When it comes to holidays and other special events, tablets and iPads are a popular gift. iPads consistently top the top 10 lists of curated gift lists and wish lists. While Apple is a high-quality brand not known for offering massive sales and clearance deals, it is possible to find great prices on iPads for Black Friday sales. Especially given the many retailers who sell Apple iPads and other Apple products.

Are iPads cheaper on Black Friday?

Yes, iPads are cheaper on Black Friday and this holiday is the best time of year to buy a new iPad. While Apple itself isn’t known for offering sales and deep discounts, plenty of third-party retailers sell iPads. Retailers compete fiercely to offer the best iPad Black Friday deals and lure in customers.

From Target and Walmart to Macy’s and Kohl’s to Best Buy and Newegg, you can find cheap iPad deals.

Black Friday iPad deals tend to be for older generation models, or part of trade-in deals. For new iPad models, retailers may offer more modest discounts or free gift cards with your iPad purchase.

Check out some of these merchants during Black Friday for the latest deals:

Does Amazon have Black Friday deals on iPads?

Yes, Amazon has great Black Friday iPad deals. In recent years, including Black Friday 2020, Amazon led the pack among retailers. Amazon offered the best discounts on new (and newer) model iPads, both in the United States and United Kingdom.

Last season, Amazon offered what many tech insiders considered the season’s best iPad deal:$299 for a 10.2-inch Apple iPad that was merely weeks old.

What generation iPad are we on now?

For the regular iPad (the latest model of the original iPad released in 2010), we are on the 8th generation.

Here’s the breakdown of the most current iPad generation for every type of iPad:

  • Apple iPad: 8th generation (1st generation released April 2020)
  • Apple iPad Mini: 5th generation (1st generation released November 2012)
  • Apple iPad Pro: 5th generation (1st generation released November 2015)
  • Apple iPad Air: 4th generation (1st generation released: November 2013)

Which is the cheapest iPad?

The cheapest iPad, on the Apple.com website, is the iconic original iPad. Prices start from $329 depending on speed and storage.

Here’s the breakdown of the cheapest iPad, by model, as listed on Apple

  • Apple iPad: from $329
  • Apple iPad Mini: from $399
  • Apple iPad Air: from $599
  • Apple iPad Pro: from $799

What’s the difference between the iPad and iPad Air?

There are a number of key differences between the iPad and iPad Air – and among the four different iPad models.

Display

  • iPad: 10.2″ retina display
  • iPad Mini: 7.9″ retina display
  • iPad Air: 10.9″ liquid retina display
  • 12.9- liquid retina XDR display or 11″ liquid retina display

Liquid retina display provides better visuals than a regular retina display. It can display more PPI (pixels per inch) giving you a richer, higher resolution visual display. The liquid retina XDR display has the best display yet, providing the maximum image density and brightness.

Larger display sizes, like the 12.9 inch iPad Pro or 10.2 inch standard iPad are going to offer more screen real estate. But a smaller iPad mini is still going to have a decently large screen and be lighter weight and your most portable iPad.

Chip

  • iPad: 10.2″ A12 Bionic chip
  • iPad Mini:A12 Bionic chip
  • iPad Air: A14 Bionic chip
  • iPad Pro: M1 chip

A12 chips are already rather powerful, giving the iPad good speed, good visuals, and the ability to run multiple activities or applications at the same time. The A14 cheap is more powerful yet, giving your iPad enhanced performance.

The M1 chip is Apple’s most powerful central processing unit yet, with up to 3.5x faster CPU performance (speed) and 6x faster GPU performance (graphics and display).

  • The A12 bionic chip is good performance.
  • The A14 bionic chip is better performance yet.
  • The M1 chip has the best performance.

Connector (Charger input)

  • iPad: Lightning connector
  • iPad Mini: Lightning connector
  • iPad Air: USB-C connector
  • iPad Pro: USBC-connector with support for Thunderbolt, USB 4

Network – 5G vs 4G LTE

  • iPad: 4G LTE cellular
  • iPad Mini: 4G LTE cellular
  • iPad Air: 4G LTE cellular
  • iPad Pro: 5G cellular

With 5G network, higher amounts of data can be transmitted more quickly and more efficiently than 4G LTE. That means faster downloads and support for more connected devices than ever before. 5G can reach speeds 10 to 20 times faster than 4G LTE.

The 4G LTE network provides connectivity to most current cellphones, iPads, and tablets now. But in 2019, many cellular companies began deploying 5G or fifth generator technology for their networks.

Apple Pencil Compatibility

  • iPad: First generation Apple Pencil
  • iPad Mini: First generation Apple Pencil
  • iPad Air: Second generation Apple Pencil
  • iPad Pro: Second generation Apple Pencil

Keyboard Compatibility

  • iPad: Compatible with smart keyboard
  • iPad Mini: Compatible with Bluetooth keyboard
  • iPad Air: Compatible with the Apple Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio
  • iPad Pro: Compatible with the Apple Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio

Weight

  • iPad: 1.08 lbs (17.28 oz)
  • iPad Mini: 0.66 lbs ( 10.56 oz)
  • iPad Air: 1.02 lbs (16.32 oz)
  • iPad Pro: 1.03 lbs (16.48 oz)

Do Apple products ever go on sale?

Apple products go periodically go on sale, but the Apple retailer itself rarely discounts their products – especially their most current product releases.

For Black Friday, Apple will have some promotions.

Third-party retailers will run occasional deals. Typically these sales prices are for older generations, or more modest amounts like $10 to $50 off. Or free gift cards with purchase is a common promotion. Here are some current and past Apple sales offered by third-party retailers.

Apple Deals and Sales

  • Walmart
  • $169 Apple Watch Series 3 (save $110)
  • $299 Apple iPad Mini (save $106)
  • Target
  • $799 Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (save $100)
  • Up to $250 an iPhone when you switch to AT&T Wireless
  • Best Buy
  • $899 Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch (save $100)
  • $259 Apple iPad 10.2-inch (save $200)
  • Amazon
  • $180 Apple AirPods Pro (save $60)
  • $115 Apple AirPods 2019 (save $45)
  • $329 Apple Watch 6 (save $70)
  • $249 Apple Watch SE (save $30)
  • $1,098 Apple Macbook Pro 13″ 2020 (save $202)

Additionally, you can get 2% (or more) cash back on your purchase at Apple.com through Swagbucks. You can also get a free $10 gift card on your purchase of $25 or more on Apple.com. The $10 gift card is for new members of Swagbucks, or existing members making their first purchase in the Swagbucks shopping portal.

Does Apple do Black Friday deals?

Yes, Apple does have Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. You can score iPad deals and MacBook discounts, but it’s not a set discount off of their full price. In past years, Apple has offered free Apple gift cards with purchase of select products. Based on their Black Friday iPad deals for 2020, we know what to expect this year.

Black Friday iPads Deals from Apple

  • Gift card up to $100 with an iPad purchase: iPad Pro, iPad Mini, or iPaid Air.
  • Gift card of $25 to $100 for purchasing other Apple products, including iPhones, MacBooks, AirPods, AppleTV, or Apple HomePod.

For Apple enthusiasts, this is an especially great way to save money on more advanced iPad models, not just the previous gen devices. Discounts from other retailers tend to exclude the latest iPad Air or newly released iPad Pro models.

How much of a discount do you get on Black Friday?

From the Apple retailer itself, you likely won’t find a discount of bigger than 5%. Apple’s Black Friday iPad deals tend to be a free Apple gift card with the purchase of a select iPad model or other featured device.

Apple itself doesn’t always have the best iPad deals. At other retailers, like Verizon, T-Mobile, Amazon, Best Buy, or Target, you can find lower prices yet but it may not be for the most advanced iPad out there. You can score impressive discounts:

  • Free gift cards with purchase (Up to $250)
  • Free iPads or iPhones with trade-in of old iPhones
  • Up to 33% off brand new previous gen devices, including the 12.9-inch iPad Pro
  • $100 off select iPads on Amazon

What time does Apple Black Friday start?

  • Apple Online: Midnight (EST) the day after Thanksgiving.
  • Apple Stores: Most stores open at 8 am, but your local Apple store may open earlier or later.

Does Apple have Cyber Monday sales?

Yes, Apple does have Cyber Monday sales. They tend to overlap with their Black Friday deals, and center around offering free Apple gift cards for the purchase of select iPad Pros or other specific products.

Based on Cyber Monday 2020, (part of a four-day Black Friday event) we have a good idea on what to expect for deals this year.

Apple’s Best Deals for Cyber Monday

  • $150 Apple Gift Card with the purchase of an eligible MacBook pro
  • $100 Apple Gift Card with the purchase of an Apple TV or HomePod
  • $100 Apple Gift Card with the purchase of an iPad Pro, iPad Mini, or select 10.2-inch iPad devices.

What can I do with my old iPad?

You can sell or re-purpose your old iPad.

Repurposing Your Old iPad:

  • Transform it into a high-resolution dashcam. Add a dash camera app if you don’t have loads of video storage.
  • Transform it into a digital picture frame. Install a slideshow app and connect the iPad to your Wi Fi and your cloud photo account.
  • Use it as an extra monitor at home, or to extend an existing monitor. It can be really helpful, for example, to use it for Slack chats, emails, or any other separate activity that you want off your main work screen.
  • Put it on an iPod mount and use it in the kitchen. You have an easy, convenient way to pull up recipes, cooking videos, or fun video clips in general while you’re in the kitchen.
  • Use it as your Kindle or eReader.

Resale Value of Your Old iPad

You can sell your iPad for anywhere from $20 to $300 according to a re-sale analysis that Apple released on 104 different models of iPads.

  • The original iPad released in 2010: has a $20 resale value
  • iPad 2nd generation: resale values range from $70 to $95
  • iPad 3rd and 4th generation :resale value ranges from $90 to $165
  • iPad Air 1st and 2nd generation: resale value ranges from $165 to $270
  • iPad Mini resale value ranges from $70 to $95
  • iPad Mini 2nd and 3rd generation ranges from $100 to $180
  • Newer iPad models: can resell for $275 to $400

Where to Sell Your Old iPad

  • Gazelle.com
  • Buyback Boss
  • Decluttr
  • Swappa
  • SellCell
  • Craigslist
  • Apple Trade-In
  • Amazon Trade-In
  • Target Trade-In
  • Best Buy Trade-In
  • eBay
  • ecoATM
  • Facebook (Marketplace, Garage Sale groups, Buy Sell Trade groups)
  • NextWorth
  • OCBuyBack
  • OfferUp
  • GadgetGone

Where can you get the best Black Friday iPad deals?

There are loads of retailers claiming that they offer the best iPad deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Getting the best prices will depend on the features you’re looking for. An entry level iPad is going to be discounted (at a higher percentage off) than a new iPad model. With an older model, you are still getting a very capable device – and at a super steep discount, too. And non-Apple retailers often offer bigger discounts than Apple.

Other retailers like Costco or Best Buy can offer more deals, in general, when it comes to Black Friday. And they’ll offer some of the lowest prices on iPads because they can absorb the razer thin margins and lure you back with store discounts or other holiday sales.

Based on what we’ve seen in past years for Cyber Monday and Black Friday iPad deals, we have a good idea what to expect for the best iPad deals this year.

Best Black Friday iPad Deals

  • Apple
  • Free $100 gift card with purchase of an iPad Pro from Apple
  • 2% cash back on purchase via Swagbucks
  • Free $10 gift card with purchase of $25 or more – for new members of Swagbucks or existing members making their first purchase in the Swagbucks shop portal
  • Woot
  • $204.99 Apple iPad 10.2 inch (save $75)
  • $350.69 Apple iPad Air 2019(save $148)
  • 1% cash back on purchase via Swagbucks
  • Free $10 gift card with purchase of $25 or more – for new members of Swagbucks or existing members making their first purchase in the Swagbucks shop portal
  • Walmart
  • $299 Apple iPad Mini 2019 (save $106)
  • $834.94 Apple iPad Pro 11-inch
  • Amazon
  • $935 Apple iPad Pro 12.9 inch 128 GB latest model (save $65)
  • $430 Apple iPad Air 64GB WiFi (save $95)
  • $730 Apple iPad Pro 11-inch Wifi 128GB (save $70)
  • $570 Apple iPad Air 64GB (save $30)
  • $329 Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro (save $20)
  • Best Buy
  • $280 Apple iPad 10.2 inch WiFi 32GB (save $50)
  • $360 Apple iPad 10.2 inch WiFi 128GB (save $69)
  • $430 Apple iPad Air 64GB WiFi (save $70)
  • $900 Apple iPad Pro 12.9 inch WiFi 128GB latest model (save $100)
  • $1,000 Apple iPad Pro 12.9 inch WiFi 256GB latest model (save $100)
  • $1,150 Apple iPad Pro 12.9 inch WiFi 512 GB latest model (save $150)
  • $1,150 Apple iPad Pro 12.9 inch WiFi and Cellular 256GB latest model (save $100)
  • B&H Photo
  • $799 Apple iPad Pro 12.9 inch previous generation (save $350)
  • $1,249 Apple iPad Pro 12.9 inch 256GB WiFi + Cellular AND Magic Keyboard (save $399)

What Other Stores Have the Best Deals on Black Friday?

Other retailers and hot deals you should hit up during the holiday season include:

Trustpilot

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