Looking for the best iPad to buy? Apple's tablets are the best around, whether it's for power users or budget-conscious buyers. But the right model depends on your budget, performance needs and, yes, even your preferred screen size. At Tom's Guide, we’ve tested every iPad to help you choose between the regular iPad, iPad Air, iPad mini and iPad Pro.
For most people, the 11-inch iPad Air M4 is the best iPad thanks to its strong balance of price, performance and features. With its M4 chip, it has the power for multitasking, gaming, video editing and everyday work without the premium cost of an iPad Pro (this should be reserved for power users with its incredible performance). If you want to spend a lot less, the iPad 11 delivers reliable performance, a sharp 11-inch display and 128GB of storage for less. Prefer a slim, compact tablet experience for reading, sketching and watching shows on the move? The iPad mini 8 with its OLED panel is a great choice.
We're expecting three more iPads to arrive by early 2027, including an all-new iPad Pro M6, iPad Air M5 and an iPad 12. If you're thinking of grabbing the latest upgrades, these may be worth the wait for some. In the meantime, I've put together our expert advice and in-depth reviews in this guide to help you find the right iPad for you.
Ever since I started using an iPad Air with a Magic Keyboard back in 2020 to delve deeper into my career in all things tech, I've been amazed by all the things you can do on Apple's tablets and how far they've come. From having literal chips made for laptops in them to delivering seamless setup with other Apple devices, iPads are amazing tablets to get. The question is, which one? That's where my team of tablet experts and I come in, and this guide will help you make the right choice.
The best iPads you can buy today
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The best iPad overall
The 11-inch iPad Air M4 easily pushes its way to the top spot as the best iPad for most, considering it now delivers speedy M4 power, upgraded 12GB RAM and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity for the same $599 price as the previous M3 model. Whether it's for browsing the web and watching shows, for some on-the-go work or some gaming, this tablet finds the right balance between affordability and performance.
Now with the might of M4, the iPad Air offers a notable performance boost, making it the most powerful Air to date. With 12GB of memory onboard, that also makes it even better for video editing and gaming, as it can better handle multitasking without breaking much of a sweat (this is a MacBook chip, after all).
Otherwise, expect the same features we loved from past Air models carried over: the same sharp, vivid visuals with its Liquid Retina display, along with that slim and lightweight design that is comfortable to hold for hours. Oh, and the 12MP cameras are always a nice bonus.
Sure, it's more of a spec bump as we've come to know, but that doesn't take away from how far the iPad Air has come in sheer performance. We would have loved to see Face ID make an appearance, along with a boost in battery life and a more affordable Magic Keyboard, but this is still the best iPad (and tablet) for most.
- Read our full iPad Air M4 review
The best budget iPad
The latest iPad 11 may not be a huge departure from the previous iPad 10, nor does it come with the premium features you’ll find on the iPad Air or iPad Pro with Mac-level performance. But it’s hard to deny the value you can get from Apple’s cheapest tablet.
Boasting the same sleek and slim lightweight design as its predecessor's exciting refresh, this portable tablet pushes its entry-level roots further with significantly improved performance thanks to its A16 upgrade. From juggling windows in iPadOS 26 to playing impressive titles like Destiny: Rising, the iPad 11 can handle the demands of most.
Throw in its longer-lasting battery life (it even beats the iPad Air M3), fantastic 11-inch Liquid Retina (2360 x 1640) display for smooth, detailed visuals and larger 128GB base storage space, and the iPad 11 makes for a worthy tablet for most. Just take note: it’s not compatible with Apple Intelligence, and only supports Apple Pencil (USB-C) — no Apple Pencil Pro support, disappointingly. Still, not bad for its $349 starting price.
But if all you need from a portable tablet is to browse through websites, watch videos or shows on the best streaming services and play some mobile-friendly games, the base iPad achieves all that and more for less.
- Read our full iPad 11 review
The best iPad for performance
Conversations about whether or not the iPad Pro can replace your laptop have been going on for years, but the iPad Pro with M5 might finally end such discussions. If you’re looking for an absolute powerhouse tablet that can rival a laptop’s performance, battery life and display quality, this is the slate for you.
This is now my favorite iPad. The main draw is still the stunning 13-inch tandem OLED panel, with its inky blacks, vivid color, bright whites and overall sharp 2752 x 2064 resolution. I’m not being hyperbolic when I say this tablet’s display is every bit as good as, or better than, many of the OLED laptops we've reviewed. It’s truly a sight to behold.
