There are no bad iPads. That’s the best news about Apple’s tablet lineup: 15 years after Steve Jobs first debuted the device, the iPad is the best tablet on the market, and it’s not particularly close. Apple’s App Store is enormous and filled with great apps, Apple’s performance and battery life are consistently excellent, and the iPad is still the company’s most versatile device. That’s one easy answer to your question: yes, if you want a tablet you should buy an iPad. Even last year’s iPad, or heck, last-last year’s iPad is still a solid device. Buying an older but better device — last year’s Pro instead of this year’s Air, for instance — is a tried and true iPad formula.
But which of all those good iPads should you buy? That’s never been more complicated. Apple sells six different iPads — the Pro in two sizes, the Air in two sizes, the Mini, and the regular ol’ iPad — all of which come with different specs and accessory options. It’s all too much.
I’ve tested every iPad currently on the market and have been an iPad user and reviewer since the very first model. (I’m pretty sure I got a job in 2010 because I had a brand-new iPad with me at the interview, but that’s another story.) After using all these tablets and accessories, I think I can help you make the choice.
The simplest way to pick an iPad is by process of elimination. First, there’s your budget: you can spend $350 on an iPad, you can spend $2,728 on an iPad, or you can spend just about anything in between. You should also decide whether you need an Apple Pencil and which one has the features you need, because not every iPad supports every model. The same goes for the keyboard attachments. Between price and accessories, your choice might be instantly obvious.
More broadly, though, your iPad-buying journey starts with two crucial questions. The first is: what kind of iPad user are you? There are roughly two types. The first and most common iPad user mostly uses it like a larger iPhone: it’s a bigger screen on which to send emails, do the crossword, watch Netflix, and other fairly casual activities. The second type of iPad user, on the other hand, uses it like a touchscreen Mac: it’s for video editing, 3D modeling, creating presentations, crushing spreadsheets, and generally Doing Work of all sorts. You’ll also email and Netflix, of course, but you want your iPad to be a primary computing device.
I think most people fall into the first category. (Honestly, I also think a lot of people who believe they fall into the second category… mostly don’t.)
What to consider when buying an iPad: How we test iPads Collapse iPads are incredibly versatile gadgets, so we test them in as many real-world ways as possible. We use them for video chats, we play high-end games and casual ones, we edit complex video, we fall asleep on the couch watching Netflix. We pay close attention to performance, battery life, durability, and compatibility with important apps and accessories. We’ve reviewed every iPad on the market, along with their most important competitors, and track software updates closely as they change the devices’ appeal. Price Collapse Yes, this is obvious, but it’s good to know how much you want to spend before shopping — otherwise, you risk succumbing to Apple’s incredible ability to always get you spending just a little more. You can get a new iPad for as little as $350, or you can spend well over $1,000 for a top model. Knowing how much you want to pay will guide you to the right models. It might even guide you to older models; sometimes the last-gen iPad, at a steep discount, can be the one to buy. Size Collapse The most common iPad size these days has a roughly 11-inch screen. This is probably the right size for most people: 11 inches is ideal for a wide variety of things and is flexible for both holding in your hands and using with a keyboard. If you primarily plan to use your iPad for reading, you might want to go with something smaller; if you intend to replace a laptop with an iPad, you might want a bigger model. Be warned, though: a 13-inch iPad is a truly humongous thing. Accessories Collapse Apple’s accessory compatibility is somewhat fragmented across its iPad lineup. It has several different Pencil stylus models, a number of different keyboard attachments, and a wide variety of case options. While some iPad models share accessories with others, not all of them do, so if you want to use a specific accessory with your iPad, it’s important to make sure both are compatible before you buy them.
The second question is more complicated to answer, and it’s what makes the iPad-buying process so tricky right now: how long do you expect to keep your iPad? If you’re looking for a device for the kids to beat up or something that will be your travel companion until you inevitably leave it somewhere, you’re going to end up with a very different device than if you’re shopping for your main computer for the next decade. In general, if you take care of your iPad, I think you can reasonably expect it to last at least five years — so that’s the timeline I have in mind as we go through this guide.
I used to say that almost everyone should just get the base iPad. Now, I think there are two options worth seriously considering. No matter which one you choose, all the models on this list will receive Apple’s recently announced iPadOS 26 update this fall.
The best iPad value
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