Apple’s iPad lineup is arguably unmatched by any other device maker or platform. All tablets get top performance and have 10 hours of battery life, crisp, clear displays and access to countless apps on the App Store.
And with Apple’s announcement of iPadOS last year, the company has slowly and methodically released updates with features that set it apart from the iPhone and make it more like a Mac.
Below you will find the line of Apple iPad and details on what differentiates each model.
10.2 inch screen | A10 Fusion chip | Up to 128 GB of storage | touch id
Apple’s proven tablet, the base iPad model, is arguably the best value in the group. It gets all the same features as the more expensive Pro and Air models, including a larger 10.2-inch screen.
Inside is the Apple A10 Fusion chip, either 32GB or 128GB of storage, and support for independent Wi-Fi or cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity.
Apple has not expanded its facial recognition hardware beyond the iPad Pro, so the iPad still has a Touch ID home button. However, there is a smart connector to add the Apple Smart Keyboard, making the iPad more of a laptop than a tablet. And of course it is compatible with Apple Pencil.
Even better? The iPad starts at $ 329. It is incredibly powerful and even more affordable.
$ 329 at Apple
10.5 inches | A12 Bionic | Up to 256 GB of storage | touch id
In the middle of the iPad package is the iPad Air. Apple mixes and combines some of the features of the standard iPad and iPad Pro, providing specs like a 10.5-inch screen, but leaving the home button in place.
Compatibility with Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard is available, and storage space is double that of the standard iPad, with 64GB and 256GB options available. The iPad Air is powered by a Bionic A12 processor, which contributes part of the power that the iPad Pro line has to a slightly smaller and less expensive device.
The starting price for the iPad Air is $ 499 for 64GB or $ 649 for 256GB. You can add a cell phone for an additional $ 130.
$ 399 at Apple
11 or 12.9 inches | A12Z | Up to 1TB of storage | Face ID
The iPad Pro is the most expensive and most capable tablet on the line. It has a completely different design compared to the standard iPad or iPad Air. Instead of a Lightning port for charging, syncing, and accessories, you’ll find a USB-C port.
The Start button disappeared, replaced by Apple’s Face ID facial recognition technology. And unlike iPhone, you can use Face ID with iPad in portrait or landscape orientation.
There are two sizes: 11-inch or 12.9-inch, with storage ranging from 128GB to 1TB. Prices also have a wide range, from $ 799 for the 11-inch 1218GB model, to $ 1,499 for the 12.9-inch 1TB model. Add cellular connectivity to any model for $ 150 more. The Pro uses Apple’s A12Z processor, making it the most powerful iPad currently available.
The Pro is also compatible with the second-generation Apple Pencil, with a magnetic dot on the side for charging. The Smart Connector is located on the back of the iPad Pro, giving you the option to use it with the newly released Magic Keyboard that includes backlit keys and trackpad, or Apple’s Smart Keyboard.
IPad Pro, combined with iPadOS, is as close to a laptop as possible without buying a laptop.
$ 799 at Apple
7.9 inches | A12 Bionic | Up to 256 GB of storage | touch id
If you want something smaller and more manageable, the iPad Mini meets all the requirements. Powered by the A12 Bionic processor, the 7.9-inch tablet comes with the same features as the rest of Apple’s line of tablets thanks to a fairly recent update.
The Mini will work with the first-generation Apple Pencil, so you can draw or annotate notes in compatible apps. With the upcoming release of iPadOS 14, Apple Pencil support is expanding thanks to a new Scribble feature that lets you write in text boxes, with the tablet turning your handwriting into real text.
You have a choice of 64GB or 256GB of storage, with the former priced at $ 399 and the latter priced at $ 549 for Wi-Fi-only models. If you want to add cellular connectivity, you’re looking for a $ 130 raise.
$ 399 at Apple
9.7 inches | A10 Fusion | Up to 128 GB | touch id
For those who still own one of the original 9.7-inch iPad models, with cases and accessories galore, then visit Apple’s restored store, where you’ll find the sixth-generation iPad still for sale. It was first released in March 2018, but don’t let that fool you, it can still run the latest operating system and do everything a tablet needs to do.
Inventory at Apple’s restored store fluctuates all the time, but as of now, the 128GB model with Wi-Fi and cell phone is available in silver, space gray, and gold for $ 439, lowered from standard prices of $ 529.
Apple will support the sixth-generation iPad with iPadOS 14, so you can take advantage of all its new features and some of the more recently added features, such as mouse and trackpad support.
Some of the nerdier specs on the sixth-generation model is an Apple A10 Fusion processor, with a 10-hour battery life, a Touch ID sensor, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a 2048×1536 resolution display.
$ 439 at Apple
