The release of the new iPad mini has many people contemplating updates and changes. This begs the question – which iPad is the right one for you? It may help to look at Apple’s iPad strategy before making that decision.
A common product strategy employed by companies across almost every product sector is to use a three-tier system. This is often characterised as a “Good-Better-Best” strategy. Apple has a similar strategy for the iPad but it’s based on a variation of Steve Job’ famous system of dividing products into two groups: consumer and pro. Instead of two product groups, the iPad is broken into three. They are:
Niche: this is where the iPad Pro and iPad mini fit.
Most consumers: the iPad is the only product in this group
Power Users: the iPad Air is pitched at this group
What can make this confusing is that the products are not upgraded by Apple in any specific order so you can end up in the situation where a Power User product has better specifications than a Niche product. And, there’s sufficient overlap in specs where price may not even be a useful gauge. For example, you may prioritize storage capacity over processor speed which means you could by an iPad with lots of storage that costs more than the entry level iPad Air price.
Adding to the complexity for today’s iPad buyer is that the iPad doesn’t yet support Apple Intelligence. Anyone buying an iPad today will want to future-proof their investment which means the iPad is probably not going to be on your shopping list.
Here’s how I would approach buying a new iPad today.
Unless your need is desperate, I would hold back on buying an iPad until Apple upgrades the processor and memory to support Apple Intelligence. Given the rest of the range is Apple Intelligence ready, we can expect that to happen in early 2025.
iPad
The iPad comes in blue, pink, yellow and silver.
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi + Cellular | |
| 64GB | $599 | $849 |
| 256GB | $849 | $1099 |
iPad Air
If you can spare the extra cost over the iPad, the iPad Air is the sweet spot that fills the needs of most users. While the Air lacks the four speaker array and 120 Hz display found on the iPad Pro that most critics of the iPad Air point at, this is still a very good .
The iPad Air comes in two screen sizes: 11-inch and 13-inch. The 13-inch comes close to being a replacement for a laptop. But you may find there are some apps that work well on a Mac that don’t work quite as well on an iPad. But as a companion device for a Mac it works well. The same goes for the smaller model although the reduction in screen real estate makes it less useful as a laptop replacement.
The iPad Air comes in four colors: Space Grey, blue, purple and Starlight.
Prices start at $999 for the 11-inch model and $1299 for the extra two inches. There are four storage options for each model with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB.
| 11-inch Wi-Fi | 11-inch Wi-Fi + Cellular | 13-inch Wi-Fi | 13-inch Wi-Fi + Cellular | |
| 128GB | $999 | $1249 | $1299 | $1549 |
| 256GB | $1179 | $1429 | $1479 | $1729 |
| 512GB | $1529 | $1779 | $1829 | $2079 |
| 1TB | $1879 | $2129 | $2179 | $2429 |
iPad Pro
Apple has packed all of its highest-end iPad features into the Pro models. The iPad Pro boasts a superior display, faster processor and better speaker system than any of the other models in the range. And it offers a massive 2TB of storage if your budget can handle it. But those features attract a hefty price premium. While there are some strong use-cases for the iPad Pro, it’s not a device that every needs. But it may well be the iPad most people covet.
The iPad Pro comes in just two colors (about the only spec where it offers less than the rest of the range): Space Black and silver.
Prices start at $1699 for the 11-inch model while the 13-inch version starts at $2199 – which is more than the entry level MacBook Air. For many people, the buying decision for an iPad Pro may not be which iPad but whether to buy an iPad Pro or a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro.
| 11-inch Wi-Fi | 11-inch Wi-Fi + Cellular | 13-inch Wi-Fi | 13-inch Wi-Fi + Cellular | |
| 256GB | $1699 | $2049 | $2199 | $2549 |
| 512GB | $2049 | $2399 | $2549 | $2899 |
| 1TB | $2749 | $3099 | $3249 | $3599 |
| 2TB | $3449 | $3799 | $3949 | $4299 |
Just to maker things slightly more complicated, the 1TB and 2TB versions of the iPad Pro also come with options for Standard glass and Nono-texture glass. The Nano-texture glass, according to Apple, is “perfect for high-end, colour-managed workflows, or viewing in the most demanding ambient lighting environments.”
My advice is to look at both in an Apple Store or reseller and decide if the extra $180 is worth it for you.
iPad mini
I really love the iPad mini and have owned a few but it often feels like the forgotten member of the iPad family. A look back through the release history shows that the last few releases were three or four years apart. With the most recent release coming in October 2024, now seems like a reasonable time to buy an iPad mini if it suits your needs as there’s little danger of it being superseded any time soon.
I think the iPad mini, paired with an Apple Pencil, makes a perfect replacement for a pen-and-paper notebook and is great for watching movies or reading e-books. While it’s not really suited as a productivity tool – the 8.3-inch display limits its usefulness – it’s handy for dashing out a quick email or reviewing documents.
The iPad mini comes in four colors: Space Grey, blue, purple and Starlight. There are three storage options: 128GB, 256GB and 512GB.
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi + Cellular | |
| 128GB | $799 | $1049 |
| 256GB | $979 | $1299 |
| 512GB | $1329 | $1579 |
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.