Best IPad 2026: 6 Compared (10 Sources)

Which iPad should you buy in 2026?

Summary

Apple sells six iPads across four product lines, and on 2026-06-25 Apple raised the price of every one of them by $100–$200 — the single most important thing to know about buying an iPad right now. The base iPad went $349 to $449, the mini $499 to $599, the Air 11-inch $599 to $749, the Air 13-inch $799 to $949, the Pro 11-inch $999 to $1,199 and the Pro 13-inch $1,299 to $1,499. Tim Cook attributed the increase to "the soaring cost of memory and storage chips," a "hundred-year flood" in component pricing driven by manufacturers diverting supply to high-bandwidth memory for AI servers. No hardware changed — these are the same models at higher prices. [src9, src10]

Amazon has not fully followed Apple up. As of 2026-08-04 every model in this card is $20–$99 below Apple's new MSRP on Amazon: the base iPad at $399.99 (vs $449), the mini at $569 (vs $599), the Air 11-inch at $729 (vs $749), the Air 13-inch at $879.99 (vs $949), the Pro 11-inch at $1,119.99 (vs $1,199) and the Pro 13-inch at $1,399.99 (vs $1,499). That gap is the most reliable saving available on a new iPad today, and it is largest in absolute terms at the Pro tier and largest in percentage terms (11%) on the base iPad. All prices in this card are the 128 GB Wi-Fi configuration (256 GB Wi-Fi on the Pros).

The best iPad for most people is still the 11-inch iPad Air (M4), now $729 on Amazon — it delivers M4 performance with 12 GB RAM, Wi-Fi 7, Apple Pencil Pro support, and a bright Liquid Retina display without the Pro price tag. Tom's Guide, Macworld, and MacRumors all name the iPad Air their top overall recommendation after the M4 refresh that launched March 11, 2026. The hike does dent its value case, though: the Air now costs $329 more than the base iPad, up from a $250 gap before June 25. [src1, src2, src3]

No hardware has changed since the March 2026 iPad Air M4 refresh, and none is imminent. Apple upgraded the Air from M3 to M4, boosted RAM from 8 GB to 12 GB (50% increase), added Wi-Fi 7 via the N1 chip and Bluetooth 6, and included the C1X modem in cellular models. Neither the Air (M4) nor the Pro (M5) is expected to be replaced before 2027, and the entry-level iPad 12 — which would finally bring Apple Intelligence to the $449 tier via 8 GB RAM — has slipped from its earlier May 2026 window to Q1 2027 at the earliest per MacRumors' 2026-07-16 update. Waiting is no longer a sensible strategy. [src3, src6, src8]

Top 6 Models Compared

All prices are Amazon, 2026-08-04, for the configuration named in the Price column; Apple's post-2026-06-25 MSRP is shown in brackets. Wi-Fi + Cellular is a separate SKU at roughly +$150–$200.

Best for Each Use Case

Best Overall: iPad Air 11-inch (M4) (~$729, 128 GB Wi-Fi) — Check price

The consensus pick across every major review outlet after its March 2026 refresh. The M4 chip with 12 GB RAM handles demanding apps like Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and triple-A games without breaking a sweat. Wi-Fi 7 support via the N1 chip delivers faster wireless performance. It supports Apple Pencil Pro with haptic feedback and barrel roll, and works with the Magic Keyboard for laptop-like productivity. At $729 on Amazon (Apple charges $749 since the June 2026 increase) it costs $391 less than the iPad Pro 11-inch while delivering roughly 85-90% of the experience. Budget realistically: add $129 for the Apple Pencil Pro and $299 for the 11-inch Magic Keyboard and a "note-taking" or "laptop replacement" Air is a $1,157 purchase, not a $729 one. [src1, src2, src4, src9]

Best for Most People on a Budget: iPad 11th Gen (A16) (~$399.99, 128 GB Wi-Fi) — Check price

The most affordable iPad, and the model carrying the deepest Amazon discount in the lineup right now — $399.99 against Apple's post-increase $449, an 11% saving and the only iPad still under $400 anywhere. The A16 chip handles streaming, web browsing, schoolwork, note-taking, and casual gaming capably. Its 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display is bright at 500 nits and sharp at 2360x1640. Base storage is 128 GB, and it supports the Apple Pencil (USB-C, $79) and Magic Keyboard Folio ($269). The key limitation: the A16 has only 6 GB RAM, so this iPad does not support Apple Intelligence — and the iPad 12 that fixes that has slipped to Q1 2027 at the earliest, so there is no near-term replacement to wait for. If Apple AI features matter, step up to the iPad mini ($569) or iPad Air ($729). [src3, src5, src8, src9]

