Why you should wait until March to buy a new iPad (with one big exception)

Verdict: Wait if you can

This isn't a bad price — but it's not a great one either. The historic low is $274, and it was recently sitting at $299. If you don't urgently need a tablet, history suggests it'll dip back under $300 again. This is a "fine" deal, not a "move now" deal.

More about this iPad

Released in March 2025, the base-model iPad is an ultra-light, thin tablet that's powerful enough to replace your laptop for most tasks but slips into your bag with room to spare. Its spacious 11-inch Liquid Retina display will have you swiping and scrolling in color and sharpness so vibrant that it makes any screen that came before it feel like an old tube TV.

It's also our pick for the overall best iPad for most users. Why? If you've got a habit of toggling among a dozen apps, streaming videos and replying to messages simultaneously, you're in for a treat. And if you're into gaming, the graphics capabilities mean you can play even demanding games without dropping a frame.

What will a potential 2026 model add?

This iPad is powered by the same chip found in the 2022 iPhone. It's one of the few products left in Apple's product line that isn't compatible with Apple Intelligence. That hasn't been much of a loss to date, but with long-promised Siri improvements and (presumably) other future upgrades on deck, a new chip that unlocks these features seems worthwhile (so long as it's not accompanied by a price increase).

Verdict: Definitely wait

The mini has dropped as low as $349 — and at $474, this is actually the highest price it's been all year. Unless you specifically need the small form factor right now, there's no urgency here.

More about this iPad

If traditional iPads are a bit too cumbersome for your daily routine, the smaller, more approachable iPad mini may be right up your alley. At only 8.3 inches, it's compact enough to hold with just one hand.

"A powerhouse in a compact form, designed for busy professionals and families who need both portability and performance," wrote one erudite enthusiast. "Whether you're managing work tasks, staying connected with loved ones or entertaining the kids, this tablet handles it all effortlessly."

The current version (with an A17 Pro chip) was released in October 2024.

What will a potential 2026 model add?

Along with the requisite newer and faster chip, the big improvement rumored for a 2026 iPad mini is an OLED screen (rather than LCD), which should offer better black levels and contrast for keen-eyed viewers.

Verdict: Wait if you can — but the price isn't terrible

Technically, this is the lowest price the Air has been in 2026. But it frequently drops to $449, and it has hit $400 before (albeit for a very short time). It's still a meaningful discount from Apple's $599 list price, and objectively a better buy than the iPad mini at current pricing, but it's not at its price floor.

More about this iPad

First unveiled in March 2025 and equipped with Apple's powerful M3 chip, the iPad Air offers all-day battery life, a stunning 12-megapixel camera and a Liquid Retina display that makes movies and TV shows pop.

"The screen resolution is really beautiful," wrote one impressed shopper. "It's lighter in weight than my old one and a little thinner. The camera takes gorgeous pictures."

What will a potential 2026 model add?

The iPad Air is just a few specs shy of being called an iPad Pro — it effectively has the equivalent specs of earlier iPad Pro models — so this is another one that's only expected to get a chip bump, making this older model a good candidate to seek out if it gets discounted further. 

Verdict: Buy it now

The Pro is sitting at an all-time low price of $800 — $99 cheaper than its previous record. That's a full 20% off Apple's price on the most powerful iPad in the lineup. These kinds of flagship lows don't stick around long, and they don't usually get meaningfully lower during the same product cycle.

And here's the thing: Unlike the rest of the iPads here, the iPad Pro is not expected to be refreshed in the coming days because it's already running Apple's latest and greatest M5 chip. (This one was released very recently, back in October 2025.)

More about this iPad

This is the newest, most powerful iPad out there, and it comes with a price to match. Here's what Senior Tech Writer Rick Broida had to say about it:

"Apple's flagship tablet, available in 11- and 13-inch sizes, is overkill for most users, but it's the one you want if you're doing mission-critical work. The iPad Pro (M5) also has the fastest processor of any iPad, which won't mean much for run-of-the-mill apps (Kindle, Calendar, etc.) but could prove very valuable if you're editing video or working with massive documents. And don't forget multitasking: If you frequently hop back and forth between multiple pro-level apps, you want all the processing power you can get."

What will a potential 2026 model add?

Again, we'd be shocked to see a new iPad Pro in March. If anything, this one won't get refreshed until Apple has M6 chips ready — likely in autumn of this year, if the company follows its current release schedule.