The iPad is a portable device that has, arguably, brought computing to the masses in a way that most other technology platforms have failed to achieve. And, as it has grown in popularity, Apple has bolstered the range with four different options.
Here’s the Australian Apple News buying guide to help you choose the iPad that is best for you.
The iPad product strategy
Apple’s approach to the iPad has developed into a simple four product range. Three of those products fall into a ‘good, better, best’ with the fourth filling a specific niche.
- Good: iPad
- Better: iPad Air
- Best: iPad Pro
- Niche: iPad mini
Knowing where your needs fit in the product hierarchy will help make the right choice.
Who is the iPad for?
The entry level iPad comes with an 11-inch display and A16 chip. It’s available with three different storage options (128GB, 256GB and 512GB) and in silver, blue, pink or yellow. It supports the entry level Apple Pencil that charges via USB-C.
Now in its 11th version, it will support the next few releases of iPadOS. But as the amount of memory and the system chip are at the low end of what Apple offers, it does not support Apple Intelligence. While that might not be a deal breaker for many people, it may become a factor when Apple eventually gets its AI house in order.
The iPad will fit the needs of many people, It’s a great device for students as it supports annotating and drawing using the Apple Pencil and the bright colour options make it attractive.
People looking for a low-cost entry to the world of tablet computing, the iPad is a great option for reading email, web pages and e-books. The 11-inch display makes it a good size for watching movies and TV shows when relaxing in bed. It’s a solid travel companion that can be paired with a keyboard case for dashing out a few emails or working on documents.
In short, it’s hard to argue that it’s not a great bang-for-buck device for most consumers.
Prices start at $599 and max out at $1399 for 512GB of storage and cellular connectivity.
Apple’s iPad site: https://www.apple.com/au/ipad-11/.
Who is the iPad Air for?
The move up from the iPad to the iPad Air is substantial. Equipped with a powerful M3 processor and more system memory, the iPad Air supports Apple Intelligence and will have enough grunt to support the needs of most power users for several years. As an indication, my three-year-old iPad Pro with an M1 chip works well with the iPadOS 26 (currently in beta).
Although the iPad Air offers an 11-inch display like the iPad, it offers better colour range. And there’s also a 13-inch option if you’re thinking of using the iPad as an alternative to a laptop.
The iPad Air is available with four different storage options adding a 1TB option to three offered by the iPad) and in Space Grey, blue, purple or Starlight. It supports the Apple Pencil Pro which charges by magnetically attaching to the side of the iPad as well as the entry level Apple Pencil that charges via USB-C.
For those who need an Apple Pencil, support for the Apple Pencil Pro is likely a big deal. As well as the Pro pencil’s superior functionality of the USB-C option, the ability to charge more conveniently, will be a big deal.
As the tweener in the iPad range, the iPad Air sits in an interesting position, Power users with deep pockets will probably look at the iPad Pro while the budget conscious may be likely to settle for the iPad despite its compromises when it comes to CPU power and, possibly, long-time software support.
Given the iPad Air’s superior specifications, the iPad Air is a great option for mobile professionals who need a powerful machine that will support AI applications for several more years.
Prices for the 11-inch model start at $999 and max out at $2149 for 1TB of storage and cellular connectivity.
Prices for the 13-inch model start at $1349 and max out at $2499 for 1TB of storage and cellular connectivity.
Apple’s iPad Air site: https://www.apple.com/au/ipad-air/
Who is the iPad Pro for?
The iPad Pro is probably not the iPad most of us need. But it will be the iPad many people want simply because it packs in every feature Apple offers.
Display tech moves up from the Liquid Retina displays in the iPad and iPad Air to Ultra Retina XDR with ProMotion (Apple’s way of saying faster refresh rate) with options for nano-texture glass to reduce glare on the 1TB and 2TB models. And processing power is boosted further with an M4 system on a chip.
The camera tech also gets a boost with TrueDepth on the front and ProRes at the back. ProRes is a higher-quality video format while TrueDepth is needed for FaceID – the iPad, iPad Air and iPad mini support TouchID.
Media playback also gets a boost. Not only is the iPad Pro display superior to the rest of the range but its four-speaker system sounds markedly better than the rest of the range.