The Apple M5 processor might be overkill for a tablet, but that laptop-like performance is what makes this worth considering as a laptop replacement. Whether it’s something demanding like exporting large video files or simpler tasks like web browsing, the iPad Pro M5 can handle just about anything you throw at it, even gaming.
To use the iPad Pro M5 as a laptop replacement, you’ll need the Magic Keyboard. Unfortunately, that peripheral costs a hefty $349 for the model compatible with the 13-inch iPad Pro. And if you want the Apple Pencil Pro, that’s an additional $129. Considering how this 13-inch tablet starts at $1,499, the costly peripherals will put a bigger dent in your wallet.
Though expensive, the iPad Pro M5 is worth it if you want a device that functions as both a laptop and a tablet. And even if you don’t, that gorgeous screen could be worth the asking price.
- Read our full iPad Pro M5 review
The best small iPad
The iPad mini 8 is the most portable iPad you can buy, and it now comes with a gorgeous 8.5-inch OLED display and the thinnest, lightest build in the lineup. It's the upgrade we've been waiting for, now with the power of an A20 Pro chip, amazing all-day battery life and an all-new Acoustic Display for even richer sound.
At just 0.2 inches thin and weighing 0.5 pounds, it's easier than ever to hold the iPad mini in one hand, and that makes it more comfortable for long reading sessions and easy to slip into a coat pocket or small bag. Wherever you go, you'll want to take Apple's smallest tablet along for the ride.
The new OLED panel gives a sharper, more vivid image than previous models, with incredible brightness (over 1,000 nits in HDR brightness as tested), rich colors and deeper blacks. It's a treat for the eyes whether you're watching movies, reading comics or browsing the web. Plus, everyday performance is snappy thanks to the A20 Pro chip. We had no issues juggling multiple apps, streaming video or sketching in Notes. Even with dozens of Chrome tabs open and a YouTube video running, the iPad mini 8 kept going without slowdown.
Another highlight is battery life. In our testing, the iPad mini 8 lasted 14 hours and 24 minutes on a single charge. That's a huge leap over the iPad mini 8, delivering four hours extra! Now, we're still left wanting a 120Hz refresh rate, and there's still no Face ID. Plus, be warned: the base model comes with an A20 Pro chip with a 5-core CPU, while adding more storage delivers a chip with a 6-core CPU and a dual-core Neural Engine. For many, this won't be a major difference, but it's good to know to make the most of your purchase.
Otherwise, if you want the smallest, lightest, and most comfortable iPad for one-handed use, the mini 8 is hard to beat. For portability-first buyers, it’s in a class of its own.
- Read our full iPad mini 8 review
Best iPads Performance Test Results
Here’s a look at how each iPad compares in performance. Obviously, numbers don’t tell the whole story, but they give you a good idea of what these iPads can do in key performance areas.
Best iPad Performance Test Results
Slide through to see Geekbench and 3DMark benchmarks for each iPad
Geekbench (single-core)
| Product | Value |
|---|---|
| iPad Air M4 | 3745 |
| iPad 11 | 2589 |
| iPad Pro M5 | 4155 |
| iPad mini 8 | 4720 |
Best iPads Display Test Results
We test the brightness (in nits), color range (sRGB and DCI-P3) and color accuracy (Delta-E) of every tablet we test, and iPads generally come with the best displays around. That's especially true of the iPad Pro M5 and iPad mini 8, which feature a gorgeous OLED display.
Best iPad Display Test Results
Slide through to compare each iPad's results in brightness, sRGB, DCI-P3 and Delta-E (lower is better)
Brightness
| Product | Value |
|---|---|
| iPad Air M4 | 489 |
| iPad 11 | 506 |
| iPad Pro M5 | 561 |
| iPad mini 8 | 600 |
Best iPads Battery Life Test Results
iPads are among the longest-lasting tablets around, with every iPad offering at least 9 hours of battery life. Each will get you through a general workday (around 8 hours), along with a little leftover for watching shows or playing games later on.
In any case, here's how each compares:
Best iPads Battery Life Test Results
In our battery test, we set the iPad's display to 150 nits of brightness and have it endlessly browse the web via Wi-Fi until it runs out of juice.
Battery life (hh:mm:ss)
| Product | Value |
|---|---|
| iPad Air M4 | 9.733333333333333 |
| iPad 11 | 11.433333333333334 |
| iPad Pro M5 | 13.3 |
| iPad mini 8 | 14.4 |
Best iPad: Frequently Asked Questions
Is the iPad Air worth the extra money over the regular iPad?
The iPad Air is worth paying more for if you want stronger performance, better multitasking headroom or a tablet for more demanding work, gaming or video editing. The 11-inch iPad Air M4 brings M4 power, 12GB of memory and Wi-Fi 7, while retaining a slim, light design.
