buying a cellular iPad is whether to buy your iPad on a contract. Network providers will allow you to pay for your iPad and the data contract over a number of months – but after that term is up, and certainly not before, you may not be able to switch to a different data provider. Buying on contract may also mean that the iPad is locked to the original contract provider – which can also be a problem if you want to sell it in the future. Here’s how to unlock an iPad from its network, once you’ve fulfilled your contractual obligations.

Should you buy a refurbished iPad?

Apple

Apple

Apple

We’ll mention this only briefly because it’s covered in detail here: Why a refurbished iPad could be the best tablet for you, but one option you should absolutely consider is Apple’s Refurbished Store. It’s a sort of halfway house between new and second-hand: the devices are generally ones that have been returned within the 28-day period in which you are legally allowed to change your mind about a purchase, or they have been returned due to a fault that has been rectified, or they were ex-display or ex-demo units from Apple’s stores or marketing. You can rest assured that Apple has checked all the refurbished iPads that it sells thoroughly, replaced any problematic components, and rated them as good as new (and you get a full one-year warranty to prove it).

Apple’s not the only place to buy a refurbished iPad, so beware that all refurbished iPads are not the same, so do check the small print before you buy. Look for refurbished models that have been fully checked out by Apple-certified engineers, especially those that come with a guarantee.

Our best advice is to only consider the current or previous generation iPads when looking at refurbished models, then you are less likely to be caught out by a sub-par tablet.

Buying a refurbished iPad from a reputable company is definitely preferable to buying a used iPad from someone on eBay. It’s too often the case that secondhand iPads sold that way end up as useless bricks because the person selling it didn’t properly log out of their account.

Another way to save money is to buy from a reseller who is selling discontinued stock at a discount. We often see resellers significantly dropping the price on older iPad models that are usually just one generation out of date—just beware, they sell out quick!

Should you buy the newest iPad generation?

Speaking of older iPads, even if functioning perfectly right now, older models will reach the end of their useful life sooner than the newest models and that is a good reason to avoid buying an iPad that is more than one or two generations old. But keep in mind that iPads tend to start slowing down at around two to three years of age; at the four- or five-year mark you should expect noticable loss of performance and you won’t be able to get all the latest software updates.

The current iPad range was mostly updated in 2024 and included the iPad Pro and the iPad Air. The 10th-gen iPad was released in October 2022 but had its price reduced in May 2024. The iPad mini came out in September 2021.

Another reason to buy a recent iPad is the operating system it runs. Apple only supports the most recent three versions of iPadOS with security updates, so that means that only iPadOS 15, 16. and 17 are currently supported. See How long does Apple support iPads? for more information.

The following iPads can run iPadOS 17:

• iPad Pro 12.9 and 13 (6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd and 2nd gen)
• iPad Pro 11 (4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st gen)
• iPad Pro 10.5
• iPad (10th, 9th, 8th, 7th and 6th gen)
• iPad mini (5th and 6th gen)
• iPad Air (6th, 5th, 4th and 3rd gen)

The iPads that have been removed from support include:

• 2016 iPad Pro 9.7-inch with an A9X chip
• 2015 iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st generation) with an A9X chip
• 2017 iPad (5th generation) with an A9 chip

So, while you don’t have to buy the newest generation, we would recommend that you buy one that was launched relatively recently to be sure that Apple will support it for as long as you intend to own it. On that basis, any of the iPads listed above should be a safe bet because they support the iPadOS that Apple will support for the next three years, and for many the support will stretch on for more years.

Buying advice: Which iPad should you buy?

The iPad 10.9-inch is a good option for newcomers and those who will mostly use their iPad as a media consumption device with some light work.

For most people, however, our recommendation is the iPad Air (2024). The update in May 2024 brought it an M2 processor, which is more than enough for an iPad right now. Mind you, it’s still expensive compared to the standard iPad and the iPad mini, and to most rival tablets out there.

The iPad mini is mainly recommended for those who see portability as their main priority. It’s an excellent little device, although the smaller screen makes it less immersive for games and entertainment options.

The remaining iPads will be too expensive for the average buyer. The 11-inch and 13-inch Pro models are amazingly powerful and well-made, and the arrival of the M4 is excellent news but probably more power than anyone really needs right now. But if you’re a creative professional, the Pro is the iPad to get.

Finally, before taking the plunge, have you considered if a laptop might suit your needs better? See iPad vs MacBook for more advice on that front.