Which iPad should I buy? A plain-English guide for 2026

Last updated April 16, 2026. Apple refreshes the iPad lineup a couple of times a year, and I try to keep this article current. If there's a newer iPad out and this post hasn't caught up yet, contact me and I'll update it.

Summary

• Apple sells four iPad lines right now: iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.

• For most people I recommend the iPad Air. It's the best balance of quality and cost.

• The $349 iPad is great for kids, casual use, or anyone on a budget.

• The iPad mini is for people who want something truly pocketable.

• The iPad Pro is overkill for almost everyone who isn't a creative professional.

• An OLED iPad mini and a new base iPad are rumored for later in 2026, so if you're not in a rush, it may be worth waiting on those two.

Why the iPad lineup is confusing

iPad is Apple's most varied product line, which is why choosing one gets overwhelming fast. You're not only picking a model, you're also picking a size, a storage capacity, whether you want cellular, and which accessories to buy. The comparison table below should take most of the guesswork out of the model decision, and I'll walk through the other choices in the sections that follow.

When you're buying an iPad, there are four decisions to make:

1. Which model (refer to the table below)

2. Color

3. Wi-Fi only, or Wi-Fi + Cellular (read on for my take)

4. Which accessories you'll need

If you want the short answer: I usually recommend the iPad Air for most people. For a more detailed side-by-side with older models, Apple has a very good comparison tool.

What's new in the current lineup

Two of the four iPads were refreshed recently:

• The iPad Pro got the M5 chip in October 2025. Same design as the M4 model, but the base RAM jumped from 8 GB to 12 GB, and it now supports Wi-Fi 7.

• The iPad Air got the M4 chip in March 2026. Same design, same starting price, but with 12 GB of RAM (up from 8 GB) and Wi-Fi 7.

The iPad mini and the base iPad haven't been updated in a while, and both are expected to get refreshes later in 2026. The iPad mini is rumored to gain an OLED display (a significant quality jump), and the base iPad is expected to get a faster chip that will finally support Apple Intelligence. If either of those things matters to you and you can wait, waiting may pay off. There's also a simpler reason to wait: a newer iPad will get software updates and security patches for longer before it becomes obsolete. Apple typically provides five to seven years of major iPadOS updates after release, plus a couple more years of security patches, so buying a model that's been out for a year or more gives you that much less useful life. (I wrote a similar guide to Mac lifespans that goes into more detail on how Apple handles long-term support.)

Comparison table

iPad lineup at a glance

Current as of April 2026. Prices shown are Apple's retail starting prices for Wi-Fi models.

