Some fancy new iPads have just hit store shelves and while we reckon the latest iPad Air is the best option for most folks, there’s an entry-level Apple tablet that will check a lot of people’s boxes. And best of all, the 10th-gen iPad is cheaper than ever. The tablet has dropped to $329 for the blue model with 64GB of storage, bringing it to its lowest price to date. Apple gave the 10th-gen iPad a permanent $100 price cut to $349 earlier this month. The latest sale takes another $20 off.
This model is our pick for the best budget iPad. Although it’s nearly two years old at this point, the combination of price and functionality makes it an attractive option.
The 10.9-inch tablet will run for up to 10 hours on a single charge and it has a USB-C port and Touch ID sensor. The selfie camera is along the horizontal edge, which makes video chats a little less awkward for those who prefer a landscape orientation.
There are, of course, some trade offs compared with higher-end iPads. The latest iPad Air and iPad Pro are far more powerful than this model. They have nicer displays too. Furthermore, the 10th-gen iPad doesn’t support the new Apple Pencil Pro or Wi-Fi 6E — just the first-gen and USB-C Pencils and the notably slower Wi-Fi 6.
But if all you’re looking for is a relatively inexpensive tablet for basic tasks like browsing the web, answering emails, watching TV shows and playing some games, the base iPad will capably fit the bill.
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