Best for Creative Professionals: iPad Pro 11-inch (M5) (~$1,119.99, 256 GB Wi-Fi) — Check price

The M5 chip delivers workstation-class performance with up to 45% faster GPU than the M4. The Ultra Retina XDR OLED display with ProMotion (10-120 Hz adaptive refresh) produces 1,000 nits sustained brightness and 1,600 nits HDR peak, making it the best mobile display for photo and video editing. Supports Thunderbolt/USB 4 for external monitors and fast storage. The 1 TB and 2 TB models include 16 GB RAM (vs 12 GB base). Optional nano-texture glass reduces glare. Wi-Fi 7 with Apple N1 networking chip. Priced at $1,119.99 on Amazon for the 256 GB Wi-Fi model, $79 under Apple's post-increase $1,199. [src1, src6, src9]

Best Large-Screen iPad: iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) (~$1,399.99, 256 GB Wi-Fi) — Check price

The largest iPad with the same M5 power as the 11-inch Pro but on a stunning 13-inch OLED canvas. At just 5.8 mm thin and 682 g, it is remarkably portable for its size. The extra screen real estate makes Split View and Stage Manager multitasking genuinely productive. Best for illustrators, architects, video editors, and anyone who wants a near-laptop replacement. It is also the model the June 2026 increase hit hardest in absolute terms (+$200 MSRP). The 13-inch iPad Air (M4) at $879.99 is the more affordable large-screen alternative if OLED and ProMotion are not essential. [src2, src5, src6, src9]

Best for Students: iPad Air 11-inch (M4) (~$729, 128 GB Wi-Fi) — Check price

The M4 chip and 12 GB RAM will stay relevant well beyond a four-year degree. Apple Pencil Pro support makes it excellent for handwritten notes in apps like GoodNotes and Notability, and the Magic Keyboard turns it into a capable essay-writing machine. Apple Intelligence features like Writing Tools and Smart Summaries are particularly useful for academic work. Apple education pricing is still offered and still discounts the Air, but the published education price moved with the June 2026 increase — check apple.com/us-hed/shop rather than assuming the old $549. For students on a tighter budget, the iPad (A16) at $399.99 handles note-taking and research well but lacks Apple Intelligence and Pencil Pro support. [src1, src2, src4, src9]

Best Portable iPad: iPad mini 7 (A17 Pro) (~$569, 128 GB Wi-Fi) — Check price

The only sub-9-inch iPad, weighing just 293 g (Wi-Fi). The A17 Pro chip (from iPhone 15 Pro) delivers strong single-core performance and supports Apple Intelligence with 8 GB RAM. The 8.3-inch display is ideal for reading, field reference, cockpit use, and one-handed operation. It supports Apple Pencil Pro for annotation and sketching. The main limitations: no keyboard case option (Bluetooth keyboards only) and a $169 premium over the larger base iPad. It is also the oldest hardware in the lineup — last updated October 2024 — which makes its post-increase $599 MSRP the hardest to justify at list; the $569 Amazon price is doing real work here. [src1, src2, src3]

Best Large-Screen Value: iPad Air 13-inch (M4) (~$879.99, 128 GB Wi-Fi) — Check price

If you want a 13-inch iPad without paying $1,399.99 for the Pro, the Air 13-inch is the clear choice. It shares the M4 chip and 12 GB RAM with its 11-inch sibling, but adds a 600-nit display (vs 500 nits on the 11-inch) and significantly more workspace. At $520 less than the 13-inch iPad Pro, the trade-off is an LCD (not OLED) display and a 60 Hz (not 120 Hz) refresh rate. For most tasks — document editing, illustration, media consumption — that trade-off is worth it. Note it took the same +$150 MSRP increase as the 11-inch Air but currently carries a deeper Amazon discount ($69 off vs $20 off). [src2, src4, src9]

Key Market Trends (2026)

