iPad fans, we need to talk. Apple revealed iPadOS 26 during its WWDC 2025 keynote on June 9, and as you would expect, it is the best version of Apple’s tablet operating system to date.

Visually, you have the big Liquid Glass update that will permeate every Apple OS later this year, but the most significant updates are the ones that turn your iPad into a MacBook replacement. These updates include numerous multitasking enhancements, a revamped external monitor experience, improved mouse and trackpad support, and more robust background app performance.

We've been burned many times by trying to use an iPad Pro as a laptop replacement. With that said, Apple has solved a lot of those problems -- but two remaining concerns may still deter most people from ditching one of the best MacBooks and adopting the iPad-only lifestyle.

iPad's laptop replacement credentials in 2025

iPadOS 26 continues Apple’s long, slow march toward making the iPad a true productivity machine. Stage Manager is no longer a janky compromise for windowing, but a genuinely useful tool for managing multiple app windows. This is further bolstered by external display support, which now feels native rather than bolted on.

Professionals forever frustrated by the rudimentary Files app on iPadOS now have robust options with an improved List view, custom folders, Dock integration, and blessedly drag-and-drop support. The improved background tasks allow for large file exports that can be tracked via Live Activities, giving you a real-time view of what's happening with your files.

Speaking of drag-and-drop, the menubar is essentially dragged and dropped directly from macOS into iPadOS. Options will be found in menus rather than buried in a Byzantine mess that requires half a dozen taps and swipes.

I'll grant you that it isn't an endless list of features, but these are so fundamental to using a laptop that any one of them was a dealbreaker when trying to use the iPad as a laptop previously.

Currently, the iPadOS 26 beta is still developer-only, but I'll be digging in to test it out early and often as we wait for the full release this fall. While I'm eager to try the iPad as a laptop experiment again, I'm still not sold that it will be the right option for most people.

iPad can't match MacBook battery life

While iPad performance has made huge strides over the years, along with feature updates, one aspect that has failed to advance is battery life, which is consistently one of the most important features to laptop buyers.

When Steve Jobs unveiled the original iPad at a special event on January 27, 2010, at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, he emphasized that it could last an impressive 10 hours on a single charge. Apple could reuse that same slide for most of the iPad lineup in 2025.

In 2010, that outlasted the MacBook Air 13-inch (2010) by 3 hours and the MacBook Air 11-inch (2010) by 5 hours. In 2025, 10 hours doesn't hold a candle to the battery life of the current MacBook lineup.

Perennial powerhouses among the laptops with the best battery life, the MacBook Air 13-inch M4 boasts 15 hours and 30 minutes in our testing, while the MacBook Pro 16-inch M4 Pro hits an improbable 20 hours and 46 minutes.

Both outlast the iPad Air 11-inch M3, which lasted only 9 hours and 12 minutes. If you upgrade to the iPad Pro 12.9-inch M4, it comes much closer at 14 hours and 50 minutes. However, that upgrade will cost you, which takes me to another problem with the iPad as a MacBook replacement.

Priced to lose

Even if we stick to the iPad Air as our MacBook alternative, pricing isn't great. This is partially due to the MacBook Air 13-inch M4 returning to a starting price of $999 this year.

If you pair the 11-inch iPad Air M3 ($599) with the Magic Keyboard ($269), you already reach $868. Move up to the comparably sized 13-inch iPad Air M3 ($799); you're already over $ 1,000. That's also assuming you stick to the 128GB base models. Add another $100 to either model to match the 256GB of storage found in the base MacBook Air.

The aforementioned jump to the iPad Pro M4 12.9-inch M4 ($1,199) combined with the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro ($279) rockets you to a total of $1,478. You can find the MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 for less than that any day among our best MacBook deals.

Obviously, the best iPad deals will similarly slash the pricing on Apple's tablets, but you will still typically pay more for a comparable iPad plus accessories versus a MacBook Air.

If you are using the unique features of the iPad, whether that's the Apple Pencil Pro or just using the iPad without a keyboard as a touchscreen device, it's harder to quantify what that's worth to you. But if you are buying an iPad as a laptop replacement, it's certainly worth considering.

What's next for the iPad as a laptop replacement?

Apple is clearly hedging. It wants to maintain a world where the best option is to own both a MacBook and an iPad and benefit from their unique features. We make just enough progress each year to keep the dream alive, but there's always enough missing to stop most people from taking that leap.

So yes, the iPad with iPadOS 26 is better than ever. It may even be enough for students, casual users, or creators who travel light. But, even for people in those categories, the best laptop (or best MacBook to stay in the Apple ecosystem) may remain the better option. And if you’re a power user with demanding workflows or just someone who values flexibility over form factor, there is no question that a laptop remains the superior choice.

And at this point, I’m not sure Apple ever intends to change that.

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At WWDC 2025, Apple unveiled its biggest iPadOS update yet, bringing the iPad platform closer than ever to being like a MacBook. But it doesn't seem that Apple plans on making the iPad your laptop replacement a possibility anytime soon.

WWDC was huge for iPadOS, and arguably it the upgraded iPad operating system was the highlight of the show. Along with the rest of Apple's operating systems, the new iPadOS will be numbered by year and have an all-new "Liquid Glass" look.

But looks aren't what makes the freshly minted iPadOS 26 such a huge step up for the iPad.

The latest version of iPadOS, expected to arrive this fall, comes shockingly close to being the update iPad users have longed for, making it all the more disappointing that Apple refused to push things further.

How close can iPadOS get to macOS without being macOS?

Apple announced some huge changes coming to iPadOS 26 during Monday's WWDC keynote, including some I've been hoping to see for a while now. Here's a quick look at the highlights:

• Stackable windows you can resize and move freely
• Mac-like mouse cursor
• Mac-style window buttons
• Menu bar on all windows
• Improved iPadOS Files app
• Improved window tiling
• Background tasks (i.e. exporting a video)
• Local audio/video capture
• Addition of Preview app from macOS

These changes might seem small, but they could make the iPad user experience more fluid, functional, and... Mac-like. Some of these features are pulled directly from macOS, which Apple compared during the presentation.

iPadOS 26 is obviously intended to take the iPad in a more Mac-inspired direction. That just makes it even more perplexing that iPadOS still exists.

iPads and MacBooks have never been more similar. They're even using the same M-series processors! iPadOS 26 will introduce a more Mac-like UI tailored to people who use their iPad with a Magic Keyboard (which can be pricey, but I have to admit it's a pretty good experience).

We've effectively reached a point where iPadOS 26 is turning the iPad into the de facto 2-in-1 MacBook.

It raises the question: Why not enable touch-input on macOS and put it on the iPad? After all, Apple specifically mentioned during its WWDC 2025 keynote that the Liquid Glass look will unify the visuals of all its operating systems, so iPadOS and macOS are already going to look virtually indistinguishable.

The core differentiating factor at this point is app compatibility. There's no clear reason why the M-series iPads can't run the same apps as the M-series MacBooks besides iPadOS.

Apple is effectively knee-capping its own premium iPads by not running macOS on them, and this becomes clearer the more iPadOS resembles macOS without being macOS.

Can an iPad ever compete with a MacBook? Not with this operating system

The introduction of the Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro (and now iPad Air) made it clear that Apple hopes you consider the iPad an alternative to the MacBook. iPadOS barreling toward a collision with macOS only reinforces that idea.

And yet, the iPad and the MacBook are still not truly comparable.

The iPad is in an awkward spot in Apple's lineup, especially the pricey iPad Pro (though it's frequently on sale). Thanks to iPadOS, the iPad Pro is essentially as expensive as a MacBook, yet not as capable in many ways.

With a few specific exceptions, if you want a device for getting work done, you get a MacBook. iPads are still generally considered entertainment devices, despite now having the same processors as MacBooks.

The iPad can potentially be Apple's version of a versatile 2-in-1 laptop, but that won't happen as long as it is limited to a mobile operating system rather than the full macOS experience.

So, iPadOS 26 is bittersweet for iPad fans. It comes close to what the iPad truly needs, yet still falls short.

More from Laptop Mag

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• Apple is finally giving iPadOS one of the updates it desperately needs — here are the highlights from WWDC 2025
• I found the 35 best Apple deals in June 2025

Logitech has debuted something special in its latest iPad accessory package — a protective case for the tablet and a keyboard with the Logitech quality and creativity you'd expect.

Specifically, there are two reasons why it tops the Apple Magic Keyboard. The first has to do with separating me from my cash, and the second is a literal separation in the product design.

On Wednesday, the company debuted the Flip Folio, made for the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air and Pro models. After using the Flip Folio hands-on for a few days, I’ve realized it’s the perfect match for my iPad, while undercutting the cost of Apple's first-party keyboards released a year ago.

The Logitech Flip Folio’s price feels right for a keyboard case

It's hard to ignore the economics when you compare the Flip Folio to Apple's Magic Keyboard products. After all, the cost difference most likely grabs your attention when buying established products like keyboards and protective cases. The technology is well-established, and the margins are razor-thin on discrepancies between how the products perform daily.

Logitech’s Flip Folio offers much of the same core functionality as Apple's pair of Magic Keyboard accessories, for lower prices, as the table below shows. (However, the prices below are list prices, and Apple iPad accessories frequently go on sale.)

The Flip Folio fixes a big complaint people have about Apple’s iPad keyboards

Unlike Apple’s all-in-one keyboard cases, which magnetically attach to the iPad as a single unit, the Flip Folio separates the case and the Bluetooth keyboard.

In practice, this means you can toss the keyboard aside once you're done typing. Or better yet, snap it onto the magnetic compartment carved out at the back of the case.

With Apple's first-party iPad keyboard offerings, you must remove the case entirely if you want to ditch the keyboard and use the tablet solo, or even a stylus. I primarily bought my iPad for note-taking, and sometimes I would switch between writing with the Apple Pencil. But Apple’s keyboards didn’t offer a way to write comfortably with a stylus without removing the case entirely.

So, I bought Logitech’s Pebble Keys 2 K380s, a standalone keyboard connected wirelessly to my iPad. But since it wasn’t part of the case, I had to store it separately, and I’d forget to bring it along more times than I’d like to admit.

So, it's incredible to see Logitech finally solve a problem Apple never really bothered to and make the iPad feel like a tablet and a laptop without compromise.

As with most Logitech keyboards, like the POP Icon Keys keyboard Laptop Mag reviewed, the Flip Folio’s keyboard supports multi-device Bluetooth pairing, meaning it can switch between up to three Bluetooth-enabled (Apple or not) devices with the press of a button.

Instead of the standard function keys of the iPad Magic Keyboard, the Flip Folio keyboard features four iPadOS-specific shortcut keys: to bring up Spotlight Search, switch between apps, open the Emoji picker, and quickly capture screenshots. As we saw at WWDC on Monday, Spotlight Search is getting a significant overhaul, which makes this addition very well timed by Logitech.

So, instead of needing to remember keyboard shortcuts like pressing the Command key and the Spacebar to bring up Spotlight Search, this keyboard lets you do the same with the press of a button.

The Folio creases slightly, but it doesn’t affect functionality

The case also feels sturdy and is made of premium material. Unlike Apple's rigid design, it folds into a built-in kickstand, giving you multiple viewing angles. Logitech touts that the Flip Folio is made of at least 37% post-consumer recycled plastic.

Folding it initially takes some effort and creates a visible crease at the back of the case. That said, the crease disappears mostly once you snap the case back into its flat form, so it’s not something you’ll constantly notice.

Laptop Mag contacted Logitech about the crease, and the company mentioned the “hinge is designed to provide reliable, multi-angle viewing through a mixture of design, mechanical tuning, and material placement.” The company confirmed the crease is intentional and assured me it’ll remain the same size without degrading over time. Given how premium it feels and the sturdy build, I’m inclined to trust that claim.

The Flip Folio is available globally today in Graphite, with additional colors like Black (a North American exclusive), Sand, Pale Grey, and Lilac arriving in select regions later this year.

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• Logitech POP Icon Keys review: It's the Sabrina Carpenter of keyboards
• Logitech considers releasing a mouse you buy once and pay for 'forever'

Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote presentation on Monday featured a slew of announcements, including one of the updates iPadOS has needed for a long time now.

The question is, are all the updates in the newly-renamed iPadOS 26 enough to finally make the iPad a true laptop replacement? We'll have to wait until we can go hands-on with iPadOS 26, but it certainly looks more like macOS than ever before.

Here's a look at the new-and-improved iPadOS, when you can try it out on your iPad, and everything you need to know.

See also: Best Apple deals in June 2025

Finally, the iPadOS update we've been waiting for

Apple's keynote presentation at WWDC showed off its revamped aesthetic, "Liquid Glass," for all of its operating systems, which will now all be numbered by year (i.e. "iPadOS 26"). On top of the glassy new look, iPadOS is also receiving a long-awaited update: improved windowing and tiling, along with a Mac-like trackpad cursor.

The result is an iPadOS that appears to function more like macOS than ever before.

With iPadOS 26, you'll be able to resize app windows, stack them, and move them freely around your screen. Apps will still launch in the default full-screen mode like they currently do, but now you will also see a little icon in the bottom right corner of each app window that you can tap and drag to resize it.

You're not limited to the pre-made tiles anymore, either. iPadOS 26 will allow you to freely resize windows to whatever dimensions you want. Tiling is still an option, though, and iPadOS 26 will include more pre-made tiling layouts.

Plus, when you have a mouse or trackpad connected to your iPad, like the Magic Keyboard, the mouse cursor will look like a normal arrow in iPadOS 26, rather than the circle you currently see.

That might seem like a minor change, but it will help make navigating iPadOS with a mouse or trackpad much more precise (besides that it just looks better). With a trackpad connected, you will even see the red-yellow-green Mac buttons for closing and minimizing windows.

As someone who often travels with an iPad rather than a laptop, I'm excited for these changes and hope they work as well as advertised. The question remains, though: Will any amount of iPadOS changes make the iPad a true MacBook replacement?

Is better windowing enough to make the iPad a true laptop replacement?

I love my iPad, but it's no laptop. In some ways, that's a good thing. For instance, taking notes or drawing with my Apple Pencil is an infinitely better experience on the iPad than trying to do the same things with a stylus on a 2-in-1 laptop, which is always going to be a bit heavier and bulkier than a tablet.

Apple doesn't offer a 2-in-1 laptop, though, and doesn't seem particularly interested in giving the MacBook a touch screen, so the iPad has become its substitute for a 2-in-1.

I've tried replacing my laptop with an iPad multiple times. It isn't as clunky as some might expect, but I still tend to find myself longing for a laptop.

These new windowing updates in iPadOS 26 will address some of my issues. For instance, multi-tasking in iPadOS can be awkward due to the limited tiling options. The new windowing system gives you the freedom to organize and size your app windows however you want, much like on a laptop.

The improved cursor and window controls are helpful additions, as well. They're minor changes, but signal some level of recognition from Apple that people want to be able to use their iPads to get work done like on a MacBook.

With all that said, I'm still skeptical that a large number of people are going to consider an iPad and a MacBook as equal options, mainly because the iPad is still limited only to iPadOS apps, which are generally more like iOS apps than macOS apps. Of course, that's not exactly something Apple can change since it falls largely on third-party app developers.

Even so, the more iPadOS mirrors macOS, the more app compatibility is going to become the deciding factor for users.

iPadOS 26 compatibility and release date

Luckily, Apple isn't gatekeeping the new windowing and tiling features behind its more expensive iPads. They'll be available on any iPad that that can run iPadOS 26, which will likely include all but the oldest iPads compatible with iPadOS 18 (the current version).

Apple hasn't released the official compatibility list yet, but it will include the iPad Mini 7 and the latest base iPad 11, the latter of which is especially important to note. This means you can get a budget-friendly Mac-like experience on the base iPad 11 with the Magic Keyboard Folio.

I was surprised how much I liked using this setup in my review of the iPad 11 and I could see it being a great option for students or budget-conscious users. The new windowing updates coming to the full iPad line-up means that the user experience on the budget-friendly iPad won't get knee-capped in an attempt to get you to buy an iPad Air.

If you want to see what iPadOS 26 is like for yourself, the best way to try it out early is by signing up for Apple's Beta Software Program. The public betas for all of Apple's new operating systems will be available in July, so if you sign up now you'll automatically get an option to install the beta version of iPadOS 26 on your iPad when it's available (assuming, of course, that your iPad is eligible for the update).

The full release of iPadOS 26 will be sometime this fall, although Apple has not announced a specific date yet. We'll be covering all the latest updates and analysis of Apple's revamped operating systems in the weeks and months ahead, so stay tuned for more!

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The Memorial Day weekend sales continue, and it's not just for laptops. Tablets are also on sale, including ones that just came out.

