There’s an iPad for everyone.
Photo: Apple
Recently, Apple updated the iPad Pro with its newest M5 chip. The iPad Pro is Apple’s thinnest-ever device and has Apple’s most powerful chip and a gorgeous tandem OLED display. The iPad Air, on the other hand, is powered by the M3 chip and is available with a 13-inch display. As for the iPad mini, it’s incredibly compact and is now powered by the A17 Pro chip that allows it to support Apple Intelligence. Throw in the more affordable and extremely competent 11th-generation iPad, and it’s easy to see why one might be confused about which iPad to buy. Fret not, this guide will help you decide.
What’s an iPad good for?
Sidecar lets your iPad works as a secondary display to complement your Mac.
Photo: Apple
With its gorgeous displays, excellent performance, and surprisingly loud speakers, any iPad is a great device for entertainment and work. It’s equally adept at browsing the web and watching shows on your favourite video streaming service as it is answering emails and editing spreadsheets. And if you get an Apple Pencil, they can be great for note-taking and art creation too. Apple has also improved iPadOS to make it better at multitasking. For some, an iPad is all the computing device they need.
But beyond this, the iPad is also an excellent companion device for a Mac. If you have a Mac, Sidecar lets you extend or mirror your Mac’s display onto an iPad. Another nifty feature is Universal Control, which enables users to control their Mac and iPad using a single keyboard and mouse (or trackpad). This makes it extremely convenient to use the two devices together.
How much is an iPad?
Your purchasing decision will largely be determined by how much an iPad costs. So let’s take a look at how much you should expect to pay for an iPad, beginning first with the Wi-Fi-only versions.
|
iPad (10.9-inch) |
iPad Mini (8.3-inch) |
11-inch iPad Air |
13-inch iPad Air |
11-inch iPad Pro |
13-inch iPad Pro |
|
|
128GB |
$499 |
$699 |
$899 |
$1,199 |
– |
– |
|
256GB |
$649 |
$849 |
$1,049 |
$1,349 |
$1,499 |
$1,999 |
|
512GB |
$949 |
$1,149 |
$1,349 |
$1,649 |
$1,799 |
$2,299 |
|
1TB |
– |
– |
$1,649 |
$1,949 |
$2,399 |
$2,899 |
|
2TB |
– |
– |
– |
– |
$2,999 |
$3,499 |
And now let’s take a look at how much the Wi-Fi and cellular versions cost.
|
iPad (10.9-inch) |
iPad Mini (8.3-inch) |
11-inch iPad Air |
13-inch iPad Air |
11-inch iPad Pro |
13-inch iPad Pro |
|
|
128GB |
$729 |
$929 |
$1,129 |
$1,429 |
– |
– |
|
256GB |
$879 |
$1,079 |
$1,279 |
$1,579 |
$1,799 |
$2,299 |
|
512GB |
$1,179 |
$1,379 |
$1,579 |
$1,879 |
$2,099 |
$2,599 |
|
1TB |
– |
– |
$1,879 |
$2,179 |
$2,699 |
$3,199 |
|
2TB |
– |
– |
– |
– |
$3,299 |
$3,799 |
A couple of things stand out. The least expensive iPad starts at S$499 and the sky is really the limit when it comes to the flagship iPad Pros.
Also, cellular connectivity adds anywhere from S$230 to S$300 to the cost of the iPad and that’s something you can forgo if you don’t mind tethering to your phone.
Storage adds quite a bit to the cost of the iPad so we’ll address this in the next section.
The Magic Keyboard is pricey, but it’s arguably the best keyboard you can buy for your iPad Pro and iPad Air.
Photo: HWZ
Finally, one should also consider accessories because they are pricey. The Smart Keyboards are excellent to have but they start at over S$200. The various Apple Pencils are superb for note-taking, annotating documents and images, and sketching, but no one’s going to call them affordable either. Here’s a list of how much Apple’s most popular accessories cost:
How much storage is enough?
Happily, storage is less of an issue now that Apple has decided to give all iPads at least 128GB of storage. The basic iPad used to get only 64GB of storage as standard, which can be a bit problematic, especially if you intend to play games and download videos for offline video.
