The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right IPad for Gift
So, someone in your life wants an iPad. Sounds simple enough until you take a look at Apple’s website and realize that the company currently sells five different iPads, one of which is simply called the “iPad.” With the iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad Pro, and iPad competing for your money, how are you supposed to know which gifts to give and which ones to skip?
iPad is the iPad for most people
If you browse Apple’s website, you will see many iPads, but only one called simply iPad . Of course, this is confusing and probably exacerbates not knowing which iPad model to buy for whoever asks for it. It is also called the iPad 9 because it is the ninth generation iPad, and the 10.2-inch iPad because it has a 10.2-inch display.
Apple’s “iPad” is the cheapest. At $ 329, it is $ 170 cheaper than the iPad mini. It is powered by the A13 Bionic, the same chip found in the iPhone 11 series, and has the aforementioned 10.2-inch display. The iPad has a reputation for being a “cheap” tablet among tech geeks. Other iPads are faster, have better displays and cameras, and have a more modern form factor (this iPad still has a Home button).
But here’s the thing: For most people, a simple iPad is more than enough. The iPad display may not be the brightest, have the highest contrast, or the best colors, but it’s a great display nonetheless. It’s just over 10 inches in size, so it’s great for a lot of different use cases. This screen makes it easy to watch movies, read the news, or even act as a second display for your Mac.
Plus, this iPad supports the first generation Apple Pencil (make sure you buy the right one!) And Apple’s Smart Keyboard Case. The redesigned front camera is great for video calling and supports the awesome Apple Center Stage feature that tracks your face during virtual meetings.
If you have a little more space in your budget, consider bumping storage sizes up to 256GB. At $ 479, it’s still cheaper than the 64GB iPad mini, and you quadruple your storage.
The only feature you really can’t get on iPad is 5G. Cellular models for most other iPads currently support 5G, so if that’s important to the person you’re buying for, this iPad isn’t for them. However, if you’re only looking at an iPad with Wi-Fi, then you shouldn’t even think about it.
In short, this is the iPad. It cuts corners in areas that only niche audiences really care about. For most people, this iPad will do whatever they want an iPad to do, and maybe more. It is rare to see a “budget” version of an expensive tech product that is as competent and useful as an iPad, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who doesn’t need the extra features we’ll cover below.
iPad mini – iPad for e-book readers and those on the go
The iPad mini has always been an interesting tablet. Its small form factor makes it ideal for travel, portability, and reading, so much so I bet it’s the iPad that takes most of the Amazon Kindle’s business – at least from the more traditional models.
But for a long time, iPad mini was a bit dated. It kept the same design for a long time, which prevented power users from taking it seriously. Apple changed that this year with the release of the iPad mini, which basically looks like a mini iPad Air. Honestly, they could call it the iPad Air mini and get away with it.
The latest iPad mini is fantastic. It’s powered by the A15 chipset from the iPhone 13 lineup, which means it’s fast and will have a long-term support. Apple currently supports my iPad Air 2, which came out in 2014, so you can expect the 2021 A15 chip to be supported until at least 2028 (and hopefully longer).
IPad mini has a great 8.3-inch screen with a wide P3 color display. This means that colors will stand out more on iPad mini than on iPad 9. However, you must remember that there are almost two inches of difference in size between tablet displays. The iPad mini may not work for people who want to multitask on their tablet or use it as another display. While you can certainly do both on iPad mini, it can feel a little cramped, especially compared to the 10.2-inch display on iPad 9.
That’s why, despite all the benefits of iPad mini, we recommend it most to people who are going to use it on the road or who want to find a compromise between a phone and a tablet. For larger tablet needs, there is obviously the less expensive iPad 9, but there is also …
iPad Air – iPad for those stuck in the middle
The current iPad Air is a mystery. When it was first released, it was truly the best iPad ever. The base iPad wasn’t as powerful as the current iPad, and the iPad Pros were expensive . However, this iPad Air was a powerful, gorgeous, and great display at a reasonable price. How could you go wrong?
Sadly, the 2021 holiday season found the iPad Air in a strange place. Considering the iPad 9 is so good for its price point, and the iPad mini fills those holes a bit, the iPad Air can be a tough $ 600 sale.
But here’s what I want to say: iPad Air is the best iPad for those who want more features than the iPad 9 but don’t find the smaller iPad mini form factor useful. Anyone looking for a larger screen for watching movies, multitasking or other general use, as well as the P3’s beautiful, wide color display with a modern design, will find the iPad Air that best suits their needs.
However, keep in mind that the iPad Air, while $ 100 more than the mini, is actually slower. It uses the A14 chip, while the iPad mini uses the A15 chip. It’s not that big of a deal (we endorsed the A13 entirely on the iPad after all), but it should be kept in mind when comparing the pros and cons of these machines. Not to mention, the Air doesn’t have mini 5G capabilities if you’re looking at cellular models.
11-inch iPad Pro – the iPad for most power users
Apple has lived up to the ‘Pro’ title lately, and the latest iPad Pros are no exception. In 2021, Apple decided to provide these iPads with the same M1 chip found in the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, Mac mini and iMac, although unfortunately the iPad Pro cannot run macOS (the guy can dream).
Just like the iPad 9 is the iPad for most people, the 11-inch iPad Pro is the iPad for most power users. It starts at $ 800, which is clearly expensive. But it’s not the most expensive iPad Apple makes, and for $ 800, you get a lot for your money.
This is the second cheapest way to get your hands on an M1 chip, for example (right after the $ 699 Mac mini). It has a great dual-camera setup (including the ultra-wide-angle shooter found on the latest iPhones), features a 120Hz high refresh rate display, and, in addition to offering 128GB in the base model, it has the best microphones and speakers. any iPad.
It’s also compatible with the Apple Smart Keyboard Folio, which, while expensive, packs a Magic Keyboard and trackpad into a single case (let’s talk about convenience). Honestly, you can use the smart keyboard with iPad 9 and just connect the Magic Trackpad to iPad for a similar effect, but only the iPad Pro gives you the whole package in one Apple case.
iPad Pro 12.9-inch – iPad for the best
God, if I practiced what I preached. For what I need an iPad for, I have to buy an iPad 9. Hell, I could get by with the 64GB model. $ 329 is all I need to get my Apple tablet running. And still …
Apple’s 12.9-inch iPad Pro is fantastic, expensive, the best of the best iPads. Not only do you get all the great features we’ve listed with the 11-inch Pro, you also get my favorite feature: the Liquid Retina XDR mini LED display.
The mini LED display is the biggest step forward for iPad displays in a long time. Unlike all other iPad displays that use a single backlight to illuminate the display, the iPad Pro’s 12.9-inch display contains 10,000 mini-LEDs, which also contain 2,500 “local dimming zones.” In short, these zones can only illuminate the parts of the display that you want to activate.
The result is the most contrasty display you can find on an iPad. If you are watching a movie and there are black bars at the top and bottom of the movie, they will be completely black. In the dark, they disappear completely, so you only watch your movie. This applies to all dark elements of the display, but it is for this feature that I love OLED and mini LED screens.
If you’re not the type to care about displays this way, you might not notice the effect unless you’re using two iPads side by side. This is an amazing difference, I promise, that movie buffs and tech fans alike love to see on the iPad.
However, let me be clear: this is not the iPad that most people need. With a starting price of $ 1,100, it is aimed at professionals who want the largest display possible, as well as people who love the highest quality displays. I fall into the second category, so if anyone has a North Pole connection I would like to get in touch.