Choosing your next iPad is not an easy job. In the market, you’ll find tons of the best iPad tablets to choose from, each one having cooler features than the one before it. But you have to keep one thing in mind: You have to prioritize convenience, pricing, and the features that you need.
If you have some extra cash in your packers, go ahead and be creative, experiment with whatever iPad catches your eye. But if you want to spend your money for the right thing, stick around as we review the 5 best iPad tablets we think will suffice all your iPad tablet needs. Let’s go.
1. Apple iPad Air 2020
The Air series of iPad has rather been a very successful series of Apple iPads by Apple.Inc. It packs just the right amount of features to give it catchy functionality for any iPad or tablet enthusiast while at the same time delivering a strikingly sleek design and a rather sophisticated architecture.
As they say, if you don’t know which iPad to get, Get an iPad Air.
The Apple iPad Air 2022 features a rather convenient way of placing their fingerprint scanner for a touch id. It’s located on the top right of the iPad over the edge, instead of the usual Apple-way of using the home button as a touch id. This way, you won’t find any buttons on the screen which enhances the overall look of this best iPad tablet even more.
As for the performance, you can only expect the best from Apple. The A14 Bionic chip that powers this Air 2020 is so powerful you can easily edit 4k videos on your iPad without a single glitch or a lag of any sort. It’s so powerful you can transfer files at the same time you’re editing multiple videos. This beast does operate on a godly level. Just be aware that if you’re using anything other than a macOS as your computer’s software, you’ll have to install iTunes first for seamless transfers.
Features
- 10.9-inch liquid retina display, true tone, and P3 wide color
- A14 Bionic chip with the neural engine
- 12MP back camera, 7MP HD front camera
- Support for magic keyboard, Smart keyboard folio, and 2nd generation Apple Pencil
- Backlit keys with a built-in trackpad
Pros
- Apple-certified service with accidental damage coverage
- Lightweight with an eye-catching sleek design
- Built-in handwriting recognition
Cons
- Not user friendly to older folks
2. 2021 Apple 10.2-inch iPad
The A13 Bionic chip CPU with a Neural engine, although does not fail to deliver astounding CPU performance, you might want to get your hopes down for this one if it’s 4K videos you are looking forward to editing.
That being said, the CPU is still powerful enough to allow for the smooth running of the apps, quick loading, and enhanced memory for the apps. You can run tens of apps in the background and a split-screen on the foreground and it still won’t lag.
Plus, the Chip does allow it to have a longer battery life since the CPU doesn’t have to work as much as the previous iPad we reviewed.
As for the display, the screen is relatively smaller (only 10.2-inches) compared to the Air 2020, and the touch id is on the home screen button over the bottom of the screen which doesn’t make it look so innovative, but it still packs a very classy look with its slim design and its retina display.
It seems that this iPad is built for a family. The ultra-wide 12MP front camera does pack in quite a high definition and crystal clear resolution compared to its 8MP back camera. Plus, the center stage technology used allows you to keep it in the center of the frame as well. A very handy feature if you ask us.
Finally, the iPad pairs up nicely with an Apple pencil and a smart keyboard. The handwriting feature of the iPad allows you to write on any text field or screenshots using a pencil. Something that those of you who enjoy taking notes by hand on your iPad will enjoy immensely.
Features
- 10.2-inch retina display with true tone
- 8MP wide back camera, 12MP ultra-wide front camera with smart center technology
- Stereo speakers
- Pairs up with smart keyboards and 1st generation Apple pencils
- Up to 10 hours of battery life
Pros
- Highly convenient size to carry around and to travel with
- Comparatively clearer FaceTime and front camera results
- Highly versatile and can be multipurpose for so many different things
Cons
- Does not feature a USB-C portal
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e
Since we’re talking about Apple, it’s only fair we talk about Samsung Tablets as well. Afterall, Samsung tablets are no less than the Best iPad tablets and deliver equally cool features if not more.
The most physically striking feature of this bad boy is that it’s ultra-thin and extremely lightweight. Measures only 5.5mm in thickness (which is unbelievable) and weighs only 400 grams. You can keep it in your bag and you won’t even know it exists. Plus, it won’t break your nose on the bed either.
As for the performance, this little beast features a quad core snapdragon (Dual 2 Hz + Hexa 1.7 Hz) CPU and a 4GB RAM, which might not sound much, but is one beast of a combo. This along with its 15-hour battery life makes it one of the best iPad Tablets for multipurpose usage of either note taking, binge-watching Netflix, reading a book on the bed, and doing creative work on it.
Its UI is another one of its striking features. The UI allows you to see only what’s important to you and minimizes screen cluttering (common to almost every tablet except this one), thus taking your productivity to the next level. All you have to do is just tap and focus on what you want to read and see, and that is it.
Finally, along with its touch ID, the Tab S5e also features a face recognition technology, which initially we were not a big fan of, but later turned out to be devoted worshippers of it.
Face recognition technology is unlike what we’ve seen so far. You don’t have to hold your face for a good 5 seconds for the AI to start grinding, this thing recognizes you as soon as you look at the screen, or should we say, as soon as the screen looks at you?
