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FINDING THE BEST iPad should be simple. You get whatever’s new, right? If only. Apple sells four main iPad models in varying sizes, each with its own strengths. In addition, a growing number of older iPads are floating around the eBays of the world. Since all these devices largely look the same, it’s important to know what you’re buying and what you should pay for it. This guide covers the iPad models currently available, what’s coming up, the key differences between them, and the older versions that are still in use (including those you should avoid at any price). I also break down which Apple Pencil and accessories to pair with your device.
Updated June 2026: I've included information on the new software release, iPadOS 27. I've also added some extra context on future iPad releases and a new iPad accessory I tested.
Which iPad Do You Own?
There are tons of iPads out in the world, and it can be tough to figure out exactly what model you own if you're thinking of selling it or you're
looking for accessories and want to make sure they'll work with your iPad. Apple also doesn't name its slates sequentially as it does with the iPhone, only adding to the confusion. No matter. Finding your model is simple.
- Look at the back of your iPad. Etched on the back cover, near where it says "Designed by Apple in California," should be a model number starting with the letter A.
- Head to
this website from Apple. Look for your corresponding model number, and that's it! You found your iPad model. (Pro tip: Use your browser's "Find in Page" function to type in your model number and find it quickly.)
Accessory makers usually indicate which iPad a case, folio, or keyboard cover is designed to work with. If you see a retailer mentioning a specific generation or processor, this is Apple's current lineup:
Is Now a Good Time to Buy?
Yes. The iPad Air was updated to the M4 in March of 2026, while the
base iPad and iPad Pro were both refreshed in 2025. Most people should buy one of those, and they're perfectly great options. There were initial reports that the base iPad would get updated this spring as well, moving up to the A18 chip to give it Apple Intelligence features for the first time. It didn't come to fruition, though, so the next likely launch time is this fall.
Apple's
iPad Pro, powered by the M5 chip, launched in October 2025; it's the most recent model. You can either opt for the latest or find the M4 iPad Pro on sale. At the earliest, we'll see the iPad Pro get updated alongside the M6 chip this fall. Some reports have indicated that the M6 may get delayed until 2027, which would also delay the iPad Pro.
Lastly, the
iPad Mini is the oldest at this point, updated in late 2024. If the reports end up being true and the iPad Mini does get upgraded later this year, this will be the biggest iPad update of the year, as it would see an upgrade to OLED for the first time.
iPadOS 27 Finally Takes Siri Seriously
iPadOS 27 was announced at WWDC, and the focus was all on Siri. It introduces not only a dedicated Siri AI app based on the world knowledge and context of Google Gemini, but also highly improved integration with apps like Camera, Mail, Photos, Messages, Calendar, and more. The most interesting of these AI features is Shortcuts, which now lets you create an automated task using natural language that can trigger actions across multiple apps.
It also refines the highly controversial Liquid Glass redesign from last year's iPadOS 26, adding a slider in Settings to change the opaqueness of the transparency. Other notable changes in this year's upcoming software update include
faster, more efficient performance, user-made Custom Extensions that can be created through natural language, custom EQ with AirPods, dramatically extended parental controls, and lots more. Here are the iPads compatible with iPadOS 27:
- iPad: 9th Generation and later
- iPad Mini: 6th Generation
- iPad Air: (11-inch, 4th Generation, M2, M3, M4)
- iPad Pro: (11-inch 2nd Gen and later, 12.9-inch 4th Gen and later, M4 and later)
The public beta for iPadOS 27 will be out in July, with an official release coming this fall. The current version of iPadOS is
iPadOS 26, which officially arrived in September 2025 and brought a whole new multitasking experience: windowed apps. Like a Mac, you can now resize apps on your iPad and have multiple floating windows, bringing it closer to a desktop-like experience than ever before. First, here are the iPads compatible with iPadOS 26:
- iPad: 8th Generation and later, including A16
- iPad Mini: 5th Generation and later, including A17 Pro
- iPad Air: 3rd Generation and later, including M2, M3, and M4
- iPad Pro 11-inch: 1st Generation and later
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch: 3rd Generation and later
- iPad Pro: M4 and M5
I encourage you to play around with windowed apps; there are even native window tiling options. Flick an app to the left or right to snap it to the side for easy split-screen. The traffic-light buttons from macOS are available here, so you can quickly minimize or make apps full screen (or close them). You can group apps together, and a swipe up and hold will reveal all of them in Exposé mode. Apple even brought over the menu bar from macOS, and you can pull it down from the top of any app.
