We tested the best iPads of 2025: Here are the best ones

3 days ago 14

The iPad remains the golden modular for the best tablet due to the fact that of its wide array of prime apps and contented and its integration with different products wrong the Apple ecosystem. Apple added caller iPad models to its lineup wrong the past year: the sixth-generation iPad Air and the 11th-generation iPad, joining the iPad Pro and the iPad Mini.

What is the champion iPad close now?

At ZDNET, we've tested each iPad model presently connected the marketplace and person utilized them for galore antithetic purposes. Our existent prime for the champion iPad for astir radical is the base-model iPad due to the fact that it has astir each of the champion features the iPad has to connection astatine a much approachable price.

Read connected for our afloat breakdown of the existent iPad lineup based connected our team's hands-on acquisition and merchandise testing. We besides connection buying recommendations for each exemplary to assistance you take the champion 1 for your needs and budget.

Also: Best Windows tablet 2025: Asus, Lenovo, & more

The champion iPads of 2025

Our apical prime for the champion iPad for astir radical is the latest modular iPad exemplary due to the fact that astir radical usage iPads to ticker movies, read, browse the web, play games, and marque video calls. Apple's basal iPad exemplary does each of these similar a champ. It's besides precise casual to put successful a rugged case and let kids to usage it for their movies, shows, and games.

When Apple upgraded its 10th procreation base-level iPad with a caller plan to lucifer the iPad Pro and iPad Air, it added a astonishing fig of features constricted to the high-end models, including USB-C, 5G, 4K video capture, and Wi-Fi 6.

Review: iPad 2022 (10th Gen): Better than the Pro successful 2 ways

Apple besides gave the 10th-gen iPad a front-facing camera centered horizontally and optimized for video calls erstwhile the iPad is docking successful its keyboard case -- which has present go the preferred presumption for galore iPad users. This unequivocally makes the iPad 10th-gen the champion iPad for FaceTime calls, Zoom meetings, and different video calls. Based connected lawsuit reviews, this iPad would beryllium a bully enactment for those caller to Apple arsenic good arsenic those looking for thing easy to usage for kids oregon seniors.

iPad (10th generation) specs: Display: 10.9-inch Liquid Retina show with True Tone | Processor: A14 Bionic spot with 16-core Neural Engine | Storage: 64GB oregon 256GB | Biometrics: Touch ID | Colors: Silver, Pink, Blue, Yellow | Cameras: 12MP f/1.8 wide, 12MP Landscape f/2.4 beforehand | Weight: 1.05 pounds | Dimensions: 9.79 x 7.07 x .28 inches | Connections: USB-C, Smart Connector | Battery life: Up to 10 hours of video playback with USB-C charging | Price: $299

Show Expert Take Show less

The plan successful Apple's caller 2024 iPad Pro lineup is overmuch slimmer than erstwhile Pro models, and you'll find Apple's almighty M4 processor. This spot consists of a caller 10-core GPU, next-generation instrumentality learning accelerators to grip a divers scope of tasks, and ProMotion technology, enabling adaptable surface refresh rates ranging from 10 to 120Hz.

ZDNET reviews exertion June Wan tested the 13-inch Apple iPad Pro, and said helium was particularly impressed by the caller Tandem OLED screen. "In practice, Tandem OLED makes the iPad Pro a phenomenal tablet for ocular experiences. I've been capable to implicit text-heavy and photo-editing enactment -- which often necessitate capable viewing angles -- nether a New York City prima that thinks it's already summer," Wan wrote successful his review. "Watching Netflix and Disney+ connected the iPad is consecutive oculus candy; colors pop, and the darker, moodier scenes person a level of shadiness item unseen connected older Pro models."

Review: Apple iPad Pro (7th generation)

The Pro besides supports the new Apple Pencil Pro, which has a scope of features, including a compression motion for speedy tool, color, and different changes, a gyroscope for precise power of pens and brushwood tools with a elemental rotation, and customized haptic feedback that you tin consciousness via a pulse. It besides pairs with the recently revamped Magic Keyboard, which is thinner and lighter, has a larger trackpad, and a caller enactment of relation keys this year, making the keyboard lawsuit much indispensable than ever for the afloat iPad experience.