Features
- 10.5” WQXGA Super AMOLED (2560×1600) display
- 8MP front and 13MP rear camera
- Cinematic sound with Dolby Atmos technology on 4 speakers
- real-time security monitoring and protection by Knox
- Biometrics lock type (touch id and face recognition)
Pros
- Reasonable features for its price
- Sleek and eye-catching design
- High quality, responsive display
Cons
- SD card holder might malfunction sometimes
4. 2021 Apple iPad Mini
If you’re not happy with the 2021 Apple iPad 10.2-inches (maybe because of a broken nose?) then maybe you’ll want to consider this one of the best iPad Tablets 2021 Apple iPad Mini. It packs all the features of the original iPad 2021 but in a more convenient and smaller version.
The A15 Bionic chip delivers extremely powerful performance for its size. The chip essentially allows you to play Graphic intensive games, edit FHD videos and photos seamlessly, and multitask in the smoothest way possible.
Unlike the best iPad tablets we’ve seen so far, the Apple iPad mini can behave like a phone as well, and this might be super convenient for some people. The 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 6, and USB-C allow you to have super-fast connection speeds and allow you to do all your daily chores from your iPad instead of the small screen of your phone.
The iPad mini features an ultra-wide 12MP front camera with central stage technology that allows you to have that surreal effect on the screen. The 12MP wide back camera with true tone flash is quite powerful as well and allows you to even shoot seamless 4K videos.
With the 8.3-inch liquid retina display and a touch id for secure authentications, this iPad Mini is one of the iPad tablets you can get if you want something that fits in the palm of your hand and has the features of both a tablet and a phone.
Features
- USB-C charging and connection
- 8.3-inch liquid retina display
- Supports 2nd generation Apple pencil
- A15 Bionic chip and superfast 5G
Pros
- Apple pencil 2 magnetically charges while attached to the iPad
- Highly convenient for traveling
- Best for carrying around the school/house/work.
Cons
- Jelly scrolling might be an issue for some people.
5. Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13″ Touchscreen
When it comes to the best iPad Tablets and sleek designs, nothing beats Microsoft Surface Pro. it has that professional feel to it everyone loves and it packs in a myriad of functionalities in a super lightweight tablet. If you have the funds for it, we recommend it.
Just like the iPad mini that combines a phone with a tablet, the Surface Pro combines a laptop with a tablet. The seamless 13” display makes it a perfect size to be either used as a laptop or a tablet. That on top of it being Touchscreen makes things simply too good to be true.
The 11th Generation Intel Core processors of the Surface Pro makes it one beast of a device. It will handle all your graphics-heavy software and multitasks on editing more than 1 video at a time without the slightest signs of heating up or lagging.
It features the latest model of Windows (which at the time of writing this review is Windows 11) and automatically Installs the newer versions of the software whenever needed. This further Improves its overall performance and takes it to a whole new level.
Although you cannot use an Apple pencil with it, what you can do is use a surface slim pen with it. The surface slim pen is pretty much the same thing as the Apple pencil but only more sleek. You can also pair it up with a surface arc mouse and a surface pro signature keyboard in case you wanted to use it as a laptop.
Features
- A 13-inch touchscreen with built-in kickstart and a detachable keyboard
- Sleek, compact, and a super-lightweight design
- Rechargeable surface slim pen
- Power of both a high-performing laptop and a tablet.
Pros
- Type cover for convenient storage and recharging of pen
- pre-Installed programs for lesser usage of memory
- Sleek and lightweight with top-notch CPU power
Cons
- The screen flickers sometimes
Guide To Buying The Best Ipad Tablets
Central Processing Unit
The CPU (or chips in the case of iPads) should be the first thing you should consider before getting yourself one of the best iPad Tablets.
Always have a clear-cut idea of what you’ll be using the tablet for and make your choice for the processing power of the machine accordingly. For instance, in case you want the iPad for something graphics-heavy, say high-end video editing, using Adobe software, or playing graphics-heavy games, you should go for a processing power that is higher than usual to make sure you’re in a safe and comfy zone.
Size
Size is the second thing you should consider before getting one of the best iPad tablets. As they say, size matters (Pun may or may not be intended). It will depend on how you want to use the iPad. Are you going to carry it around everywhere in the school, and/or work or is it going to be one of those iPads that just sit on the sofa all day long giving satisfactory doses of Netflix to all the members of the family?
If it’s the former, you might want to go for an iPad that is not only lightweight but also offers a convenient size such that you don’t have a problem carrying it around all day and at the same time don’t have to squint every time you try to read a note.
In the latter case, go ahead, get the largest iPad there is, we’re not even stopping you.
Conclusion
Having one of the Best iPad tablets can truly be life-changing. Not only can the iPad make your life so much more convenient but also makes it easier to live to an extent. However, choosing an iPad for the tens of iPads out there can be a little challenging. However, if you’ve read this far, it shouldn’t be as challenging as it seemed at the start of this review.
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Disclosure: This is a professional review blog which gets compensated for the products reviewed by the companies who produce them. I am an independent blogger and the reviews are done based on my own opinions. As an Amazon Associate, Livn My Space may earn from qualifying purchases. (You’ll still get the best price available)