Apple released its newest iPad 11th Generation in March, and it is once again on sale for a great price. The 11th-generation Apple iPad with an A16 chip is on sale at Amazon for $299. This is one of the lowest prices around for the iPad 11, and it's a great buy for those who are traveling over the summer and need a tablet to entertain themselves.

Browse: Amazon's entire Memorial Day sale

See also: Best Apple deals in May2025

As is the case with Apple iPads, you can't go wrong with them. The iPad 11 is one of the best tablets for those who don't want to dole out big money for an iPad Pro.

The 11th-generation Apple iPad is a slight improvement over the iPad 10, which was powerful for its price, thanks to the A14 chip performance. It also has a great Liquid Retina screen with True Tone technology and loud speakers. Despite its subpar battery life (11 hours), we gave Apple's previous-gen iPad 4 out of 5 stars and our Editor's Choice Award co-sign.

Powering the iPad 11 is the A16 chip, and it supports Apple's Magic Keyboard Folio, Apple Pencil USB-C, and Apple Pencil 1st gen. A downside of this iPad is the 128GB storage, so keep that in mind if you're planning on buying. The iPad 11 also supports Wi-Fi 6 for faster internet while streaming as well as USB-C charging.

Amazon's Memorial Day deal for the iPad 11

Amazon's Fire tablets have had a run of sales recently, and that's a good thing because it means these highly giftable gadgets are more affordable than ever. These tablets make a great last-minute Mother's Day gift thanks to their Amazon Prime same-day or next-day shipping (depending on your location).

Even if you live somewhere with two-day Prime shipping, you can still get one of these tablets in time for Mother's Day if you order today (Thursday, May 8). Let's get into our five favorite choices from this sale.

The least expensive tablet in this roundup is the 32GB Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet for $64, followed by the larger-screen Amazon Fire HD 10 (also with 32GB) at $89.

The remaining choices in this roundup are all variations of the Amazon Fire Max 11, Amazon's most competitively styled and equipped tablet. This model has solid sales as a standalone device (Amazon Fire Max 11 for $174) and in bundles with accessories.

Opt for the Amazon Fire Max 11 with Stylus Pen bundle for $211 if Mom is the tactile sort who likes to handwrite notes. Choose the Amazon Fire Max 11 with Keyboard Case bundle for $259 if Mom prefers to tap on a keyboard and is likely to tote the tablet with her everywhere. (Bonus pick: For the best bundle discount, opt for the Amazon Fire Max 11 Keyboard Case and Stylus Pen bundle at $269. That knocks 24% off the normal price and saves $31 over buying the tablet and its two accessories separately. (If you know you don't need the stylus, the tablet and keyboard case bundle is $10 less at $259.).

Act fast if you want one of these tablets in time for Mother's Day. Plus, most of these deals are marked "limited time," so they won't be around forever.

QUICK LINKS

• Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet: was $99 now $64 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet: was $139 now $89 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire Max 11 Tablet: was $229 now $179 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire Max 11 Tablet with Stylus Pen: was $264 now $211 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire Max 11 Tablet Keyboard Case and Stylus Pen Bundle: was $356 now $269 at Amazon

Finding budget-friendly tech that's actually worth your money can be tricky, which is why you need to be careful if you're searching for a new iPad.

The cheapest iPad in Apple's current lineup is the iPad 11, but the previous version, the iPad 10, is still available at plenty of other retailers. Whether you found a great iPad deal on the iPad 10 and are considering it or already have an iPad 10 currently, like I do, and find yourself wondering if upgrading is worth it.

After using both of these iPads extensively, I can confidently say there are some major differences, even though the iPad 11 and iPad 10 look identical on the surface.

You don't want to waste your money buying the wrong one when you can get one of the best tablets at an affordable price. So, here's a deep dive into the iPad 11 vs. iPad 10 to help you choose the right one.

See also: Best tablet deals in May 2025

iPad 11 vs iPad 10: Price and configurations

At first glance, the iPad 11 and iPad 10 are nearly indistinguishable. They have the same price, screen size, and dimensions. As you might expect, the iPad 11 has a newer processor, but the most important change is the storage.

Apple increased the base storage on its base iPad from 64GB on the iPad 10 to 128GB on the iPad 11. So, the 11th-gen model offers twice as much storage for the same starting price.

While the newer processor, increased RAM, and longer battery life are all great perks of the iPad 11, the storage bump is a deal-breaker here. If you're buying a new iPad right now, there's virtually no reason to go with the iPad 10 over the iPad 11 due to the difference in base storage alone.

If you can find the iPad 10 at a steep discount and don't need much storage, there might be a case for the 10th-gen model. However, even then, there are other factors that make the iPad 11 a better value for your money.

Winner: iPad 11

iPad 11 vs iPad 10: Design and accessories

You'll have a hard time telling the iPad 11 and iPad 10 apart side-by-side. In fact, they have precisely the same chassis. Apple didn't make any noticeable design changes to the iPad 11. Technically, its display is a hair larger at 11 inches instead of 10.9, but you would never know by looking at it.

There's nothing wrong with the design here. It's polished, straightforward, and looks good for the price. As the saying goes, if it's not broken, don't fix it. Both generations are even available in the same colors: silver, blue, pink, and yellow.

While design overhauls can be exciting, the identical designs, in this case, are good if you currently have an iPad 10 and are thinking about upgrading. This means that all of your current accessories will also work with the iPad 11, including the Magic Keyboard Folio and the Apple Pencil USB-C.

I've really enjoyed using both of these accessories, although admittedly, I wish the iPad 11 was compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro, even if only to finally standardize Apple Pencil compatibility.

If you're going to get an Apple Pencil for the iPad 11 or iPad 10, don't get the Apple Pencil 1st Generation. Apple still advertises it as compatible with the base iPad, but it's not worth your money. The Apple Pencil USB-C is a better accessory for either iPad, and you would need an adapter just to connect the old 1st-gen Pencil to any modern iPad.

All of that to say, design isn't a deal breaker between the iPad 11 and iPad 10, and if you currently have an iPad 10, you won't need to buy new accessories.

Winner: Tie (they're the same)

iPad 11 vs iPad 10: Battery life

Battery life was one of the most significant improvements I noticed in the iPad 11 over the iPad 10. It lasted 11 hours and 25 minutes in our battery life test, a decent lead over the iPad 10's time of 10 hours and 57 minutes. It's not a huge difference, but it's enough to give the iPad 11 an edge.

I used the iPad 11 for work, web browsing, streaming videos, and casual gaming, and was usually able to get through a full day on a single charge. If you're planning to use this as your daily driver, that extra half hour of battery life on the iPad 11 could come in handy.

Winner: iPad 11

iPad 11 vs iPad 10: Display

Since the iPad 11 and iPad 10 feature the exact same chassis, it might not come as a surprise that they also have effectively the same size display. Technically, the iPad 11's display is 0.10 inches larger, but you would never notice. Both iPads sport 2360 x 1640 Liquid Retina IPS panels with LED backlighting.

While they look virtually identical on paper (and in person), the iPad 11's display showed a slight edge in our tests. Both displays looked great in my hands-on use, with vivid colors, smooth animations, and good contrast. Everything from games to webpages looks clear and colorful on both iPads.

However, the iPad 11 performed a bit better across the board in our display tests, giving it a narrow win in this category.

Winner: iPad 11

iPad 11 vs iPad 10: Performance

The iPad 11 has a clear edge over the iPad 10 in terms of overall performance, thanks to its newer processor and higher RAM. The iPad 10 launched in 2022, so its A14 Bionic chip is getting pretty dated. The iPad 11 has a much more recent A16 chip, also seen in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15.

Unfortunately, the iPad 10 was released so long ago that we tested it with an older version of our main performance benchmark, Geekbench. So, we can't directly compare its Geekbench score to that of the iPad 11. Luckily, a couple of other tests point to a clear winner when it comes to performance.

The iPad 11 scored 100 points higher on the Jetstream 2 web browsing benchmark and completed the Adobe Premiere Rush video exporting test faster than the iPad 10. It's not a huge performance gap, but it's enough to make a difference if you're buying a new iPad. If you currently have an iPad 10, it may still be worth upgrading if you often use your iPad for tasks like video or photo editing and gaming.

Additionally, the newer A16 chip in the iPad 11 will also receive software updates for a few years longer than the iPad 10. Unfortunately, neither of these iPads is compatible with Apple Intelligence, Apple's AI platform. For that, you'll need at least an iPad Mini 7.

Winner: iPad 11

iPad 11 vs iPad 10: Gaming and graphics

One of the biggest advantages the iPad 11 offers over the iPad 10 is its superior gaming performance. Mobile gaming is one of my main uses for my iPad, so I immediately noticed the difference when playing some of my favorite games on the iPad 11.

For instance, in Hades I experienced zero lag, freezing, or stuttering on the iPad 11. My iPad 10 occasionally struggled with this, especially in rooms or zones with a lot of enemies. The iPad 11 also seemed to stay cooler during my hour-long gaming sessions.

Similarly, Katana ZERO, Wildfrost, and Death's Door all ran great on the iPad 11. They run fine on the iPad 10, too, but the performance is definitely a bit better on the 11th-gen model.

This showed in our tests, too. The iPad 11 scored nearly 3,000 points higher than the iPad 10 on the 3DMark Wild Life Original Unlimited graphics benchmark. It also had a higher average frames per second of 63.5 compared to the iPad 10's average of just 46.1. That's a noticeable difference if you often use your iPad for gaming, so the iPad 11 easily takes the win in this category.

Winner: iPad 11

Overall winner: iPad 11

If you're looking for an iPad on a budget or a new tablet in general, there's no doubt that the iPad 11 is one of the best values for your money on the market right now. Not only is it a better deal than the iPad 10, it's the best budget tablet you can buy.

While the iPad 11 features the same design and starting price as the iPad 10, it offers double the base storage, longer battery life, and significantly stronger gaming performance. So, if you're buying a new iPad, the iPad 11 offers better overall value than the iPad 10.

If you currently have an iPad 10, it may be worth trading in, especially if you frequently use your iPad for gaming (or other graphics-intensive tasks like digital art). If you have a 64GB model, you can also double your storage with a trade-in, and, as an added bonus, you'll get a few extra years of software updates and a little more battery life compared to the iPad 10.

If you're still trying to choose, you can visit our guide to the best tablets for even more top picks.

Sometimes, the best device for your money is actually the cheapest one.

The iPad 11 is the perfect example. It's Apple's least expensive iPad, but I'd argue it's also the best value for your money. It has some disadvantages compared to the more premium iPads, like a less powerful processor and less premium accessories. However, those are small compromises for the average user, so much so that you probably wouldn't notice the difference in everyday tasks.

I used the iPad 11 for work, gaming, reading, and streaming on Netflix for two weeks and was surprised by how solid it felt, considering it seems like a minimal upgrade over the iPad 10 on paper.

Don't judge this tablet by its chassis — the hardware inside got a noticeable upgrade that makes the iPad 11 one of the best tablets you can buy and a steal for budget users.

iPad 11: Specs (as reviewed)

iPad 11: Price and configurations

The iPad 11 is available in a few configurations, including Wi-Fi-only models starting at $349 and Cellular models starting at $499. You can choose from four colors, including blue, yellow, pink, and silver. Each model is also available in three storage configurations: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB.

This is Apple’s base iPad, so it’s designed to be the most affordable in the lineup. The 11th-generation model features the same price and design as the iPad 10th-generation, but there are a few improvements in terms of what you’re getting for your money.

Most notably, Apple increased the base storage in the iPad from 64GB to 128GB, which is a major upgrade. You’re now getting double the base storage for the same starting price of $349. The iPad 11 also sports a much newer A16 chip, which (as I’ll dig into below) significantly improves over the A14 Bionic chip in the 10th-gen iPad.

Our review unit is the silver Wi-Fi-only iPad 11 with 128GB of storage.

iPad 11: Design

Apple must have been living by the old adage of “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” when designing the iPad 11. It sports effectively the same design as the 10th-gen model. Outside of their cases, I couldn’t tell the iPad 11 apart from my iPad 10.

That’s not to say this design is bad; it’s just nothing new. The display is a hair larger at 11 inches rather than 10.9, but the difference is indistinguishable. The chassis even measures exactly as the previous model. With that said, you really can't go wrong with this design. It's clean, straightforward, and reasonably thin, and lightweight for the price. If you get the iPad 11 in silver, it could even be mistaken for an iPad Air. Of course, the more colorful chassis options are fun, too (although a bit harder to match with a case).

In terms of screen size and dimensions, the iPad 11 sits in the middle of the iPad line-up, measuring 9.79 x 7.07 x 0.28 inches and weighing in at 1.05 pounds, putting it on par with the 11-inch iPad Air:

• iPad Mini 7 (8.3-inch display): 7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25 inches, 0.65 pounds
• iPad Air M3 (11-inch display): 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches, 1.01 pounds
• iPad Pro M4 (13-inch): 11.09 x 8.48 x 0.20 inches, 1.28 pounds

iPad 11: Battery life

Battery life is one of the iPad 11’s biggest strengths. It lasted 11 hours and 25 minutes in our testing, about half an hour longer than the iPad 10, a full hour longer than the iPad Mini 7, and nearly 2 hours longer than the iPad Air M3.

This means the iPad 11 delivers the longest battery life in the iPad lineup, second only to the iPad Pro M4. So, if battery life is your top concern, the iPad 11 delivers great value for your money.

It’s worth noting, though, that using the Magic Keyboard Folio with the iPad 11 drains battery life faster. I could still go a full day working on the iPad 11 with the Magic Keyboard without charging, but I always needed to recharge at the end of the day.

iPad 11: Display

The iPad 11 sports an 11-inch, 2360 x 1640, 60Hz Liquid Retina display that’s virtually identical to the display on the 10th-gen iPad. While the specs are the same, the iPad 11’s display offers a slight improvement in color quality and brightness.

Side-by-side with my iPad 10, I could hardly tell the difference, but the iPad 11’s display is slightly more vivid, with colors that are a tad brighter and richer.

Regardless of the quality improvement over the previous model, the iPad 11's display offers a solid all-around viewing experience for games, videos, and text. I noticed good contrast, smooth animations, and vibrant colors in everything from episodes of Supernatural to games like Hades and Katana ZERO.

In our testing, the iPad 11 featured slightly higher color gamut and display brightness scores than the iPad 10. While its display wasn’t as vivid as the iPad Mini 7 or iPad Air M3, the iPad 11 surprisingly sports a brighter display than its more premium siblings.

iPad 11: Magic Keyboard Folio and Apple Pencil

The iPad 11 is compatible with all the same accessories as the iPad 10, including the Magic Keyboard Folio and the Apple Pencil USB-C. The downside is that the iPad 11 isn’t compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro. Frustratingly, it’s somehow still compatible with the antiquated Apple Pencil 1st Generation, though (which Apple doesn’t even sell anymore; besides that, you’d need an adapter just to connect it to the iPad 11).

While budget-conscious users are likely to need only the basic Apple Pencil USB-C, it’s still a bit frustrating that Pencil compatibility is not consistent across the entire iPad lineup. Even the iPad Mini 7 is compatible with the Pencil Pro.

With that said, I’ve been using the Apple Pencil USB-C for a couple of years and have been perfectly happy with it. It works great with the iPad 11, and it’s the ideal Pencil for anyone who wants to use their iPad to take notes or do a bit of casual doodling. Unless you mainly use your iPad for art, you probably don’t need the Pencil Pro.

The Magic Keyboard Folio is a surprisingly good accessory, as well. I generally don’t like kickstand keyboards like this one. I expected it to be a mushy, disappointing typing experience, but it’s much more solid than you’d think, delivering snappy, responsive keystrokes and seamless connectivity with the iPad.

Even mouse navigation with the built-in trackpad was much smoother than I expected. Plus, the Magic Keyboard Folio even has function keys. The only missing thing is keyboard shortcuts, which don't work in iPadOS.

I love this keyboard as an accessory, but I wish it was lighter and had a proper hinge or magnetic attachment inside to keep it shut when you have your iPad and keyboard closed. As it is, nothing is holding the keyboard shut when you fold your iPad down on it, so the whole thing will flop open if you pick it up by one half or the other.

iPad 11: Audio

The iPad 11 features landscape stereo speakers, two to each side, that offer a punchy, immersive audio experience. I normally use my iPad with my favorite pair of wireless earbuds, but if you prefer to use the speakers, they are plenty good enough for casual listening, for videos and games.

I used the speakers while watching an episode of Supernatural on Netflix and playing some Hades and found the audio clear and well-balanced. The energetic soundtrack in Hades had a good mix of bass and mids without drowning out dialogue or sound effects.

iPad 11: Performance

The iPad 11 is powered by Apple’s A16 chip, which was previously in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 14 Pro. Interestingly, this is not the same A16 chip, though.

