The Best IPad for Most People Is $120 Off on Prime Day
Prime Day 2025 runs from Tuesday, July 8 through Friday, July 11, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price tracking tools.
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New to Prime Day? We’ve got the lowdown on everything you need to know . Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change.
The iPad Air is the middle child of the iPad lineup and the perfect iPad for most people. The regular iPad is great for kids and basic use, and the iPad Pro is frankly overkill with its dual OLED screen and $1,000 price tag. The iPad Air sits comfortably in the middle, offering everything you need from an iPad at a better price than the Pro. Speaking of price, the M3 iPad Air is currently on sale for Prime Day at its lowest price since its release in March.
You can buy a base 128GB iPad Air for $479.99 on Prime Day . (This price only applies to Amazon Prime members, as the regular price is $499.) That’s the lowest price I’ve seen for the M3 iPad Air, as it’s usually around $499.
The M3 iPad Air is a tablet worth buying
If you’re looking for a new iPad as a creator, student, or professional, the iPad Air should be at the top of your list. While Apple reserves its top-end specs like the M4 processor, 12GB of RAM, OLED display, and 120Hz refresh rate for the iPad Pro, that tablet also starts at $999 (though it’s down to $899 on Prime Day). The iPad Air costs just over half that amount, and is pretty close.
When it first came out, Lifehacker tech editor Jake Peterson recommended you skip the M3 iPad Air and buy the M2 iPad Air instead. There are subtle differences between the two models, and the M2 was available for a lower price. That Prime Day price, however, makes the newest iPad Air quite reasonable — especially now that iPadOS 26 is coming this fall , bringing support for macOS-like multi-window mode. The M3 chip will be able to take full advantage of the new multitasking environment, so if you’re interested in using your iPad like a Mac, this is the iPad for you.
With 8GB of RAM, the tablet also supports Apple Intelligence and related AI features. It features an 11-inch display and supports Touch ID. PCMag reports that “despite this modest upgrade, the iPad Air remains the best choice for students and creators who want a powerful tablet at an affordable price, enough to earn the iPad Air an Editors’ Choice award.”
The iPad mini also gets a big discount
If you need more space, the 11-inch iPad Air with 256GB is on sale for $579 (down from $699). And if you’re looking for a bigger size, the 13-inch iPad Air is also on sale for $679 (down from $799).
Interestingly, Prime Day also marks the first big discount on the newest iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip . The new iPad mini is fast, supports Apple Intelligence, and even the new Multi-Window feature in iPadOS 26. You can get it for just $379 instead of the usual $499 — a $120 discount.
Looking for something else? Retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, and Home Depot are running Prime Day sales that are especially helpful if you don’t have Amazon Prime.
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Walmart’s Prime Day sale starts at midnight on July 8 and includes discounts of up to 50% . It’s an especially good option if you have Walmart+.
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Best Buy’s Prime Day sale , “Black Friday in July,” runs through Sunday, July 13, and offers some of the best tech sales online . It’s an especially good option if you’re a My Best Buy “Plus” or “Total” member.
Home Depot has extended its July 4 sale through at least July 9, competing with some of its own great deals . It’s a particularly good option if you’re looking for power tools, appliances, or outdoor gear.