For astir of us, getting the M4 iPad Pro would beryllium similar buying a Ferrari to commute 5 miles to enactment and ne'er going implicit 30mph. Make nary mistake, this instrumentality is screaming fast, has a stunning display, and the Apple Pencil Pro is an unthinkable integer tool. But, this is simply a instrumentality for the highest of high-end professionals. Unless you are an creator oregon a decorator utilizing the Apple Pencil Pro with it each day, oregon you are a filmmaker utilizing it to presumption footage oregon adjacent commencement your archetypal edits successful the tract -- oregon putting it to usage successful different originative fields -- past we'd urge sticking to the modular iPad.

iPad Pro (7th generation) specs: Display: 11- oregon 13-inch Ultra Retina XDR OLED show with ProMotion | Processor: Apple Silicon M4 | Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB oregon 2TB | Biometrics: Face ID | Colors: Silver, abstraction black | Cameras: 12MP wide (4K, ProRes), Landscape 12MP ultra-wide | Weight: 11-inch: .98 pounds, 13-inch: 1.28 pounds | Dimensions: 9.83 x 6.99 x .21 inches oregon 11.09 x 8.48 x 0.20 inches | Connections: USB-C connector with enactment for Thunderbolt / USB 4 | Battery life: Up to 10 hours of surfing the web | Price: $999+

Show Expert Take Show less

Apple announced an update to the iPad Mini this fall, and with it comes the A17 Pro chip, the aforesaid processor recovered successful the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, that is besides compatible with Apple Intelligence. Apple Intelligence features in iPadOS 18.1 include Writing Tools, the redesigned Siri, Priority Notifications and Messages, Summarization tools, Smart Reply, and the Clean Up instrumentality successful Photos.

However, ZDNET unit writer Maria Diaz, who went hands-on with the caller iPad Mini, said that the AI features aren't this tablet's selling point. "I would not urge buying an iPad Mini 7 simply due to the fact that of the AI features. But I urge it to idiosyncratic looking for a future-proofed amusement tablet that tin spell astir anywhere," she wrote successful her review.

Review: I tested the iPad Mini 7 for a week, and its the ultraportable tablet to bushed astatine $100 off

The iPad Mini feels much similar a large smartphone than a small tablet astatine times. It tin easy gaffe into bags, purses, and adjacent the pockets of immoderate cargo pants and vests. Compared to a phone, it's amended for speechmaking ebooks, PDFs, documents, quality apps, and different integer content. The portability of the iPad Mini, on with its enactment for the caller Apple Pencil Pro, marque note-taking a fashionable usage case.

Customers who bought the caller iPad Mini reported successful reviews that they were impressed by the caller tablet, "an enlarged iPhone with a full caller experience." It besides has much retention options than the past procreation -- up to 512GB.

Show Expert Take Show less

The iPad Air was erstwhile our most-recommended iPad but present it's truly dropped to the bottommost of the database -- getting squeezed by the iPad Pro astatine the precocious extremity and the modular iPad (10th generation) for astir everyone else.

Apple's latest update to the iPad Air is much of a catch-up announcement than anything. The 6th-generation iPad Air keeps the aforesaid plan we saw Apple bring to the Air successful precocious 2022, but it present boasts an M2 processor, compatibility with the Apple Pencil Pro, and 2 size choices (11 oregon 13 inches). The large gully of the iPad Pro was ever its bigger size, but that payment has present travel downmarket to a terms tier that's overmuch much accessible.

Review: Apple iPad Air (6th generation)

Diaz wrote that she was impressed by the snappy show of the M2 processor successful her hands-on review. "The iPad Air is overmuch snappier and little prone to random bugs (i.e., apps crashing, connectivity issues, and wide performance), particularly erstwhile utilizing apps similar CapCut for speedy video edits and Photoshop for photos," she wrote.

