How to find the cheapest iPads

If you’re on a budget though, they are not particularly cheap. Apple tend to have strict price controls and don’t offer much in the way of discounts themselves. Other retailers tend to stick to the Apple price protocol so often there isn’t much room for manoeuvre on the prices.

It’s worth bearing in mind that there are other tablets that tend to be cheaper than iPads. However, if you have set your heart on having an iPad, then here’s some tips for trying to secure a discount and/or some other kind of deal.

We’ll be looking at Wi-Fi only iPads. This is the simplest way to buy an iPad as you don’t need to think about network issues or buying a SIM for your iPad. You will simply be using the iPad at home on your home Wi-Fi. The four iPads are available here: https://www.apple.com/uk/ipad/

1. iPad

The cheapest option is the iPad currently retailing at £319 for the 32 GB option on the Apple website. It goes up to £439 for the 4G compatible model. This is the standard model which is good for browsing the web and standard internet applications. It’s still a little bulky so best used at home. It doesn’t have the processing power of the other iPads as you will see.

2. iPad Mini

The iPad Mini is more expensive with prices starting at £479 but it does have more processing power with its new A15 bionic chip. It starts at 64GB and goes up to a massive 256GB so there’s plenty of storage space on the device. Given its smaller size, it’s great for using on the move so you might want to consider buying a SIM package for it.

3. iPad Air

The iPad Air is a premium product and supports the “magic keyboard” and Apple Pen. Being able to attach the keyboard can turn it into a laptop with extra processing power. Prices start at £579. Here’s a review of the iPad Air that will run through all the technical bits you need to know and sets out its case for why it considers that this is the best iPad.

4. iPad Pro

Finally, there is the iPad Pro, the top of the range iPad which starts at £999 for 128GB of storage and goes all the way up to a cool £2,149 for 2TB of storage for the Wi-Fi and 5G version! Imagine 2TB of storage in an iPad! It’s considered great for creatives with all that processing power being suitable for editing photos and videos. It is effectively a laptop once you attach Apple’s magic keyboard.

Discounts

As mentioned though, there are very few discounts to be had and the price doesn’t vary much. It’s always worth checking to see if there are any voucher codes out there by Googling it. Online retailers such as Amazon can be cheaper so always worth having a look there too.
John Lewis is often the same price as Amazon but it is worth bearing in mind that they have an extended 2-year warranty on their electrical items. So, if the price is the same, there is an advantage to buying it at John Lewis.

Other options to secure a discount are:

If you have an older iPad that you are replacing because it is on an old operating system that is no longer updating, you could save money by trading in your old iPad. Answer a few questions on the Apple website about the condition of your iPad and you could receive a discount on the new one.
Students, their parents and teachers can take advantage of the Apple Education Scheme. Apple promises you will save with education pricing and is currently offering free Airpods although discounts have been given out in the past. It’s better than nothing so if you have the qualifying documentation, (proof that you have enrolled at university) then this could be a good option for you. https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/education- pricing?afid=p239%7C29857&cid=aos-uk-aff-ir
Apple sells refurbished iPads on its website so this is a good option to make big savings. They are still backed by Apple’s 12-month warranty and we hear that they are as good as new. Apple says they have scratches but they do have a new battery and come with all accessories, manuals and in Apple packaging. At the time of writing this, the Apple website had up to £200 off various models of iPads!

We hope that helps you decide which iPad is best for you as well as the best ways to secure discounts on the product. Happy surfing!