
The base-model iPad is a fantastic deal. Apple's cheapest tablet has a large, high-resolution screen, the full power of iPadOS 26, and all-day battery life. It's a very capable tablet at a fantastic starting price, but lacks the larger display option and supercharged internals of the more powerful iPad Air.
The iPad Air may look nearly identical to the base-model iPad, but brings a handful of crucial upgrades. Most prominent is the M3 chipset, which elevates the performance of this mid-range tablet to desktop levels, and combines with iPadOS 26 and Apple Intelligence to offer plenty of power.