All of that contributes to the $700 price bump of the iPad Pro over the iPad Air.
The iPad Pro was the first iPad to come with a 13-inch option to complement the 11-inch version.
When you put all that together, it’s clear the iPad Por is not intended to be Apple’s most-purchased iPad. If you’re into image or video editing, you’re the target market for the iPad Pro. The combination of faster processing, superior screen tech and better video processing are not about enhancing word precessing, email or web browsing. The other iPads have that covered.
The iPad Pro is for professionals with very specific needs.
Prices for the 11-inch model start at $1699 and max out at $3999 for 2TB of storage, cellular connectivity and Nano-texture glass.
Prices for the 13-inch model start at $2199 and max out at $4149 for 2TB of storage, cellular connectivity and Nano-texture glass.
Apple’s iPad Pro site: https://www.apple.com/au/ipad-pro/
Who is the iPad mini for?
The iPad mini, in my view, sits outside the core of the iPad range. It fulfils a specific niche for people that want a great tablet computer but want to avoid the size of 11-inch or 13-inch models.
With its 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, the iPad mini is compact but doesn’t skimp on many of the features its larger stablemates offer.
Apple has powered the iPad mini with an A17 Pro chip and enough system memory to support Apple Intelligence. It has the same camera tech you’ll find in the iPad and iPad Air and supports the Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C) making it a handy replacement for a pen and notepad. If you spring for the Apple Pencil Pro, it pairs, charges and stores magnetically on the side of the iPad mini.
It comes in the same four colours as the iPad Air (Space Grey, blue, purple or Starlight) with options for 128GB, 256GB and 512GB of storage. Like all other iPads, it comes with with either Wi-Fi only or you can add cellular data for an extra $250.
Unlike the other iPads, Apple doesn’t sell a keyboard case although you’ll find options online if that’s something you need. But, in my experience, keyboards that are that small are a pain to use.
Now in its seventh version, the iPad mini can be used with a Bluetooth keyboard and connected to an external display if you really need to use it for ‘serious’ work. The iPad mini, because of its small size, is best suited as a consumption device. For travellers, it’s a great tool reading, tapping out the odd email using the on-screen keyboard, and watching movies and TV shows.
Prices for the iPad mini start at $799 and max out at $1599 for 512GB of storage and cellular connectivity.
Apple’s iPad mini site: https://www.apple.com/au/ipad-mini/
Summary of the iPad range technical specifications
| iPad | iPad Air 11-inch | iPad Air 13-inch | iPad Pro 11-inch | iPad Pro 13-inch | iPad mini | |
| Size (mm) | 248.6 x 179.5 x 7 | 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1 | 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.1 | 249.7 x 177.5 x 5.3 | 281.6 x 215.5 x 5.1 | 195.4 x 134.8 x 6.3 |
| Weight (g) | 477 | 460 | 616 | 444 | 579 | 293 |
| Processor | A16 | M3 | M3 | M4 | M4 | A17 Pro |
| Front camera | 12MP Centre Stage camera | 12MP Centre Stage camera | 12MP Centre Stage camera | 12MP Centre Stage camera | 12MP Centre Stage camera | 12MP Centre Stage camera |
| Rear camera | 12MP Wide camera | 12MP Wide camera | 12MP Wide camera | 12MP Wide camera | 12MP Wide camera | 12MP Wide camera |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Display | 2360 x 1640 at 264 ppi LED-backlit with IPS technology True Tone | 2360 x 1640 at 264 ppi LED backlit Wide colour (P3) True Tone | 2732 x 2048 at 264 ppi LED backlit Wide colour (P3) True Tone | 2420 x 1668 at 264 ppi ProMotion Wide colour (P3) True Tone | 2752 x 2064 at 264 ppi ProMotion Wide colour (P3) True Tone | 2266 x 1488 at 326 ppi |
| Apple Intelligence | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pencil support | USB-C | Pro and USB-C | Pro and USB-C | Pro and USB-C | Pro and USB-C | Pro and USB-C |
| Colours | silver, blue, pink, yellow | Space Grey, blue, purple or Starlight | Space Grey, blue, purple or Starlight | Silver, Black | Silver, Black | Space Grey, blue, purple or Starlight |