	iPad mini (A17 Pro) Most portable	iPad (A16, 11th gen) Budget pick	iPad Air 11" (M4) Best for most	iPad Air 13" (M4) Best larger screen	iPad Pro 11" (M5) Pro	iPad Pro 13" (M5) Pro
Starting price	$499	$349	$599	$799	$999	$1,299
Who it's for	Someone who values portability above all. Great for reading in bed or traveling light.	Someone who values cost above all and is fine with a lower-quality screen. Great for kids or casual use.	Best for most people. A great balance of quality and cost.	Best for people who want a larger screen. Great for reading documents, drawing, or multitasking.	Creative professionals or power users who want a thin body with an incredible OLED screen.	Creative professionals who want the largest, best iPad screen available.
Drawbacks	Small screen can feel cramped for multitasking.	Lower picture quality, non-laminated screen (visible gap between glass and display), no Apple Intelligence support, slowest of the lineup.	None really that I can think of.	May be too large for some tablet holders (e.g., on airplane trays).	Far more powerful than most people need.	Costs more than a MacBook Air.
Screen size	8.3"	11"	11"	13"	11"	13"
Thickness	6.3 mm	7.0 mm	6.1 mm	6.1 mm	5.3 mm	5.1 mm
Screen type & brightness (nits measure how bright the screen gets; higher is better for sunlight)	Liquid Retina (LCD) 500 nits	Liquid Retina (LCD, not laminated) 500 nits	Liquid Retina (LCD) 500 nits	Liquid Retina (LCD) 600 nits	Tandem OLED, 120Hz ProMotion 1,000 nits SDR / 1,600 nits HDR	Tandem OLED, 120Hz ProMotion 1,000 nits SDR / 1,600 nits HDR
Processor	A17 Pro	A16	Apple M4	Apple M4	Apple M5 (9-core at 256/512 GB, 10-core at 1/2 TB)	Apple M5 (9-core at 256/512 GB, 10-core at 1/2 TB)
Geekbench 6 scores	Single-core 2,909 Multi-core 7,224	Single-core 2,590 Multi-core 6,044	Single-core ~3,576* Multi-core ~12,591*	Single-core ~3,576* Multi-core ~12,591*	Single-core 4,136 Multi-core 15,532	Single-core 4,142 Multi-core 15,683
RAM	8 GB	6 GB	12 GB	12 GB	12 GB (256/512 GB), 16 GB (1/2 TB)	12 GB (256/512 GB), 16 GB (1/2 TB)
Authentication	Touch ID	Touch ID	Touch ID	Touch ID	Face ID	Face ID
Apple Intelligence	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
Apple Pencil compatibility	Apple Pencil Pro Apple Pencil (USB-C)	Apple Pencil (1st gen) Apple Pencil (USB-C)	Apple Pencil Pro Apple Pencil (USB-C)	Apple Pencil Pro Apple Pencil (USB-C)	Apple Pencil Pro Apple Pencil (USB-C)	Apple Pencil Pro Apple Pencil (USB-C)
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6E	Wi-Fi 6	Wi-Fi 7	Wi-Fi 7	Wi-Fi 7	Wi-Fi 7
USB-C transfer speed	Up to 10 Gbps	Up to 480 Mbps	Up to 10 Gbps	Up to 10 Gbps	Up to 40 Gbps with Thunderbolt	Up to 40 Gbps with Thunderbolt
Speakers & microphones	2 speakers 2 microphones	2 speakers 2 microphones	2 speakers (landscape) 2 microphones	2 speakers (landscape) 2 microphones	4 speakers Studio-quality 4-mic array with Audio Zoom	4 speakers Studio-quality 4-mic array with Audio Zoom
LiDAR scanner	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓
Storage options	128 GB 256 GB 512 GB	128 GB 256 GB 512 GB	128 GB 256 GB 512 GB 1 TB	128 GB 256 GB 512 GB 1 TB	256 GB 512 GB 1 TB 2 TB	256 GB 512 GB 1 TB 2 TB
Where to buy	Apple / Amazon / B&H / Best Buy	Apple / Amazon / B&H / Best Buy	Apple / Amazon / B&H / Best Buy	Apple / Amazon / B&H / Best Buy	Apple / Amazon / B&H / Best Buy	Apple / Amazon / B&H / Best Buy

*iPad Air (M4) Geekbench scores are based on early testing and may shift slightly as more results come in. Source: Geekbench iPad Benchmarks.

Where to buy an iPad

I recommend buying from Apple directly or from any authorized reseller. That includes Apple.com, Best Buy, Amazon (only if "sold by Amazon"), Target, B&H Photo, Adorama, and similar. I don't generally recommend used iPads unless you fully trust the seller. There are a lot of stolen iPads on marketplaces like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist that are locked to someone else's Apple Account and can't be used. And often, when someone is selling an iPad it's because it has a problem they don't want to deal with.

It's worth shopping around. iPads are frequently discounted $50 to $100 at third-party retailers, and sometimes only specific colors are on sale.

Should I get Wi-Fi only, or Wi-Fi + Cellular?

Cellular lets your iPad connect to the internet anywhere without Wi-Fi or a phone hotspot. The convenience is real, but it costs an extra $150 on most models (or $200 on the iPad Pro), plus a monthly fee from your carrier for an additional line.

For most people, I recommend Wi-Fi only. Your iPhone's personal hotspot works well when you're away from Wi-Fi, and most major carrier plans now include hotspot data at no extra cost. Check your plan to make sure before you rely on it.

One important note: you can't add cellular later without replacing the iPad. So if you think there's a reasonable chance you'll want it down the line, it's better to pay the extra up front. You're not required to activate cellular service when you buy a cellular model. You can always turn it on later.

How much storage do I need?

You also can't upgrade storage later, so pick carefully.

• 128 GB is enough for casual around-the-house use, light app usage, and maybe downloading a few movies for a flight.

• 256 GB is the sweet spot for most people. Enough room for a reasonable app collection, some offline content, and photos.

• 512 GB is worth it if you plan to keep a large offline video library, use the iPad heavily for photography, or do creative work.

• 1 TB or 2 TB is overkill for most people, but it does matter for digital artists working with large files or anyone who needs a huge amount of offline content.

One thing to know about the iPad Pro: there are actually two different performance tiers within each size. The 256 GB and 512 GB models have 12 GB of RAM and a 9-core processor. The 1 TB and 2 TB models get 16 GB of RAM and a 10-core processor, which is noticeably faster for demanding work and reduces how often apps need to reload when you switch between them. The higher-capacity Pro models also unlock the $100 nano-texture glass upgrade, which cuts glare significantly.

