We expect to see plenty of Black Friday iPad deals in the coming days. Plus, now that the 2021 iPad and iPad mini are widely available, demand for Apple's tablets will only increase. That's where Black Friday iPad deals come into the picture. These discounts will take from $30 to $350 off Apple's entire iPad family.
In fact, just last week Amazon had the iPad Air on sale for $489. That was $110 off and the best sale ever for this tablet. (The deal is now over). The sale was just an example of the type of Black Friday iPad deals we could see in the coming days.
While the holiday season may feel like it's far off, the truth is that Black Friday deals will be here sooner than you think. So we're taking a close look at last year's Black Friday iPad deals along with some of 2021's best iPad deals to decipher what kind of discounts we'll see come November. We're also listing the best early deals you can get right now.
Black Friday iPad deals — best early sales
Black Friday iPad deals — our predictions
iPad 2021: The iPad 9 is the latest tablet to join Apple's iPad family. It sports a new A13 Bionic CPU that promises to deliver 20% faster performance than its predecessor. It also includes an upgraded 12MP front camera with support for the iPad Pro's Center Stage technology. The new iPad also features double the storage capacity of its predecessor starting at 64GB and 256GB. The iPad 9 has already seen multiple price cuts. Both Walmart and Amazon have had it on sale for $299, which is $30 off. However, last year retailers like Amazon and Best Buy offered the then just-released iPad for a low of $249. That means the iPad 9 could drop as low as $249 come Black Friday 2021. If it does, expect that Black Friday iPad deal to sell out fast. (It's already hard to find in stock).
iPad mini 2021: Although Apple increased the price of the iPad mini by a staggering $100, the iPad mini 6 received a multitude of upgrades starting with a redesign that includes an edge-to-edge screen. It also sports a larger 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with 2266 x 1488 resolution. (The older iPad mini has a 7.9-inch 2048 x 1536 display). The new tablet also gets a current-gen A15 Bionic CPU, which is the same processor powering the new iPhone 13. According to Apple, the new CPU should provide a 40% jump in performance when compared to the previous iPad mini. Price-wise, the iPad mini has already seen price cuts that take $39 off. We predict there will be a lightning sale that knocks a full $100 off the base model. This could very well be the best Black Friday iPad deal of the season.
iPad Air: The iPad Air hit an all-time price low of $489 on October 8. The deal lasted just a few hours. Prior to that, it was on sale most of the summer for $499. That means any Black Friday iPad deals for this tablet will have to match or beat this $489 price point. That said, we don't foresee this tablet getting significantly cheaper than $489 during the holidays.
iPad Pros: Apple's professional tablets will see massive price cuts this holiday season. The base 11-inch iPad Pro is regularly $50 off, whereas the base 12.9-inch iPad Pro can usually be found for $999 ($100 off). Expect Black Friday iPad deals to take from $100 to $350 off various configurations of these tablets. The base models should see at least $100 off, whereas the higher $350 discounts will go toward the higher capacity models.
What Black Friday iPad deals can I buy now
Black Friday iPad deals are starting earlier than ever. If you want to get your holiday shopping done before the November rush — here are the best sales happening now.
10.9-inch iPad Air: was $599 now $539 @ Amazon
11" iPad Pro (128GB/2021): was $799 now $749 @ Amazon
12.9" iPad Pro (128GB/2021): was $1,099 now $999 @ Amazon
Which iPad should I buy on Black Friday?
Apple's iPad family is now bigger than ever. Currently, these are the models that Apple offers:
- NEW 10.2" iPad (64GB/256GB): $329/$429
- NEW 8.2" iPad Mini (64GB/256GB): $499/$649
- 10.9" iPad Air 2020 (64GB/256GB): $599/$749
- 11" iPad Pro (128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB): $799/$899/$1,099/$1,499/$1,899
- 12.9" iPad Pro (128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB): $1,099/$1,199/$1,399/$1,799/$2,199
The 10.2-inch iPad is the most popular iPad for a reason. It's Apple's mainstream model that's both affordable and offers good bang for your buck. The tablet uses Apple's A13 Bionic processor, giving faster performance that makes the tablet more capable for iPadOS' multitasking tricks. It's also going to make your next round in Apple Arcade a bit smoother.
Our iPad Air (2020) review explains why that tablet is the best iPad for most people. It's a lot like the iPad Pro, but its starting price is $200 less. Those perks start with thin bezels and the flat-edge design, but it's also got the support for the top Apple accessories — the 2nd Gen Apple Pencil that's much easier to charge and the Magic Keyboard which is an actual delight to use. Although it's now the oldest iPad in Apple's lineup, it's still an excellent tablet for most users.
Apple's iPad mini is the smallest tablet in Apple's lineup (as its name implies). It's not light on power though, as the new 2021 model sports an A15 Bionic chip, which on paper makes it as fast as the new iPhone 13. Beloved by many, its portable size makes it ideal for reading, as well as writing emails and browsing social media. And don't worry, its screen is still great enough to watch some of the best Netflix shows.
Power users, though, will want the iPad Pro. It's available in both 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes. The new tablets are powered by Apple's M1 CPU, which means you'll get record-breaking speeds out of them.
