Those looking to upgrade from an aging tablet to a new iPad are worse than the new iPad A16. We already see it as the best budget iPad for standard running rates, but currently priced at $299 on Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy. This is the lowest price we tracked, with Apple’s MSRP discount of $50. Note that this deal is for entry-level configurations, which include 128GB of storage and 6GB of RAM, and covers all color options for the device.
Apple released the iPad A16 in March, and we have since named it the budget option in the iPad purchase guide. It’s not as refined or powerful as the iPad Air, as it’s a little slower for more tasks involved, and its non-fixed display is more difficult to time. That said, it costs a lot less, and it still has enough tablets for what most people do with their iPad. We gave 84 points in the comments.
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Apple’s entry-level iPad is now cheaper. The A16 iPad has fallen to a record $299.
$299 on Amazon
Apple hasn’t increased the price of the latest base iPad compared to previous models, but it adds 2GB of RAM, doubles storage space and plugs it into a more powerful chipset that’s fast enough to achieve the most common tasks, including modest gaming and lighter media editing. However, the iPad does not support Apple Intelligence, which can be positive or negative depending on how you feel about generating AI.
The build quality remains as solid as ever, while the battery lasts about 10 hours, depending on the task you perform. On the downside, the attachment is not ideal. It only supports more basic USB-C and first-generation Apple Pencils, and neither of them can charge wirelessly when you connect them magnetically to one side of your tablet – instead you need to use a USB-C cable and/or USB-C for the Lightning Adapter. Magic keyboard support isn’t great either, as the model used with this basic iPad is hard to stabilize on your legs.
However, if the troubles of accessories don’t bother you, this might be the right iPad for your needs. Of course, the iPad Air and Pro lineups have a stronger chipset, but if all you’re looking for is an iPad, you can watch some movies while flying, or read news without breaking the bank, then that should be the way to go.
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