Tips on how to choose the very best Apple pill for you

Display measurement: 11 inches or 13 inches | Show decision: 2360 x 1640 (11-inch), 2732 x 2048 (13-inch) | Storage: As much as 1TB | RAM: 8GB | Weight: 1.01 kilos (11-inch), 1.36 kilos (13-inch) | Battery life: As much as 10 hours | Entrance digital camera: 12MP | Rear digital camera: 12MP

Learn our full Apple iPad Air M3 review

The lately refreshed iPad Air stays the Apple pill we’d suggest to most individuals. Sure, it prices greater than the entry-level iPad, and sure, there’s nonetheless a gulf between it and the higher-end iPad Professional. However no iPad strikes a greater steadiness between value, efficiency and options. It’s Apple’s “good” pill — superior sufficient to be a pleasure day by day however not eye-wateringly costly.

The latest iPad Air, launched in March 2025, earned a score of 89 in our overview. It begins at $599 for an 11-inch mannequin or $799 for a variant with a 13-inch display. Exterior of a better brightness ranking on the 13-inch mannequin (600 nits versus 500 nits), the 2 are nearly similar, so which one is finest merely relies on what display measurement you favor. Most will in all probability spring for the 11-inch model provided that it’s cheaper and far simpler to carry. However the added display actual property on the 13-inch model is nice in the event you sometimes use your iPad with a keyboard case, or simply need extra room for watching motion pictures, enjoying video games or multitasking for work.

Each fashions are a lot pricier than the bottom iPad, however the Air’s upgrades principally justify the premium. It now runs on Apple’s M3 system-on-a-chip (SoC), which is identical silicon present in last-gen MacBooks and iMacs. It’s overkill for net looking, video streaming and different fundamental duties, nevertheless it means efficiency ought to hardly ever, if ever, be a problem.

It must also make the Air a bit of extra futureproof, as various iPadOS options are solely accessible with M-series chips or newer A-series silicon. All the Apple Intelligence AI tools, for example, aren’t available on the most recent entry-level iPad, nor are the ports of demanding video video games like Death Stranding and Resident Evil 4. The Stage Manager multitasking mode can be restricted to extra highly effective iPads as we speak — although that is altering with the upcoming iPadOS 26 update, which is able to convey a extra sturdy windowing system usually. (The bottom iPad nonetheless will not have full external display assist, nevertheless, and it could not run Stage Supervisor as nicely on the entire.) The M3 Air additionally has a wholesome 8GB of RAM and 128GB of base storage; the usual iPad additionally begins with 128GB now however nonetheless has a bit much less reminiscence at 6GB.

The iPad Air’s 60Hz LCD show isn’t as vibrant or clean in movement because the 120Hz OLED panel on the most recent iPad Professional, and it’s beginning to present its age in 2025 when some smartphones supply the next refresh charge for tons of of {dollars} much less. Nonetheless, it’s vibrant, sharp and comparatively correct. It’s additionally a step up from the entry-level iPad, because it’s absolutely laminated, which implies there’s no seen hole between the show and the entrance glass. That will not sound like a lot, nevertheless it’s a kind of issues that’s onerous to disregard when you’ve seen the distinction. The Air’s panel additionally has an antireflective coating to additional reduce glare, plus it helps a wider P3 shade gamut.

The iPad Air has had nearly the identical square-edged design for 4 generations now, nevertheless it stays sturdy, elegant and fairly snug. It nonetheless presents a strong 10-ish hours of battery life, a USB-C port and a Contact ID fingerprint scanner constructed into its energy button (however no Face ID, annoyingly). Apple moved the front-facing digital camera to the pill’s lengthy edge with the previous-gen mannequin, and that is still a way more pure place for FaceTime calls in panorama mode.

In contrast to the entry-level iPad, the Air works with the Pencil Pro, Apple’s most featured stylus. (Although it’s not appropriate with the older second-gen Pencil — sure, the stylus situation is messy.) It doesn’t work with the corporate’s finest aluminum keyboard case, nevertheless it helps a new Magic Keyboard with a few of that mannequin’s upgrades, together with a extra spacious trackpad and a devoted perform row. This model remains to be principally manufactured from plastic, and its lack of backlit keys is tough to excuse when the older Magic Keyboard — which is fortunately still available — didn’t have that concern, nevertheless it stays extremely snug for typing. All of those equipment add a very good bit to the Air’s backside line, however for digital artists or frequent typers, they’re there.

The M3 iPad Air is a simple spec bump, so there’s no actual have to improve in the event you’re coming from the M2 or M1 models. In truth, in the event you can nonetheless discover a refurbished model of the M2 Air at a cheaper price, that’ll be a greater worth on the entire. But when your iPad is slowing down, you’re shopping for your first Apple pill otherwise you need a 13-inch iPad with out completely torching your financial savings account, the Air ought to be the primary mannequin you take into account.

