Apple iPad Air M2 plummets to $499 ahead of Black Friday

Apple iPad Air 6 11-inch
(Image credit: Apple)

The Apple iPad Air M2 has already seen early Black Friday discounts, but now, with Black Friday fast approaching, it returns to its near-all-time low price at Amazon. You can get the 11-inch Apple iPad Air 6 with M2 chip at Amazon for just $499. It's available in two colorways at this price — Blue and Purple). 

That's a $100 savings over the regular $599 price and a 17% discount on this capable tablet. Previously, we'd seen the iPad Air M2 drop by just $1 more, so effectively, this deal is among the best ever. If you've ever considered the M2 Air, this sale brings it closer in price than ever to the standard 10.2-inch iPad ($309 at Amazon, normally $349), which in turn helps justify the splurge. 

Even accounting for the standard iPad's sale price, the delta is now just under $200, which makes it easier than ever to consider splurging on an iPad Air 6.

One key advantage of the M2 processor over the less expensive iPad Gen 10 is its performance and AI support. Apple says it delivers a 50% performance boost over the standard iPad's A14 Bionic chip. Plus, the M2 chip can handle Apple Intelligence, which means you'll be primed to take advantage of Apple's forthcoming AI capabilities. The M2 iPad Air also has a P3 wide color gamut display with anti-reflective coating, Wi-Fi 6E, and Apple Pencil Pro support. If any of these features  

Our sister publication Tom's Guide reviewed the 13-inch Apple iPad Air 6 M2 and gave it 4 stars, calling it a good value for its performance and long battery life. That large-screen version is also on sale at Amazon, with all colorways of the 13-inch Apple iPad Air 6 with M2 chip on sale for $699 , a $100 discount over its usual price. 

These solid deals are among the best Black Friday iPad deals we've seen so far. Grab one now before they run out of stock.

Today's best 11-inch iPad Air 6 with M2 deal

Apple iPad Air M2 (11-inch)
Apple iPad Air M2 (11-inch): was $599 now $499 at Amazon

Overview: Save $100 on the 11-inch iPad Air 6 in Blue and Purple colorways at Amazon. The iPad Air 6 has Apple's M2 chip inside, which powers it to a significantly faster processing over its predecessor. This model includes landscape stereo speakers, and it has a 100% recycled aluminum chassis. It works with the Apple Magic Keyboard as well as both the Apple Pencil and Apple Pencil Pro.

Launch date: May 2024

Price history: This is $1 more than the lowest price we've seen for the 11-inch Apple iPad Air with M2 (6th Generation).

Features: 11-inch (2360 x 1640) Liquid Retina display with P3 wide color, True Tone, and anti-reflective coating, Apple M2 chip, 128GB of storage, 12MP wide camera, 12MP Ultra-wide front camera, Wi-Fi 6E, supports Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil USB-C and Magic Keyboard

Price check: B&H Photo $599 | Best Buy $599

Reviews: The Apple iPad Air 6 remains a favorite among reviewers. Sister site Tom's Guide gave 4 stars to the 13-inch iPad Air 6 M2, impressed by its overall performance and long battery life.

Tom's Guide: ★★★★ (M2)

Splurge choice: 13-inch Apple iPad Air 6 with M2 for $699 @ Amazon (also on sale for $100 off its usual price).

Buy it if: You crave the power of a mid-range iPad that can tackle more processor-intensive activities (like photo and video editing and graphics-intensive games) and you don't want the extra cost or size that comes with the iPad Pro series. You prioritize portability and excellent battery life.

Don't buy it if: You want an iPad solely for basic app, browsing, and streaming use.

Melissa Perenson
Contributing Writer

Melissa Perenson has deep expertise in phones, tablets, e-readers, laptops, monitors, storage, and cameras. She buys way too many of the things she writes about it and has worked as an editor at Forbes Vetted, PCWorld, PCMag, and ZDNet, and as a writer at countless publications, including Laptop Mag, Tom’s Guide, and TechRadar.