Apple is about to announce its new 2024 iPads. Maybe. Some day. Everyone thought it would happen on Monday, but now it looks like it’ll be sometime next week. By all accounts, we can expect new 2024 iPad Air models that come in two sizes, plus upgraded OLED iPad Pro models that will cost as much as a compact car. No thanks, Apple, because I’ve got my sights set on a different tablet right now.
No matter what Apple’s new 2024 iPads turn out to be, people on a budget should be eying the iPad 9th-Gen (currently on sale for $249). But if you’re waiting for the new 2024 iPads, you’re probably in the market for a more powerful model. If that’s the case, you should stop waiting and get an M1 iPad Air right now while it’s on sale at the lowest price ever.
I have to admit, I’m not much of a tablet user. I have an old iPad Pro, but I can’t even remember the last time I turned it on. I use my iPhone when looking up something quickly or browsing social media. And when I need to do something a bit more complex, I go straight to my MacBook Air or my iMac.
Tablets don’t really fit into my workflow, personally. But I’ve tested them all, and if I were to buy a new tablet for myself, it would almost certainly be Apple’s 5th-generation iPad Air. This model offers the perfect balance of power and value — especially right now while it’s on sale at the lowest price ever.
Apple’s latest iPad Air is powered by the same M1 chip you’ll find in several Mac computers, like the M1 MacBook Air that’s on sale right now for $749.99, the lowest price ever. There’s an M1-powered iMac in my house that I use from time to time, and I can assure you that it’s incredibly fast and powerful. Put that same chip in an iPadOS tablet, and it screams!
The 5th-generation iPad Air has a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina Display that is stunning. It makes my old iPad Pro look like a tube TV. The clarity is unreal, and the colors really pop. You also get 12-megapixel cameras on the front and back, Touch ID on the side button, WiFi 6, and all-day battery life.
Learn more about this model in BGR’s in-depth iPad Air review.
This powerful tablet retails for $599, which is a fair price considering it’s more powerful than many laptops out there. At $499 on sale, the iPad Air is a steal.
There’s still a downside to the M1 iPad Air for some people since $500 is a lot of money to spend on a base-model tablet. If you want to spend less money and you don’t need quite that much power, there are two other deals you might want to consider today.
First, as I mentioned earlier, the iPad 9 is currently on sale for $249.99. This is Apple’s entry-level model, and it’s down to the lowest price I’ve seen since Black Friday. Unfortunately, it has been tough to find one in stock for the past week or so.
Or, if you want something that packs a bit more punch, the newest iPad mini is $30 off at $469. That’s not a great discount for this model though, so I recommend that you wait until it’s at least $50 off.
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