Apple may have announced a new iPad Mini just over a month ago, but if all you want is a basic tablet for entertainment purposes, it’s probably not worth forking out $499 for Apple’s latest tablet. In fact, unless you’re clamoring for Apple Intelligence or a pint-sized form factor, the 10th-gen iPad will suffice. Thankfully, it’s still on sale at Amazon with Wi-Fi and 64GB of storage starting at $249.99 ($100 off) when you clip the on-page coupon, which drops the tablet to its best price to date.
The A14 Bionic processor in the entry-level iPad isn’t as snappy as the Mini’s A17 Pro chip, but it offers more than enough power for streaming, browsing the web, and video chatting. The iPad can also last up to 10 hours or more when doing basic tasks, or about six or seven when doing some light productivity work. Plus, unlike its last-gen predecessor — which also happens to be on sale for $199.99 ($129 off) at Best Buy for Black Friday — Apple’s 10.9-inch slate features a USB-C port and an improved FaceTime camera that makes taking calls while holding it horizontally much easier.
Sadly, the 10th-gen model doesn’t support the newer Apple Pencil Pro like the rest of Apple’s current iPad lineup. However, it does support the USB-C Apple Pencil ($69) and the first-gen Apple Pencil ($59), so you won’t necessarily need to upgrade if you own the latter stylus. That being said, if you do want an iPad that can leverage the new features of the Pro stylus—namely, its support for Apple’s Find My network and the new “Barrel Roll” function — the 11-inch iPad Air M2 is also on sale at Amazon, Best Buyand Target starting at $499 ($100 off).
Update, November 30th: Updated to reflect current availability and the fact the 11-inch iPad Air M2 is also on sale at multiple retailers.