Display measurement: 11 inches | Show decision: 2360 x 1640 | Storage: As much as 512GB | RAM: 6GB | Weight: 1.05 kilos | Battery life: As much as 10 hours | Entrance digital camera: 12MP | Rear digital camera: 12MP

Learn our full Apple iPad (A16) review

The entry-level iPad (A16) isn’t as good because the iPad Air, however the two share the identical design language, and the cheaper mannequin remains to be completely competent on the core iPad Issues. For $349, that makes it a compelling cut price for many who need a trendy iPad for as little money as doable.

The bottom iPad appears nearly similar to the iPad Air from afar. It’s solely marginally thicker and heavier, whereas its 11-inch panel is simply as sharp and vibrant. Battery life is available in on the similar 10-ish hours, and there’s nonetheless a USB-C port and Contact ID sensor. The cameras are practically the identical, too, with the selfie cam positioned alongside its lengthy edge. Most significantly, it will get you just about all the identical conveniences of iPadOS for $250 much less.

This mannequin runs on a barely cut-down model of the A16 Bionic chip present in 2022’s iPhone 14 Pro and 2023’s iPhone 15, plus 6GB of RAM. This combo gained’t maintain up in addition to higher-end iPads years down the street, and it could’t run Apple Intelligence or lengthen to an external display by way of Stage Supervisor. Plus, the M3 Air is already noticeably sooner for exporting 4K movies or enjoying probably the most taxing iPad video games. 

However the A16 is greater than fast sufficient for the duties most individuals truly do with an iPad, be it watching Netflix, sending emails, enjoying informal Apple Arcade video games and even enhancing images in Lightroom. If something, many individuals will want to not have their pill push AI on them. And with the iPadOS 26 replace later this yr, this iPad could have entry to lots of the similar Mac-style productivity and multitasking features as its pricier siblings. Past that, it begins with the identical wholesome 128GB of storage because the Air.

The iPad (A16) does have a worse show than the Air, with no lamination, no assist for the broader P3 shade house and no antireflective coating. Put the 2 facet by facet and the Air certainly produces barely bolder colours and holds up higher in opposition to glare. The dearth of lamination makes writing with the Apple Pencil really feel extra abstracted on the cheaper mannequin, too.

For the worth, although, this display remains to be sharp, comfortably sized and devoid of main shade accuracy points. The hole right here isn’t practically as dramatic because the one between the Air’s and iPad Professional’s shows. Likewise, whereas the Air’s twin audio system sound fuller and extra rounded, the bottom iPad will get loud and clear sufficient to keep away from severe issues.

There are different downgrades. The iPad (A16) is not appropriate with the Apple Pencil Professional, simply the lesser USB-C Pencil — which lacks pressure sensitivity — and historic first-gen model. It doesn’t work with the identical Magic Keyboards; as an alternative, it makes use of its personal Surface-like accent referred to as the Magic Keyboard Folio, which has a perform row however isn’t as secure in your lap. It helps Wi-Fi 6 however not Wi-Fi 6E. The USB-C port is technically slower for knowledge transfers, too, maxing out at 480 Mbps as an alternative of 10 Gbps.

Like we stated with our prime advice, a refurbished M2 iPad Air is value contemplating over the iPad (A16) if yow will discover one at a very good value. It’s been discontinued, so we will’t make it a proper choose, nevertheless it stays a greater piece of {hardware}. But when that’s not an choice, the bottom iPad is a robust cut price. It’s worse than the iPad Air, nevertheless it’s not $250 worse for these on a tighter price range, people upgrading from the 9th-gen iPad or anybody who simply doesn’t push their iPad to the restrict more often than not.

Display measurement: 8.3 inches | Show decision: 2266 x 1488 | Storage: As much as 512GB | RAM: 8GB | Weight: 0.65 kilos | Battery life: As much as 10 hours | Entrance digital camera: 12MP | Rear digital camera: 12MP

Learn our full iPad mini 7 review

The iPad mini is strictly what it feels like: the small iPad. Apple up to date it in late 2024 with a brand new chip and assist for the Apple Pencil Professional, and it is nonetheless the shortest and lightest iPad within the present lineup by a ways. As earlier than, it has an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina show that’s simpler to make use of with one hand.

We gave the iPad mini a review score of 83. Its design follows carefully after that of the iPad Air: squared-off edges, skinny bezels, no Residence button, a Contact ID sensor within the energy button, stereo audio system, respectable cameras and a USB-C port. Its show is technically sharper, however in any other case provides you a similar max brightness, lamination, antireflective coating and vast shade gamut. It doesn’t have a “Good Connector” to hook up Apple-made keyboards, nevertheless it does work with the top-end Apple Pencil Professional and the inexpensive USB-C Apple Pencil. The Pencil Professional is a step up over the older second-generation Apple Pencil the prior mini used, with haptic suggestions, a gyroscope and a “squeeze” function for opening up a brush palette.

The mini runs on Apple’s A17 Professional chip, the identical because the one in 2023’s iPhone 15 Professional collection. Whereas this chip isn’t fairly as highly effective because the M3 within the iPad Air, it’s greater than succesful sufficient to deal with what most individuals will need to do with this iPad. Notably, it’s additionally highly effective sufficient for Apple Intelligence. That may not be one thing that compels folks to improve proper now (or perhaps ever), however the level is that the brand new mini is extra futureproof than its predecessor.

