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Should you buy an iPad on Black Friday or wait for Cyber Monday?

Jennifer Allen
By

Black Friday iPad deals tend to be worth paying attention to, but how do you know if you should buy then or wait until Cyber Monday? It’s a tough decision to make which is why we’re here to help you understand what to do. Read on while we take you through everything.

Should you buy an iPad on Black Friday?

Generally, Black Friday is the right time to buy an iPad. While Cyber Monday might sound like the right time for technology, it’s usually the slightly earlier sale that you should go for. That’s because there’s only a limited amount of stock set aside for the best offers so by Cyber Monday, the iPad you want could be out of stock by then. Basically, if you see something you like the look of, buy it on Black Friday.

Worried that Cyber Monday will work out better? Don’t. Cyber Monday tends to mimic the same deals as Black Friday and in the unlikely case of it being cheaper, you can always cancel the order you placed on Black Friday after placing a new order on Cyber Monday. This isn’t going to happen though so be confident that what you buy on Black Friday will be the best deal.

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Our 5 favorite Black Friday iPad deals

Apple iPad 10.2 (2021) — $270, was $329

An iPad 10.2 paired up with a keyboard.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Apple iPad 10.2 (2021) remains a respectable choice despite being a slightly older model. It has a gorgeous-looking 10.2-inch Retina display with True Tone support so whatever you’re doing on it looks great. As well as that, it uses Apple’s A13 Bionic chip which may be aging but still provides good performance. An 8MP wide back camera is useful for snaps while there’s a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage support so you stay the focus of any video calls you’re making. With stereo speakers, you’ll hear others clearly, while there’s also Touch ID support and up to 10 hours of battery life for convenience.

Apple iPad Mini — $400, was $499

The Apple Pencil attaches to the iPad mini magnetically.
Adam Doud/Digital Trends

The Apple iPad Mini is one of the best iPads around for anyone who wants great performance in a smaller form factor. It has an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone and wide color support. Whatever you’re doing on it looks great, from gaming to streaming your favorite shows. It’s powered by an A15 Bionic chip which is remarkably speedy so you have plenty of flexibility here. Additionally, it has a 12MP Wide back camera with 12MP Ultra Wide front camera that offers Center Stage support. The latter means you’ll always look more professional on video calls. Landscape stereo speakers mean you can hear clearly too ensuring this is an ideal working from home tablet. Up to 10 hours of battery life seals the deal.

Apple iPad 10.9 (2022) — $426, was $449

Someone holding the 12.9-inch version of the iPad Pro (2022).
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

The Apple iPad 10.9 (2022) is the latest model of iPad and offers some useful upgrades to the earlier iPad. It has a larger screen with a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone support. It also has a more powerful processor in the form of the A14 Bionic chip so it can cope with more multitasking and more gaming. There’s also a 12MP wide back camera and a landscape 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage support. With all-day battery life and USB-C connectivity, it’s convenient stuff across the board making it an ideal candidate for anyone new to the iPad world.

Apple iPad Air — $559, was $599

A man holding the Apple iPad Air fifth generation.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Apple iPad Air is one of the best tablets around. That’s thanks to it being powered by the Apple M1 chip that you see in many MacBooks. It means performance is fantastically fast for a tablet. The iPad Air also has a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone and P3 wide color support so it looks great. That also goes for outdoors thanks to its antireflective coating. With stereo landscape speakers, 12MP wide camera, and 12MP ultra wide front camera with Center Stage, it’s a great bet for taking many video calls too. All-day battery life and Touch ID support rounds things off nicely.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch — $999, was $1,099

The iPad Pro (2022) with its display on.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

The latest iPad Pro 12.9-inch is an incredibly powerful tablet. It includes Apple’s M2 chip — the latest processor — so performance is blisteringly fast. Able to work well as a laptop substitute once you add some accessories, it’s a dream to use. Its 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display cannot be beaten, with ProMotion, True Tone and P3 wide color support ensuring it looks gorgeous at all times. A productivity powerhouse as well as a gaming tablet, the iPad Pro offers a 12MP wide camera, 10MP ultra wide back camera, plus LiDAR scanner for immersive AR. The 12MP ultra wide front camera with Center Stage support is great for video calls too. This is a truly powerful tablet that will be overkill for some but remarkable for power users.

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Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Deals Writer
Jennifer Allen is a technology writer with over 10 years of experience. She primarily writes about the best deals coverage…
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