$20,000 Diamond-Crusted iPad Redefines Conspicuous Consumption

By Nick Mokey March 15, 2010

If you’re one of the skeptics wondering why anyone would ever spend $829 for a glorified netbook that can’t even play Flash, prepare to multiply your disbelief. Although the iPad itself hasn’t even arrived yet, a diamond importer has already announced a diamond-studded version that will charge nearly $20,000 for.

Mervis Diamond Importers now offers “the world’s first diamond iPad” for a rather steep $19,999. The princely ‘pad has been crusted with 11.43 carats worth of diamonds, hand set in the micro-pave style. For rock aficionados wondering just what they’re getting, the stones have been graded G/H for color and VS/Sl1 for clarity. The diamond-studded iPads will go on sale June 1 in “very limited” quantities.

Mervis hasn’t divulged tech specs, but we had better hope they’re using the $829 version. We had also better hope the diamonds don’t roughen up the bezel too much for the dainty – possibly gloved – hands they’re sure to end up in.

What do you do with a diamond-crusted iPad in another year when a better version comes out? The same thing you do with your diamond-crusted first-gen iPhone: Give it to your butler and buy a new one. Just make sure not to send it in for battery replacement in the meantime: You might be disappointed with the one you get back.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Managing Editor

As Digital Trends’ Managing Editor, Nick Mokey oversees an editorial team delivering definitive reviews, enlightening…

Mobile

The most common iPad problems and how to fix them

Several iPads on a table together.

Apple's iPad has consistently marked among the best tablets, and is considered to be a sort of trailblazer in the field in its own right. As a logical result, your first encounters with common tablet glitches are likely to be iPad glitches. If you're not sure what to do to fix your device, that's okay, as you have to start somewhere. Here are some somewhat common problems that we've found plague iPads again and again, as well as some related iPad troubleshooting advice. Take care and read through the issues related to your problem to get started troubleshooting your iPad.

Mobile

This iPad just got a rare discount — save $100 at Best Buy

Call of Duty: Mobile on the iPad (2022).

The standard Apple 10.9-inch iPad rarely sees a deep discount but that’s the case over at Best Buy at the moment. Normally priced at $449, you can buy one for just $349 for a limited time. A hefty saving of $100, this is one of the better iPad deals at the moment and worth checking out if you want a new tablet or you’re keen to buy someone a great gift. Here’s what the Apple 10.9-inch iPad has to offer.

Why you should buy the Apple 10.9-inch iPad
The Apple 10.9-inch iPad is a pretty good tablet for anyone who wants something straightforward and useful. It has an attractive 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone support so it looks great with whatever you’re doing, whether you’re browsing the internet, watching videos, or playing a game. It’s powered by the A14 Bionic chip with a 6-core CPU and 4-core GPU which is why the Apple 10.9-inch iPad easily joins the best iPads list for anyone seeking a great mid-range example. It’s easily capable of playing many games through Apple Arcade as well as being snappy when it comes to looking up YouTube videos and similar.

Mobile

Best iPad deals: Save on iPad Air, iPad Pro, iPad Mini for the New Year

iPad Pro 2020 Screen.

There's a tablet out there for almost everyone, with designs available to accommodate anything from kids to creative professionals. The Apple iPad is one of the most popular tablet lineups, with the best iPads offering a wide range of options and capabilities. If you’re in the market for a new iPad, there are some great iPad deals worth shopping right now. In fact, not only are iPads some of the best Apple deals currently taking place, but some of the best tablet deals as well. We’ve rounded up what we feel are the best tablet deals to shop at the moment. They include iPads, iPad cases and covers, and iPad accessories, so read onward for more details.
Apple iPad 10.2 (9th Gen) 64GB Wi-Fi -- $249, was $329

Apple's A13 Bionic chip is no M1 or M2, but it still offers 64-bit architecture and neural engine support for excellent performance. In other words, this 10.2-inch iPad is incredible value. It has a 10.2-inch Retina display, 64GB of storage, supports Touch ID and Apple Pencil (1st Gen), and it's size, plus all-day battery life make it an excellent choice for anyone with an on-the-go lifestyle.