The Best iPad to Buy (and Some to Avoid) in 2026: Compare the Air, Pro, Mini

Which Apple Pencil Should You Buy?

The Apple Pencil is simply a must-have for immoderate iPad proprietor who takes a batch of notes oregon likes to draw. (You tin adjacent usage it to motion documents.) iPadOS besides has handwriting enactment wrong definite hunt fields and apps (like Notes), truthful you don't request to power to the keyboard each clip you privation to type. Apple debuted a caller Pencil successful 2024, truthful present determination are 4 to take from. Here are the differences:

Apple Pencil (1st-gen) for $99: The first-generation Pencil is rather aged but inactive functions well, offering unit sensitivity (lines go thicker arsenic you property down harder connected the screen) and tilt sensitivity (for shading). Unlike the different 2 Apple Pencils, this 1 has a glossy decorativeness alternatively of matte (if that matters), and it is besides wholly rounded, meaning it volition rotation disconnected surfaces. There are nary magnets, truthful you can't instrumentality it to the tablet for safekeeping. It has a Lightning connector, truthful to complaint it, you'll person to region the headdress and plug it into the iPad's charging port. If your iPad has a USB-C port, you tin bargain an adapter. It's lone compatible with the iPad (6th gen and later), iPad Air (3rd gen), iPad Mini (5th gen), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st and 2nd gen), iPad Pro 10.5-inch, and iPad Pro 9.7-inch.

Apple Pencil (USB-C) for $69: Apple's USB-C Apple Pencil is simply a spot perplexing. It doesn't travel with unit sensitivity, truthful it's amended suited for note-takers alternatively than artists. It tin connect magnetically to the sides of an iPad, truthful you don't request to find a spot to store it, but it doesn't enactment wireless charging, truthful you'll person to brace and complaint it via USB-C. It does enactment Hover Mode, which allows you to preview what volition hap earlier touching the display, but this is exclusive to the prime iPad Pro and iPad Air models. It's compatible with iPad (10th gen and A16), iPad Air (4th, 5th gen, M2, M3, and M4), iPad Mini (6th gen), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st gen and later, including M4), and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd gen and later, including M4 and M5).

Apple Pencil (2nd-gen) for $129: The second-generation Apple Pencil comes with each the aforesaid capabilities arsenic the 1st-gen and USB-C versions, positive wireless pairing and charging (it'll complaint erstwhile it magnetically sticks to the apical borderline of supported iPads). It besides adds a double-tap diagnostic that lets you rapidly power betwixt tools by tapping connected the Apple Pencil twice. It's compatible with the iPad Air (4th gen and 5th gen), iPad Mini (6th gen), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st gen and later), and the 12.9-inch (3rd gen and later). Unfortunately, Apple has officially discontinued it, truthful newer iPads don't enactment it, including the iPad Air (M2, M3, and M4) oregon iPad Pro (M4 and M5).

Apple Pencil Pro for $129: Apple's Pro Pencil is the astir feature-packed of them all. It looks identical to the second-generation model, implicit with a matte finish, but it besides has a fewer caller tricks. A “squeeze” diagnostic opens up a instrumentality palette (in summation to the double-tap feature), and a caller haptic motor gives feedback arsenic you squeeze. A built-in gyroscope sensor allows you to alteration the predisposition of the tools arsenic you twist them (for finer control), and it supports Apple's Find My web to way the stylus erstwhile you suffer it. It's lone compatible with the iPad Air (M2, M3, and M4), iPad Pro (M4 and M5), and 7th-gen iPad Mini. (C'mon, wherefore isn't it backward-compatible?)

Great iPad Accessories

iPad accessories are endless. Below, we've highlighted immoderate of our favorites to circular retired your tablet experience, and you tin find much successful our Best iPad Accessories guide.

Twelve South Curve Mini for $50: iPads tin beryllium large tools to usage successful conjunction with your MacBook oregon PC, but they request a due basal with tons of adjustments. The Curve Mini is simple, but it's unchangeable and attractive, particularly successful this Dune colour that I sampled.

Zugu Case for $50+: This is our favourite folio lawsuit for the iPad for aggregate reasons. It's not lone durable (complete with a rigid bumper), but it besides has a magnetized screen that stays unopen and a flap that allows you to presumption the surface astatine 8 antithetic angles. The lawsuit is magnetic, allowing you to instrumentality it connected the fridge securely. It's besides reasonably priced, comes successful an array of colors, and has a spot for your Apple Pencil.

Satechi M1 Wireless Mouse for $25: We're already large fans of Satechi's accessories astatine WIRED, and this rodent didn't disappoint. It has a comfy ergonomic design, a sleek aluminum finish, and creaseless scrolling. It has large artillery beingness too—with a built-in lithium-ion battery, I've been utilizing it for the past 4 months and person yet to complaint it.

Mageasy CoverBuddy Case (iPad Pro) for $70: This lawsuit allows you to magnetically link it to Apple's Magic Keyboard case without having to instrumentality disconnected the lawsuit each time. It feels durable and doesn't adhd excessively overmuch bulk to the iPad. There's besides a slot for the Apple Pencil Pro oregon the USB-C version. The institution besides offers the CoverBuddy Lite for the iPad Air (M2).

Logitech Combo Touch (10th-Gen) for $220: The Combo Touch (8/10, WIRED Recommends) comes with a built-in keyboard, trackpad, and kickstand, making it perfect for getting enactment done connected your iPad. It's besides detachable, truthful you tin easy region the keyboard erstwhile you don't request it. It connects via Apple's Smart Connector, meaning you ne'er request to tinker with Bluetooth oregon fuss charging it. It's besides disposable for the iPad Pro (M4) and M5 (although it does adhd a spot of value to specified a bladed tablet) and the iPad Air (M2).

Casetify Impact Screen Protector for $56: If you're disquieted astir damaging your iPad screen, I urge this protector from Casetify. It's ace thin, has fantabulous interaction sensitivity, and is mostly fingerprint-resistant (I've wiped immoderate smudges present and there). It's painless to apply—the institution supplies a microfiber cloth, a de-dusting sticker, and bedewed and adust wipes.

Paperlike Charcoal Folio Case for $70: Paperlike is known for its surface protector, but the institution besides offers a large case. It's designed to consciousness similar a sketchbook, implicit with a polyester cloth screen that feels lightweight and high-quality. You tin besides prop your iPad up astatine 2 antithetic levels. It doesn't travel with an Apple Pencil slot, but determination is simply a ample flap closure that keeps it from falling out. I tested it with the iPad Air, but it's besides disposable for the iPad Pro (both sizes).

Twelve South StayGo Mini USB-C Hub for $60: Ports are constricted careless of the iPad model. This hub from Twelve South has an 85-watt USB-C larboard with passthrough charging, a USB-A port, an HDMI port, and a headphone jack. If you person occupation fitting it connected an iPad with a case, the included socket-USB-C-to-plug-USB-C cablegram volition hole this.

Twelve South HoverBar Duo 2.0 for $80: The HoverBar serves 2 purposes. You tin equine it to the broadside of your bed, room counter, oregon support (to presumption contented comfortably and hands-free), oregon you tin usage the included basal astatine your desk. With the 2nd-gen version, you tin present region the limb from the clamp and connect it straight to the stand, making it easier to swap betwixt some modes.

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