Best iPad deals: Early Black Friday offers

Alarmed by the high prices of Apple’s (extremely high-quality) tablets? Don’t despair: if you know where to look there are good deals to be had on the latest iPads, and brilliant ones on older models.

Apple announced two new iPad devices at its Time Flies special event on 15 September 2020: an 8th-generation iPad and a new iPad Air. These are excellent new tablets, but their release also means we should see more and better deals on the older iPads in Apple’s range – of which we’ll note the best ones here.

Our tech experts, who constantly scan the market for the very latest and best iPad deals, have found the best prices for each of the five current iPad models, and appealing offers on several more models which have been officially discontinued. For each one you’ll find an automatically updated price comparison tool, so you can be sure you’re getting the best deal at this exact second.

Black Friday takes place on 27 November this year, and there will be stunning deals on Apple products. But the event spreads wider and wider each year, and we’re already spotting excellent early Black Friday deals on a range of iPads.

Right now you can find good savings at Amazon in both the UK and US, and at territory-specific stores such as John Lewis and Currys PC World. Read on for the best deals on each model of iPad.

Best iPad deals

10.2in iPad (2020)

Apple’s September 2020 update to the 10.2in iPad made it the most affordable iPad on the market, with prices starting at £329/US$329. Full RRPs are as follows:

UK RRP: From £329
US MSRP: From $329
AU RRP: From AU$499

You can buy it directly from Apple, and trading in your old iPad will drop the price even further. The 8th-gen iPad offers a stronger A12 Bionic processor and is the first to support Apple’s Neural Engine AI and machine learning software. Here’s where to buy the new iPad without a long delivery wait.

This, of course, makes it a more compelling buy than the 2019 iPad (7th generation), especially considering its lower RRP. If you’re a student, parent, teacher, or staff member, you can also get a 10% discount from Apple’s Education Store.

Here’s everything you need to know about the iPad 8.

10.2in iPad (2019)

You can still buy the 2019 iPad, but make sure you’re not paying full price. You should opt for the iPad 2020 model if you’re upgrading.

Yes, the 7th-gen iPad boosted the iPad’s size to 10.2in from the usual 9.7in but it still had the same cameras and A10 processor as the 2018 option. See our full iPad 10.2in review.

UK RRP: From £349
US MSRP: From $349
AU RRP: From AU$529

You can buy direct from Apple, but in the table below you’ll see the best deals available right now in your region. We’d also recommend taking a look at refurbished and second-hand options of the 2019 model as previous owners will look to upgrade (if you’re one of those people, here’s how to sell yours at the best price).

9.7in iPad (2018)

It’s been officially discontinued, but you may still be able to buy Apple’s old entry-level iPad, the iPad 9.7in (2018). Apple sometimes has it in stock at the Refurbished store, for example.

If you do buy refurbished, also check out MusicMagpie where you can find low-priced options. Look for a price well under £300 and check how much you’re actually saving compared to the newer models.

Proved the price is right we think that this model could be a better option than the 2019 model, since the specs are practically identical, bar the screen size. For more, read our iPad 9.7in (2018) review.

UK RRP: Was £319 (discontinued)
US MSRP: Was $329 (discontinued)

Best iPad mini deals

The iPad mini (2019)

At 7.9in this form factor is still desirable and useful even in an age of larger smartphones. With the A12 processor at an affordable base price, Apple’s smallest tablet is a tiny powerhouse of a computer.

With the addition of Apple Pencil support and with decent battery life, Apple breathed new life into the iPad mini with the 2019 model. Not everyone wants or needs to spend £1,000 on an iPad Pro. Read our iPad mini (2019) review.

UK RRP: From £399
US MSRP: From $399
AU RRP: From AU$599

Best iPad Air deals

iPad Air (2020)

Apple released a new iPad Air in October 2020. It takes the iPad Pro all-screen design (although, unusually, it offers Touch ID fingerprint recognition instead of Face ID facial recognition: the sensor is hidden in the power button) and also supports the second-gen version of the Apple Pencil. It’s a sumptuous, high-spec tablet.

Here are the prices:

UK RRP: From £579
US MSRP: From $599
AU RRP: From AU$899

Read our iPad Air (2020) review for in-depth buying advice.

Best iPad Pro deals

Apple updated its iPad Pros in March 2020. They look largely the same as the 2018 models, but now have twin cameras on the rear, upgraded A12Z processor chips, depth-sensing LiDAR scanners for augmented reality and (perhaps best of all) lower price tags.

That’s right: the 11in and 12.9in models start at the same price as before (£769/$799 and £969/$999 respectively) but that’s with twice the storage: 128GB rather than 64GB. And all the other tiers have seen price cuts, of more than £200/$200 in some cases. Read our iPad Pro 12.9in (2020) review for more information.

iPad Pro 11in (2020) deals

UK RRP: From £769
US MSRP: From $799
AU RRP: From AU$1,329

iPad Pro 12.9in (2020) deals

UK RRP: From £969
US MSRP: From $999
AU RRP: From AU$1,649

iPad Pro 11in (2018) deals

Assuming you can live without the dual cameras, LiDAR scanner and so on, there are some excellent deals on the previous generation. Just make sure you’re paying well under the RRP – if not, you should simply buy the new model instead.

UK RRP: Started at £769 (discontinued)
US MSRP: Started at $799 (discontinued)

iPad Pro 12.9in (2018) deals

Same applies if you’re buying the larger model from 2018. Make sure you’re paying well under RRP, or buy the new version instead.

UK RRP: Started at £969 (discontinued)
US MSRP: Started at $999 (discontinued)

Apple Refurbished Store

One of our favourite tricks for iPad deals is the Apple Refurbished Store, where you’ll find iPads with huge discounts. These are items that have been returned, but you will really struggle to spot any evidence of that.

Apple replaces the battery and outer shell of every refurbished iPad, and you’ll still get all of the accessories and manuals that would come with a new model. Plus, you’ll also get the same one-year warranty as you would with a brand-new iPad.

The only thing that gives the game away is the box – Apple replaces the original with a white box to prevent people from buying the discounted models and selling them as new.

Best iPad Student Deals

Don’t forget students can get discounts on iPad devices as a part of Apple’s Education Discount. Before 29 October in the UK and 12 October in the US, iPad Pro purchases also include a free pair of Apple AirPods as a part of Apple’s Back to School Sale.

That concludes our guide to the best iPad deals available right now. But if you’re unsure of which model you should pick up, take a look at our in-depth iPad buying guide.