The A16 found in the iPhone featured a 6-core CPU and a 5-core GPU, while the version in the iPad 11 sports a 5-core CPU and a 4-core GPU. For some reason, Apple gave the iPad 11 a less powerful version of an already outdated chip.

It’s also important to note that the A16 chip is not compatible with Apple Intelligence, which requires at least the A17 Pro or M1 chip. The iPad 11 is the only iPad that isn’t compatible with Apple Intelligence.

Despite those drawbacks, the iPad 11 had no trouble keeping up with my everyday tasks on it, including word processing in the Google Docs app, web browsing, streaming content on Netflix, and some casual gaming. Web pages and apps loaded quickly, and multi-tasking was fluid all around.

The iPad 11 performed noticeably faster than my iPad 10, as well, which showed in our test results, where it significantly outscored its predecessor across the board. There’s still an expected performance gap between the iPad 11 and the Mini 7 and Air M3, but it’s still a solid improvement if you’re upgrading from an older iPad on a budget.

iPad 11: Gaming and graphics

iPads have always been my favorite devices for mobile gaming, especially the iPad Mini 7. While the iPad 11 isn't quite as powerful as the Mini, it's no slouch either, delivering a smooth and enjoyable casual gaming experience that's a step up from the iPad 10.

I immediately noticed the improved graphics performance on the iPad 11 while playing Hades. While this game runs well overall on the iPad 10, I've noticed a bit of lagging now and then, particularly when rooms get crowded with enemies.

I didn't experience any lag or freezing at all on the iPad 11, though. Movement, load times, and combat were all perfectly smooth and responsive. The iPad 11 also stayed fairly cool during my gaming sessions (usually about 30 to 60 minutes).

The iPad can be a fun mobile gaming device that's especially handy if you travel, want a larger screen for mobile games, or are looking for something for your kids to game on. It's definitely best with a Bluetooth controller, though. I used a regular Xbox controller with my iPad without any issues.

The iPad 11 might not be the greatest iPad for gaming (I'd argue that title goes to the iPad Mini 7 thanks to its compatibility with the Razer Kishi Ultra), but it can keep up just fine with the vast majority of mobile games. If you want to play the rare AAA titles available on iPadOS, like Resident Evil 4 or Assassin's Creed Mirage, you should opt for an M-series iPad like the iPad Air M3 instead.

iPad 11: Cameras

The iPad 11 sports a 12MP wide main camera that supports 4K video up to 60 fps along with a 12MP landscape front-facing camera with Center Stage.

Most people are not buying an iPad for the camera, but there are situations where you might need it, like joining video calls or taking a photo of a document to mark up with the Apple Pencil. The cameras on the iPad 11 are perfectly fine for those uses, but the quality is nothing to write home about.

One key change from older iPads is the placement of the front-facing camera along the right edge of the iPad 11 rather than the vertical top edge. The iPad 10 had this orientation, too, and it’s much more convenient for FaceTime and other video calls than the portrait-oriented front-facing camera on older iPads.

iPad 11: iPadOS 18

Like all iPads, the iPad 11 comes with some standard apps pre-installed, such as Safari, Notes, and Maps. It includes Apple's standard limited one-year warranty, which you can extend with AppleCare+ for an additional $3.49 per month or $34.99 per year, giving you access to $29 repairs for screen damage or $99 for other accidental damage.

At the time of writing, the iPad 11 ships with iPadOS 18, which includes home screen and lock screen customization, a streamlined control center, and improvements to several default apps like Notes and Calculator.

For instance, the Notes app now has a handy Smart Script feature that can clean up your messy handwriting or even correct your spelling in handwritten text. The Calculator app also has a full scientific calculator now, which is a super helpful upgrade if you use your iPad as a work or school device.

While these features are nice updates, there is one new iPadOS feature you won't find on the iPad 11: Apple Intelligence. The iPad 11 does not have a powerful enough processor to run Apple's new AI platform. In fact, it's the only iPad in the current iPad line-up that doesn't have Apple Intelligence.

Bottom line

Despite a couple of drawbacks, the 11th-generation base iPad is still the best iPad for most people, thanks to a reasonable starting price with significantly more base storage, a newer processor, solid battery life, and decent performance for the price. While the iPad 11 might look identical to the iPad 10, it boasts some significant improvements in performance and battery life that make it a worthy upgrade and a great all-around budget pick.

The Magic Keyboard Folio and Apple Pencil USB-C aren't perfect accessories, but they're better than you might expect and make a well-rounded package for students or anyone on a budget. However, it would be nice if Apple had made the iPad 11 compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro (and finally quit advertising the discontinued Apple Pencil 1st Generation). It's high time for Apple Pencil compatibility to get standardized across the iPad lineup.

The only other notable drawback to the iPad 11 is the lack of support for Apple Intelligence, Apple's suite of AI features (which, at the time of writing, are still rolling out). The iPad 11 is the only iPad that can't run Apple Intelligence, which may be a letdown for some users. If that's a deal breaker for you, you would be better served with the iPad Mini 7 or the iPad Air M3.

However, those drawbacks aside, the iPad 11 is the ideal tablet for most people, balancing the basic features the average user needs with a reasonable price and decent accessories. Unless you absolutely need the top-tier performance from an M-series chip, the iPad 11 is the best budget-friendly tablet you can buy.

With Mother's Day fast approaching, Amazon reduced its prices across a range of Amazon devices, including some of the company's most popular tablets. I scoured the sale, and these are my favorite device choices.

The Amazon Fire HD 10 is a stalwart choice that packs a solid feature set with an under-$100 price tag. The Amazon Fire HD 10 is $94 at Amazon, a sale price it frequently returns to and a healthy 32% discount over its usual $139 price. The Fire HD 10 weighs under 1 pound, and it delivers FHD+ resolution for satisfying images. It's a great choice as an extra screen for streaming video, listening to music, playing games, and more.

If you need a tablet for productivity, the Amazon Fire Max 11 remains your best choice among Amazon's offerings. The Amazon Fire Max 11 is $ 234 at Amazon for the tablet only with 64GB of storage. Even better, the Amazon Fire Max 11 Productivity Bundle also comes with the keyboard case and stylus, all for $269.

For a smaller, more compact display that's perfect for use one-handed or in tight spaces like a kitchen, consider the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus at $64 and the Amazon Fire HD 7 at $44. Either can handle a range of tasks well, and they can do so at budget-friendly prices. The Fire HD 8 Plus is an excellent deal, considering you get the same specs as the newer 2024 Fire HD 8 model, but you also get wireless charging and a charging adapter for the price.

In addition to these Fire tablets and the other Amazon devices linked above, see more gifting options at Amazon's full device sale that also includes Ring security gear and Fire TVs.

QUICK LINKS

• Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet: was $139 now $94 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire 7 Tablet: was $59 now $44 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus Tablet: was $119 now $64 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire Max 11 Tablet: was $234 now $234 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire Max 11 Tablet Bundle: was $356 now $269 at Amazon

It's no secret that I love my Kobo e-reader, which is easily one of the most crucial devices that I use on a daily basis.

But, as much as I love Kobo's devices, an innovative new e-reader just caught my eye, thanks to its folding design that makes it more book-like than any other e-reader I've seen.

Here's a look at the quirky Readmoo mooInk V e-reader and the design change that could be the next hit in the e-reader market.

See also: Best laptop deals April 2025

The mooInk V is the most book-like ereader yet

The Readmoo mooInk V, announced on Wednesday, is one of the most innovative e-readers I've ever seen, which is ironic since its design is a step back toward e-readers' ancestors: paper books.

The mooInk V is the first consumer-ready e-reader with a folding E ink display, and utilizes foldable display tech tech we've seen in pricey phones and applies it to the decidedly less cutting-edge form factor of an e-reader.

The result is a pocket-sized folding e-reader with an 8-inch display that, when closed, looks smaller than a typical smartphone.

There's no word yet on how much the mooInk V will cost, when it will launch, or whether it will be available in the U.S.

I'll be keeping my eye on this one, though. A folding display on a phone or tablet doesn't do much to win me over, but it could be the perfect next-gen design for an e-reader.

My only concern is the potential for pinching. Since the idea is to hold the e-reader like a traditional book, meaning you're holding it by the hinge, e-reader brands should be extra careful they design those hinges to minimize the potential for pinching as much as possible.

My Kobo is light enough to be perfectly comfortable to hold, but I have to admit that I'm used to holding paper books. A folding ereader you could read partially opened would feel about as close to a real book as you can get while still reading on an e-ink display.

So, even if the mooInk V doesn't end up being available in the U.S., I'd like to see other e-reader brands give this design a try. It could also find a home with E ink tablets, making them feel even more like paper notebooks.

More from Laptop Mag

• I switched from a Kindle ereader to Kobo for a week — here's why I'm never going back
• Best tablet deals in April 2025: From as low as $59
• Apple’s next iPad update could be a game changer and might just change how you use it

It's travel season so chances are you're considering buying a portable tablet to keep you busy on a long flight or train ride , the iPad 10 makes a great traveling companion. Although recently dethroned by the iPad 11, the 2022 iPad 10 is still one of the best tablets for most people.

Budget-wise, it's the cheaper iPad Air or iPad Pro alternative for Apple users.

Amazon continues to offer the 256GB model iPad 10 for just $349. It usually retails for $499, so that's a hefty $150 discount. This marks a historic new price low for a 10th-generation iPad with this much storage.

Browse: Amazon's entire sale

As a deals expert, I track iPad deals all year round, and this is one of the best I've seen outside of the holiday season.

Apple’s 10th Gen iPad is a powerful tablet that performs well, surpassing competitors in productivity-adjacent tasks. In our iPad 10 review, we rated it 4 out of 5 stars and gave it our Editor's Choice Award for its powerful performance, solid display, and killer speakers.

We also liked its nifty Apple Pencil, which you can bundle with your iPad 10 for $66 more ($13 off).

You may also convert the iPad 10 into a mini laptop by pairing it with the optional Apple Magic Keyboard Folio for $239 or the Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard Case for $139 ($20 off).

Another standout Apple deal offers the latest iPad 11 with 128GB of storage for $326 ($23 off) at PC Richard. Although it bumps you up to an A16 chip, you're getting half the storage.

By comparison, Amazon's 256GB iPad 10 deal is $92 cheaper than PC Richard's current price for the 256GB iPad 11.

Now $150 off, the iPad 10 is a wise choice if you're shopping around for a versatile, travel-friendly device.

Today's best iPad 10 deal

Apple iPads are not the darling tech product they used to be.

What started off as this fascinating idea of a large device with an amazing display that could do everything your iPhone does and more became more synonymous over the years with the thing you give to a child so they'll be quiet.

Apple continues to give the iPads a lot of power. The recently released iPad 11 uses the same processor found on the iPhone 15, has 128GB of storage, and a 10.8-inch LED display. The iPad Pro M4 has power on par with the latest MacBooks. Even the iPad Mini is finding more uses thanks to cloud gaming. Yet they all still have the issue of not being a device to properly replace a laptop or computer.

That notion, however, might finally change with the release of iPadOS 19, as reported by Bloomberg on Sunday.

The new software for the iPad, which should be out later this year, will reportedly be a huge upgrade for the tablet that will focus on productivity, multitasking, and app window management. According to the report, these changes in iPadOS would make the iPad feel more like a Mac.

However, this will not be equivalent to having macOS on an iPad. It's clear that Apple still wants customers to buy an iPad and a MacBook, and not have one device do all the work.

Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Will the iPad get a new life at WWDC?

The next iPadOS will likely get its reveal at the Worldwide Developers Conference starting on June 9. Apple holds this event annually to show off its latest software for its devices, which usually receives its own show in September. This show in the fall is typically when Apple shows off the next iPhone; this year it'll be the iPhone 17 and maybe its new Air variant that is much thinner than previous iPhones.

This year's WWDC could be a big one for Apple. The company is currently struggling to develop its AI.

Last October, Apple launched its Apple Intelligence, which was supposed to incorporate AI into the iPhone ecosystem to summarize texts and do some photo editing. While those features have rolled out, it's done so on a very slow basis. Apple Intelligence has come to other Apple devices, including the Vision Pro VR headset.

Still, the big goal for Apple was to release an overhauled Siri. This change in the assistant was to make it more of a proper AI assistant that could understand requests based on app interactions. These would be tasks such as creating a reminder for an event based on an email conversation or identifying what song you want to play based on texts with a friend.

This new Siri was supposed to debut in the spring, but Apple made the announcement last month that it was being delayed. After a shakeup with the company executives in charge of the effort, the overhauled Siri should be getting a reveal in the fall, and if it does, it will probably be shown along with the iPhone 17.

I love ereaders, but they can be a bit pricey if you want premium features like a color display or writing capabilities.

Luckily, there are a few great deals available right now for Amazon's Spring Sale that can help you save on a new ereader.

For example, the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition is 20% off, bringing it down to $224 for a model with a seven-inch color e-ink display and 32GB of storage.

The color display means you can read graphic novels, magazines, and textbooks with full-color illustrations. You can also view your book covers and highlights in color.

Kindles are great, but I personally prefer Kobo. The Kobo Clara Colour is a great alternative to the Kindle Colorsoft that costs even less at just $159!

It has a slightly smaller six-inch display but allows more freedom to add books from third-party bookstores, which you can't do on Kindle.

If you want to save a little money while also getting a high-quality full-color ereader, the Kobo Clara Colour is a top pick.

If you're a fan of annotating your books, you may also want to check out the Kindle Scribe. This ereader mixes the note-taking features of a tablet with the e-ink reading experience of an ereader.

Right now, the Kindle Scribe is down to just $324 for a model that includes a 10.2-inch glare-free e-ink display, 16GB of RAM, and a matching pen. If you like taking notes on an iPad but wish it had fewer distractions (and was easier on your eyes), this tablet e-reader could be the perfect fit.

More from Laptop Mag

• I switched from a Kindle ereader to Kobo for a week — here's why I'm never going back
• Best tablet deals in March 2025: from as low as $45
• I spent a week gaming on the iPad Mini 7 — is it a handheld gaming PC rival?

We're in the throes of deals season, and as a result, some of the hottest tech in laptops, phones, and more are seeing massive discounts throughout Amazon's Big Spring Sale. One of the best deals you can get your hands on right now revolves around the Apple iPad 10th Generation, which I reviewed and gave 4 out of 5 stars.

The Apple iPad 10th Generation with two years of AppleCare+ is $358 at Amazon. It's built with Apple's capable Bionic 14 chip, 64GB of storage, wifi 6 capabilities, and a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display. Its rear and front cameras are 12 megapixels each and can record up to 4K resolution. It also has a USB Type-C port for quick charging.

But hurry: The Amazon Big Spring Sale ends at 11:59 p.m. Pacific on Monday, March 31, 2025.

On the Laptop Mag battery life test, which involves continuous web surfing over wifi at 150 nits, the iPad 10th Generation lasted 10 hours and 57 minutes before running out of juice. That's a bit worse than competitors like the OnePlus Pad (13 hours and 31 minutes) or Yoga Tab 11 (11 hours and 46 minutes). Even the ninth-generation iPad lasted 11 hours and 59 minutes. Regardless, the iPad 10th Generation still has decent longevity.

Its display isn't the most colorful, reproducing 72% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, but it is pretty bright, coming in at a total of 504 nits of brightness. I was also blown away by its speaker system, which provided loud and impactful audio no matter what song or movie I threw at it.

Best Apple iPad 10th Generation deal during Amazon's Big Spring Sale

Whether you're looking for a tablet for kids or yourself, Amazon's deeply discounting its Fire tablet lineup ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale.

The least expensive of the bunch is the Amazon Fire 7, now $44 (down from $59). This small 7-inch tablet came out in 2022, but if you're looking for a highly portable tablet for watching videos and using basic apps, it's a perfect budget option.

The baseline 32GB Amazon Fire HD 10 is now $95, a 32% drop from its regular $139 price. That's only $11 more than this model's lowest price ever. The Fire HD 10 works well for entertainment, accessing Amazon content and services, checking email and socials, and playing games.

My favorite is the Amazon Fire Max 11 Tablet, which once again costs $184 (a 20% savings over the usual $229 price). I like this tablet because it has a competitive and sleek style with an aluminum casing that compares favorably with other tablets.

It's also the best Amazon tablet for productivity and multitasking, thanks to its optional keyboard case (buy the keyboard and case as a bundle with the tablet for $265, a 17% savings). Plus, it's one of the least expensive tablets you can buy with stylus support (stylus available separately for $34.)

Meanwhile, if you have a child in your life, two great kid-friendly tablet options are on sale. Both models carry child-friendly features, including a rugged bumper case, a 2-year replacement guarantee, and a free year of the Amazon Kids+ service (new subscribers only). This service provides content appropriate for children based on their age. The Amazon Fire 7 Kids drops to $69 (usually $109) and has a design that targets children from 3 to 7. The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is now $13 (down from $189) and caters to children from 6 to 12.