Importantly, background tasks like rendering in a video app work in the background, so you can start an export, leave the app, and it'll still do the job while you scroll through Instagram (the app has to support this feature first). iPadOS 26 is a significant update that will make your compatible iPad feel like new, especially if you have wanted to use it for work but found it a little lacking.
Avoid These iPads
The iPad Mini 1 through 6 and iPad 1 through 10 have low-resolution, pixelated screens or are just too old. Forget buying one of the old 2014 iPad Air 1 or 2015 Air 2—those are too long in the tooth. Just don’t. Yes, money is tight, but your sanity is important. There’s a chance an older iPad could perform decently, but unless someone is giving you one for free, try to hunt for a newer model. Many of the older iPads no longer receive software updates, and they'll seem quite slow compared to your phone and your computer. I would avoid purchasing an iPad that came out before 2020.
Peruse our
Best Tablets or Best Android Tablets guides for ideas if you don't want to spend a lot. If you’re buying something for a child to use, our Best Kids' Tablets guide has good options with kid-friendly features and parental controls. T
Should You Buy an Older iPad Pro?
Apple has always packed a little extra into its iPad Pro tablets. It's still totally fine to buy the
iPad Pro M4, iPad Pro M2, or the iPad Pro M1 if you can find them, but just make sure you're not paying close to MSRP. If it's close to what you would pay for a brand-new M5 iPad Pro, it's not worth it. These models are all powerful and match the current Pro slates in many ways; they also work with the first-generation Magic Keyboard with Trackpad. But again, cross-check prices with current models.
Older iPad Pro models,
like the models from 2018 or 2020, are not worth buying (if they're even available). They're just too old.
Which iPads Support Apple Intelligence?
Apple has been on a tirade touting
Apple Intelligence, a suite of artificial intelligence features available in select hardware across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. We break down many of the new Apple Intelligence features here if you'd like to learn more. Unfortunately, it’s not available on all iPad models. The following iPads support Apple Intelligence:
- iPad Mini (A17 Pro)
- iPad Air (M1, M2, M3, M4)
- iPad Pro (M1, M2, M4, M5)
iPad or MacBook?
Here's how I think about choosing between the two—at least as a starting place. The iPad is for entertainment and content consumption first, while the MacBook is for work, school, and content creation. Both devices can be used in either setting, especially as Apple expands its product lines. But they thrive in those use cases. That's why iPads work so well for kids and retired folks, as their hard computing needs are decreased. That's also why the base iPad works so well as a secondary device to pair alongside your MacBook. There's a reason bringing an iPad on vacation feels so much more appropriate than bringing your MacBook.
The iPad Pro is the biggest outlier here, as it is truly designed as a pro-level content-creation device. There is a demographic out there that has a use for its tandem OLED display, faster ports, and M5-level graphics, but it's a much smaller niche. The introduction of multitasking features in iPadOS 26 makes it even more capable.
Which Apple Pencil Should You Buy?
The Apple Pencil is a must-have for any iPad owner who takes a lot of notes or likes to draw. (You can even use it to sign documents.) iPadOS also has handwriting support within certain search fields and apps (like Notes), so you don't need to switch to the keyboard every time you want to type. Apple debuted a new Pencil in 2024, so now there are four to choose from. Here are the differences:
Apple Pencil (1st-gen) for $99: The first-generation Pencil is quite old but still functions well, offering pressure sensitivity (lines become thicker as you press down harder on the screen) and tilt sensitivity (for shading). Unlike the other two Apple Pencils, this one has a glossy finish instead of matte (if that matters), and it is also completely rounded, meaning it will roll off surfaces. There are no magnets, so you can't stick it to the tablet for safekeeping. It has a Lightning connector, so to charge it, you'll have to remove the cap and plug it into the iPad's charging port. If your iPad has a USB-C port, you can buy an adapter. It's only compatible with the iPad (6th gen and later), iPad Air (3rd gen), iPad Mini (5th gen), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st and 2nd gen), iPad Pro 10.5-inch, and iPad Pro 9.7-inch. Apple Pencil (USB-C) for $69: Apple's USB-C Apple Pencil is a bit perplexing. It doesn't come with pressure sensitivity, so it's better suited for note-takers rather than artists. It can attach magnetically to the sides of an iPad, so you don't need to find a place to store it, but it doesn't support wireless charging, so you'll have to pair and charge it via USB-C. It does support Hover Mode, which allows you to preview what will happen before touching the display, but this is exclusive to the select iPad Pro and iPad Air models. It's compatible with iPad (10th gen and A16), iPad Air (4th, 5th gen, M2, M3, and M4), iPad Mini (6th gen), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st gen and later, including M4), and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd gen and later, including M4 and M5). Apple Pencil (2nd-gen) for $129: The second-generation Apple Pencil comes with all the same capabilities as the 1st-gen and USB-C versions, plus wireless pairing and charging (it'll charge when it magnetically sticks to the top edge of supported iPads). It also adds a double-tap feature that lets you quickly switch between tools by tapping on the Apple Pencil twice. It's compatible with the iPad Air (4th gen and 5th gen), iPad Mini (6th gen), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st gen and later), and the 12.9-inch (3rd gen and later). Unfortunately, Apple has officially discontinued it, so newer iPads don't support it, including the iPad Air (M2, M3, and M4) or iPad Pro (M4 and M5). Apple Pencil Pro for $129: Apple's Pro Pencil is the most feature-packed of them all. It looks identical to the second-generation model, complete with a matte finish, but it also has a few new tricks. A “squeeze” feature opens up a tool palette (in addition to the double-tap feature), and a new haptic engine gives feedback as you squeeze. A built-in gyroscope sensor allows you to change the orientation of the tools as you twist them (for finer control), and it supports Apple's Find My network to track the stylus when you lose it. It's only compatible with the iPad Air (M2, M3, and M4), iPad Pro (M4 and M5), and 7th-gen iPad Mini. ( C'mon, why isn't it backward-compatible?)
