Which iPad should you buy? There are a lot of choices and it can be confusing. There are four different varieties of iPad, listed below, and each is available with or without 5G cellular, which costs extra and requires a data plan. That’s before we get into storage capacity, colors, and second-hand alternatives.

Our in-depth buying guide assesses the whole range of iPads sold by Apple and explores all the factors that should influence your iPad buying decision such as value for money, how much storage you need, which size will be best for you, and whether or not to buy a cellular version. We also reveal whether an updated version of each device is likely to be launched soon–answering the question of whether now is a good time to buy an iPad.

Best iPad to buy in 2025

The iPad that is best for you will depend on what you need from an iPad. If you just want an iPad for reading books, watching movies and TV shows, email, and web browsing – or for kids who will just be watching Bluey – then you don’t need all the bells and whistles. An iPad or iPad mini might be best here.

If you are looking for an iPad that will do everything that a laptop can, then you might want to consider a model that is more powerful and supports additional components, such as one of Apple’s iPad keyboards or the Apple Pencil, the iPad Air might suit you.

And if you will be using your iPad for gaming, video editing, photo editing, or anything high-powered and graphic intensive, then you should probably look at an iPad Pro.

However, it isn’t as simple as that, as you will see if you read on. Below we will run through every iPad you can buy right now, so you can find the one that’s best for your needs. For each iPad we record the essential information, its pros and cons, which buyer should pick it, and whether now is a good time to buy.

Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M3, 2025): Best iPad for power and affordability

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Best Prices Today:

Retailer

Price

$537

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Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide

Product

Price

Price comparison from Backmarket

• 1128GB, $599 / £599



• 256GB, $699 / £699



• 512GB, $899 / £899



• 1TB, $1,249 / £1,249

As of March 2025 the 11-inch iPad Air has an M3 processor that is powerful and energy-efficient (you may remember it from its widely praised performance in the Mac). The M3 pushes the iPad Air far ahead of the iPad mini and standard iPads with their A-series chips. The M3 also makes the Air an appealing alternative to the more expensive iPad Pro models, with their faster M4 processors.

Like all recent iPads, the Air features an all-screen design with no Home button. As with the standard iPad and the iPad mini, biometric security is handled by a fingerprint sensor in the power button rather than Face ID, which is reserved for the Pros. It has superb cameras (the front-facing 12MP camera and Center Stage), supports a wide range of Pro accessories, and now features 5G.

Pros: Beautiful design. Superb processing and graphics power. Cheaper than the iPad Pro.

Cons: Screen doesn’t feature ProMotion.

Ideal for: Tablet gamers and anyone who wants to be able to run the most demanding apps now and in the future. Pro users (business, creative, design) who can’t afford an iPad Pro.

Is now a good time to buy? Absolutely. It was updated in March of 2025 and will be around for a while. But would the iPad Pro be better? Read: iPad Air vs iPad Pro, or look below.

Read our full

Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M3, 2025) review

Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro, 2024): Best iPad for kids and travelers

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