The regular iPad 11 remains the better-value choice for web browsing, video, reading and mobile-friendly games. It also has 128GB of base storage, but it doesn't have the performance to keep up with heavy loads, and it lacks Apple Intelligence support (if you're interested in it).
Do I need an iPad Pro, or is an iPad Air powerful enough?
An iPad Air is powerful enough for most people; choose the iPad Pro when you need the best display and maximum performance for demanding creative work or a laptop-replacement setup.
We even tried switching to an iPad Pro M5 from a laptop, and it could actually keep up with the general workflow of our needs. That's with a Magic Keyboard, of course, which also comes with the perk of easily detaching the screen from the keyboard (and being a touchscreen display).
An iPad Air can't quite keep up with those speeds. However, if that's not what you're looking for, then you can save yourself a lot of money with an iPad Air instead, which still comes with great performance for general tasks.
Should I buy a Wi-Fi-only or cellular iPad?
Buy a Wi-Fi-only iPad if you mainly use it at home, school or work, and choose cellular only if you regularly need internet access away from trusted Wi-Fi. A cellular model can keep internet-dependent apps on (especially for professionals) while travelling or working on the move, but prepare to pay a lot more for the connectivity.
Usually, Wi-Fi-only iPads are enough, as they can connect at their usual locations or use a phone hotspot when needed.
What are the best iPad apps to use?
The best iPad apps can also make your iPad more useful. There are literally thousands of apps you can try out, which can make searching for apps daunting. But if you know what you intend to use the tablet for, such as for writing, drawing, and editing videos, you’ll have a good place to start.
I’ve listed some iPad apps I personally can’t live without below, but I encourage you to browse the Apple App Store for apps that suit your specific needs.
- Kindle for iPad (for reading books and comics purchased on Amazon)
- YouTube for iPad (for watching YouTube videos, naturally)
- Spotify (for music and podcasts)
- Google Chrome for iPad (for web browsing)
- Alexa (to control my Alexa-supporting devices
How to choose the best iPad for you
I hope the choices above have helped you decide which iPad to get. But if you want more to consider, there are a few key questions you can ask yourself to further hone in on the best iPad for you.
How do you plan to use this iPad? Is it mostly going to stay within easy reach of the couch and be used primarily for light entertainment like browsing Wikipedia, watching YouTube videos, or reading comics? Then you don’t need something as powerful as an iPad Pro. You’ll be perfectly happy with either model of the iPad Air. Heck, even the base iPad will suffice.
However, if you need a tablet for creative purposes or even to act as a laptop replacement (which requires the pricey Magic Keyboard), you should consider the premium-priced iPad Pro with M5. Both the current 11-inch and 13-inch models are incredibly performant due to packing Apple's top-of-the-line processor. And if money is no object, the 13-inch model gives you extra screen space.
How much storage do you need? You can’t upgrade an iPad’s storage after you’ve purchased it, so it’s good to know how much you’ll need beforehand. If you plan to store a good amount of high-res videos and apps on your iPad, then the 128GB of storage the base iPad starts with might not be enough, though you can upgrade to 512GB. The iPad Air and iPad Pro start with 128GB and 256GB (respectively) and you can upgrade to as much as 1TB to 2TB (respectively). The iPad mini 8 starts with 128GB and you can upgrade up to 512GB.
Do you want cellular connectivity? Having an iPad that can access cellular data networks really improves your quality of life by letting you use Internet-reliant apps wherever you can get a signal. However, if you're not planning on taking your iPad on the go, you'll probably be just fine with a simple Wi-Fi-only model.
How we test iPads
We put the iPads we review through the same lab tests as the best iPhones and the best laptops, focusing on overall performance, display quality and battery life.
Below is a summary of what each test is for:
- Performance: We use benchmarks such as Geekbench to test overall CPU performance, 3DMark for 3D graphics, and Adobe Premiere Rush for video editing.
- Display: We use colorimeters and light meters to measure how colorful and bright these tablets’ screens can get. We measure both SDR and HDR brightness in nits, color representation in sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamuts (closer to 100% is best), and Delta-E for color accuracy (closer to 0 is best).
- Battery test: Our in-house battery test, which times how long it takes — while surfing the web with brightness at 150 nits — to drain a tablet of charge.
After that, we do the same things you do — browse the web, watch YouTube, play games, compose emails — and then a lot more. We try and write some (or all) of our tablet reviews on the tablets we're testing, on an attachable keyboard if possible. Nobody wants to write a magnum opus on a glass screen, after all (though no judgment if you do!).