Great iPad Accessories
iPad accessories are endless. Below, we've highlighted some of our favorites to round out your tablet experience, and you can find more in our
Best iPad Accessories guide. Twelve South Curve Mini for $50: iPads can be great tools to use in conjunction with your MacBook or PC, but they need a proper stand with lots of adjustments. The Curve Mini is simple, but it's stable and attractive, especially in this Dune color that I sampled. Zugu Case for $50+: This is our favorite folio case for the iPad for multiple reasons. It's not only durable (complete with a rigid bumper), but it also has a magnetized cover that stays shut and a flap that allows you to position the screen at eight different angles. The case is magnetic, allowing you to stick it on the fridge securely. It's also reasonably priced, comes in an array of colors, and has a spot for your Apple Pencil. Satechi M1 Wireless Mouse for $25: We're already big fans of Satechi's accessories at WIRED, and this mouse didn't disappoint. It has a comfortable ergonomic design, a sleek aluminum finish, and smooth scrolling. It has great battery life too—with a built-in lithium-ion battery, I've been using it for the past four months and have yet to charge it. Mageasy CoverBuddy Case (iPad Pro) for $70: This case allows you to magnetically connect it to Apple's Magic Keyboard case without having to take off the case each time. It feels durable and doesn't add too much bulk to the iPad. There's also a slot for the Apple Pencil Pro or the USB-C version. The company also offers the CoverBuddy Lite for the iPad Air (M2). Logitech Combo Touch (10th-Gen) for $220: The Combo Touch (8/10, WIRED Recommends) comes with a built-in keyboard, trackpad, and kickstand, making it ideal for getting work done on your iPad. It's also detachable, so you can easily remove the keyboard when you don't need it. It connects via Apple's Smart Connector, meaning you never need to tinker with Bluetooth or bother charging it. It's also available for the iPad Pro (M4) and M5 (although it does add a bit of weight to such a thin tablet) and the iPad Air (M2). Casetify Impact Screen Protector for $56: If you're worried about damaging your iPad screen, I recommend this protector from Casetify. It's super thin, has excellent touch sensitivity, and is mostly fingerprint-resistant (I've wiped some smudges here and there). It's painless to apply—the company supplies a microfiber cloth, a de-dusting sticker, and wet and dry wipes. Paperlike Charcoal Folio Case for $70: Paperlike is known for its screen protector, but the company also offers a great case. It's designed to feel like a sketchbook, complete with a polyester fabric cover that feels lightweight and high-quality. You can also prop your iPad up at two different levels. It doesn't come with an Apple Pencil slot, but there is a large flap closure that keeps it from falling out. I tested it with the iPad Air, but it's also available for the iPad Pro (both sizes). Twelve South StayGo Mini USB-C Hub for $60: Ports are limited regardless of the iPad model. This hub from Twelve South has an 85-watt USB-C port with passthrough charging, a USB-A port, an HDMI port, and a headphone jack. If you have trouble fitting it on an iPad with a case, the included socket-USB-C-to-plug-USB-C cable will fix this. Twelve South HoverBar Duo 2.0 for $80: The HoverBar serves two purposes. You can mount it to the side of your bed, kitchen counter, or shelf (to view content comfortably and hands-free), or you can use the included stand at your desk. With the 2nd-gen version, you can now remove the arm from the clamp and attach it directly to the stand, making it easier to swap between both modes.
<small>Source: Wired</small>