However, if you're going to bargain the iPad Air, past you're astir apt besides going to get the Magic Keyboard and the Apple Pencil Pro, and possibly adjacent adhd cellular connectivity and summation the storage. At that point, you're going to beryllium implicit $1,000 and lone astir $200 cheaper than a likewise configured iPad Pro. In that case, conscionable get the Pro. And if you don't truly request each that power, past you tin get distant with the iPad (10th gen) and you tin adjacent brace it with a overmuch little costly Logitech Combo Touch oregon ESR lawsuit and prevention a batch of wealth but inactive get a batch of the benefits of an iPad Air oregon iPro Pro.

iPad Air (5th generation) specs: Display: 11-inch oregon 13-inch Liquid Retina IPS, 60Hz | Processor: Apple Silicon M2 | Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, oregon 1TB | Biometrics: Touch ID | Colors: Space gray, starlight, purple, blue | Cameras: 12MP rear camera, 12MP webcam (landscape-oriented) | Weight: 11-inch: 1.02 pounds, 13-inch: 1.36 pounds | Dimensions: 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches and 11.04 x 8.46 x .24 inches | Connections: USB-C larboard and magnetic connector for Apple Pencil Pro | Battery life: 10 hours | Price: $599+

Show Expert Take Show less

If you conscionable request a basic, full-screen iPad to ticker videos, play games, reply messages, and bash an occasional video call, for example, past the base-level iPad (9th generation) volition suit plentifulness of radical conscionable fine. And it starts astatine $329, which makes it precise accessible. It's a large archetypal iPad for kids. It's besides a bully 1 to springiness aged relatives and friends who are inactive a small uncomfortable with exertion and conscionable request a instrumentality to bash a fewer elemental things.

The 9th-gen iPad is filled with last-generation exertion specified arsenic the Lightning connector for charging, a Touch ID location button, 4G LTE connectivity, the A13 chip, and the 1st-gen Apple Pencil. But it does person a 12MP front-facing camera and truthful it's inactive a bully video telephone device. And overall, these older technologies are inactive bully capable to grip the basics for astir radical -- and volition beryllium for respective years to come.

Review: Apple iPad (2021) review: If it's not broke, don't hole it

And the lawsuit reviews talk for themselves: 98% of customers who person purchased this procreation iPad astatine Best Buy would urge it to a friend, and gave it a standing of 4.9 stars retired of 5.

Show Expert Take Show less

What are the tariffs successful the US?

The recent US tariffs on imports from countries similar China, Vietnam, and India purpose to boost home manufacturing but are apt to thrust up prices connected user electronics. Products similar smartphones, laptops, and TVs whitethorn go much costly arsenic companies rethink planetary proviso chains and measurement the outgo of shifting production.

Also: Tariff warfare has tech buyers wondering what's next. Here's what we know

The caller U.S. tariffs besides deed laptops, PCs, and tablets hard, with import duties perchance expanding prices by up to 35%. Many large brands inactive trust connected Chinese and Vietnamese factories for assembly, meaning consumers could soon wage importantly much for everything from fund Chromebooks to high-end gaming rigs.

These tariffs whitethorn accelerate efforts to determination accumulation to regions similar Mexico oregon India, but shoppers tin expect higher costs and less discounts successful the abbreviated term.

Right now, it looks similar immoderate tech whitethorn beryllium exempt from the issued tariffs, but since it's ever changing and developing, we are keeping an oculus connected it and volition update you connected the latest.

Also: Tariff exemptions for electronics connection a interruption for tech - but not for long

The champion iPad wide is the 10th-generation base-model iPad since it has each of the astir basal features astir users volition admit astatine a decent terms point.

iPad model	Price (starting cost)	Display	Processor	Weight
iPad (10th gen)	$349	10.9-inch Liquid Retina show with True Tone	A14 Bionic	1.05 pounds
iPad Pro (7th gen)	$999	11- oregon 13-inch Ultra Retina XDR OLED show with ProMotion	M4	.98 pounds oregon 1.28 pounds
iPad Mini (7th gen)	$499	8.3-inch Liquid Retina display	A17 Pro	.65 pounds
iPad Air (6th gen)	$599	11-inch oregon 13-inch Liquid Retina IPS, 60Hz	Apple Silicon M2	1.02 pounds oregon 1.36 pounds
iPad (9th gen)	$330	10.2-inch Retina display	A13 Bionic	1.07 pounds

*MSRP astatine the clip of writing. Please enactment that existent prices whitethorn alteration depending connected disposable sales, deals, discounts, and coupons.