• Apple raised every iPad price on 2026-06-25 (the defining event of this cycle): base iPad $349 to $449, mini $499 to $599, Air 11-inch $599 to $749, Air 13-inch $799 to $949, Pro 11-inch $999 to $1,199, Pro 13-inch $1,299 to $1,499. No hardware changed. Tim Cook blamed "the soaring cost of memory and storage chips," calling it a "hundred-year flood" as suppliers redirected memory output to high-bandwidth modules for AI servers; Apple said it had "never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly." [src9, src10]
• Amazon is running $20-$99 below Apple's new list on every model: base iPad $399.99 vs $449 (11% off, the deepest), mini $569 vs $599, Air 11-inch $729 vs $749, Air 13-inch $879.99 vs $949, Pro 11-inch $1,119.99 vs $1,199, Pro 13-inch $1,399.99 vs $1,499. Third-party retail did not fully pass the increase through, so the Apple-vs-Amazon gap is currently the most dependable discount on a new iPad. Verified 2026-08-04.
• iPad Air M4 refresh (March 2026): Apple upgraded the Air to M4 with 12 GB RAM (up from 8 GB), Wi-Fi 7 (N1 chip), Bluetooth 6, and the C1X modem in cellular models — at the then-unchanged $599/$799 prices, since raised to $749/$949. The M4 delivers 30% faster multi-core CPU performance and a 3x faster Neural Engine vs the M3. Tom's Guide rated it Editor's Choice and "the best tablet for most people." [src4, src5, src9]
• Apple Intelligence stratification: Apple Intelligence requires 8 GB RAM minimum. This means the iPad mini (8 GB), iPad Air (12 GB), and iPad Pro (12-16 GB) support it, but the base iPad (6 GB) does not. Only the iPad 12 will close this gap, and it is no longer imminent. [src3, src5, src8]
• OLED remains Pro-exclusive: The tandem OLED Ultra Retina XDR display is still only available on iPad Pro models. The Air and base iPad remain LCD. The Air's 60 Hz refresh rate vs the Pro's 120 Hz ProMotion remains a key differentiator. [src2, src5]
• Wi-Fi 7 expanding: Both the iPad Air (M4) and iPad Pro (M5) now support Wi-Fi 7 via Apple's N1 chip. The base iPad and iPad mini still use older Wi-Fi standards (Wi-Fi 6E or lower). [src4, src6]
• 128 GB is the baseline: Every iPad now starts at 128 GB storage. Apple eliminated 64 GB base storage across the lineup. [src3]
• iPad 12 has slipped to Q1 2027 at the earliest: the next entry-level iPad (A18 or A19, 8 GB RAM) would finally enable Apple Intelligence on the budget iPad, but MacRumors' 2026-07-16 update moved it out of the earlier May 2026 and then fall 2026 windows to the first quarter of 2027 at the earliest. Apple also does not ship hardware in July or August. Anyone holding off on a base iPad in anticipation of the refresh has at least two more quarters to wait — during which the memory shortage that caused the June increase could push prices up again rather than down. [src2, src3, src8, src9]

Important Caveats

• Prices listed are live Amazon prices for the 128 GB Wi-Fi configuration (256 GB Wi-Fi on the iPad Pro models), verified 2026-08-04, with Apple's post-2026-06-25 MSRP shown alongside. Storage tier, Wi-Fi vs Wi-Fi+Cellular (+$150-$200) and colour are all separate SKUs at different prices — confirm the exact configuration before buying. "Renewed"/refurbished iPad listings rank highly in Amazon search and are NOT the products priced here.
• Apple increased every iPad price by $100-$200 on 2026-06-25 because of memory and storage component costs. Any guide, cached price, or comparison written before that date understates every iPad by at least $100. [src9, src10]
• Apple Pencil compatibility varies by model and is a genuine buying trap — the wrong Pencil simply will not work. iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad mini support the Apple Pencil Pro ($129); the base iPad supports only the Apple Pencil (USB-C, $79). Check Apple's compatibility chart before purchasing. Accessory prices were NOT affected by the June 2026 increase.
• The base iPad (A16) does NOT support Apple Intelligence. It has 6 GB RAM, below the 8 GB minimum required. If Apple AI features are important, the iPad mini ($569) is the cheapest option that supports them.
• The iPad Pro's M5 chip is significantly more powerful than what iPadOS currently utilizes. Most users will not notice a performance difference between the M4 (Air) and M5 (Pro) in everyday tasks. The Pro premium is justified primarily by the OLED display, 120 Hz ProMotion, and Thunderbolt connectivity.
• Storage is not expandable on any iPad. Choose your storage tier carefully at purchase. iCloud storage can supplement but requires internet access.
• Accessories are the hidden cost and are not included in any price here. A Magic Keyboard is $299 (11-inch) or $349 (13-inch), the Magic Keyboard Folio for the base iPad is $269, the Apple Pencil Pro is $129 and the Apple Pencil (USB-C) is $79. An iPad Air 11-inch specified for note-taking or laptop-replacement work is realistically $1,157, not $729 — quoting the bare tablet price for those use cases is materially incomplete.
• The iPad Air (M4) was released on March 11, 2026 and is not expected to be replaced before 2027. If you already own an M3 iPad Air, the upgrade is incremental — the M3 remains a very capable chip. [src4, src7]
• The iPad 12 has slipped to Q1 2027 at the earliest (MacRumors update, 2026-07-16). Waiting for it is no longer advisable: it is at least two quarters out, Apple does not launch hardware in July or August, and the memory shortage behind the June 2026 increase makes a further price rise more likely than a cut. [src8, src9]