This short-term sale delivers great prices on Amazon's Fire tablets, with something for everyone at a terrific price. If a Fire tablet isn't for you, be sure to check the rest of the early Amazon Big Spring Sale, offers include discounts on iPads, laptops, and more.

QUICK LINKS

• Amazon Fire 7 Tablet: was $59 now $44 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire 7 Kids Tablet: was $109 now $69 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro Tablet: was $189 now $139 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet: was $139 now $95 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire Max 11 Tablet: was $229 now $184 at Amazon

Today's best Amazon Fire tablet deals

I've been gaming on the iPad Mini 7 with a Razer Kishi Ultra controller for the past week and it's easily the best mobile gaming experience I've ever had, so good that it makes me look twice at handheld gaming PCs.

When you think about a gaming device, an iPad probably does not come to mind. Tablets are still no competition for the best gaming laptops, but mobile gaming is a different story. Handheld gaming PCs have become much more popular over the past few years, while more PC and console games have come to iOS. Cloud gaming spices up the competition even more since it allows you to play a wide library of PC and console games from any internet-connected device, even a phone or tablet.

All of that means gaming on an iPad can be a much more impressive experience than you might expect. But is it robust enough to compete with handheld gaming PCs and cloud gaming devices? My experience gaming on the iPad Mini 7 surprised me and highlighted how far mobile gaming has come, and how far it has left to go.

Gaming on iPadOS: The good, the bad, and the... odd

No matter how good an iPad is, it still has a much smaller library of AAA games than a PC, however, it isn't limited to quick mobile games like Candy Crush, either.

Gaming has improved significantly on the iPad since Apple introduced its M-series chips to the iPad Pro and iPad Air. These are the same chips that power Macs, putting them leagues ahead of the processors in most other tablets and opening the door for more resource-intensive AAA games to get iPadOS ports.

For instance, Assassin's Creed Mirage, Sid Meier's Civilization VI, and Resident Evil 4 are all available on iPadOS. Netflix has also been porting over a growing number of desktop games including Hades, Death's Door, and Dead Cells. Many indie games have gotten iPad releases, too, such as Dredge and the Kingdom series. These are great games that were designed for PC and console, so it's exciting seeing more and more available on mobile devices.

On top of all that, Apple Arcade is bringing even more mainstream games to iPadOS, like Disney Dreamlight Valley. While I've found some good games on Apple Arcade, they're often slightly different from the original or renamed to differentiate them from the standalone full price mobile version of the game (i.e. Stardew Valley and Stardew Valley+).

It's not a perfect comparison to PC gaming, though. Touch controls are finicky and awkward, especially on games that were designed for a keyboard and mouse. Many games are still too demanding for devices without a dedicated GPU like the iPad. Plus, the only way to use most cloud gaming services, like Xbox Cloud Gaming, on iPad is through your browser, which is not exactly the most streamlined experience.

While that may not change any time soon, one key accessory can vastly improve the iPad gaming experience.

The Razer Kishi Ultra: A game changer for the iPad Mini 7

A great controller is a must-have for iPad gaming and I think I've found the best of the bunch. The Razer Kishi Ultra is a clip-on USB Type-C mobile controller with the design and performance of a fully-fledged console or PC controller. The buttons are wonderfully clicky, there's haptic feedback, the triggers are smooth and responsive, and it even has RGB light strips.

I've done a bit of gaming on my iPad 10 with a basic Xbox controller, but the Kishi Ultra far exceeded that experience. It's one of the best-feeling controllers I've ever used, period. It also makes the iPad Mini 7 a much more competitive device for gaming.

Hades is one of my favorite games and happens to be available on iOS now through Netflix. I liked it already on desktop, but was surprised to find myself enjoying it even more on the iPad Mini 7 with the Kishi Ultra. This tablet-controller combo features a better display and better buttons than the Nintendo Switch with surprisingly capable integrated graphics performance. Plus, the combo weighs the same or less than most handheld gaming PCs.

Hades isn't a graphically demanding game, but lag and stuttering can ruin it. I experienced none of that on the iPad Mini 7. It kept up superbly well without any stuttering, screen tearing, or long load times. The iPad Mini 7 clipped into the Kishi Ultra is also just plain fun. It's a lightweight, responsive, ergonomic handheld gaming combo that really takes mobile gaming to a new level.

I also played some Star Wars Hunters on the iPad Mini 7 and the Kishi Ultra made a world of difference in my gameplay. This game is designed for touch controls, but they're a far cry from the comfort and precision of a controller. Movement, aiming, and activating abilities were all much easier with physical buttons, especially without my fingers blocking parts of the screen.

The Kishi Ultra also pairs with the Razer Nexus app, which acts as a hub for all of your iPadOS games but also notably makes it much easier to do a little cloud gaming. You can connect your cloud gaming accounts within the Razer Nexus app, allowing you to access them all in one convenient spot.

Can the iPad Mini 7 compete with handheld gaming PCs?

I genuinely enjoyed gaming on the iPad Mini 7, much more than I expected to. The Razer Kishi Ultra played a big role in that, taking the whole experience to a new level that got me wondering — is the iPad Mini 7 a serious contender as a mobile gaming device? Could it even compete with handheld gaming PCs?

After gaming on the iPad Mini 7 for a week, I can safely say that the new-and-improved Mini offers a fantastic gaming experience but isn't quite ready to take on fully fledged handheld gaming PCs. Even so, it may be the better option for some gamers. For instance, if you're new to gaming or used to mobile gaming, the iPad Mini 7 + Razer Kishi Ultra combo could be much more approachable for you than a Windows-powered handheld gaming PC. That's especially true if you have a large library of games you've already purchased on the App Store.

So, while the iPad Mini 7 isn't going to be replacing my desktop gaming PC anytime soon, I will be reaching for it first when I want to play certain games, like Hades or Stardew Valley. As integrated graphics and mobile gaming continue to improve, the iPad Mini could become a must-have for gaming on the go.

More from Laptop Mag

• I revived my ancient HP laptop with Linux — and it was easier than you think
• I “downgraded” to the iPhone 16e from an iPhone 16 Pro. Here’s what happened.
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I was skeptical about switching from my usual iPad 10 to the iPad Mini 7, but after two weeks with the Mini I'm reluctant to go back to a larger display.

The iPad Mini is in a peculiar spot in Apple's iPad lineup. It's more expensive than the base iPad and less expensive than the iPad Air, but it has a smaller display than both. It's not ideal for power users like the iPad Pro and isn't trying to replace your laptop. So, what is it for?

That's what I asked myself as I tested out the new-and-improved version of Apple's tiny-but-mighty iPad Mini, which last received a refresh in 2021. The iPad Mini 7 surprised me in a few ways, including one strength I wasn't expecting.

After using the Mini as my main tablet for a couple of weeks, I know exactly who this tablet is for, and it truly shines in a few key ways that set it apart beyond its size.

iPad Mini 7: Specs (as reviewed)

iPad Mini 7: Price and configurations

The iPad Mini 7 is available in several configurations starting at $499. It comes in four colors: Blue, Purple, Starlight, and Space Gray. The base model includes 128GB of storage, but you can upgrade to 256GB ($599) or 512GB ($799). Those prices are for the wifi-only models, but all are also available with cellular connectivity for an additional $150.

Our review unit is the base wifi-only model with 128GB of storage in Space Gray.

iPad Mini 7: Design

The iPad Mini 7 has the same overall design as the iPad Mini 6 (2021). There are some tweaks, but they're minimal.

One major change to the refreshed iPad Mini is Apple Pencil support. It includes the new magnetic connector for the Apple Pencil Pro, which boasts a slew of new features like hovering and squeeze controls. The downside is that the iPad Mini 7 isn't compatible with the Apple Pencil 2nd generation (or the even older 1st generation model), so you may need to trade in your older Pencil for the Pencil Pro or the Pencil USB-C.

While Apple moved the front-facing camera on its other iPads, it's still on the top edge of the iPad Mini 7, meaning it's designed to be used in portrait mode. It's also worth noting that the iPad Mini 7 doesn't have a three-pin Smart Connector like the larger iPads, so if you want to connect a keyboard you'll need to go with a Bluetooth one like the Logitech Keys-to-Go 2.

The only thing I didn't like about the iPad Mini 7's design is the placement of the volume buttons on the top edge, across from the power button. I kept subconsciously reaching for the volume button on the left edge like on my larger iPad 10. However, the iPad Mini is so small that the volume buttons can't be on that edge or they get in the way of the Apple Pencil when it's magnetically attached. Still, reaching for the volume buttons along the shorter top edge of the Mini is a bit awkward.

The iPad Mini 7 has the exact same dimensions as the previous model, measuring 7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25 inches and weighing 0.65 pounds. To put that into context, here's how the larger iPads compare:

• iPad 10 (10.9-inch): 9.79 x 7.07 x 0.28 inches, 1.05 pounds
• iPad Air M3 (11-inch): 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches, 1.01 pounds
• iPad Pro M4 (12.9-inch): 11.09 x 8.48 x 0.2 inches, 1.28 pounds

iPad Mini 7: Battery life

The iPad Mini 7 is ultraportable, so great battery life is a must for maximizing its value. Luckily, it performed well in our tests, lasting 10 hours and 28 minutes. That's a bit shorter than the base iPad 10's battery life but almost an hour longer than the iPad Air M3 (11-inch).

On the iPad Mini 7, I went two or sometimes even three days between charges when using it for lightweight tasks like web browsing or reading ebooks. Of course, the battery drains faster during gaming, but not as fast as I expected. I could play an hour of Hades or Monument Valley 3 and only lose about 10% of the battery.

The iPad Mini 7 also recharges quickly. During our testing, 30 minutes of charging brought the Mini from 0 to 34% of its full battery capacity. That's more than the base iPad 10, iPad Air M3, or iPad Pro M4, likely because the Mini has a smaller battery than its larger siblings.

iPad Mini 7: Display

The 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display on the iPad Mini 7 looks and feels fantastic, with vibrant colors, good contrast, and excellent text readability. It has just the right amount of screen real estate to balance portability and functionality — larger than your phone but not as big as a laptop.

This display size was perfect for reading ebooks on the Kobo app. It's small enough to be much more comfortable to hold than a larger tablet while offering more features than an ereader. I never noticed any lag or stuttering while web browsing, streaming videos, or gaming.

The iPad Mini 7 performed well in our display tests, coming in just a few points behind the iPad Air M3 across the board. It gets fairly bright at 480 nits, which was plenty for me, and scored on par with the iPad Air M3 and iPad Pro M4 on our color gamut tests. So, while this display may be smaller, it's not cutting corners on quality compared to the larger iPads.

iPad Mini 7: Audio

The iPad Mini 7 has a quad speaker setup, with two landscape stereo speakers on each of its shorter edges. These speakers sounded great in my testing, especially during gaming, where they can deliver a surprisingly immersive audio experience.

For instance, the music and ocean sound effects in Dredge were rich and atmospheric on the iPad Mini 7. Similarly, the high-energy, punchy Hades soundtrack was crisp and detailed with an excellent balance of bass, mids, and highs.

The iPad Mini 7's stereo speakers are also great for watching movies and TV shows. I watched my weekly Survivor episode on the Mini and the background ambiance of Fiji sounded rich and immersive with clear dialogue from Jeff and the players.

iPad Mini 7: Performance

While the iPad Pro and iPad Air are often marketed as laptop replacements, the iPad Mini is designed more for entertainment and casual use. Even so, its A17 Pro processor is no slouch. The iPad Mini 7 had no problem keeping up with everything from web browsing to gaming to some doodling in Procreate with the Apple Pencil Pro.

Even if you have the iPad Mini 6, the new model is a major upgrade. The A17 Pro chip is two generations newer than the A15 chip in the 2021 model. It's especially important to note that the A17 Pro supports Apple Intelligence, which is only available on Apple Devices with the A17 Pro chip or above (or M-series chips in the case of the iPad Air, iPad Pro, and Macs). While Apple is facing delays rolling out some key Apple Intelligence features, it's still worth considering upgrading to the iPad Mini 7 if you're interested in AI.

The iPad Mini 7 performed fairly well in our benchmark tests, landing between the iPad Air M3 and the base iPad 10, which is also where it fits into the iPad line-up in terms of price. The Mini's performance scores aren't far behind the iPad Air in most categories, like web browsing and video editing. So, if you're between the two and want a smaller screen, the iPad Mini 7 may be the perfect fit without sacrificing too much in terms of performance.

iPad Mini 7: Gaming and graphics

Gaming was by far my favorite use for the iPad Mini 7. That surprised me because I've never been particularly interested in mobile gaming. However, it has gotten a lot better recently with more ports of PC games coming to mobile devices, like Hades and Dredge, a couple indie favorites of mine.

There are even some AAA games making their way to the App Store, like Assassin's Creed Mirage. Plus, cloud gaming allows you to stream more demanding PC games to your iPad as long as you have an internet connection.

Gaming on the iPad Mini is a surprisingly satisfying experience, especially with a mobile controller like the Razer Kishi Ultra. This controller is the perfect companion for the iPad Mini 7, with the snappiest, clickiest buttons I've ever used. It was a breeze to connect, too. You just plug it into the USB-C port on the iPad Mini, which also allows for passthrough charging. The Mini and the Kishi Ultra together are about the same size as a Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch.

The Mini boasted smooth, snappy game performance with the Kishi Ultra in all of the games I tried. In fact, Hades ran so well on the Mini that I found myself enjoying it more than playing the same game on my desktop. The controls were quick and responsive, and I noticed zero lag or screen tearing. The punchy soundtrack and crisp combat audio effects sounded fantastic, and the display rendered the vibrant graphics in rich color. Overall, it was a great gameplay experience.

Although the iPad Mini 7 is not marketed as a gaming device, it's such a joy to use with a controller like the Kishi Ultra that it could be a surprising competitor to handheld gaming PCs. It's much lighter than one and more approachable for people who are new to gaming or used to mobile gaming.

Of course, it can't natively run PC games, but if you want a versatile mobile device that can deliver a fun cloud or mobile gaming experience, the iPad Mini 7 is tough to beat.

iPad Mini 7: Camera

iPads aren't the most ergonomic devices for photography, but their cameras can come in handy for things like scanning documents to write on with the Apple Pencil or jumping into FaceTime calls. The basic front and back cameras on the iPad Mini 7 are more than powerful enough for those everyday tasks.

It has a 12MP Center Stage front-facing camera with 1080p video at up to 60 FPS. Notably, it's in portrait orientation, meaning the camera is on the "top" edge of the screen when you're holding the iPad vertically. The rear camera is a 12MP Wide lens that can record 4K video at up to 60 FPS.

My test photos and videos on the Mini looked sharp and clear with good color accuracy and solid audio. The quality is on par with the cameras on my iPhone 12 Mini.

iPad Mini 7: Software and warranty

Like most iPads, the iPad Mini 7 has a suite of standard Apple apps pre-installed like Safari, Notes, and Maps. It also includes Playground, which is Apple's new AI image generation app. You can generate images with text prompts or combine pre-made themes, costumes, accessories, and places. It's one of the early Apple Intelligence features to roll out, with more on the way over the coming months and years.

The iPad Mini 7 includes Apple's standard limited one-year warranty, which you can extend and expand with AppleCare Plus for $3.49 a month or $34.99 a year, giving you access to $29 repairs for screen damage or $99 for other accidental damage.

Bottom line

The iPad Mini 7 is a mobile entertainment powerhouse in a lightweight, ultraportable chassis. Its stellar display and fantastic audio make for an immersive experience watching movies or playing games, especially with a compatible controller like the Razer Kishi Ultra. While the iPad Pro and iPad Air aim to replace your laptop, the iPad Mini sticks to what tablets are best for: entertainment and relaxation.

If you're looking for a tablet for mobile gaming, reading, and streaming movies and shows, the iPad Mini 7 is the way to go. Its smaller display makes it much more comfortable for those tasks than the larger iPads without sacrificing performance.

However, if you want to use your tablet for word processing, video editing, or work-related tasks, you should get the iPad Air or iPad Pro, which have more robust keyboard compatibility. That said, the iPad Mini 7 is a nice work companion for replacing paper notebooks, especially with the new Apple Pencil Pro.

Overall, the iPad Mini 7 is an excellent tablet for mobile entertainment, especially gaming. It's the perfect choice for anyone who wants a tablet for play instead of work.

Summer savings start now, and the best iPad deals right now are priced to impress. So if you've been holding off on buying an iPad due to price or gift shopping for a special occasion, I have good news.

