Apple has announced the new 2021 models of the iPad and iPad Mini. These upcoming devices offer sizable upgrades over their previous iterations, and all for the same price. So if you're in the market for a new entry-level or mini tablet, these are the ones to get. You can preorder them now to receive them on their release date of September 24.
2021 Apple iPad Preorder
- Get it at Amazon – $329.99
- Get it at Apple – $329.99
- Get it at Best Buy – $39.99
- Get it at Walmart – $299
2021 Apple iPad Mini Preorder
- Get it at Amazon – $499.99
- Get it at Apple – $499.99
- Get it at Best Buy – $499.99
iPad (2021 Model) Specs
The baseline iPad is the most affordable tablet in Apple's lineup. That also means it has the fewest fancy features, but if you only need it for things like web browsing, media streaming, ebook reading, email deleting, and social media scrolling, it's fully up to those tasks.
This year's model sports a 10.2-inch Retina display, with True Tone so the colors always look good, no matter what kind of light you're viewing it in. It's powered by Apple's A13 Bionic chip, which the company says is 20% faster than the previous model.
Perhaps the biggest update is the 12-megapixel ultra-wide front camera. This will make your FaceTime and Zoom calls look better. It also has Center Stage, a technology that makes the camera follow you as you move around in the frame, and zoom out as more people enter the view.
It works with the same accessories as the previous model, including the first-gen Apple Pencil. And it ships with iPad OS 15. The baseline model sports 64GB of storage and costs $329.
iPad Mini (2021 Model) Specs
Despite its smaller size, the new 2021 iPad Mini is even more powerful than the standard iPad, thanks to the new A15 Bionic chip. It also has a new form factor that does away with the home button, moving the Touch ID sensor to the power button on the side. And although it has the same footprint as the previous model, it has a bigger 8.3-inch display (compared to 7.9-inches).
And instead of a Lightning port, the new model has a USB-C port, which enables much faster file transfers, plus lets you connect a whole bunch of accessories. Both the front and rear camera are 12 megapixels, and the front one also features Center Stage. Additionally, it has a new speaker system that offers stereo when used in landscape.
This iPad Mini works with the second-generation Apple Pencil, which connects magnetically to the side of the device for storage and charging. The Wi-Fi + cellular models support 5G.
The 2021 iPad Mini is available to preorder now, starting at $499.99. It comes in four colors: purple, pink, starlight, and space gray.
As with most new iPad models, there's no good reason to buy an older one, unless you can get it at a significantly lower price than the newer ones.
Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed.