Choose iPad (A16) for the lowest Apple-listed starting price and everyday use; choose iPad mini (A17 Pro) if an 8.3-inch screen is your priority; choose iPad Air (M4) if you want an 11- or 13-inch display and its higher-end chip family or accessory options. The right choice depends first on screen size and how you plan to use it—not a benchmark comparison.
At a glance: the three current choices
Apple’s current comparison names the entry-level model iPad (A16), iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad Air (M4). The prices below are Apple US starting prices observed on October 4, 2026; they are US-specific listings that can change, and are not universal retail prices.
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| Model | Apple US starting price observed Oct. 4, 2026 | Display size | Chip | Apple Intelligence listing | Accessory compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPad (A16) | $449 | 11 inches | A16 | Not listed on Apple’s shop comparison | Apple Pencil (USB-C), Apple Pencil (1st generation), Magic Keyboard Folio |
| iPad mini (A17 Pro) | $599 | 8.3 inches | A17 Pro | Listed | Apple Pencil Pro or Apple Pencil (USB-C); Bluetooth keyboards |
| iPad Air (M4) | $749 | 11 or 13 inches | M4 | Listed | Apple Pencil Pro or Apple Pencil (USB-C); Magic Keyboard for iPad Air |
Product, price, size, chip, feature, and accessory details are from Apple’s US shop and Apple’s iPad comparison. The prices are starting prices, not a like-for-like storage comparison across retailers. Check current local listings before buying.
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Which iPad fits your priorities?
Choose iPad (A16) for a lower starting price and everyday tasks
If your main uses are browsing, streaming, schoolwork, and general tablet tasks, begin with iPad (A16). Its 11-inch display gives you a conventional, mid-size workspace, and it had the lowest Apple US starting price among these three models in the October 4, 2026 snapshot: $449. Apple describes it as an everyday-use iPad. The listing does not establish how long it will meet any particular buyer’s needs, so avoid treating its chip name as a guarantee of future performance.
#1 Best Overall
- WHY IPAD — The 11-inch iPad is now more capable than ever with the superfast A16 chip, a stunning Liquid Retina display, advanced cameras, fast Wi-Fi, USB-C connector, and four gorgeous colors.* iPad delivers a powerful way to create, stay connected, and get things done.
- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — The superfast A16 chip delivers a boost in performance for your favorite activities. And with all-day battery life, iPad is perfect for playing immersive games and editing photos and videos.* Storage starts at 128GB and goes up to 512GB.*
- 11-INCH LIQUID RETINA DISPLAY — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display is an amazing way to watch movies or draw your next masterpiece.* True Tone adjusts the display to the color temperature of the room to make viewing comfortable in any light.
- IPADOS + APPS — iPadOS makes iPad more productive, intuitive, and versatile. With iPadOS, run multiple apps at once, use Apple Pencil to write in any text field with Scribble, and edit and share photos.* iPad comes with essential apps like Safari, Messages, and Keynote, with over a million more apps designed specifically for iPad available on the App Store.
- FAST WI-FI CONNECTIVITY — Wi-Fi 6 gives you fast access to your files, uploads, and downloads, and lets you seamlessly stream your favorite shows.
Choose iPad mini for compact reading and travel
The 8.3-inch iPad mini is the portability-led option. It makes the most sense if a smaller screen is an advantage for carrying, reading, or compact note-taking—not if you want the broadest workspace. Apple calls it “the full iPad experience in an ultraportable design”; that is Apple’s product positioning, not an independent portability or usability test. The Apple US starting price observed on October 4, 2026 was $599.
Choose iPad Air for more screen area and Air-specific accessories
iPad Air is available in 11- and 13-inch sizes, giving you a larger-screen choice the mini and standard iPad do not offer. Its M4 chip family, Apple Pencil Pro support, and dedicated Magic Keyboard for iPad Air may also matter for drawing, typing, or multitasking. The 13-inch model provides more physical screen area than the 11-inch options; that does not, by itself, prove a particular productivity gain. Apple describes Air as “Serious performance in a thin and light design”—a positioning statement, not comparative test evidence. Its observed Apple US starting price was $749 on October 4, 2026.
Rank #2
- WHY IPAD — The 11-inch iPad is now more capable than ever with the superfast A16 chip, a stunning Liquid Retina display, advanced cameras, fast Wi-Fi, USB-C connector, and four gorgeous colors.* iPad delivers a powerful way to create, stay connected, and get things done.
- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — The superfast A16 chip delivers a boost in performance for your favorite activities. And with all-day battery life, iPad is perfect for playing immersive games and editing photos and videos.* Storage starts at 128GB and goes up to 512GB.*
- 11-INCH LIQUID RETINA DISPLAY — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display is an amazing way to watch movies or draw your next masterpiece.* True Tone adjusts the display to the color temperature of the room to make viewing comfortable in any light.
- IPADOS + APPS — iPadOS makes iPad more productive, intuitive, and versatile. With iPadOS, run multiple apps at once, use Apple Pencil to write in any text field with Scribble, and edit and share photos.* iPad comes with essential apps like Safari, Messages, and Keynote, with over a million more apps designed specifically for iPad available on the App Store.
- FAST WI-FI CONNECTIVITY — Wi-Fi 6 gives you fast access to your files, uploads, and downloads, and lets you seamlessly stream your favorite shows.
