Bargain bin dwellers: this one is for you. Kidding, as you’ll never see an iPad in the bargain bin at any store. But you’re the smart one for trying to be so thrifty. People may make fun of you for always looking for a deal. But you know that it’s worth saving money where you can. Not everything in life should cost as much as it does. Yet, unfortunately, it often does.

That’s why it’s vital to look for deals anywhere you can. Whether you’re scanning the coupons for your local grocery store every week or going as hard as you possibly can on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Prime Day, and any other shopping event that a big retailer offers, you know how to find the deals. But not every purchase needs a discount hunt. Some devices just don’t see deep price drops — or the savings aren’t worth the wait.

For iPads, you can absolutely get the latest and greatest option. In fact, the reported M5 iPad Pro is right around the corner, so maybe you want to wait for that. But why shouldn’t you look at something that’s a few years old? Depending on how much you’re going to use your iPad, it might be worth your while to shop for the cheapest one out there.

Brand

Apple

Storage

64GB, 256GB

Operating System

iPadOS 18

Battery

Up to 10 hours, USB-C

Ports

USB-C (5Gbps)

1

The functionality is similar across devices

iPadOS makes certain of it

If you’ve used an iPad in your life, you understand the layout. It’s a touchscreen tablet with the ability to either work via Wi-Fi or with a cellular connection. At the end of the day, there can be better hardware in the higher-end options, but you’re still getting the same functionality. You can still download apps from the Apple App Store and use them on your iPad Mini from 2021. You don’t have to have something that came out last year.

While the software updates will eventually phase out the iPad you’ve purchased faster than, say, a new one you could have bought, by the time that happens, you’ll have saved enough money from your purchase to buy a newer one. You can still FaceTime, type an email, answer an iMessage, listen to Apple Music, and even work from your iPad. They will both be compatible with an Apple Pencil, expanding your use cases.

2

The display won’t be drastically different

If you aren’t picky, it’s fine

The latest iPad Pro models offer fantastic Ultra Retina XDR displays with tandem OLED panels that help make the colors brighter than other iPads. If you’re an artist, you’ll appreciate this. If you really want to use your iPad for graphic design or photography, you’ll notice the differences. But for someone who is using their iPad for basic functions, is this worth paying for?

The ProMotion technology offers adaptive refresh rates to keep your picture looking crisp. But an iPad Air has a Liquid Retina Display which boasts impressive visuals and a 60Hz refresh rate. That shouldn’t be a deal-breaker for a casual user. While you might notice a difference if you put the two iPads side by side, how often are you going to be doing that? Enjoy the savings, stream Netflix, and be happy.

3

Compatibility is the same as others

Your devices and accessories will be the same

You aren’t going to find some magical device that is only compatible with an iPad Pro or even an M3 iPad. If you need a Magic Keyboard, you can find one compatible with all kinds of iPads. If you need to use an external trackpad, you’ll find one that connects to any. Mice work the same way. The biggest difference you’ll have to pay attention to is what kind of ports your iPad has.

Some of the newer ones only have Thunderbolt 4 ports, and others have USB-C. If the worst thing that you need to buy is an adapter to go from one to the other, so be it. You don’t need to upgrade your entire iPad just because of an external device. Connecting hubs, external SSDs, and more should all work out. Plus, you can use your iPad as an external monitor for a computer with Sidecar, a functionality available on many of the newer(ish) iPads, not only the newest ones.

4

You’re a younger user

Students and kids don’t need higher-end versions

There is an entire generation of iPad kids that know what it’s like to always have a tablet by their side. Bored? Here’s the iPad. Want to watch a movie in the car? iPad. But iPads for kids are also great educational tools that can help them learn and understand new concepts. That doesn’t mean the newest iPad is a great purchase for them.

Kids don’t really need the fanciest iPad to get the most out of it. No matter the model, they’ll have access to the same apps — whether that’s streaming, educational tools, or games. An iPad mini or Air is usually easier for them to hold, but even passing down an older iPad works just fine. Parental controls are also available on all versions of an iPad, and Roblox, Minecraft, and more all work on cheaper models.

5

You can even opt for a pre-owned one

As long as it’s still working fine

If you don’t want to spend money on a new iPad, there’s a large market for pre-owned iPads. Pre-owned iPads should go through tests from the sellers in order to confirm that they work. Refurbished ones are available from Apple and renewed ones are available from Amazon. There are plenty of electronics stores that sell previously owned iPads as well, so make sure you know who you are buying one from.

These likely have some dents or scratches in them, but the hardware still works well. They won’t have a broken camera or be able to work with the latest software update. But it’s a valuable market that you can look into and that can help you save money on your purchase. Because, at the end of the day, any way to save yourself from spending over $1,000 on a new iPad is worth it.