Best iPad 2024: Which tablet is right for you?

Released in 2022, the 10th-generation iPad is the decade-old continuation of the original iPad, released all the way back in 2010. Upgraded with small tweaks frequently, the latest iteration is the most drastic change yet, upgrading its design to match the other iPads with flat edges, and adds 5G connectivity for the first time.

Apple also removed the touch ID button from the front of the tablet for the first time, meaning you get more screen real estate without noticeably increasing the size of the device. That’s a nice large 10.9in display, compared to the previous 9th-generation iPad, which features a 10.2in display.

It also runs on the Apple A14 Bionic chip – good and capable, though not quite as good as the M-series of chips. “The new design, faster processor, better and bigger display are easily worth the price, making it a real rival to the iPad Air, which costs a wodge more,” our tech critic said in his review. “The only real downside is the inelegant way the Apple pencil connects to the iPad, via a cable. That aside, this is the best tablet under £500 from any manufacturer, in my opinion.”

Who should buy it?

Most people don’t need all the fancy bells and whistles of an iPad Air or iPad Pro, making the entry-level iPad the best for most people. There’s a nice 10.9in screen that’s perfect for watching a spot of Netflix or YouTube in bed or browsing the web and doing some shopping on the sofa. It’s got a long 10-hour battery life, so you won’t have to reach for the charger throughout the day, and is good enough to handle all the games you want to play.

If you don’t really need the use of a laptop these days, don’t mind the lack of anti-glare, and don’t mind its average specs, you can do pretty much everything you need to do on an entry-level iPad. While it might not be a good productivity workhorse for more intensive tasks, it’s a great tablet for general use and still works with accessories such as the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard.

Launched in 2024, the 6th-generation iPad Air is a tablet that will last you well into the future, thanks to its MacBook Pro-grade M2 chip. Coming in two different sizes for the first time (11in or 13in), you can think of it as a slightly pare-down iPad Pro, with better performance over the entry-level iPad and a screen that isn’t quite as good.

It’s the Goldilocks iPad, fitting nicely in between the 10th-generation iPad and the iPad Pro. While it boasts the same liquid retina display found on the cheaper 10th-generation iPad, there are better colours and an anti-reflective coating, so you won’t get any glare when you’re trying to watch a film. Again, the camera isn’t fantastic, but it’s a tablet, not a camera phone. Positioning the camera on the landscape side of the iPad was a good choice, though.

Light, thin and powerful, it still keeps the great touch ID feature in the power button, and you get more storage for the same entry price. “Put the iPad Air in the magic keyboard case, and you have something approaching a laptop, but thinner and lighter,” our tech critic said in his review. “The keyboard is brilliant, and the software is now so advanced it works tremendously as an alternative laptop. Apple’s stage manager setup, which enables you to see separate windows more easily, comes pretty close.”

Who should buy it?

If you want a do-it-all device for gaming, streaming, and productivity, the iPad Air is the ultimate entertainment powerhouse. It won’t break the bank, like the iPad Pro, and features the same ultra-fast M2 chip that you’ll find on the iMac. Gamers will find that titles are smooth and immersive, even those with advanced graphics, while power-hungry apps, such as 4K video editing, will run at speed.

It might not have the flourishes (some may say overkill features) found on the iPad Pro, but the iPad Air is a big step up over the 10th-generation iPad, and will serve all your entertainment needs well, and do it fast. Want a stunning tablet that can do it all? The iPad Air is it, and it’s nice having the choice between an 11in model and a 13in one.

Want to replace your laptop with an iPad completely? The latest and greatest iPad Pro, released in 2024, is the tablet that comes closest to fulfilling this vision for Apple. Coming in two different sizes (11in and 13in), it’s the thinnest product Apple’s ever made at just5.1mm thick for the 13in model (yes, thinner than the iPod nano, though still tough and durable.

The iPad Pro uses Face ID instead of touch ID, and the new Apple Pencil Pro easily snaps onto the magnetic pad on the side. The real highlight, however, is the display. Featuring an OLED panel for the first time, colours pop and blacks are darker than ever. Clever Apple engineering also ensures the screen stays bright. It’s also finished with a nano texture, waving away glare better than the iPad Air’s anti-reflective coating.

Lastly, this is a powerhouse of a machine. It runs Aple’s very own M4 chip, which is so powerful, it hasn’t even come to a MacBook laptop (yet). “Even if you’re not pushing the iPad Pro to its limits, you’ll still feel the benefits,” our tech critic said in his review. “Most apps won’t tap into the increased horsepower, but the added speed adds headroom in the coming months and years as developers create more demanding apps that really push the silicon.”

Where Apple has cut down a bit is on the camera array. It has removed the ultrawide camera has now gone, leaving it with just a wide camera, but it now has improved image signal processing and an improved flash to intelligently create better images and a neat AI feature that remove shadows from documents. There’s also a new LIDAR scanner, so it’s an AR-ready product.

Who should buy it?

If you’re one of those people who needs the very best, the iPad Pro M4 is absolutely it. Specs-wise, it’s better than a MacBook Pro, running on Apple’s most powerful silicon, and it boasts the best OLED screen Apple’s ever released on an iPad, while keeping in mind glare and brightness. Video editing, music creation, 4K games and image processing will work so smoothly, it won’t feel like you’ve just opened a RAM-intensive app.

Add on a Magic Keyboard and an Apple Pencil Pro, and it’ll feel like you’re using a MacBook Pro with an iPadOS user interface that also has a touch screen. If you want an iPad that will work well into the future, that could also replace your laptop, the iPad Pro M4 is for you.

Apple doesn’t update its smallest iPad very often, but the 6th-generation iPad Mini released in 2021 is still a great iPad for those who are always on the go and want something travel-friendly. Featuring an 8.3in all-front display with the same dimensions of the previous model. There’s a nice fingerprint sensor that’s embedded into the power button, and an Apple Pencil can snap on to the flat edge magnetically to charge.

It also features a better processor than the entry-level iPad, despite being a year older. You get an A15 Bionic chip, which is found in the iPhone 13 Pro, meaning it can handle all you throw at it. While the camera isn’t anything to write home about, it’s got that neat front-facing camera centre stage feature and a 12MP camera. It’s a nice to have, mor than anything, “In terms of a slick, capable tablet that you can take anywhere, the iPad mini has the lot,” our tech critic said in his review.

Who should buy it?

If you’re on the road a lot and don’t want to be lugging around a huge 11in or 13in tablet, which could take up precious room in your backpack, the 6th-generation iPad is absolutely the one for you. While it’s a little old now, it’s still a really pocket-friendly device with a

If you want a travel companion that’s great for reading, browsing on the go and for consuming content on Netflix and YouTube, you can’t beat the iPad Mini. It’s comfortable to hold in one hand (the other iPads aren’t), so you won’t strain your wrist, and it doesn’t crimp on performance despite its smaller size. It’s the perfect portable device that sits between your iPhone and your MacBook, with all the same features of a larger iPad.