The best iPad for most people is back down to its lowest price ever at Amazon

Get the 2022 M1-powered iPad Air for just $499 right now at Amazon.
iPad Air 2020 review
The new iPad Air fits nicely onto the Magic Keyboard meant for the 11-inch iPad Pro. Stan Horaczek

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If you’re in the market for an iPad, then the iPad Air (2022) is probably your best option if you can afford the upgrade from the base model. Right now, Amazon has the 64GB 2022 iPad Air for $499, which is $100 cheaper than its usual $599 price. The upgraded 256GB version is down to $649 from $749. Think of it like you’re basically getting a free Apple Pencil (which is also on sale right now for $112, down from $129). Several other iPad models are also on sale right now, so keep scrolling if you’re looking for a new device for watching TikToks slightly bigger than they would be on your phone.

iPad Air (2022), $499 (Was $599)

iPad Air (2022)

When it comes to iPads, the Air represents a very solid middle ground that should appeal to most users. It sports the M1 chip inside, making it more powerful than the standard $329 iPad. That’s crucial if you plan to do any creative work like photo or video editing. It’s also convenient if you plan to play games. The cheaper iPad also doesn’t work with the latest Apple Pencil, so charging it (and storing it since it doesn’t magnetically attach to the device) is a pain. The iPad Air also offers Touch ID on the power button, a nice upgrade from the original.

The same-size iPad Pro does offer a few advantages, like Thunderbolt compatibility in the USB-C port for connecting external drives and a more advanced camera array. But, unless you’re doing heavy-duty creative work or trying to replace a laptop fully, you may not need those features anyway.

The iPad Air isn’t the cheapest model or the most powerful, but that’s what makes it such a great option for the vast majority of people who want to watch content, browse the web, and occasionally rest a sandwich on it as you walk from the kitchen back to your desk during lunch.

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Stan Horaczek

Executive editor, gear and reviews

Stan Horaczek is the executive gear editor at Popular Science. He oversees a team of gear-obsessed writers and editors dedicated to finding and featuring the newest, best, and most innovative gadgets on the market and beyond. He lives in upstate New York with his family, a three-legged dog, and a truly unreasonable collection of hundreds of vintage film cameras and lenses.