Do I need an iPad cover or keyboard?

A cover is one of the few iPad accessories I recommend for pretty much everyone. Even if you're careful, drops happen.

Your options:

• Smart Folio (Apple): A simple magnetic cover that protects the front and back. Good for most users. See Apple's iPad cases.

• OtterBox: More durable, more protection, but bulkier. Worth it if the iPad travels a lot or lives with kids. See OtterBox iPad cases.

• Logitech keyboard cases: A more affordable alternative to Apple's Magic Keyboard. Check Logitech's iPad keyboards.

• Apple Magic Keyboard: The gold standard if you plan to use the iPad for serious typing or as a laptop replacement.

Whether you need a keyboard depends on how you use the iPad. If it's mostly for reading, watching, browsing, and light typing, skip it. If you're writing long emails, documents, or using the iPad as a primary computer, the keyboard makes a huge difference.

What about the Apple Pencil?

Most people don't need an Apple Pencil. Most people who buy one never use it.

The Pencil is designed for drawing and handwriting, not for general navigation. Your finger is actually better for tapping around. Unless you plan to take handwritten notes or draw, I'd skip it.

If you do want one, be careful about which model you get. Each iPad only works with specific Pencils, and Apple sells four different versions. The table above lists which ones work with each iPad. You can browse them on Apple's Pencil page.

What about a charger?

Every current iPad ships with a USB-C cable but no charging block. If you need extra blocks, longer cables, or a single charger that can handle multiple devices at once, I recommend Anker over Apple. Anker's chargers are usually smaller, more affordable, and offer more configuration options.

Do I need a screen protector?

I don't recommend them.

Here's what most people misunderstand about screen protectors: they don't protect your screen from cracking. Anything hitting the iPad hard enough to crack the display will crack it right through a thin sheet of plastic or glass. All a screen protector really does is prevent scratches, and if you have a cover, the screen isn't exposed to much anyway.

Worse, screen protectors can interfere with touch sensitivity, make the display look hazy, and trap air bubbles or dust underneath. For most people, they're not worth it.

Common mistakes to avoid

Buying more iPad than you need. The iPad Pro is a stunning piece of hardware, but for most users it's genuinely overkill. If you're reading email, browsing Safari, watching shows, and using FaceTime, an iPad Air (or even the base iPad) will feel identical in day-to-day use.

Buying less storage than you need. Storage is the one thing you really can't upgrade later. When in doubt, size up. The cost difference between tiers is small compared to the cost of replacing the iPad because it ran out of space.

Buying the wrong Apple Pencil. Read the Pencil compatibility before you buy. The Pencils are not cross-compatible across every iPad, and Apple stores don't always prompt you if you pick the wrong one.

Buying from an unauthorized reseller. If a price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Stolen iPads locked to someone else's Apple Account can't be activated and can't be unlocked without that person's credentials. (This is why I always tell clients to keep Find My enabled on their own devices.) Stick with Apple, Best Buy, Amazon (when sold by Amazon itself), B&H, Adorama, or Target.

Which iPad should I buy?

If you want a one-sentence answer: get the iPad Air.

If you need a larger screen for reading documents, drawing, or multitasking, go with the 13-inch iPad Air. If portability matters more, the 11-inch Air is lighter and easier to hold in one hand.

The base iPad is a genuinely good option for kids, casual users, or anyone who mostly browses and streams. The screen quality is noticeably lower than the Air's, but for a lot of people that won't matter.

The iPad mini is a niche choice, but a delightful one if you want something truly portable. It's my pick for reading in bed or traveling light.

The iPad Pro is only worth the extra money if you're a creative professional who will actually use the extra power: pro video editing, 3D rendering, intensive Photoshop or Procreate work, or running demanding AI workloads locally.

Key takeaways

• Start with the iPad Air unless you have a specific reason to go smaller or bigger.

• Skip the Apple Pencil unless you're actually going to draw or handwrite notes.

• Get a cover. Smart Folio for most people, OtterBox if you're rough on devices.

• Buy more storage than you think you need, because you can't upgrade it later.

• Only pay for cellular if you'll use it, but decide before you buy. You can't add it later.

• If you want a mini or base iPad and can wait, a refresh of each is expected later in 2026.

If you'd like help picking the right iPad for your specific situation, or setting one up after you buy it, I offer one-on-one tech tutoring in San Francisco and DC, as well as Zoom sessions anywhere. iPad setup is one of the things that works especially well remotely, so don't let distance stop you from reaching out. Book a session with me and we can walk through it together, or check my FAQ if you have questions first.

Featured image courtesy Apple, Inc.