Select iPads are up to $300 off at Amazon, up to $700 off at Best Buy, and up to $100 off at Walmart. Not to be outdone, B&H is slashing up to $400 off select iPad Pro tablets.

Right now, you can get the excellent iPad 11 for just $299 ($50 off) at Amazon and Best Buy.

Featuring a new A16 chip, the 11th generation delivers noticeably faster performance over the previous gen iPad 10. It also supports optional Apple accessories like Magic Keyboard Folio, Apple Pencil USB-C, and Apple Pencil 1st gen.

As detailed in our iPad 11 review, we liked its powerful performance, strong graphics, and solid battery life. Although it lacks Apple Intelligence and Apple Pencil Pro, we gave it an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars and our Editor's Choice Award.

Despite its lack of Apple Intelligence support, the iPad 11 is the best tablet for most people. It's also the cheaper alternative to the iPad Air and iPad Pro.

Another iPad deal for those who want a portable MacBook-like device is the 11-inch M4 iPad Pro is down to $899 at Amazon ($100 off). Featuring Apple's blazing-fast 9-core M4 chip, the 2024 iPad Pro is up to 50% faster than the M2 iPad Pro and packs a GPU that's 4 times quicker. That means you can expect games and other graphics-heavy tasks to run smoother than ever before.

So, if you're looking for the best iPad deals right now for your spring tech refresh, you've come to the right place. Whether you want to buy an iPad for yourself or surprise someone for a special occasion, I'm here to help you lessen the hurt on your bank account.

Scroll on to see the best iPad deals right now.

Quick links

• iPad Cables & Chargers: from $13 at Amazon
• Apple Pencil USB-C: was $79 now $69 at Amazon
• Apple Pencil Pro: was $129, now $99 at Amazon
• Apple iPad 11: was $349 now $299 at Amazon
• Apple iPad mini 7: was $499 now $399 at Amazon
• Apple M3 iPad Air : was $599 now $499 at Amazon
• Apple M3 iPad Air 13: was $799 now $699 at Amazon
• Apple M4 iPad Pro: was $999 now $899 at Amazon
• Apple M4 iPad Pro 13: was $1,299 now $1,099 at Amazon
• Apple M2 iPad Pro 2TB: was $1,899 now $1,199 at Best Buy
• Shop: Today's best iPad deals at Amazon
• Shop: Today's best iPad deals at Best Buy
• Shop: Today's best iPad deals at Walmart

Best iPad deals right now — iPad

iPad mini

iPad Air

iPad Pro

iPad Accessories

 When is the best time to buy an iPad? 

iPad deals are a lot easier to find these days thanks to ongoing discounts available throughout the year. However, the best time to buy an iPad is typically during the later months of the year and Black Friday in particular. Around the holidays, we see the most competitive discounts among retailers and the lowest prices on Apple's premium tablets.

Other best times to buy an iPad are Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Amazon Prime Day, and back-to-school season.

 What is the best iPad to buy? 

Apple's latest iPad Air is the best iPad to buy and our number 1 pick for best overall tablet. It runs on Apple's old but still good M1 chip which makes it more than adequate for managing emails, socials, internet surfing, consuming content, gaming, and more.

Priced at $599 to start, you can usually find it on sale for $100 to $150 less.

What is the best budget iPad? 

Although overshadowed by the iPad 11, the 10th generation iPad is the best value iPad you can get.

In our iPad 10th gen review, we gave it a solid rating of 4 out of 5-stars and our Editor's Choice Award for good reason. We found its powerful performance, solid display, killer speakers, and useful Apple Pencil (sold separately) features impressive.

Could Apple's next iPad Pro feature a folding design? After more display specs leaked on Monday, the long-rumored folding iPad may still be in the works at Apple.

Weibo-based tipster Digital Chat Station — who has a record of leaking information about foldable tech — posted on the Chinese social media site that a prototype for a foldable 18.8-inch iPad includes an under-display FaceID sensor. Here's the full posting:

"Guoguo also has a Foldable iPad Pro, the engineering version has an 18.8-inch screen and uses a metal meta-lens. It mainly integrates Face ID Rx and Tx for under-screen 3D face recognition. Are you interested in a foldable tablet?"

If true, this update would confirm that Apple is still working on a foldable iPad. However, the post didn't go into further detail about the prototype, but this is not the first we've heard about it.

Rumors about a folding iPad or all-screen MacBook have been circulating for at least a year, especially since Apple filed a patent for a hinge for foldable displays in March 2024.

Of course, this hinge could be for an iPhone, but in May 2024, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that a much larger foldable device is in the works — a giant iPad or an all-screen MacBook. According to Kuo, the device will reportedly feature an 18.8-inch or 20.5-inch display, which would be similar to a 14-inch or 15-inch laptop when folded.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported similar rumors even more recently in December 2024, hinting that the mysterious foldable could be some sort of iPad-MacBook hybrid.

Monday's leak that this upcoming foldable may feature under-display FaceID could mean it won't have a camera notch, so it would be truly all-screen. It would make sense for Apple to pursue a notch-free design so the foldable can be used in portrait or landscape mode. However, this rumor is referring to a prototype, so the specs and features of the final design are still in flux.

However, at the very least this rumor seems to indicate that Apple is still working on a foldable iPad or MacBook of some kind. The question now is, when could it launch?

When could Apple release the foldable iPad Pro?

Apple has yet to officially confirm that it is developing a foldable iPad or all-screen MacBook. Rumors about this mysterious device indicate that it's still in the early stages of development. However, there have been some hints about when Apple might announce it.

Kuo reported last year that "the target mass production schedule for the panel and assembly is 4Q25 and 1H26, respectively," referring to the 20.5-inch and 18.8-inch sizes. Kuo also predicted that the foldable will feature the M5 chip. For context, Apple's latest iPads and MacBooks are currently running on the M4 series chips. So, this means the foldable won't launch until at least 2026. If Kuo's predictions for the device's mass production timeline pan out, it might not launch until 2027.

Bloomberg's Gurman reported an even later launch window estimate of 2028. Gurman also predicted the foldable will ultimately run iPadOS, not macOS, meaning it will be more of a large, foldable tablet than a laptop.

It's too soon to say for sure what category Apple's all-screen foldable will fall into or exactly when it will launch, but it seems like we won't see it until 2027 at the earliest.

More from Laptop Mag

• All-screen foldable MacBook: Everything we know so far
• Where to preorder the M3 iPad Air and the best deals so far
• The iPad 11 is Apple's most unintelligent move in years — don't fall for it

Apple is known for its innovation. It is the company that turned a rectangle of glass into one of the most prized gadgets on the planet, after all. So, whenever the Cupertino-based company has new hardware to showcase, it's a pretty big deal. Following a successful reveal of the new iPhone 16E in February, Apple has returned to woo us with more wonderful tech revamps, including the new 11th-generation iPad.

The new base iPad offers the same processor found in the iPhone 15, and while that's plenty short of "cutting-edge" when it comes to Apple's Bionic chips, it's still a fair amount of performance to pack into a tablet priced at $349. Paired with its 10.8-inch LED display, 128GB of storage, and USB-C support, you have the makings of a perfectly fine tablet for casual users, students, youngsters, and more.

Except you don't. Apple's new base iPad has one glaring omission tied to its A16 Bionic processor, and it could make this model the fastest in Apple's recent catalog of fresh tablets to be rendered obsolete.

Unlike every other freshly minted model of iPad, the iPad 11 doesn't support the company's new headline Apple Intelligence suite, featuring many of the most exciting tools to arrive on iPadOS in recent years. The new iPad may seem like a steal, but you could be robbing yourself of the iPad's most exciting features by snapping one up.

iPad 11: An unintelligent distraction in an aluminum chassis

The lack of Apple Intelligence support for the iPad 11 may have passed some people by, and why wouldn't you expect it to support one of Apple's most pushed features? The A17 Pro Bionic outfitted iPad mini 7 and similarly entry-level positioned iPhone 16E with its A18 Bionic chipset both manage to support Apple's new suite of AI-centric tools, after all.

This makes the iPad 11 the only new Apple device to be left out in the cold when it comes to a growing collection of AI-backed features and leaves it potentially feeling obsolete before the new-car scent wears off.

Taking a step back, it's clear that the iPad 11's real purpose is to act as the small Coke of the iPad menu. A low-cost distraction designed to make the other options look all the more like a better deal. It exists only to make the simultaneously unveiled iPad Air M3 seem like a no-brainer — even if it isn't. Sure, the iPad Air gets a more considerable upgrade, but it's still labored with a chipset that is set to become two generations old following Apple's expected unveiling of M5-powered devices later this year.

To those unphased by the lack of Apple Intelligence, I ask you to think ahead to June's WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) where Apple will no doubt offer a spectacular parade of new iPadOS 19 features, many of them likely banking on Apple Intelligence to power them, and none of them accessible to you.

In my opinion, the iPad 11, no matter how tempting of a purchase thanks to its affordable pricing, should be avoided at all costs. What you save in dollars now, will only come back to sting you when you eventually want to upgrade to a device that's Apple Intelligence-ready.

If not the iPad 11, then what?

If you want to avoid the buyer's remorse that will potentially haunt the iPad 11, then perhaps allowing Apple to upsell you to an iPad Air or Pro isn't the worst decision. However, older models of the iPad Air and even the most recent iPad mini will both bring you into the Apple Intelligence fold for less.

Right now you can shave a few inches off of your expected screen size and nab the iPad mini 7 with its 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display and Apple Intelligence-ready A17 Pro chipset for just $399 at Amazon, $100 off of its typical $499 asking price.

If you really want to future-proof yourself, then the iPad Pro M4 is the clear option for making an investment right now that will last you for years. Right now, you can take advantage of a similar $100 discount, with the iPad Pro M5 (256GB) currently available at Amazon for only $899.

However, if that's still a little rich for your blood, there's always the new iPad Air M3. While it's a little less future-proof, Apple's M3 chip is plenty powerful to handle all of iPadOS' features and should have a decent shelf life when it comes to gaining from the latest Apple Intelligence tools.

It's a little more expensive than the iPad 11, but what you pay extra for now, will only add to the longevity of the device. You can pre-order the iPad Air M3 from Amazon now for $599.

That said, almost any M-series iPad is going to keep you under that Apple Intelligence umbrella for some time. So even the older iPad Air M2 makes for a solid purchase over Apple's latest standard iPad offering.

It's one of Apple's most unintelligent moves to release an iPad in this state, at a time when it's pushing its most intelligent features as a major selling point. Let's perhaps avoid making similarly unintelligent purchasing decisions in the aftermath.

More from Laptop Mag

• Best tablet deals in March 2025: Save $400 on Surface Pro 11 and more
• Tim Cook’s MacBook Air M4 teaser was actually… a new iPad Air?
• The new Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE just leaked and it might make you cancel your M3 iPad Air preorder

If you've had your eye on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus but its price gave you cause to pause, I bring good news. For a limited time, you can nab the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus for half off during Samsung's spring savings event.

Right now, you can get yourself the 12.4-inch Galaxy Tab S10 Plus with S Pen for as low as $499 via Samsung's trade-in offer. It normally costs $999, so with $500 in savings and one of the best tablet deals of the day.

Here's how to save 50% on the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus

Scroll down Galaxy Tab S10 Plus's landing page under Samsung Trade-in, select "Yes". If you have a Galaxy Tab S9 Plus, Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, or Galaxy Z Fold 6 to trade in, Samsung will take $500 off the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus at checkout.

You'll get the full trade-in value if your device is in good cosmetic and working condition, which drops the price of the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus to just $499. If you're switching from Apple, swapping a 12.9-inch iPad Pro (4th to 6th gen), iPhone 16 Pro, or iPhone Pro Max in good condition will also get you a $500 discount.

If you don't have a device to trade in, select "No" under Samsung Trade-in, and the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus can be yours for $869 ($130 off).

While we didn't get a chance to this this exact tablet, we took its 14.6-inch sibling for a spin. In our hands-on Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review, we liked its quick, reactive performance, gorgeous display, and light, portable design. We're also fans of DeX support, which enables a desktop experience via monitor or TV. Plus, the included S Pen was useful for taking notes, sketching, and marking up documents.

The Galaxy Tab S10 Plus packs the same hardware and attributes as the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. Just about the only key difference is that it has a smaller 12.4-inch screen size.

At up to 50% off, the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus is a tremendous value for the price. It's a wise choice if you want a versatile device that lets you get things done, stream content, and game from anywhere.

Samsung's spring sale ends March 9.

Today's best Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus deal

Apple just announced the new M3 iPad Air, but you might want to wait on that pre-order. Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE+ just leaked and they're bringing a lot to the table.

The new iPad Air just launched at a whopping $599 for an 11-inch tablet with the M3 chip. That M3 chip is packed with power, but do you really need all that performance for a tablet? Spoiler alert: most people don’t.

You may want to consider the new Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE+, especially because they’ll launch at lower prices (presumably). Let’s jump into what you’ll get.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE is the better budget option

The most recent leak comes from YTechB (via SamMobile), reportedly revealing official press renders of the Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE+. Surprise, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE looks like, you guessed it, a tablet.

With the base FE featuring a 10.9-inch screen and the FE+ rocking a 13.1-inch display, they’re both wrapped in a metal frame. They come in three colorways: blue, gray, and silver. As far as what’s inside, they’ll reportedly come with the Exynos 1580 processor, 8GB/12GB of RAM, and 128GB/256GB of storage.

The Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE+ reportedly feature a 12MP (selfie) and 13MP (rear-facing) camera, quad speakers, a fingerprint reader, a microSD card slot, and an IP68 rating (dust and water resistance). The former will sport an 8,000mAh battery while the latter bumps up to a 10,090mAh battery. Best of all, they come bundled with the Galaxy S Pen.

Now, that Exynos 1580 processor first found its way in the recently announced Galaxy A56, which, according to a leak, doesn’t perform nearly as well as Apple’s M3 chip. But again, do you need Apple’s wild performance? Unless you’re doing some heavy video editing or intense gaming on your tablet, I don’t think you’ll find much use out of Apple’s offering.

If you wait a little bit for the Galaxy Tab S10 FE to launch, you might be able to save a few hundred dollars on a new tablet. The M3 iPad is currently available for pre-order at $599. And if you want to get the Apple Pencil you’ll need to add $79 on top of that. With a keyboard, that’s $269.

We don’t know the price of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE debuted at $449 and is currently on sale for $299. If the Tab S10 FE comes in at the same MSRP, that’s $229 in savings with the stylus included. When adding the keyboard, Samsung’s Book Cover costs $159 currently. So that’d be a total of $339 in savings.

Again, don’t expect the world out of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE. It is a budget tablet, but it is enough for most people. However, if you are a power user (and if leaks are accurate), you’ll get ~3.3x more performance from the M3 iPad Air.

And to reiterate, these are rumors, so we won’t know anything official about the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE until Samsung announces it. So stay tuned to Laptop Mag for updates on the new Samsung tablets, and maybe the MacBook Air M4.

More from Laptop Mag

• Tim Cook just gave us the biggest MacBook Air M4 clue we've seen yet
• Apple Intelligence just ran into more bad news — and Siri is the problem
• Tim Cook’s MacBook Air M4 teaser was actually… a new iPad Air?

Apple finally unveiled its new product after stirring up excitement for the M4 MacBook Air, but it wasn't the product reveal many were hoping for.

Apple shared a press release this morning unveiling the 2025 iPad Air, now powered by an M3 chip. It sports the same design as the previous generation with the same starting prices of $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch model. While the iPad Air M3 might not look different, it comes with a few nice upgrades, especially if you're currently using an older iPad.

The M3 chip offers the best graphics performance yet on the iPad, enough to run the handful of AAA games available on iPadOS. That graphics performance also comes in handy for anyone who uses their iPad for art, design, or video editing. According to Apple, the M3 chip delivers up to 40% faster graphics performance than the M1 chip.

It probably isn't a huge boost compared to the iPad Air M2 (which launched less than a year ago), but if you're considering upgrading an older iPad with an A-series chip, you'll definitely notice the difference.

Along with a chip upgrade, Apple also launched a new accessory for the iPad Air M3, a redesigned Magic Keyboard. It borrows the design from the new iPad Pro Magic Keyboard Apple launched last year, featuring a larger trackpad, an improved hinge, and a function row. The iPad Air version of this keyboard costs $30 less, but only comes in white.

The iPad Air M3 is available for pre-order starting today.

Apple quietly launches base iPad 11 alongside iPad Air M3

The iPad Air M3 wasn't the only device Apple announced today, although you'd be forgiven for missing the second announcement. Apple quietly unveiled an updated base iPad at the end of its press release for the iPad Air M3.

The base iPad 11 now features twice as much base storage, an 11-inch display (rather than 10.9-inch), and an A16 chip, the processor Apple used in the iPhone 15. It has the same starting price of $349 as the previous generation and comes in the same colors (blue, yellow, red, and silver).