The mini begins at $499 for a 128GB mannequin. Apple lastly noticed match to double the bottom storage, which makes the most affordable mannequin simpler to suggest than earlier than. Should you particularly need a smaller pill — whether or not it’s to simply stuff in a bag, use with one hand or deal with like a high-end e-reader — that is the one one Apple sells, and the most suitable choice in its measurement vary. 

Display measurement: 11 inches or 13 inches | Show decision: 2420 x 1668 (11-inch), 2752 x 2064 (13-inch) | Storage: As much as 2TB | RAM: As much as 16GB | Weight: 0.98 kilos (11-inch), 1.28 kilos (13-inch) | Battery life: As much as 10 hours | Entrance digital camera: 12MP | Rear digital camera: 12MP

Learn our full Apple iPad Pro (M4) review

The most recent iPad Pro is the most costly iPad and extra pill than most individuals want, full cease. However when you’ve got money to burn, are decided to make use of an iPad as your major cellular pc or simply need probably the most technically spectacular iPad doable, that is it.

We gave the brand new iPad Professional a score of 84 in our overview. Just like the iPad Air, it is available in 11- and 13-inch fashions: The previous begins at $999, whereas the latter begins at $1,299. That’s prohibitively costly for most individuals, however for the cash you get various premium, if inessential, upgrades over Apple’s different tablets.

Probably the most important of those is the Professionals’ “tandem OLED” show. In comparison with the LCD display on the iPad Air, this produces richer colours and deeper, extra uniform black tones. Gaming and scrolling net pages look extra fluid because of its sooner 120Hz refresh charge. It will possibly additionally get considerably brighter, reaching as much as 1,000 nits in SDR and as much as 1,600 nits with HDR highlights.

That is the place the “tandem” half is available in. Basically, Apple is stacking two OLED panels on prime of each other to enhance peak brightness, which is commonly a (relative) weak spot of conventional OLED shows. It’s a breakthrough, however all you really want to know is that this display is an absolute delight — probably the greatest we’ve seen on any client machine, not to mention a pill. For watching motion pictures or enhancing media, you actually can’t do higher. This similar show tech is used on each the 11- and 13-inch iPad Professional, in contrast to earlier fashions, so which one is finest merely comes down to non-public choice.

The design right here is broadly just like that of the iPad Air, however barely thinner and lighter. The distinction isn’t big on paper, however the Professionals’ slimmed-down frames make them simply that little bit simpler to carry. That is notably significant with the 13-inch mannequin.

The opposite headline improve is Apple’s M4 SoC. If the M3 is overkill for the overwhelming majority of informal and pro-level iPad duties, then the M4 is mega-kill; it simply chewed by absolutely anything we threw at it. But it surely ought to be much more futureproof, and it will save a number of seconds right here and there in case your work entails high-res media enhancing, heavy use of machine studying and the like.

Past that, the bottom iPad Professional has 256GB of storage, which is twice as a lot as some other iPad. Just like the M3 Air, it additionally helps superior options like hardware-accelerated ray tracing on its GPU, which may support lighting in video games, plus a sooner neural engine, which can assist with the AI options Apple has been rolling out.

Should you actually need to max issues out, word that the 1TB and 2TB configurations have twice as a lot RAM (16GB) and use a technically extra highly effective model of the M4 with an additional efficiency core unlocked. Leaping to a kind of SKUs prices a minimal of $1,599, although — and that’s earlier than you add equipment. These trying to make use of the iPad Professional as a (very costly) media consumption machine don’t want this, however in the event you work with memory-hungry apps or want the best possible, simply word it’ll value you.

The iPad Professional is the one iPad with Face ID, which stays a bit extra handy than reaching for a fingerprint scanner. It’s the one one with a Thunderbolt USB-C port, which is technically sooner for transferring giant recordsdata. It sounds extra sturdy than the Air, with 4 built-in audio system as an alternative of two. Its digital camera system is not that totally different, nevertheless it features a flash for extra simply scanning paperwork, and it could document video in Apple’s ProRes format. Its entrance digital camera is on the lengthy edge, too. As for equipment, the Professional alone can use Apple’s finest Magic Keyboard, which itself is wildly costly however has a extra premium aluminum end, backlit keys and haptic suggestions alongside a bigger trackpad and a row of perform keys. It additionally helps the Pencil Professional stylus (however not the second-gen Pencil).

If most of those options sound area of interest to you, nicely, yeah, that’s the thought. Except you are prepared to pay for that terrific OLED display, the iPad Air will get shut sufficient for a way more palatable value. And although the iPad Professional is a class-leading pill, it’s finally nonetheless an iPad. Sure inventive professionals have used it simply high-quality as a laptop computer alternative, however so far, iPadOS has made multitasking and different computer-y duties extra convoluted than they’re on a Mac. The iPadOS 26 replace seems to go a great distance in the direction of rectifying energy customers’ longstanding complaints, however lots of the options coming there may even be accessible on the cheaper fashions. Regardless, the Professional is an excellent iPad — quick, slim and opulent. And costly.