While the iPad lineup is surely powerful, it truly depends connected idiosyncratic penchant and if you are an Apple idiosyncratic oregon not. We named the iPad (10th gen) the best tablet for astir radical owed to its casual interface, versatility, and compatibility with what you tin do. The iPad has entree to the aforesaid App Store arsenic the iPhone, with galore apps optimized to instrumentality vantage of the larger show connected the iPad.

As acold as Samsung tablets go, these devices volition tally connected Android and are person to iPads successful presumption of performance, design, and features. The Galaxy Tab S series is perfect for users who request power, specified arsenic creators and professionals. The tablets successful this bid person larger screens and much processing power, comparable to the iPad Pro.

Whether you're buying a caller iPad oregon upgrading an aged iPad, the archetypal happening to bash earlier you bargain is to get truly wide astir what you're readying to usage it for the most.

Choose this iPad...	If you want...
iPad (10th gen)	The champion wide enactment erstwhile it comes to power, storage, and user-friendliness. The Apple iPad is the champion tablet for anything.
iPad Pro (7th gen)	A high-performance tablet. It has AI capabilities and is compatible with accessories, making it a large enactment for creatives.
iPad Mini (7th gen)	A smaller, much manageable iPad exemplary with an 8.3-inch display.
iPad Air (6th gen)	A lightweight tablet for those who privation thing for enactment and play, without large sacrifices successful show oregon features.
iPad (9th gen)	A budget-friendly tablet. It's a large first-iPad for kids, and tin besides grip basics similar watching videos, playing games, speedy video calls, and more.

If you're looking to bargain an iPad, present are the apical factors you should see earlier making a purchase:

Mobility: The iPad lineup present ranges from the precise tiny and airy iPad Mini to the iPad Pro 13-inch, which tin beryllium heavier and much bulky than a laptop (once you connect the Magic Keyboard Case oregon different third-party case). In betwixt these 2 you person the remainder of the iPad lineup that comes successful flimsy variations of the accepted 10-inch iPad signifier factor. Think astir however overmuch you privation to usage the iPad connected the spell and the container you privation to transportation it in. Will you beryllium carrying conscionable the iPad oregon volition you besides beryllium carrying a laptop?
Accessories: Think astir which iPads are compatible with the accessories you'd similar to usage specified arsenic the Magic Keyboard Case and the 3 antithetic versions of the Apple Pencil.
Price: There are present iPads for astir each budget, particularly erstwhile you see the last-generation models we've highlighted beneath successful the Alternatives section. You tin get a modular iPad for astir $300 and it volition beryllium good for watching videos, doing airy web surfing, and answering messages. This is simply a large prime for a archetypal iPad oregon to upgrade an older 1 utilized for the aforesaid tasks. The premium iPad Pro models are loaded with features, person unthinkable displays, and outgo the aforesaid arsenic a premium laptop. However, they are champion for originative professionals, artists, and those who privation to usage the instrumentality arsenic their afloat laptop replacement, which tin inactive beryllium a frustrating endeavor if you're a powerfulness idiosyncratic with a agelong past connected a laptop and you person a batch of enactment to do.

We've tested each of the existent iPad models successful real-world situations to measure their features, design, performance, and wide value.

For example, we've utilized the iPad Mini to instrumentality notes and work documents connected the road, utilized the modular iPad for web browsing and watching YouTube, and utilized the iPad Pro models for tons of Zoom calls, Slack, web apps, creating Google Docs, and the Magic Keyboard lawsuit since it props up the iPad rather nicely, and downloading and watching videos portion traveling.

We've besides tried utilizing the iPad Air for each the things the iPad Pro tin bash and recovered that it works large with lone 2 exceptions: the artillery beingness isn't arsenic good, and the fingerprint sensor isn't arsenic convenient arsenic Face ID for each time usage during a agelong time of meetings oregon work.

For a deeper look into our investigating process, cheque retired our comprehensive tablet investigating methodology.

Apple released 3 iPads successful 2024: the 6th-generation iPad Air, the 7th-generation iPad Pro, and the 7th-generation iPad Mini. All tablets person Apple Intelligence compatibility.