While those upgrades are nice, it's worth noting that the base iPad is still not compatible with Apple Intelligence. It would need at least the A16 Pro chip to run Apple's on-device AI features, so it looks like the base iPad is getting left out of that for now. Additionally, the base iPad is still only compatible with the Magic Keyboard Folio, the Apple Pencil 1st generation, and the Apple Pencil USB-C (no floating Magic Keyboard or Apple Pencil Pro).

The iPad 11 is available for pre-order starting today.

Where's the MacBook Air M4?

On Monday, Apple CEO Tim Cook shared a post on X that appeared to be a teaser for the highly-anticipated MacBook Air M4. So, many Apple fans may be disappointed that today's product launch wasn't a MacBook, but a pair of iPads.

It's only Tuesday, though. There's still a good chance Apple could launch the MacBook Air M4 this week. It's not uncommon for Apple to use smaller product launches to build up excitement for a bigger announcement, which could certainly be the case here. Plus, the MacBook Air is due for an update. Apple announced the MacBook Air M3 exactly one year ago today on March 4, 2024.

So, it probably won't be much longer before Apple unveils the MacBook Air M4. Even so, it is a bit frustrating seeing the iPad Air get an update after less than a year while the MacBook Air will now be left waiting over a year.

We'll be keeping our eyes peeled for more news and updates on the MacBook Air M4, so stay tuned for more details.

More from Laptop Mag

• Tim Cook just gave us the biggest MacBook Air M4 clue we've seen yet
• Apple Intelligence just ran into more bad news — and Siri is the problem
• Apple is readying to announce a new MacBook this week, report says

A great tablet can enhance both your productivity and entertainment options, all in a highly portable design. The biggest questions to consider are screen size and OS. If you're searching for a large-screen Android tablet, this Samsung Galaxy Tab deal is for you.

Currently, Amazon has the 11-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 with 256GB of storage on sale for $669 (the price is for the beige colorway, graphite costs another $10).

That is 27% off the usual price and $250 on Samsung's 11-inch competitor to the Apple iPad Pro. This price marks the best we've seen outside of the 2024 Black Friday shopping season.

This deal makes this upgraded model cheaper than the baseline Galaxy Tab S9. It doubles the storage and ups the RAM from 8GB to 12GB, making it a very attractive configuration.

If you plan to create content or anticipate needing more space, the microSD card slot allows you to expand the storage by up to 1TB.

The Galaxy Tab S9 is a 2023 model with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, which gives it plenty of power for productivity, gaming, and content creation.

Like the rest of the Galaxy Tab S9 series, it supports Galaxy AI features, which means you'll have access to some (but not all) of Samsung's latest AI capabilities.

The Galaxy Tab S9 includes Samsung's S Pen stylus, which makes it easy to take notes and make sketches.

If you've been considering a powerful tablet with a big screen, the Galaxy Tab S9 is a good choice. Thanks to this Amazon deal, it's now available at a great price.

Today's best Galaxy Tab S9 deal

iPad, youPad, we all Pad for iPads, and right now is the best time to iPad because Best Buy's Presidents' Day sale is on now, which includes discounts on just about every version of Apple's iconic tablet.

While you could go trudging through Best Buy's iPad sale all by yourself, we've decided that we'd be super cool and do it for you. Consider it our way of saying sorry for not getting you a Valentine's Day card. We've rounded up the best deals that we could find on a range of iPads, from the classic base model up to the swanky iPad Pro. Hell, we've even thrown in some deals on accessories.

If you're looking for a premium tablet, our favorite deal of the bunch has to be the $200 discount on the 13-inch iPad Pro M4, which is down to $1099. It's a beast of a tablet that puts many laptops to shame thanks to its lightning-fast performance and beautiful OLED display. The 11-inch version is on sale, too, but you're getting a bigger discount on the larger model, and we think it's worth the price jump.

If you're looking for more great tech deals this February, Best Buy is also having a huge laptop sale at the moment, so be sure to check out our Best Buy Windows laptop deals roundup if a new notebook is on your wishlist.

Best Buy Sale — Quick Links

• Apple iPad 10: Was $349 now $279
• Apple 11-inch iPad Air M2: Was $599 now $499
• Apple 13-inch iPad Air M2: Was $799 now $699
• Apple 11-inch iPad Pro M4: Was $999 now $899
• Apple 13-inch iPad Pro M4: Was $1299 now $1099
• Apple iPad mini 7 (A17 Pro chip): Was $499 now $399
• Apple Pencil Pro: Was $129 now $99
• Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Air M2 (11-inch): Was $299 now $249
• Apple Magic Keyboard Folio for iPad 10.9-inch: Was $249 now $199

Launched in May 2024, Apple's iPad Pro M4 is the most advanced tablet from the brand yet. If you want a portable M4 Macbook alternative, here's a deal you'll like.

Amazon continues to offer the base model 13-inch Apple iPad Pro M4 for $1,099 for Presidents' Day. That's a generous $200 discount, down from $1,299 and its biggest markdown yet! Not only is this the 13-inch iPad Pro M4's lowest price ever, it's also one of the best tablet deals I've seen since the holidays. Not to be outdone, Best Buy mirrors this deal.

If 256GB of storage doesn't cut it for you, Amazon offers the 512GB iPad Pro M4 for $1,299 ($200 off), the 1TB iPad Pro M4 for $1,699 ($200 off), and the 2TB iPad Pro M4 for $2,099 ($200 off).

The iPad Pro M4 is powerful enough to replace your laptop. Get yourself an iPad Magic Keyboard Case and convert it into a mini Macbook. Apple's blazing M4 9-core chip makes the newest iPad Pro 50% faster than the 2022 M2 iPad Pro. In terms of GPU performance, it's four times faster so expect graphics-intensive tasks to run smoothly.

At $200 off, the iPad Pro M4 is at its best price yet. It's a wise choice if you're looking for a super-portable laptop alternative.

Best 13-inch iPad Pro M4 deal

13-inch iPad Pro M4 Accessories

Amazon is jump starting this month's monumental Presidents Day savings this weekend. The online retail juggernaut is now slashing up to 60% off its entire line of Alexa devices.

I'm talking about Prime Day-worthy discounts on Fire tablets, Kindle ereaders, Echo Buds, Fire Stick streaming devices and Fire TVs.

Shop: Amazon device deals from $18

One deal offers the ad-free Amazon Fire HD 10 for $105 at Amazon. Typically $179, that's $75 in savings and the lowest price it's ever dropped to.

If you don't want to spend a whole lot, this is one of the best cheap tablet deals for the money. The Fire HD 10 with no lockscreen ads is on sale for $94 ($45 off).

Amazon's latest Kindle Colorsoft ereader is also up for grabs at a discounted price. Once a Prime member-only deal, you can now get the Kindle Colorsoft for a record low price of just $229 ($50 off) this weekend.

The Kindle Colorsoft received 4.5 out of 5 star Editor's Choice Award ratings from in-house brands Tom's Guide and Techradar. The e-reader's vibrant display, portable design, and long battery life are some of its highlights.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Shop Amazon's entire device sale and see my favorite discounts below.

Today's best Amazon device deals — Quick links

• Browse: Amazon's entire sale
• Amazon Echo Buds 2: was $50 now $35 at Amazon
• Amazon Echo Buds: was $140 now $55 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire HD 10: was $180 now $105 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire Max 11: was $230 now $185 at Amazon
• Amazon Kindle Paperwhite: was $130 now $135 at Amazon
• Amazon Kindle Colorsoft: was $279 now $229 at Amazon
• 50" Amazon Fire TV 4 Series: was $399 now $319 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K: was $49 now $29 at Amazon

Amazon device deals

I’ve always wanted a more portable device than a laptop to quickly write on whenever I want. However, I didn’t like the small screen of earlier iPad and iPad Air models, and the iPad Pro was too expensive. So, when Apple launched the 13-inch M2 iPad Air, I was overjoyed and immediately bought one. I also got the Magic Keyboard to turn it into a convenient typing machine.

However, after more than six months of ownership, I finally admit that replacing my MacBook Air with the iPad Air wasn’t a great decision. Although it has a few advantages, I wish I didn’t give up my laptop in favor of this tablet as my “just-in-case” device.

It’s heavier than my old M1 MacBook Air

The number one thing I had in mind when I bought my iPad Air was that it would be lighter than a laptop. While that is technically true, I did not realize that the Magic Keyboard is heavier than the tablet and would more than double the weight in my bag. I measured the weight of my 13-inch M2 iPad Air at home, which clocked in at 667 grams or about 1.5 pounds; this is about half the weight of the M1 MacBook Air, which measures 1,282 grams or over 2.8 pounds.

But when I checked the Magic Keyboard on my weighing scale, I was horrified that it came in at 695 grams or over 1.5 pounds. This is 28 grams (or nearly an ounce) heavier than the tablet itself, meaning the combined weight of both items equals 1,362 grams or about 3 pounds — this is some 80 grams or about 2.8 ounces heavier than my old laptop (which my wife now uses). It’s literally a pain in the neck to lug around in my shoulder bag.

This also makes it 134 grams or 4.8 ounces lighter than my 15-inch M2 MacBook Air, my main travel laptop. Despite the additional weight, my 15-inch M2 MacBook Air can do many other things that the iPad can’t. The only thing that stops me from substituting my MacBook Air for the iPad Air as my everyday carry is that it does not fit in my bag.

The 13-inch screen is still too small

I’ve always been a fan of large screens, as working on a small display puts me under eye strain and limits the number of things I can view simultaneously. I immediately grabbed the 13-inch M2 iPad Air when it became available. Before this, I used the 9.7-inch iPad 6th-generation, so the larger display of my new iPad was a total paradigm-shifter.

However, after several months of use, I found that even this larger display wasn’t enough for me. I usually work with two or more windows, so I frequently split the screen into several parts. When I have two apps open on the iPad Air, the text often becomes too small to read comfortably. I would increase the font or zoom size on the app, but it then limits my ability to scan the page.

This also affects the web pages I visit, with the small screen often cropping information that I need. So, instead of seeing everything at a glance, I have to swipe on the page to find what I need. The only advantage of my 13-inch M2 iPad Air over the newer MacBook Air models is that it doesn’t have a notch, allowing me to maximize my desktop real estate.

iPadOS is holding it back

Apple has equipped its iPad models, especially the Pro and Air, with formidable hardware. My iPad Air uses the Apple M2 chip and has 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. That means it has the exact specifications as my 15-inch M2 MacBook Air, except for the SSD (my laptop has 256 GB), so I see no reason why the tablet cannot run macOS Sequoia.

However, Cupertino saw fit in putting a handicap on the tablet by putting iPadOS on it. This operating system has several limitations that prevent users from taking advantage of the Apple silicon found in the tablet. My biggest complaint is how Apple limits you to the App Store to install apps and programs on your tablet, especially now that an Apple silicon chip powers it.

I also have a pet peeve with the iPad’s round cursor when I use the trackpad on the Magic Keyboard (or any other mouse). It’s less accurate than the pointer you’d find on laptops, even though an iPad with a Magic Keyboard is essentially one. I feel that Apple is purposefully nerfing the iPad line so that it doesn’t cannibalize the sale of MacBooks.

I paid more to get less

My biggest regret with the iPad Air is that I paid more for fewer features and functionality. I spent $799 to buy the tablet and $349 to get the Magic Keyboard. This sums up to $1,148, whereas a 13-inch M2 MacBook Air now has a minimum of 16 GB of memory and 256 GB of storage, which only sells for $999. The newer 13-inch M3 MacBook Air with 512 GB of storage is a tad more expensive at $1,299.99, but you also get four times the space for your data.

With Apple rumored to launch the M4 MacBook Air soon, you should consider holding off buying the iPad Air with a Magic Keyboard (or any external keyboard), particularly if it drops the price of the M2 MacBook Air even further. Even if it releases a new M3 iPad Air, I still cannot justify that asking price for a tablet that’s been saddled with the iPadOS. The only time I’d thoroughly recommend it is when Apple finally decides to give iPad users the option to get macOS on their iPads.

I should’ve skipped the Magic Keyboard and opted for a cheaper alternative, like the Logitech Combo Touch. That would’ve saved me over a hundred dollars, making me feel better about my purchase. The only thing my iPad Air can do that my MacBook can never achieve is to serve as a wireless secondary monitor for the latter. However, aside from that and its touch screen, the 13-inch M2 iPad Air with the Magic Keyboard is a poor replacement for the MacBook Air.

More from Laptop Mag

• iPadOS: 5 reasons people hate it
• A new iPad Air may arrive soon — with one major upgrade
• The results are in: Here's how the iPad mini 7 compares to the rest of the iPad family

Apple's iPad series might be the biggest name in the tablet game, however, there are some great Android alternatives out there if you're willing to step outside Apple's ecosystem. Samsung's Galaxy Tab series are among the best tablets out there and now's the perfect time to check them out. Especially with these Samsung tablet deals now going on over at Amazon.

We've highlighted a trio of tablets at different price ranges, depending on whether you're looking for a budget, mid-range, or premium tablet. The most impressive saving is definitely the $295 discount on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+, bringing it down to $834.

This is Samsung's answer to the iPad Pro, and while it gets smoked by Apple's machine in the processor department thanks to the latter's M4 chip, it does have a nicer display, comes with the Stylus included, and most importantly... it's way cheaper thanks to this deal.

If $800+ is too pricey for your tablet needs, there are also some sub-$500 and sub-$200 choices below, in the Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus for $469 and Galaxy Tab A9 Plus for $169 respectively. Finally, alongside the tablets, there are a couple of standout deals on accessories, most notably the S-Pen stylus and an ample 1TB microSD card.

Valentine's Day is around the corner and Apple's iPad 10 is one of the best gifts to surprise your significant other with. It has everything one could ever want in a tablet — powerful performance, killer speakers, a gorgeous display, and long battery life

Currently, Amazon has the excellent iPad 10 on sale for just $299 just in time for Valentine's Day. It normally costs $349, so that's $50 in savings and one of the best iPad deals available at the moment.

Launched in 2022, the iPad 10 is one of our favorite tablets for everyday use. In our iPad 10 review, we rated it 4 out 5 stars and our esteemed Editor's Choice Award. While we wish it had better battery life, with Apple Magic Keyboard Folio and Apple Pencil support, the iPad 10 does triple duty as a laptop or digital drawing pad.

Simply put, the iPad 10 is the best all-around tablet for streaming content and getting things done. It's a solid choice if you want to treat your sweetheart or yourself to a new mobile device.

Alternatively, you can get the latest iPad Air 6 for $499 ($100 off). This model launched last year and is built for Apple Intelligence, which is the tech giant's version of AI. It helps you prioritize messages, create images, and summarize audio recordings and transcripts from the note taking apps.

At just under $300, the iPad 10 is the best tablet for most people and is sure to warm that special someone's heart.

Today's best Appple iPad 10 deal

The iPad Air 6 offers solid performance with the M2 chip, impressive battery life, and a great speaker and display combo. And fortunately, it's on sale right now.

For a limited time, you can pick up a new 11-inch M2 iPad Air 6 for just $499 in every colorway at Amazon. Regularly $599, that's $100 in savings and a mere $1 shy of the lowest price we've ever seen for this mid-range tablet.

This iPad is a great pick if you're on the hunt for a tablet that'll last more than a full workday on a single charge, offer sharp resolution on a decently-sized screen, and perform well under medium pressure, from answering emails and streaming your favorite show to photo- and video-editing and slightly graphics-intensive games.

Sister site Tom's Guide awarded 4 out of 5 stars and its esteemed Editor's Choice award to the larger 13-inch 2024 iPad Air for its "snappy M2 performance for machine learning tasks and gaming," long battery life of over 11 hours, robust audio quality, and the landscape-oriented front camera for video calls.

Plus, the iPad Air 6 supports the Apple Pencil, Apple Pencil Pro, and Magic Keyboard, so if you want to transform the tablet into a viable portable workstation, you absolutely can. You might not be able to get as many processor-intensive tasks done as you would with the M4 iPad Pro, but you can easily tackle your email inbox, work on a budget in Google Sheets, research topics, and other simple productivity tasks.

If you're not convinced the iPad Air 6 is the right tablet for you, take a look at more of the best iPad deals we've gathered this month to find a suitable alternative.

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

Amazon has a sale on its Fire tablets, including its Kids tablets. At the same time, none of these models match their Black Friday season pricing, at least two return close to their lowest price.

For example, the Amazon Fire HD 10 is now $94, just $10 more than its lowest price ever. As with all Amazon tablets, the Fire HD 10 runs Amazon's own FireOS, and its design is well-suited for consuming Amazon content and services in addition to using apps available in the Amazon App Store.

