This is it. Today’s the last day for the Prime Early Access Sale, which offers shoppers what is essentially another round of Prime Day deals just before the holidays. It includes some nice Prime Day Apple deals, and if you’re shopping for a new tablet, then you probably already know that it doesn’t get much better than the iPad. With four different models to choose from (five if you count the two different iPad Pro models), Apple’s tablet lineup covers a lot of ground and a wide price range, so it’s a good idea to do some planning before shopping the second wave of Prime Day iPad deals arrive.
Amazon isn’t the only one joining in the fun, so be ready to shop everywhere. For example, Walmart’s October Rollbacks event is live too, and that’s basically just a Walmart Prime Day sale.
Of course, on your journey shopping for a new iPad, we’re here to help, and below we’ve highlighted some of the best Prime Day iPad deals to shop today before they’re all gone.
Today’s best Prime Day iPad deals
Apple iPad (64GB, Wi-Fi) — $299, was $329
The latest Apple iPad may offer few discernible upgrades over the previous two generations but that’s because it follows an ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ mentality. It offers everything you could need from a simple tablet and a few extras that make it well worth the price. On the surface is its delightful 10.2-inch Retina display with True Tone support. That means that imagery looks great at all times with the iPad being the ideal device for streaming content or browsing the internet in style. Its stereo speakers certainly help ensure that this is a great option if you love to catch up with shows on Netflix while on the move.
Alongside that, the Apple iPad has an A13 Bionic chip with Neural Engine so it’s speedy enough to ensure that you can multitask and work while on the move without missing a beat. The convenience and flexibility of iPadOS certainly help out here, particularly if you already own other Apple-based devices with the ecosystem blending well together. For the traveling worker, a pivotal upgrade to the front or selfie camera helps further still. It has a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera that has Center Stage support. The feature means that the camera effectively follows you around while you’re on a video call, ensuring you’re always the central focus at all times. It’s a great touch that means you always appear professional.
Elsewhere, the iPad’s 8MP wide back camera means you can take a few snaps while on the move. It also works with the Apple Pencil (1st generation) and Smart Keyboard, plus it has up to 10 hours of battery life so it’ll last you all day. Touch ID support means your data and information are secure at all times too, while you get the benefit of being able to log in with your fingerprint.
Apple iPad Mini (64GB, Wi-Fi) — $460, was $499
The Apple iPad Mini is the ideal iPad if you prefer to keep things lightweight without missing out on powerful performance. Well designed in nearly every way, it packs a heck of a lot into a tablet that is also surprisingly slender. While there’s no headphone jack anymore and the screen could be a little brighter, everything else about the iPad Mini exudes class. Starting out, much of that is thanks to its fantastic display. It has an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone and wide color support. Outside of its minor brightness issues, this means that colors almost always pop on screen and look delightfully vibrant and accurate. Far superior to many other tablets when it comes to display quality, the iPad Mini is ideal for working with graphics on the move or when streaming your favorite shows or movies.
That’s further enhanced by the iPad Mini’s use of the A15 Bionic chip with Neural Engine. This makes it impressively speedy in regular use, meaning you can easily multitask while on the move. iPadOS has been increasingly designed with multitasking in mind so it’s a great device for doing exactly that. Touch ID support means all your data is safely stored away, too, so you won’t have to worry about issues there.
For those lighter moments throughout the day, you get Landscape stereo speakers that are impressively loud for the size. The iPad Mini also has a 12MP wide back camera along with a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera. The latter of these has Center Stage support so you’re always the focus on your calls, even when you’re moving around. Up to 10 hours of battery life is possible, while USB-C support means it recharges fast. There’a also the ability to use it with the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) if you feel like getting more hands-on with your work. But iPad Mini deals are rare, so act fast or risk missing out.
Apple iPad Air (64GB, Wi-Fi) — $559, was $599
The Apple iPad Air is early everything you could want from an iPad. If you don’t want to spend as much as an iPad Pro demands, this is the tablet to suit the majority of your needs. It offers great performance, good cameras for a tablet, along with a gorgeous screen. While some powerhouse users may need the extra might of the iPad Pro, most people will be more than happy with the iPad Air right down to its extensive accessory support.
The first thing you’ll notice about the iPad Air is its 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display. It has True Tone support along with P3 wide color and an antireflective coating that means it works particularly well in bright lighting compared to its competitors. Colors look vibrant while the screen quality ensures that everything looks sharp and delightful at all times. In conjunction with that, the iPad Air also uses Apple’s M1 chip which you’ll see on many of its laptops as well as the iPad Pro meaning you’re guaranteed of fantastically speedy performance. Whether you’re browsing the internet or multitasking for work, the iPad Air keeps up with you at all times, while also serving very well as a mobile gaming device.
