The best iPad to buy in 2025 - choose wisely! - video Dailymotion

TechRadar

We've tested almost every iPad model out there, and every option included in the below list is accompanied by a full review, so you can rest assured that our recommendations are based on real-world experience.

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00:00Apple's iPads are portable, powerful and indisputably among the best tablets money

00:07can buy. But it can be tricky to know which model to go for with so many options available.

00:11The iPad Pro is clearly the front-runner in terms of raw power, but most people don't

00:14need to spend pro-level money to get a great iPad experience. So in this video,

00:18we'll be rounding up the best iPads for different budgets and use cases,

00:21drawing attention to their strengths and weaknesses to help you find a model that

00:24best fits your needs. The 11-inch iPad A16 is, hands down,

00:30the best iPad for most people in today's market. It's also the cheapest iPad available as new from

00:35Apple. And while the 2022 model is still worth buying if you can find it, the newer A16 model

00:40will get you twice as much base storage and a few extra years of software support.

00:43Other than those factors though, this is essentially the same entry-level iPad that's been knocking

00:47around for the past few years. This iPad uses a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display,

00:51offers up to 10 hours of battery life and its A16 chipset is pretty much the fastest

00:55tablet chipset you'll find at this price point. In testing, we found that the base iPad could blitz

00:59through everyday tasks like internet browsing, video calling, content streaming and light gaming

01:03with more than enough power on offer for the majority of casual iPad users.

01:06If you've got video editing or hardcore gaming in mind, you're better off going for an Air or

01:10Pro model and the iPad A16 also doesn't support Apple intelligence. So if you're particularly keen on

01:15an AI-integrated tablet experience, you'll need to pay a bit more. However, as a relatively inexpensive

01:20all-rounder, the iPad A16 is an excellent choice for most people.

01:26Moving straight up to the top of the price ladder, the 13-inch iPad Pro is unquestionably the most

01:30impressive Apple tablet of the lot. If the main selling point of any iPad is its big screen,

01:34the super-sized iPad Pro is not only the biggest iPad to date, but is also the most advanced,

01:38using tandem OLED technology on an Apple XDR-branded ProMotion display.

01:42The latest iPad Pro comes with an Apple M4 chipset, which is the same brain you'll find powering

01:46Apple's latest MacBooks. The M4 has a 50% faster CPU than the M2 chipset in the previous model,

01:52and you'll appreciate that bump while running demanding apps like Procreate or graphically

01:55intense mobile games. For the creatives out there, the iPad Pro can also be paired with

01:59the impressive Apple Pencil Pro stylus, as well as the redesigned Magic Keyboard, making it the

02:03best iPad for drawing and productivity. Oh, and don't worry about things getting too hot.

02:07This new model also boasts 20% better thermal performance than the previous iPad Pro,

02:11and in testing, we never once managed to overheat its internal components.

02:14In other words, the 13-inch iPad Pro M4, which also comes in a more compact 11-inch variation,

02:19is by far the most powerful tablet ever made, and it's one of the three iPad models to support

02:23Apple intelligence. On the camera's front, the iPad Pro's 12MP rear snapper is definitely

02:28capable, though you'll need to turn to your phone or a proper camera for any ultrawide or telephoto shots.

02:32Of course, this is an incredibly expensive tablet, and its 4-figure price tag puts it in

02:36reserve for serious professionals who need all of that MacBook-level power.

02:39If you just want to watch movies and video chat with your friends,

02:42the iPad Pro is serious overkill. However, if you need the best of the best,

02:45this is definitely the tablet to buy.

02:50If you're a student who's looking for something in between the affordability of the base model

02:53and the power of the Pro, the iPad Air M3 is our pick of the bunch.

02:56Available in two sizes, 11-inches and 13-inches, the new iPad Air comes equipped with a chipset that,

03:01again, powers some of Apple's recent MacBooks. That means it's powerful enough to run any apps you

03:05might need to use as a student, and in testing, we threw pretty much everything at the iPad Air,

03:09and it didn't break a sweat. Other key features of the Air include a landscape-oriented 12-megapixel

03:13front-facing camera, landscape stereo speakers with spatial audio, up to 10 hours of battery life,

03:17and up to 1TB of internal storage, which is something you can't get on the base model.

03:22Like the iPad Pro, the iPad Air also supports Apple Intelligence, and in truth, the only thing

03:26you really lose by choosing the Air over the Pro is the latter's 120Hz refresh rate and larger RAM

03:31capacity. But if you're happy to live without ProMotion, then the iPad Air is a much more affordable,

03:35second-best pick for students and professionals alike.

03:40The 8.3-inch iPad Mini is arguably a more niche offering than Apple's other tablets,

03:44but it remains an excellent choice for those who prefer its dinky size,

03:47or indeed for children whose hands are naturally a bit smaller.

03:50The Mini is also the cheapest way to access Apple Intelligence on an iPad,

03:53which is worth considering if you're keen to try Apple's AI features without breaking the bank.

03:57The main selling point of the iPad Mini, though, is that it's smaller and lighter than all other Apple

04:01slates, so if you want a device that you can easily slip into your bag, or your kid's bag,

04:05then this is the iPad to choose. Of course, there are cheaper, older iPads still available

04:09at third-party retailers if you're after a slate for a young child, and visually,

04:12there's almost no difference between the 2024 iPad Mini and its predecessor.

04:15That said, the newer model gets the same A17 Pro chipset as the iPhone 15 Pro,

04:20so it can handle gaming, streaming, and web browsing much more easily than a second-hand Mini model.

04:24If you're looking to do more heavy-duty tasks, we recommend going for an M2 or above

04:28iPad Air or iPad Pro. But, all in all, the iPad Mini is a premium-looking iPad whose compatibility

04:33with Apple Intelligence will keep it feeling fresh for years to come.

04:36And there you have it, our round-up of the best iPads available at the time of recording.

04:39For full reviews of each model, head to TechRadar.com, and we'll include links

04:42to the latest iPad deals in the description below to help you find the best prices.

The best iPad to buy in 2025 - choose wisely!

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