The Amazon Fire 7 Kids and Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro are on sale for $69 and $139, respectively. Each includes a 2-year replacement warranty and a year of age-appropriate Amazon Kids+ service (new subscribers only).

My favorite is the Amazon Fire Max 11 Tablet, which costs $184. That's 20% off the usual $229 price and an excellent deal on a stylus-capable tablet. This is the most competitive Amazon tablet and one of the least expensive options for a tablet you can write on with a stylus. (You can buy the stylus separately for $34.) The Fire Max 11 has a slim and stylish aluminum chassis and a sharp and vivid 11-inch (2 000 x 1200) display.

If you're searching for a tablet now, this Amazon Fire tablet sale lets you buy a tablet with a discount.

Today's best Amazon Fire tablet deals

The Lenovo Tab M9 remains a stalwart and strong budget iPad alternative. And right now, it's close to its lowest price ever.

You can now buy the Lenovo Tab M9 for $99 at Amazon. It's also at Best Buy and has the same price. That's a $50 discount and within $10 of the lowest price we'd ever seen for this tablet during the past Black Friday/Cyber Monday season.

A worse configuration is $131 at Amazon or $139 at Best Buy, but this upgraded version features 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage (compared to 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage), so it's well worth the additional $10. This is one of the best Cyber Monday tablet deals still available today.

This model has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, as well as a MediaTek G80 octa-core processor. While the storage is pretty low, you can expand it via the microSD card slot.

Although we didn't test this model, we've seen Amazon customers rate the Tab M9 highly, giving it 4.3 out of 5 stars. Users appreciate this 9-inch tablet's lightweight and compact design, superb touchscreen, and long-lasting battery, which are welcome features. The display is a bit lower resolution than some, but it's still perfect for watching YouTube, TV shows, and movies on a streaming service.

At just $99, the Lenovo Tab M9 remains one of the best budget-priced iPad alternatives we've seen.

Today's best Lenovo Tab M9 deal

Apple launched the M2 iPad Air in May 2024, which historically would mean we wouldn't see a new iPad Air until late 2025 or early 2026. However, according to an October report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the next-gen iPad Air will arrive sometime early this year.

"Early" in the year could mean anything from February to May, so the potential announcement date is still a little fuzzy for the next iPad Air. Considering the existing M2 iPad Air launched in May, I'd assume a release date of May 2025 for the new iPad Air, but an announcement could come as early as March, the month Apple typically tends to debut new iPads.

In October, Gurman said, "Apple will probably implement the M3 chip in the next iPad Air." Thanks to a recent leak, we have further confirmation that the iPad Air will achieve M3 performance in its next iteration.

What we know so far about the next iPad Air

Thanks to @evleaks on X (via 9to5Mac), currently a private account belonging to Evan Blass, we have another source claiming the upcoming Air will be equipped with Apple's previous-gen M3 chip.

Blass shared a document that referenced the "apple-ipad-air-13-(m3)" and the "apple-ipad-air-11-(m3)." In the past, leaks from Blass have been fairly reliable, so while we're taking everything with a grain of salt until we hear directly from Apple, it's encouraging to see another source citing proof of the M3 chip in the next iPad Air.

Past a more powerful M3 chipset, rumors also suggest Apple will release a new Magic Keyboard designed specifically for the iPad Air. The new keyboard will supposedly "bring some of the features of the iPad Pro keyboard down-market," according to Gurman. Potential features could include a thinner and/or lighter design, a row of function keys with shortcuts, and a larger glass trackpad.

With an improved keyboard and stronger M3 performance, the iPad Air could become a budget-friendly laptop alternative for simple tasks.

Via 9to5Mac, an anonymous source reached out to a podcast with information on the upcoming iPad's display. Supposedly, the M3 iPad Air will receive "a higher refresh rate LCD display with a new liquid motion panel fixed at around 90Hz." We've seen no other rumors that second this upgrade, but it sure would be nice.

Apple typically hosts an event every spring, so we should hopefully only have to wait a few more months to hear more about the more powerful, next-gen iPad Air.

Amazon's Kindle Colorsoft e-reader launched just three months ago and is already one of Amazon's best-selling devices. If your new year's resolution is to read more books, magazines or comics, here's some motivation.

Right now, you can pick up the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition e-reader for $229 with Prime. That's $50 off its regular price of $279 and its lowest price ever on Amazon.

This deal is also available a Best Buy for Total membership holders.

Browse: Amazon's entire sale

Amazon's first color Kindle ever, the Kindle Colorsoft has received high praise from our in-house brands and the e-reader crowd alike.

Tom's Guide gave the Kindle Colorsoft their Editor's Choice Award for its sharp color display, long battery life and design. Just about the only bone they had to pick with it was its price which is why I'm excited to share this deal with you.

At $50 off, the Kindle Colorsoft is already at its lowest price of the year. It's worth considering if you want a portable device for reading in your spare time at home, during your daily commute or while jet-setting.

This Amazon limited-time deal ends January 21.

Today's best Kindle Colorsoft deal

The latest iPad Pro M4 made waves last year when Apple decided to make it the first device to receive the current-gen M4 chip. Fast forward to 2025 and it's continued to garner high praise since its release for overall performance and battery life.

Thanks to an epic deal going on right now, this powerful tablet that's been named by many as the best tablet available could be yours for just $879.

BJ's continues to offer the 11-inch iPad Pro M4 for $879. Regularly $949 at BJ's, that's $70 in savings and $20 cheaper than Amazon's current deal price. If you consider the iPad Pro M4 starts at $999 at full price from other retailers, you're really getting $120 in savings.

For BJ's members, you'll get these savings automatically. If you're a non-member, you can still take advantage of this deal by using the free 1-day online pass at checkout.

This discounted iPad Pro configuration features a gorgeous 11-inch, 2752 x 2064-pixel Ultra Retina XDR OLED display, an M4 chipset with a 9-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. It's capable of Apple Intelligence and boasts support for the Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil, and a plethora of wireless keyboards and mice.

Considering how much power the iPad Pro M4 packs, it can easily double as a laptop alternative, even for more demanding productivity tasks and content creation.

If you don't feel like you need all that power in a tablet and you're looking for a more basic tablet that's simply capable of managing emails, streaming media, and browsing the web, check out the other best iPad deals we've found for January to see more affordable options.

This deal ends February 23.

Today's best iPad Pro M4 deal

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 series is the strongest Android competitor to Apple's iPad Pro tablets. And with this deep discount at Amazon the mid-range Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus drops back to its lowest price ever.

You can buy the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus for $898, a 20% percent discount over its regular $1,119 price, and a $221 savings overall. This discount is specifically for the Platinum Silver colorway only (the darker Moonstone Gray colorway is still the regular price). Bonus: This iteration includes 512GB of on-board storage, a step-up from the baseline 256GB (currently priced at $879). That detail alone makes this deal a no-brainer and a terrific buy if you're hunting for a recently released Android tablet with a large display and an included stylus.

We did a hands-on with the larger Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and loved that version's gorgeous and bright 14.6-inch display and sleek, modern aesthetics. That model weighs in at 2.35 pounds and stands just 0.21 inches thick. Our sister site TechRadar reviewed this mid-range model and gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars in its review, noting that Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 Plus "makes no compromises in being an exceptionally premium device."

The Galaxy Tab S10 Plus' display is more modest than that of the Ultra, to match its mid-range position in Samsung's lineup. It has a 12.4-inch display that carries 650 nits brightness, short of the 950 on the Ultra but still plenty bright for use outdoors or in ambient light. It also has a smaller battery capacity at 10,090 mAh (to the Ultra's 11,200 mAh), and it weighs far less, coming in at a very comfortable 1.26 pounds.

If you don't need the jumbo size of the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra's display, the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus is a perfect fit for creativity, entertainment, and productivity. And it's the best Android alternative to the Apple iPad Pro. Act fast to snag this excellent discount at Amazon while it lasts. This is one of the best tablet deals you can buy right now.

Today's best Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus deal

At the start of CES 2025, Lenovo announced a slew of new products, from powerful gaming laptops to premium Yoga laptops and quite a few new tablets.

Among the the newly launched Lenovo tab arethe Yoga Tab Plus (our favorite CES tablet) and the affordable Idea Tab Pro.

If you're trying to decide between Lenovo's new Yoga Tab Plus and Idea Tab Pro, we've got you covered. First, we'll compare the specs and then discuss who each tablet is best for.

Yoga Tab Plus vs. Idea Tab Pro: Specs compared

Which tablet is right for you?

Yoga Tab Plus: Best for peak performance

The Yoga Tab Plus is the best option for those who want to get the most performance out of a Lenovo tablet.

It's equipped with a powerful set of specs, making it easy for this tablet to double as a laptop when paired with a keyboard to complete simple productivity tasks, like managing your email or working with a document processor. The Yoga Tab Plus' Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor will do most of the heavy lifting, but 16GB of RAM will help with multitasking.

On top of that, it's equipped with a gorgeous display that'll make watching your favorite TV show or YouTube channel a joy. The 12.7-inch display features 3K (2944 x 1840) resolution, a 144Hz refresh rate, and up to 900 nits max brightness.

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Idea Tab Pro: Best value Lenovo tablet

If you don't plan to use your Lenovo tablet as a laptop alternative for any tasks, you won't need to pay for the Yoga Tab Plus's power-performance specs.

Instead, the Idea Tab Pro is ideal for those searching for a tablet that can multitask well, has a stunning, large display, and is more affordable.

Lenovo's Idea Tab Pro has nearly the same display as the Yoga Tab Plus, but it's half the price. Both tablets feature a 12.7-inch display with 3K (2944 x 1840) resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. The only difference is max brightness.

The Yoga Tab Plus can reach a maximum brightness of 900 nits, while the Idea Tab Pro is limited to 400 nits. However, that's the average brightness of most laptops and perfectly suitable for most people.

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More new tablets from Lenovo

While the Yoga Tab Plus and the Idea Pad Pro are the two most obvious tablet picks for most people, these weren't the only tablets Lenovo debuted at CES.

The Legion Tab enters Lenovo's gaming-focused lineup, equipped with the powerful Snapdragon Gen 3 CPU, up to 12GB of RAM, up to 256GB of storage, and a gorgeous 8.8-inch display with 2560 x 1600-pixel resolution and a speedy 165Hz refresh rate.

Then, there's the basic Lenovo Tab, the perfect tablet for those looking for a large media streaming device to browse the web occasionally. It features a MediaTek Helio G85 processor, up to 4GB of memory, 128GB of storage, and a 10.1-inch, 1920 x 1200-pixel display.

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We are 100 percent independent and have decades of experience to help you buy with confidence. Laptop Mag has been testing and reviewing products for three decades and continues to deliver trustworthy reviews you can rely on.

Our experienced team of writers and editors scour the information about the laptop and put it through its paces to determine which is best for you. But before they start, the testing team subjects each system to a rigorous regimen of synthetic and real-world tests to see how a system handles the type of work and games you’re most likely to throw at it.

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Lenovo continues to churn out high-quality and reasonably affordable Android tablets despite fairly limited competition from top-tier companies.

The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus is a perfect example, which is why it earned our best tablet of CES 2025. While there are limits to what you can do with an Android tablet versus a Windows or macOS laptop, the included keyboard and stylus make it a compelling laptop replacement if you are doing productivity work and web browsing.

The nearly 13-inch tablet will also make for an excellent streaming companion. That's not all Lenovo has in store for you, though; read on to find out what else won us over.

Best Tablet of CES 2025: Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus

Why it wins

On-device AI for a tablet? Yes, please. Lenovo unveiled the new Yoga Tab Plus at CES 2025, claiming a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and in-house large-language models to support "Lenovo AI Now." That's just a smattering of what's inside the 12.7" tablet that has 900 nits of brightness and claims a 144Hz refresh rate with 100% DCI-P3 color.

In hand, the Yoga Tab Plus feels as impressive as previous models — elegant, robust, and inspiring. Made for and marketed to creatives — artists, writers, editors, and more — the Tab Plus looks beautiful, and on-device AI for faster local processing means its 10,200mAh battery might just last longer, ensuring creatives can reach flow state on the go without looking for an outlet.

Release and availability wrap-up

Unlike many of the products we saw at CES, the Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus is shipping now. Currently, there is just one configuration available for $699.

I have spent most of 2024 traveling for work. It all started in the back half of 2023 but really exploded this year. Because of all that traveling, I've been slowly refining the gear I take with me on planes and the occasional train. Fortunately, as a writer, I can get away with not carrying a lot around with me. One thing I need to have is a writing machine.

A traditionalist would say I need a laptop. The problem with laptops on a plane is that I'm a bigger guy, and sadly, I'm usually relegated to economy seating. Those two things do not go together well, so a laptop is a non-starter for me. However, on a couple of recent trips to California and New York City, I discovered a great combination of technology that allows me to get some work done without having to pray that the person in front of me won't lean their seat back.

This setup revolves primarily around an iPad Mini (6th generation — I don't have the new one yet), but I had to pick up a few other accessories to make it work. What I like most about this setup is how versatile it is. It works just about anywhere, ample belly notwithstanding. So here's the setup I usually work with.

Quick links for everything you need

• iPad mini 6th Gen / iPad mini 7th Gen
• Logitech Keys to Go 2
• Non-slip rubber base computer mousepad
• Wreanu wireless mouse

Build-a-laptop

Of course, we've already discussed the iPad mini. I use Apple's small-but-mighty tablet daily, primarily for gaming. But when I’m traveling for work, I find the 8.3-inch screen in landscape orientation is just big enough for writing and reading, while remaining small enough to fit into a pocket in my bag. When I travel for work, it's usually for a press tour, which also tends to involve a lot of walking, so the 293 grams are barely noticeable in the grand scheme of things.

Of course, as a writer, I need to have a keyboard. For that, I use the Logitech Keys-to-go 2 portable keyboard. It includes a flip cover to keep it nice inside my bag and a coin cell battery that is rated to last up to three years. It connects to the iPad using Bluetooth LE. The keys are lovely, with 1mm of key travel and 18mm pitch (this distance between the keys). There's a power switch on the back for when the keyboard isn't in use and three buttons allowing you to switch between three connected devices.

One nice part about this keyboard is its ever-so-slight wedge shape, typically missing on portable keyboards. This shape gives the keyboard a nice angle and makes typing easier and more comfortable. It's also compatible with all operating systems, including iOS. At 222 grams, it is exceptionally lightweight. When paired with the iPad in my bag, the two add just over one pound to my bag. Good luck finding a laptop that light.

Pièce de résistance

Then, there's the rug that really ties the room together — the device that makes this whole setup work. The Apple smart cover on the iPad does the origami fold to stand the tablet up, but the angle is too steep when placed on a tray table on an airplane, so I turned to Amazon for one more piece to the puzzle. I found it in the WixGear Universal Airplane tablet mount. This tablet mount is similar to those cheap phone mounts that spring shut.

The difference is that this mount can expand wide enough to accommodate tablets up to 7.67 inches in width. The other end has a spring-closing clamp that can clamp to a tray table or sometimes even the pocket in the seat in front of you. You can twist the mount to put the tablet just about anywhere.

The key benefit is that I can separate the "monitor" and the keyboard, which provides much more flexibility. On a cramped airplane, that often means the iPad covers a bit of the keyboard, but I've been writing for so long that it doesn't really bother me.

I also carry a cheap, slim mouse and mousepad to complete the package, but I rarely use them on the plane when space is at a premium. They're nice for when I land and can spread out a bit. Most of the time, I just gorilla arm the tablet or use the arrow keys when necessary.

Some things to be aware of

Overall, when I need to work on the plane, this setup gets me through. However, it's not perfect. Given unlimited space I would rather use a laptop, but that’s not the reality of airline travel. My only real gripe about this setup is that depending on where I can clamp on the tablet holder, I might have the screen uncomfortably close to my face. The tablet holder has a very long base, so if I need to attach it so that it sticks horizontally out from the seat in front of me, there's not a lot of wiggle room.

Ideally, I can attach the clamp to the back of the tray table. Of course, different aircraft have different seats and trays, so your mileage may vary. But if you're a frequent traveler, this is a great setup that can accommodate almost any sized space and any sized writer.

The 13-inch Apple iPad Pro M4 is a lust-worthy tablet, and for good reason. This model has Apple's latest and fastest chip inside, paired with the largest display found in an Apple tablet. Right now, you can pick up a 13-inch Apple iPad Pro M4 for $1,099 at Amazon.

That price is the lowest ever for the 13-inch iPad Pro M4. It represents a full 15% discount over the usual $1,299 price. And it's a price we hadn't seen until this month. Note: The $1,099 price is currently only valid on the Space Gray version of the 13-inch iPad Pro.

The 13-inch iPad Pro M4 packs a roomy 2,072 x 2,064 pixel Ultra Retina XDR OLED screen with ProMotion, P3 wide color gamut, and an antireflective screen coating. Its large screen size makes this model a viable MacBook Air M3 laptop replacement for some people, especially when paired with Apple's optional $349 Magic Keyboard.