Additional features keep on coming. For instance, the iPad Air has a 12MP wide camera along with a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera. The selfie camera also has Center Stage support so it’s capable of following you around on a video call, keeping you the focus at all times. Stereo landscape speakers are powerful and ensure you can always hear what’s going on. All-day battery life also means the iPad Air can keep up with you throughout the day, too. Support for the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil gives you maximum flexibility with the iPad Air a dream to use for both productivity tasks and fun.
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (256GB, Wi-Fi) — $849, was $899
The Apple iPad Pro 11-inch is a pretty great high-end tablet. It uses Apple’s M1 chip which you will also see in the latest range of MacBooks so you’re guaranteed fantastic performance. Able to outperform all other tablets and smartphones, if speed is everything for you then you absolutely need an iPad Pro. The Apple iPad Pro 11-inch isn’t just about fast performance though. It’s also great in terms of looks. Sleek and lightweight, it uses a stunning 11-inch Liquid Retina display to ensure that whatever you’re looking at looks fantastic. It utilizes ProMotion, True Tone, and P3 wide color so it looks great at all times. ProMotion means that motion blur is a thing of the past while True Tone and P3 wide color mean everything looks great. That’s the case whether you’re thinking of using it for streaming content, sketching designs, or simply browsing the internet.
In addition, the Apple iPad Pro 11-inch also has a stunning camera system. It includes an Ultra Wide front camera that has Center Stage support. The feature means that the iPad effectively follows you around as you take a video call so you’re always the center of attention. The iPad also has a 12MP wide camera along with a 10MP ultra-wide camera. There’s also a lidar scanner for immersive AR purposes so you can get the best out of the latest technology.
Other features include an all-day battery life so you can be productive all day long without needing to find a power source. Also, it has a Thunderbolt port so you can easily connect it to fast external storage, displays, and docks without any bother. The Apple iPad Pro 11-inch also has support for the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) if you want to sketch out designs, as well as the Magic Keyboard, and Smart Keyboard Folio. Face ID keeps everything secure at all times too which is great news when you’re on the move.
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Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch (128GB, Wi-Fi) — $999, was $1,099
The Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch is the ultimate tablet. In our review, we called it “more than you need” because it is but you’ll love that it offers so much. It uses Apple’s M1 chip to ensure that its performance is unrivaled. It’s incredibly fast to respond and ideal for extensive multitasking. Basically, it’s likely your laptop or desktop is slower than this tablet — that’s how good it is. Whether you’re looking to browse online through multiple tabs or you’re keen to use your tablet as an advanced productivity device, the Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch has you covered.
When it comes to watching content or sketching out designs, its gorgeous screen is here to help. It has an amazing 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display that truly makes everything pop on screen. With ProMotion support, browsing and scrolling are silky smooth, with the tablet able to cope with the fastest moving of games too. True Tone and P3 wide color mean that colors look phenomenal, too, with the tablet able to cope with all kinds of brightness scenarios.
Elsewhere, it also has a great set of cameras. These include an Ultra Wide camera that has Center Stage support. That means you can use it very well for video calls as it follows you around, ensuring you’re the focus of the call at all times. It’s a great professional touch. In addition, you also get a 12MP wide camera and a Lidar scanner for immersive AR purposes. Other useful features include an all-day battery life plus a Thunderbolt port for hooking up other devices to your tablet. There’s also support for Apple Pencil (2nd generation), Magic Keyboard, and Smart Keyboard Folio, so you can turn the Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch into a fantastic hybrid laptop with just an accessory or two.
Should you shop these Prime Day iPad deals or wait until Black Friday?
Black Friday traditionally heralds the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, but with the Prime Early Access Sale happening in mid October, it could be starting earlier than usual this year. Everybody knows Black Friday as the best time of the year to shop for pricey electronics (it’s the biggest retail day of the year for a reason), but if you’re wondering if it’s worth waiting until Black Friday for a better discount, we’re not convinced. Prime Day and Black Friday sales were quite similar last year and we expect it to be the same in 2022.
The Prime Early Access Sale is basically a sequel to Prime Day, so we expect the iPad deals to be every bit as good as what you’d normally see during Amazon’s summer sale. And since Prime Day deals are on par with Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, we see no reason to wait until late November if you’re in the market for an iPad and see the one you want at your discounted price target.
If you’re still deciding which model is right for you, check out our rundown of the best iPad to buy in 2022. We still recommend the standard iPad for most people, as it’s both a great tablet and a great value. The iPad Mini is the obvious choice for those who want a more compact tablet, while the iPad Air bridges the gap between the 10.2-inch iPad and the iPad Pro. Finally, the iPad Pro is aptly named, as it’s a high-end tablet aimed at professionals and other power users. Look for iPad deals on the two Pro models if you’re looking for a tablet you can pair with a keyboard and use as a 2-in-1 laptop.
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