For the archetypal time, the caller iPad Air comes successful 2 sizes (11 inches and 13 inches) and features the M2 chip. In addition, the iPad Air present starts astatine 128GB alternatively of the specified 64GB that Apple antecedently included successful the basal model.

The iPad Pro present comes with the caller M4 chip, which Apple says delivers up to 4x faster GPU rendering and a 50% faster CPU show than the M2 successful the erstwhile iPad Pro. The Pro tablets besides diagnostic an Ultra Retina XDR display, which Apple called "the world's astir precocious display."

The iPad Mini features the A17 Pro spot (found successful the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max) for faster performance. It besides supports the Apple Pencil Pro and has much retention options.

All of these caller iPad models are compatible with the caller iPadOS 18, which includes Apple Intelligence features similar caller Siri upgrades, a redesign of the Photos app, tools similar generative AI for penning and proofreading crossed apps, and more. The caller OS besides comes with the highly-requested Calculator app arsenic good arsenic a Passwords app to support way of each your delicate passcodes.

Generally, debar immoderate iPad that is older than 1 procreation since the latest model. This means you tin bargain the 2022 iPad Pro (6th gen), but you shouldn't see the 2021 iPad Pro (5th gen). The older an iPad exemplary is, the little apt it volition beryllium capable to grip caller iOS upgrades, truthful slowing down the device.

To utilize your iPad to its fullest, you'll decidedly privation to put successful a stylus, peculiarly the Apple Pencil since it was made for the iPad. There are aggregate generations of the Apple Pencil, truthful beryllium definite to spot which is astir compatible with your chosen iPad model.

Also: Everything you request to acceptable up a caller iPad

An iPad case is besides indispensable to support your device. Cases tin besides heighten your iPad's functionality acknowledgment to features similar keyboards, magnetic stands, and more.

In addition, don't hide a screen protector since the touchscreen is the astir important facet of the iPad.

Yes, proceeding assistance mode is accessible connected each iPads moving iPadOS 18.1. To usage the AirPods Pro 2 arsenic over-the-counter proceeding aids, users indispensable archetypal implicit a proceeding trial to find their levels of proceeding loss. The trial tin beryllium accessed connected a compatible iPad. Additionally, users tin input the results of an existing proceeding trial taken by an audio wellness professional. If you instrumentality the trial connected your iPhone oregon iPad, your AirPods Pro 2 indispensable beryllium connected to the instrumentality and placed firmly successful your ears.

See more: Turn your AirPods Pro 2 into proceeding aids: Testing and tracking proceeding wellness successful iOS 18.1

The basal exemplary iPad is the best tablet for kids since it's casual to use, lightweight, and tin turn with your kid arsenic they request it for antithetic purposes. The iPad Mini would besides beryllium a bully prime since it's the smallest iPad successful the lineup, cleanable for small hands.

The best iPad for drawing is decidedly the iPad Pro, acknowledgment to its mini LED show that Apple calls Liquid Retina XDR, which is brighter and offers much colour opposition erstwhile you're drawing. The Pro is besides large for drafting since it supports the Apple Pencil Pro.

The best iPad for students is the 5th-generation iPad Air. It has galore of the aforesaid features arsenic the almighty iPad Pro but costs little than the newer iPad Air for students' budgets.

Also: The champion note-taking apps for iPad

It's besides compatible with the Magic Keyboard and the 2nd-generation Apple Pencil, truthful students tin utilize it for antithetic forms of note-taking.

It's casual to spot the terms quality betwixt 1 of Amazon's Fire tablets and an iPad. However, you person to retrieve that Amazon designs and builds its tablets arsenic entry-level tablets that bash the bare minimum. Performance is going to beryllium slower and app enactment is going to beryllium worse connected Amazon's Fire tablet lineup. The iPad has entree to the aforesaid App Store arsenic the iPhone, with galore apps optimized to instrumentality vantage of the larger show connected the iPad.

On the different hand, Samsung besides makes a Galaxy Tab A series, which comes astatine a little terms constituent with smaller screens for those who request a elemental tablet for mundane tasks and entertainment.