The best iPads you can buy

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You can't go wrong with any of Apple's iPads, but the 2018 9.7-inch iPad is the best deal for most people with its sharp screen, fast processor, support for Pencil, and low $330 price tag.
We also think the new iPad Mini and iPad Air are great deals if you want to spend a bit more for new processors and better specs.
Additionally, the iPad Pro models are terrific for people who want a super powerful tablet that can act like a laptop in a pinch.

Apple is the uncontested king of tablets. The word iPad is synonymous with the word tablet. Chances are if you own a tablet at all, you have an iPad.

Apple's tablet lineup is more varied than ever before, and a brand-new iPad just joined the crew. At $330, the new 9.7-inch iPad is one of the cheapest iPads Apple has ever sold, but it's quite powerful and it even supports the Apple Pencil.

The rest of the iPads are equally stylish and powerful (if not more so). We've tested nearly every iPad that has been released over the past three years, and these are the absolute best iPads you can buy. You can also check out the best iPad cases for every type of person and read why we love the Apple Pencil.

Here are the best iPads you can buy in 2019:

Best iPad overall: 2018 9.7-inch iPad
Best mid-range iPad: 10.5-inch iPad Air
Best small iPad: 7.9-inch iPad Mini
Best iPad Pro: 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro
Best mid-size iPad Pro: 10.5-inch iPad Pro
Best iPad stylus: Apple Pencil
Best iPad keyboard: Logitech K780

Updated on 03/25/2019 by Malarie Gokey: Updated prices, added the new iPads, and updated formatting.

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best iPad overall

Why you'll love it: The 2018 9.7-inch iPad is an absolute steal at $330 with a gorgeous sharp screen, high-end metal design, and support for the Apple Pencil.

Apple's iPads have always been the best tablets you can buy, but the high price tags made it tough to find an iPad on a budget. All that has changed with the 2018 9.7-inch iPad. It costs a mere $330, and it offers nearly all of the same high-end specs and features as the new iPad Air. The only difference is the processor, which is a bit older.

If you own an aging iPad or iPad Mini, the new 9.7-inch iPad is an excellent upgrade. Obviously, if you have an iPad Air 2 or an iPad Pro, you don't need to get the new one. The 2018 iPad is for anyone who has always wanted an iPad, but couldn't afford the $500+ price tag. It's an absolute steal at $330, and you may be able to get it for less.

The 9.7-inch screen is sharp and clear with its 2,048 x 1,536-pixel resolution, the A10 processor is very capable (even though it's not the iPhone XS's A12 chip), the battery life should be great, and you can even buy things on it with Apple Pay, thanks to the Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

Best of all, it supports the Apple Pencil, an incredible stylus with virtually no lag. You will have to pay $100 extra for the Pencil, but if you like to take notes or draw on your iPad, it is well worth it. Naturally, any Bluetooth keyboard also works with the iPad, so if you want to use it as a quasi-laptop, you can pick up a great keyboard.

You simply can't beat those specs at that price point. Comparable Android tablets cost hundreds of dollars more, and the iPad still has a better app library and accessory support.

The aluminum build looks and feels premium, and the 9.7-inch screen size makes it a very portable device that's easy to stow away in your bag. It's quite light, too, so you can happily binge-watch Netflix in bed on your new iPad. Tech nerds will say it's a boring old design, but it's tried and true. Plus, the aluminum build is durable.

Pros: Incredible price for an iPad, slick aluminum design, Touch ID for security and Apple Pay, gorgeous screen, supports the Apple Pencil

Cons: Not the latest A12 processor found on the iPhone XS

Buy the 9.7-inch Apple iPad from Best Buy for $329.99+ (price varies by storage and connectivity)

Buy the Apple Pencil from Best Buy for $99.99

Buy the 9.7-inch Apple iPad from Apple for $329+ (price varies by storage and connectivity)

The best mid-range iPad

Why you'll love it: The new iPad Air sits right in the middle of Apple's iPad lineup with its perfectly sized screen, $499 price, and great specs.

If you don't want an iPad Pro, but you don't want the Mini and you won't compromise and get lesser specs, the iPad Air is the tablet for you. It sits right in the middle of the iPad lineup, and it has everything you need.

The new iPad Air keeps the same overall design as previous-generation iPad Air models, so it has the Home button and larger bezels compared to the new iPad Pro models.

Although it looks the same, there's a lot of new tech inside. The new Air runs on Apple's A12 Bionic chip, so it's very fast and responsive. The tablet also supports the first-generation Apple Pencil, which is widely considered the best stylus for drawing on a tablet, and it has a sharp 10.5-inch True Tone screen with a resolution of 2,224 × 1,668 pixels.

You can buy the iPad Air with either 64GB or 256GB of storage, and it comes in three color options: Silver, Space Gray, or Gold. You can also choose either a Wi-Fi-only connection or a combination of cellular and Wi-Fi connections.

Alongside the iPad Air, Apple is also selling a Smart Keyboard, which is great for those of you who want to use your tablet as a laptop in a pinch, but it's no iPad Pro. If you want to do more with your tablet, we recommend the Pro models.

Pros: Good price, nice sharp screen, works with the Pencil, new processor

Cons: Old design with bigger bezels

Buy the 2019 iPad Air from Apple, Best Buy, and Amazon for $499

Buy the Apple Pencil from Best Buy for $99.99

Buy the Apple Pencil on Amazon for $94

The best small iPad

Why you'll love it: The new iPad Mini is finally here, and it may not have the new design, but it has all the new specs and it supports Apple's excellent Pencil stylus.

When the first iPad Mini came out, I wanted it immediately. I'd never liked big tablets, and its small size seemed perfect. I'm not alone in my love of small tablets, but for years, Apple has left the iPad Mini series to languish without an update — until now.

The 2019 iPad Mini is Apple's budget-friendly small tablet. It may not have the fresh new design we were hoping for — those thick bezels are still there along with the home button — but it has all the latest specs we wanted in this update.

It's powered by the ultra-powerful A12 Bionic chip, and it supports the first-generation Apple Pencil. We're thrilled Apple gave the Mini Pencil support, as it's the best stylus we've ever used, and it makes the Mini a great tablet for note taking or drawing.

The Mini's True Tone, 7.9-inch screen has a sharp 2,048 x 1,536 pixel resolution, too, so you can really enjoy watching videos, reading, and creating on the screen.

You can choose between 64GB or 256GB of storage and three color options: Silver, Space Gray, or Gold). If you want to keep the price down, you can get the Wi-Fi-only version, but there is also a Mini with both cellular and Wi-Fi connections.

Pros: Compact, affordable, new processor, sharp screen, works with the Pencil

Cons: Old design with bigger bezels