Is Apple's cheapest iPad the best tablet we've tested?

Apple has already released two iPads in 2025. This includes the seventh iPad Air range (£599) with luxurious specifications and an updated chipset. But we were most excited to test its cheaper release (£329) to see if it can live up to the excellence we expect from Apple at any price.

Find out if Apple's cheapest iPad (2025) can keep up, and discover which iPad you should buy.

Compare all The best iPads for 2025 in our in-depth guide.

Apple's cheapest iPad 2025: what's new?

The latest 11-inch iPad (2025) is an upgrade of the 2022 version while launching for £170 less.

When Apple's mid-range smartphone – the iPhone 16E – launched for £179 more than the previous iPhone SE, we had almost lost hope that Apple would release a cheaper tablet. But the new iPad (2025) has some exciting specs and plenty of power for anyone looking to mainly browse the web, respond to emails, play games or watch videos. 

Plus it should last the test of time, with long upgrades and robust materials, making the appealing price stretch even further.

This 'standard' iPad now runs on the A16 Bionic chip with 6GB of Ram, which is new for iPad but it's the same processor found in the iPhone 15. Apple has doubled the storage on the cheapest model (from 64GB to 128GB) and there are versions with 256GB and 512GB if you need more. It can connect to Wi-Fi 6 for speedy data transfers (though Wi-Fi 7 is now the fastest).

Though its list of upgrades isn't drastic, it's still an iPad with high-end features. The 10.9-inch screen has a high 2,360 x 1,640-pixel resolution. Cameras are often an afterthought on tablets, but they're powerful enough on this iPad to take 4K videos.

Any drawbacks?

Now onto the downsides, but there are fewer than you might think. 

The main one is that you don't get Apple Intelligence, which are software features powered by AI technology. AI can proofread your text, rewrite text in a different tone, and summarise long pieces of writing to the main points you need to know. It also gives you the latest photo-editing abilities. 

Most people won't miss these, but if you're someone who wants their device to get all the latest software, then you'll have to choose a pricier iPad.

So is it the best iPad? No. But is it the best-value iPad? Probably.

Discover its battery life, screen quality, performance, and more in our expert review of the Apple 11-inch iPad (2025). It's a very popular iPad and has often been sold out at retailers since its release, but it will appear below when it's available.

How to choose which iPad is for you

There are four types of iPads to choose, ranging from £329 to over £1,000. You have the cheapest iPad (2025) above and three other variants: iPad Mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro. The iPad Air and Pro come with the choice of 11-inch or 13-inch displays.

Its important to think about how you're going to use your new iPad before deciding which to spend your money on. 

• The chip in the standard iPad is quick enough to handle the most popular tasks – like running apps for emails, online browsing, and popular games.
• An iPad Air costs nearly double the iPad, but gets you more power while keeping the portability of an iPad over a laptop.
• The iPad Mini is the most portable with its smaller stature.
• The iPad Pro's customer is in its name and it's equipped to run professional-level software. 

Find out more about the other iPads below, including the brand new iPad Air.

We've rounded up the best iPad and tablet deals so you don't have to.

What about the new iPad Air 2025?

The iPad Air 2025 has been released with an upgraded processor – Apple's M3. This is meant to boost its performance and handle running Apple Intelligence features more efficiently.

The release of two new iPad Airs in 2025 was a surprise, as Apple released the 2024 11-inch iPad Air and 2024 13-inch iPad Air less than a year ago. Although nice to have, the new processor in the 2025 Airs isn't a big enough upgrade for us to recommend buying it if you already have a 2024 model.

Read our iPad Air 2025 reviews hot off the press: the 11-inch iPad Air starts from £599 and the 13-inch iPad Air from £799. You can compare prices and click through to buy below.

There are plenty of tablets from Android brands too. Compare their features in Best tablets for 2025: tested and reviewed by experts 

Which other Apple iPads can you buy?

iPad Pro 2024

The iPad Pro is Apple's most advanced iPad. The latest iteration was released in 2024 and it hosts Apple's M4 processor with 8GB or a hefty 16GB of Ram, depending on which storage option you go for. It's a seriously premium processor and you get other high-end specs to match. 

But you only need it if you're going to use its full potential beyond the basics – think graphic-heavy gaming or 3D-modelling apps. 

iPad Mini (2024)

The iPad Mini has a more powerful processor than the iPad (2025). Its A17 Pro chipset with 8GB of Ram means it can run Apple Intelligence features, unlike the cheapest iPad. But you're really buying this iPad for its smaller size – it has an 8.4-inch screen.

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