What the chip and Apple Intelligence listings do—and do not—tell you
Apple lists A16 for iPad, A17 Pro for mini, and M4 for Air. Those labels identify the chip families, but they are not a substitute for a benchmark comparison: no comparable app-performance measurements are available here. If a specific demanding app matters, check its requirements and independent testing for that exact app and model rather than inferring real-world speed from the chip name alone.
Apple’s shop comparison lists Apple Intelligence for mini and Air, but not for iPad (A16). Feature availability can depend on the individual feature, language, and region. Apple’s document All New Features in iPadOS 26, dated September 2025, identifies specific supported iPad generations and notes feature and language requirements; support for one feature should not be assumed to mean support for every iPadOS 26 feature.
Rank #3
- WHY IPAD — The 11-inch iPad is now more capable than ever with the superfast A16 chip, a stunning Liquid Retina display, advanced cameras, fast Wi-Fi, USB-C connector, and four gorgeous colors.* iPad delivers a powerful way to create, stay connected, and get things done.
- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — The superfast A16 chip delivers a boost in performance for your favorite activities. And with all-day battery life, iPad is perfect for playing immersive games and editing photos and videos.* Storage starts at 128GB and goes up to 512GB.*
- 11-INCH LIQUID RETINA DISPLAY — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display is an amazing way to watch movies or draw your next masterpiece.* True Tone adjusts the display to the color temperature of the room to make viewing comfortable in any light.
- IPADOS + APPS — iPadOS makes iPad more productive, intuitive, and versatile. With iPadOS, run multiple apps at once, use Apple Pencil to write in any text field with Scribble, and edit and share photos.* iPad comes with essential apps like Safari, Messages, and Keynote, with over a million more apps designed specifically for iPad available on the App Store.
- FAST WI-FI CONNECTIVITY — Wi-Fi 6 gives you fast access to your files, uploads, and downloads, and lets you seamlessly stream your favorite shows.
Check Pencil and keyboard compatibility before buying
Accessory support is not interchangeable across the three models. If you already own a Pencil or keyboard, verify the exact iPad model and accessory variant before relying on it. Apple’s comparison page lists Apple Pencil (USB-C) and first-generation Pencil for iPad (A16); Pencil Pro or USB-C Pencil for mini and Air. For keyboards, it lists Magic Keyboard Folio for iPad (A16), Bluetooth keyboards for mini, and Magic Keyboard for iPad Air for Air. These model differences can affect the total cost and convenience of a setup.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A simple way to decide
- Set your screen-size preference. Pick 8.3 inches if compactness is the point; 11 inches for a middle-ground size; or 13 inches if you want the largest display in this group.
- Check your accessories. Confirm Pencil and keyboard compatibility for the exact model, especially if you plan to reuse gear.
- Compare the actual price where you live. The listed figures above are Apple US snapshot starting prices, not guaranteed current prices elsewhere; storage configurations and retailer offers may differ.
- Decide whether Apple Intelligence support matters. It is listed for mini and Air, not for iPad (A16), and feature availability has additional requirements.
Then choose the model that satisfies your must-haves at a price you are comfortable paying. If screen size and accessories do not distinguish your options, the evidence here does not establish a universal performance or value winner.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- WHY IPAD PRO — iPad Pro with the Apple M5 chip delivers extraordinary performance for effortless productivity on a stunning display. Take on pro workflows with Neural Accelerators for AI and a redesigned iPadOS with game-changing capabilities.*
- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — iPad Pro with M5 brings next-generation speed and the power of on-device AI to all your tasks.* Featuring up to 2TB of storage, 16GB of memory, and Neural Accelerators for next-level AI performance.*
- IPADOS — Run pro apps and get more done with iPadOS 26 with Liquid Glass design and game-changing capabilities.* With an intuitive and flexible windowing system, you can control, organize, and manage your workflows like never before.
- APPLE INTELLIGENCE — Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you communicate, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly with groundbreaking privacy protections at every step.*
- 13-INCH ULTRA RETINA XDR DISPLAY — The world’s most advanced display, featuring extreme brightness, precise contrast, ProMotion, P3 wide color, and True Tone.* Nano-texture display glass available in 1TB and 2TB configurations
Rank #4
- WHY IPAD — The 11-inch iPad is now more capable than ever with the superfast A16 chip, a stunning Liquid Retina display, advanced cameras, fast Wi-Fi, USB-C connector, and four gorgeous colors.* iPad delivers a powerful way to create, stay connected, and get things done.
- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — The superfast A16 chip delivers a boost in performance for your favorite activities. And with all-day battery life, iPad is perfect for playing immersive games and editing photos and videos.* Storage starts at 128GB and goes up to 512GB.*
- 11-INCH LIQUID RETINA DISPLAY — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display is an amazing way to watch movies or draw your next masterpiece.* True Tone adjusts the display to the color temperature of the room to make viewing comfortable in any light.
- IPADOS + APPS — iPadOS makes iPad more productive, intuitive, and versatile. With iPadOS, run multiple apps at once, use Apple Pencil to write in any text field with Scribble, and edit and share photos.* iPad comes with essential apps like Safari, Messages, and Keynote, with over a million more apps designed specifically for iPad available on the App Store.
- FAST WI-FI CONNECTIVITY — Wi-Fi 6 gives you fast access to your files, uploads, and downloads, and lets you seamlessly stream your favorite shows.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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