If you need lots of storage, note that only the iPad Pros come with 2TB of storage. The basic iPad tops out at 256GB, while the max storage you can get in an iPad mini is 512GB.
Photo: HWZ
Because iPadOS generally takes up about 20GB, all iPads should have at least 100GB of free space. This should be sufficient, though it must be noted that a single game can consume upwards of 3GB of storage. As for videos, a single high-quality 4K video can be over 5GB in size and an entire series (depending on the number of episodes) can take up over 10GB.
That said, 128GB should suffice for most users. It’s only if you intend to use your iPad for serious production work that you might want to consider getting one with more storage.
Now, on to the recommendations.
The most affordable & best for most: iPad 11th generation
The basic iPad is a solid tablet let down only by its clumsy integration with the first-gen Apple Pencil. Pictured here is the 10th generation iPad.
Photo: HWZ
Apple recently gave its most basic iPad a spec-bump update. It retains its design and 11-inch Liquid Retina display, but it’s now powered by the more powerful A16 chip. Other notable features include proper stereo speakers on both sides of the screen in landscape mode, a USB-C port, and a dedicated keyboard accessory called the Magic Keyboard Folio. Even though it’s powered by an older chip, which means it doesn’t support Apple Intelligence, it is still a solid and capable iPad. My only complaint is that it doesn’t support the newer Apple Pencil Pro.
We haven’t reviewed the latest version of the iPad, but you can read our review of the last-generation iPad here.
You can find the 11th-generation iPad on Amazon, Lazada, Shopee, and the Apple Online Store.
The most portable: iPad Mini
If portability is a priority, then consider the iPad Mini.
Photo: HWZ
If you want the most compact and portable iPad, the iPad Mini is the clear choice. With its 8.3-inch Retina display, no iPad is small. And although it’s the smallest iPad, it’s no slouch. It has a great display and its A17 Pro chip ensures competitive performance and support for Apple Intelligence. It also has double-sided speakers and it supports Apple’s newest Apple Pencil Pro. In many ways, the iPad Mini can be considered to be a more compact version of the iPad Air. If portability is your utmost priority, this is a fantastic iPad to have.
For more details, read our iPad Mini review here.
You can find the iPad Mini on Amazon, Lazada, Shopee, and the Apple Online Store.
The most affordable large-screen iPad: iPad Air
Did the iPad Air needed more performance? Well, it’s now powered by the M3 chip.
Photo: HWZ
The iPad Air also recently received a spec-bump update. The rest of the device is mostly unchanged, but it’s now powered by the more powerful M3 chip. This makes it a great option for users who want more performance but don’t want to step up to an iPad Pro. And since the iPad Air is available with a 13-inch display, it’s the most affordable large-screen iPad you can get. The difference may only be two inches, but it allows the larger iPad Air to show up to 30% more content, which makes a significant difference if you often run two apps side by side. Overall, it’s a great iPad, but it can be argued that it doesn’t do enough to justify its considerable price premium over the regular iPad.
For more details, read our iPad Air review here.
You can find the iPad Air on Amazon, Lazada, Shopee, and the Apple Online Store.
The pinnacle of iPad: iPad Pro
The iPad Pro has all the cutting-edge tech and latest features.
Photo: HWZ
The iPad Pro is the ultimate expression of the iPad. At a smidge over 5mm thick, the latest versions are the thinnest devices Apple has ever made. But even though they are so thin, they are packed with cutting-edge tech. For example, the display is all-new and uses two OLED panels stacked on top of each other for greater brightness and contrast. It looks gorgeous and Apple calls this Ultra Retina XDR display. Performance is also never lacking because these tablets are powered by Apple’s latest M5 chip. These tablets also work with the newest Apple Pencil Pro and the redesigned Magic Keyboard that has a metal base. Yes, the iPad Pro and its accessories are expensive, but its performance and overall levels of refinement are second to none.
For more details, read our iPad Pro review here.
You can find the iPad Pro on Amazon, Lazada, Shopee, and the Apple Online Store.
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