Inside sits Apple's fast 9-core M4 chip, which Apple says makes the 2024 iPad Pro 50% faster than its M2 predecessor. This tablet consumes less power, and it has 4X the graphics performance of the M2 model (so games, content creation tasks, and animations can run even more smoothly than before).

Even though peak holiday shopping is now behind us, this 13-inch Apple iPad Pro M4 deal shows some great deals are still out there, just waiting to get snapped up by intrepid post-holiday shoppers.

Today's best iPad Pro M4 deal

Tablets have something of an unfortunate reputation. Most are relegated to glorified modern-day portable DVD players, machines that are only good for Netflix. While there may have been some validity to that once upon a time, that's not true anymore. A good tablet can replace your laptop for many tasks once you add a mouse and a keyboard. However, many people still prefer to simply use tablets to watch TV shows or movies, especially on the go.

My wife and I are no exception. We keep a tablet on the kitchen table specifically for watching TV shows during meals. It's convenient but not ideal, and that's mainly for one reason. Most tablets have lousy speakers.

That's why I was intrigued when Lenovo launched the Lenovo Tab Plus. The tablet sports an unusual design, which solves two problems you run into when watching movies. The first is the aforementioned sound. The second is a way to prop up the tablet to watch. My wife and I used to keep a tablet stand on the table along with the tablet. We don't have to do that anymore. Here's why.

Hardware tour

When you look at the Lenovo Tab Plus, one thing really sticks out. While the top half is a mere 7.7mm thick, the bottom half is nearly double that, at 13.6mm. The bottom of the tablet sports a built-in kickstand, which can position the tablet at different angles up to 175 degrees. It also has two side-firing speaker grilles on each side. The lower speakers are so big that they almost look like card slots. We'll talk about those in more depth in a moment.

In the upper left corner of the tablet (in landscape orientation) are the volume and power buttons. There's a pin-ejected microSD card slot on top and a headphone jack on the lower left side. The screen is an 11.5-inch IPS LCD panel with a 90Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1,200 x 2,000 pixels, which makes for a reasonably sharp 203 pixels per inch (ppi). The processor is a MediakTek Helio G99 paired with 8 GB of RAM and 128 or 256GB of onboard storage.

If you aren’t blown away by these specs, that’s fair, its raw specs aren’t that impressive, but that’s part of why it carries a sub-$300 price tag. But the speakers are where this tab earns its keep in a big way.

Booming sound

There are eight JBL speakers in this tablet totalling over 26W of sound. There are a combination of four tweeters and four woofers giving you a full range of sound that I have never heard coming from a tablet. Of course, before we go any further, you need to mentally add the words "for a tablet" to everything I'm going to say in this section. While this tablet boasts an impressive sound profile, it is still a tablet that tops out at 13mm deep. This is not a speaker you would hook up to your sound system on your TV, but it's still impressive — for a tablet.

It's eye-opening the first time you put on a movie with any kind of bass, such as Top Gun: Maverick for example. The bass almost feels like it's going to rumble (even if it doesn't quite get there). But if you switch back to a different tablet like the Pixel Tablet or your smartphone, you'll notice the disparity right away. Lenovo is even so confident in its tablet’s sound that it’s pairable as a Bluetooth speaker when it's not otherwise in use.

One odd thing that's missing is an equalizer. There's no EQ built into the tablet. You can download apps to adjust the EQ, but it seems like such low-hanging fruit for a tablet like this that I'm surprised Lenovo didn't include it. That's particularly baffling since the default wallpaper on the tablet is a visualization of a sound spectrum. There is a Dolby Atmos setting you can change from Dynamic to Movie to Music, but that's it.

Some other minor flaws

When my wife and I took this on a recent cruise, it was our primary entertainment source. We paired it to our phones to play music, and we watched a couple of shows on it as well. The tablet doesn't get bright enough for direct sunlight (Lenovo claims a peak of 400 nits), which is unfortunate — especially for a cruise. The tablet comes with a nice faux leather case that you slide the tablet into upside down, so it travels well.

The LCD screen is also just…fine. It's a weird compromise on a tablet that seems designed to be a premium content-focused tablet. The sound that comes from this tablet does a lot of heavy lifting on that front, but its otherwise middling specs are enough. Combined with the sub-$300 price, undercutting the $349 base iPad 10, this is a great tablet to keep on the kitchen table or toss into your bag when you're going out of town.

Tablets don't often have superior sound — it's usually one of the first corners cut to keep costs down. So it's nice to see Lenovo focusing on such an important aspect of the content consumption experience, and I for one am here for it.

If you're still hunting for good holiday deals on Apple gear, Walmart has you covered. Whether you're looking for a generous gift for a loved one or yourself, these deals on recent-gen iPads and the latest Apple Watch go easy on your wallet.

While none of these deals are all-time lows, they're all close enough to remain enticing. For example, the 9th generation Apple iPad (2021) is down to $249 from its usual price of $329. This model is the least expensive iPad you can buy today, and it's a good choice for basic app use, web browsing, and streaming. The one gotcha is it uses a Lightning connector, so if you've been on a tear to ditch Apple's old mainstay, then look elsewhere.

One possibility instead of the iPad 9 is to step up to the $279 iPad 10. The 10th generation iPad has a USB-C connector, which makes it a great iPad choice if you're looking for a model that's more seamlessly compatible with USB-C Apple devices like MacBooks or iPhones. While Walmart only has the blue and silver colorways at this price, Best Buy has all four colorways on sale for the same price.

Meanwhile, if you're looking to accessorize your Apple tech with a smartwatch, you can splurge out on the latest Apple Watch Series 10 for $349 (it's also the same price at Amazon).

While none of these deals will come before the Christmas holiday, you might be able to pop into a local store and pick one of these up (depending upon availability and store hours in your area). Act fast to grab one of these deals while they last.

Today's best Apple iPad and Watch Series 10 deals

We're getting down to the wire for last-minute gift shopping. Amazon delivers in spades, though, with this excellent deal on its 8-inch kid-friendly tablet that's on sale for 50% off with delivery in time for Christmas (with Prime membership).

You can now buy the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro tablet for $69. That's half-off its usual $139 price, and one of the best deals we've seen for this compact yet capable 2024 tablet. Right now, this tablet is only $5 shy of the best price we've ever seen, which makes this deal even more attractive, considering you can still order it time to put the tablet under the Christmas tree.

The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro tablet is one of our picks for best kids tablets, and it's easy to see why. For starters, it has an 8-inch HD touchscreen with 1,280 x 800 resolution. Its components are not going to break any speed records, but they're sufficient for the moderate streaming, gaming, and reading needs of this tablet's intended audience. At this bargain price, the tablet comes with only 32GB of onboard storage (25GB available), but since it comes with a microSD card slot you can always expand that storage by up to 1TB.

As a "Pro" tablet, this model distinguishes itself with touches aimed at kids in this older age group. It comes with 6 months of Amazon Kids+, which provides access to thousands of games, videos, books, and more that target the 6 to 12 age group. It also comes with a drop-proof case that's less bumper-like — a perfect choice for growing kids who want their tablet to look more like something their parents might carry.

Note: Amazon only has two colorways (Hello Teal and Jungle Cat) available at this price for Prime delivery before Christmas. Target and Best Buy also have the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro tablet on sale for the same $69 price, but whether you can receive it by Christmas — or pop into a store and pick one up in person — will depend on availability in your neighborhood.

Today's best Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro

While making some of the world's most powerful mobile and tablet devices, Apple has been slow to outfit its iPhones and iPads with much in the way of a radical redesign over the last few generations.

Meanwhile an entirely new form factor has emerged in foldables, with Apple being among the few major names that is yet to adopt it.

However, a recurring rumor surrounding a future iPad does suggest there's something in the pipeline at Apple Park, and a fresh report has shone further light on what we could expect.

Apple's foldable iPad: A giant screen that blurs the lines between tablet and MacBook

According to a recent Bloomberg report, while Apple is one of the last major tech brands to adopt foldable hardware when it does arrive, it'll be far more ambitious than others.

Apple is expected to give its iPad line the foldable treatment, likely due to the touchscreen-friendly nature of iPadOS over macOS.

However, this iPad will be one like no other, essentially the same size as "two iPad Pros side-by-side." Given its foldable nature, this would also mark Apple's first entry into 2-in-1 computers, with the device able to function in a laptop-like stance, tent mode, and open and closed forms.

The result is similar to previous foldable iPad reports sprouting from an Apple road map leak from November 2023 which suggested that a 20.5-inch foldable model would arrive in 2026 with a carbon fiber kickstand. However, Bloomberg's report points to both an 18.8-inch display and a 2028 release date.

Apple is still ironing out the creases

The pushback to a 2028 release date may be due to Apple's work to eliminate the biggest downside of modern foldables: the "crease" that forms over time at the folding point on the device.

According to Bloomberg, Apple's foldable will present a "nearly invisible crease," suggesting that while its engineers have not completely solved this issue, but that Apple has made great strides to eliminate it as best as possible.

According to the report, "[Apple] wants the screen to look like a single, uninterrupted piece of glass."

There's no word on how Apple's engineers have managed this, but it's likely all down to the shape and function of the foldable's hinge.

By adopting a tear-drop hinge design, Samsung has seen similar crease reduction in its Z Fold and Z Flip smartphone lines. It's likely that Apple has spent some time in perfecting its own design, which may have already been revealed in a patent discovered by trademark sleuths Patently Apple in March 2024.

Outlook

A foldable iPhone is also expected to be released by Apple at some point in the near future. However, while that will be an iPhone-first, Apple's will be the second company to convert the iPhone to a foldable after Samsung made an attempt in August 24, 2023.

That said, the company's supposed foldable iPad goals are leaps and bounds from this and a giant-sized upgrade for non-laptops at least. While it may blur the lines between iPad and MacBook to a large degree, a giant-sized foldable iPad could open to doors to wider iPad adoption as a laptop replacement.

However, this iPad's biggest limitation would be the use of iPadOS, with the platform a long way off from delivering the same experience for creative and productivity-focused tasks as a full Mac.

More from Laptop Mag

• Apple's foldable iPad will be worth the wait if it has this long-rumored feature
• Samsung built a foldable iPhone — it's literally held together with tape
• A foldable iPhone may arrive in 2026 after Apple cracked this major design problem

Christmas Day is less than two weeks away, so you still have time to check items off your shopping list. If you're strapped for cash or unsure what to get someone, Amazon holiday deals are chock-full of savings and great gift ideas.

One limited-time deal offers the All-new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite E-reader for $135. It usually costs $160, so that's $25 savings and just $5 shy of its lowest-ever price. Amazon

Amazon also offers the All-new Kindle Paperwhite Kids for $149 ($40 off). Ideal for children aged 3-12, this reader includes 6- months of Amazon Kids+, a kid-proof cover, and is backed by a 2-year warranty (valued at up to $242).

Browse: Amazon's entire sale

Amazon's fastest Kindle yet, the new Kindle Paperwhite, improves the best-selling e-reader with a 25% faster page turn, a higher contrast ratio, and a slightly larger 7-inch display.

Although we didn't test it, sister site Tom's Guide rates the 2024 Kindle Paperwhite 4.5 out of 5 stars. The e-reader's bright backlight, big display, and 12-week battery life are some attributes they like about it.

Amazon's best-selling Kindle reader is one to consider if you're looking for a last-minute gift for your spouse, mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, or the kids.

The best Kindle Paperwhite deal

More from laptop Mag

• Best tablet deals in December 2024

The Apple iPad Air 6 with M2 processor makes a terrific premium holiday gift, and right now, you can still score $100 off the 11-inch Apple iPad Air 6 with M2 processor at Amazon. This sale brings the 11-inch Apple iPad Air 6 with M2 chip back down to just $499, just $1 more than its all-time low price at Amazon, and a cool 17% discount over the regular $599 price.

Holiday shoppers take note: You can choose either Blue or Purple colorways, but the Blue model arrives after Christmas. Sometimes, we've seen products arrive earlier than Amazon's expected date, but that's not something you can count on during the holiday season. If you need a gift physically in hand for Christmas, we recommend buying the Purple colorway.

The iPad Air 6's M2 processor delivers better performance than the Bionic chip in the less expensive 10th-generation 10.2-inch iPad ($279 at Amazon, normally $349). Plus, it supports Apple Intelligence AI, so you can tap those features as they roll out. If you appreciate color accuracy, the iPad Air 6 M2 has a better display, with P3 wide color gamut support and anti-reflective coating.

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.

This remains one of the best iPad deals we've seen throughout Black Friday and this holiday shopping season. Head to Amazon now to snag one before they disappear.

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

We're in the thick of the holiday deals season, with retailers slashing prices on old tech to make room for new tech next year.

Through Samsung directly, you can grab $200 off the Galaxy Tab S9, $100 off the Galaxy Tab S9 Plus, or $300 off the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. If you're looking for a last-minute tech gift for someone special or want to treat yourself, one of these highly rated tablets is a great option.

Have an old tablet to trade in? The deal gets even sweeter. When you trade in a valid device, you can save up to $500 in instant trade-in credit. If you have a Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra to trade in, for example, you can get the $200 discount and $500 in trade-in credit, slashing the Galaxy Tab S9 to a mere $99.

For your convenience, here are Samsung's current trade-in values for a few other popular devices:

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus: $450 in trade-in credit
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus: $400 in trade-in credit
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: $400 in trade-in credit
• Apple iPad Pro 12.9" (6th Gen): $500 in trade-in credit
• Apple iPad Pro 12.9" (4th or 5th Gen): $400 in trade-in credit
• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: $497 in trade-in credit
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: $437 in trade-in credit
• Apple iPhone 15 Pro: $448 in trade-in credit
• Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max: $445 in trade-in credit
• Google Pixel 8 Pro: $264 in trade-in credit

If you don't have a tablet to trade in, the default discounts Samsung's offering on its Galaxy S9 Series tablets are still great. That said, definitely check out the best tablet deals we've rounded up for December to compare all your options.

And if you're still shopping for your last few holiday gifts, be sure to browse these 9 holiday tech deals we found at Amazon.

Today's best Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 deal

Are you looking for an Android tablet that can handle basic tasks and take notes? Jump on this limited-time deal at Amazon and buy the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) tablet for just $199.

This $130 discount brings the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite back to its lowest price. Don't bother shopping around, either: Amazon is the exclusive retailer for this 2024 S6 Lite refresh.

The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) marks the third iteration of this tablet. We reviewed the original Samsung Galaxy S6 Lite in 2020, and gave it 4 out of 5 stars. We called it "an excellent option if you want a basic tablet to watch videos, browse the web, or use Android apps." Now, four years and two hardware refreshes later, we stand by that statement, thanks to its updated Samsung Exynos 1280 8-core processor and Android 14 OS.

This tablet has a 10.4-inch WUXGA+ (2,000 x 1,200) TFT display, CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage (microSD-expandable up to 1TB). The 128GB Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is also on sale for just $50 more. The S6 Lite has front and rear cameras, AKG-tuned dual speakers, and its 7,040 mAh battery can last up to 14 hours.

Of note, the S6 Lite remains one of the best values among notetaking tablets. It includes Samsung's S Pen writing stylus at this price. Only one other tablet comes with a stylus for under $200, and that's this Amazon Fire Max 11 Stylus bundle now on sale for $174.

You can snag the Samsung Galaxy S6 Lite for just $199 at Amazon for a limited time. It's well worth that price if you're looking for a capable Android tablet for notetaking, streaming media, and general productivity tasks like web browsing, document creation, social media, and email.

Today's best Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) deal

Cyber Monday deals are starting to disappear with the big day behind us, but this Cyber Monday doorbuster from Lenovo remains, with the always-popular Lenovo Tab M9 at just $89 directly from Lenovo.

Originally $149, that's $60 in savings and the lowest price ever for this tablet. A worse configuration is $131 at Amazon or $139 at Best Buy, but this upgraded version features 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage (compared to 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage), so it's well worth the additional $10. This is one of the best Cyber Monday tablet deals still available today.

Although we didn't test it, Lenovo customers rated the Tab M9 4.5 out of 5 stars. The 9-inch tablet's lightweight design, superb touchscreen, and long-lasting battery are welcome features. Dolby Atmos dual speakers make it perfect for watching YouTube, TV shows, and movies on your favorite streaming service.

At just $89, the Lenovo Tab M9 is one of the best budget-priced iPad alternatives.

Browse Lenovo's entire sale for more deals you can still pick up today. All discounts are backed by Lenovo's Black Friday/Cyber Monday Price Guarantee, so you can shop confidently, knowing you're getting the best price of the season.

Today's best Lenovo Tab M9 deal