The best iPad to buy in 2026: I've tested them all and there's one clear winner

Screen size: 10.9 inches | Storage: Starting at 128GB | Rated battery life: 10 hours | Connectivity: Wi-Fi (cellular 4G/5G optional) | Warranty: 1 year

There's a little prestidigitation at work in the latest iPad, starting with nomenclature: Although it's the 11th generation of this model, Apple is no longer referring to it as such. Instead, it's the "iPad (A16)," the parenthetical referring to the A16 processor that's the brains behind the operation.

Similarly, no more calling this the "iPad 10.9" in reference to its screen size. It still has a 10.9-inch screen, mind you — the same Liquid Retina beauty as before — but Apple is now rounding up and referring to it as an 11-inch.

Indeed, to look at this year's iPad is to see last year's; they're physically identical, including the four color choices — blue, pink, silver and yellow — and they're able to use the impressive Apple Pencil stylus (sold separately, of course).

The two notable changes are internal: The A16 chip (which Apple says delivers "a big jump in performance") and the 128GB of storage in the base model. That's double the amount in the 10th-gen iPad, yet Apple kept the starting price at $349. That's an unexpected and pleasant surprise given the 40% price jump in the recent new entry-level iPhone, the 16e.

So. The new iPad is faster and has twice the storage for the same price. This is a good time to mention that I'm on record calling the previous iPad the top pick for most tablet buyers. It's a ridiculously capable device, more or less on par with an iPhone, but with a much larger screen.

Needless to say, that opinion is unchanged. I never found the last model to be slow in any way — quite the opposite — so the processor bump doesn't excite me much. The extra gigabytes, however, represent a big win. That's a lot more space for games, movies, recorded videos and the like.

Of course, you still have the option of adding cellular to the mix, though it adds a hefty $149 to the price of whatever model you choose. (The Wi-Fi-only iPad is $449 with 256GB, $649 with 512GB.) There's also the monthly cost of cellular service, but that's to be expected. Very few competing tablets offer this capability at all. 

There's one fairly surprising thing missing from the iPad (A16), and that's Apple Intelligence. This integrated suite of AI tools can summarize emails, improve your writing, generate custom images and more; it also includes an upgraded Siri.

That makes this the only current Apple device with a screen to lacks the company's next-gen smarts. That said, some would argue Apple Intelligence — in its current, not-fully-realized form, anyway — is nice to have, but hardly essential.

I'm in that camp. If you agree, then I can easily, wholeheartedly recommend this iPad. It's beautiful to look at, affordably priced and arguably more versatile than any competing tablet. 

Screen size: 8.3 inches | Storage: Starting at 128GB | Rated battery life: 10 hours | Connectivity: Wi-Fi (cellular 4G/5G optional) | Warranty: 1 year

You'd think that a smaller iPad with an 8-inch screen would cost less than one with a 10.9-inch screen (namely, the iPad (A16)). You'd be wrong. It's hard to understand Apple's reasoning toward the iPad Mini's pricing, which is significantly higher than the larger model's.

That said, this is such a splendid little tablet that you might be willing to overlook the disparity. The main appeals: portability and comfort. The Mini slips more easily into your favorite bag and feels more comfortable to hold for long periods, like when reading a book. It weighs just over 10 ounces, while the iPad 10.9 tips the scales at just over a pound.

The Mini boasts a glorious Liquid Retina screen, great front and rear cameras, a fast processor and support for both the Apple Pencil (USB) and Apple Pencil Pro (in case you want to jot notes or create art on the go). The base model now includes 128GB of storage, double that of its predecessor, but thankfully that didn't come with a price increase.

Similarly, the new A17 Pro processor is supported by twice as much RAM as before (8GB). Other improvements include newer wireless protocols (Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E), a faster USB-C port (Gen 2) and support for Apple Intelligence.

All these amenities could make the Mini a stealth pick for students, who can leverage Apple Intelligence for writing assistance, the Pencil for note-taking and the fast processor for heavy-lift class assignments. (That said, we still like the iPad Air best for students; see below.)

Personally, the iPad Mini is what I reach for when I travel, as it affords me access to all the e-book apps I use, plus lets me watch movies and TV shows on a larger screen — all while consuming precious little space in my carry-on. While I wish Apple offered it at a more size-appropriate price, I can't deny my love for this tiny tablet.

Screen size: 11 or 13 inches | Storage: Starting at 128GB | Rated battery life: 10 hours | Connectivity: Wi-Fi (cellular 4G/5G optional) | Warranty: 1 year

Like the iPad (A16), the iPad Air is now also known by its processor-based suffix. The M3 is, unsurprisingly, faster than its M2 predecessor, though it's harder to quantify any real-world advantages; the older model was already plenty fast. Indeed, this is arguably the most iterative iPad update in Apple history; other than the chip, there's nothing new here.

That said, we still consider this a top pick for students, and here's why: It's great for note-taking, as it supports the Apple Pencil 2, and it's more affordable than the Pro and weighs just a few grams more. Plus, it delivers more horsepower than the base-model iPad, which could prove helpful for things like coding and design work. It definitely nets you strong multitasking support (courtesy of Stage Manager), something you can't get from the A16 chip.

You also get Apple Intelligence features, which I've found to be of mixed value overall but could certainly help with student-oriented endeavors (writing, editing, etc.). And it's available in both 11- and 13-inch sizes, the latter a nice option as a potential laptop replacement.

Screen size: 11 or 13 inches | Storage: Starting at 256GB | Rated battery life: 10 hours | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7 (cellular 5G optional) | Warranty: 1 year

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.

For example, it can do LiDAR (light detection and ranging) scanning, a sophisticated method of measurement that can help create 3D models. It has an OLED screen that should reproduce colors with the greatest possible accuracy (and vibrancy) — though if I'm being honest I found it all but indistinguishable from other iPads' LCDs, at least for everyday tasks.

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, Safari, etc.) but could prove very valuable if you're rendering video or putting AI tools through their paces. 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.

In fact, the recent introduction of iPadOS 26 allows for "real" multitasking in the form of resizable windows, lending this a more MacBook-like look and feel. Read my full iPad Pro (M5) review to learn more about that and the tablet itself.

Also, you might still be able to get a deal on the M4-powered iPad Pro, which is all but identical to the M5 (and plenty fast for most users).