Black Friday iPad deals: What to expect and early sales

Black Friday 2023 begins on Nov 24th. But the iPad deals have already begun, and will likely continue through Cyber Monday.

Is your iPad broken, or does it feel slow and sluggish? Then yeah, it’s probably time to buy a new one. If not, feel free to wait a year or two—or longer. Apple’s software support for its tablets is second to none, and you’re probably not going to miss out on anything huge with an older model so long as it’s still working fine. 

The iPad Mini is a wonderfully portable little tablet, but at 8.2 inches, it’s not much bigger than the biggest smartphones. The largest iPad Pro is huge—big enough to replace a laptop if you add a keyboard, but that also makes it a lot less portable. The 10-to-11-inch range seems to be the sweet spot for most people. If you’re unsure of the size to purchase, head to your nearest electronics store. It almost certainly has most of the models on display. 

For most people, the answer is “No.” The iPad Pro is a lot more expensive than the Air or the standard iPad because it uses a much more powerful processor, and includes extra features like Face ID and Thunderbolt connections. It also has access to more powerful multitasking. But all of this isn’t really helpful if you mostly use an iPad as a reading, gaming, or video consumption device. Unless you’re trying to replace a full laptop with an iPad, keep that extra money for a nice case or bag. 

That really depends on what you do with it. If you’re mostly surfing the web, answering emails, and watching streaming video, then the basic 64GB to 128GB of storage should be more than enough for you. But if you’re constantly downloading high-end games or saving HD video to your tablet, you’ll want some more. 

Do you want to take your tablet on trips and leave your phone at home? Then, yes, you could probably use the cellular upgrade (LTE on the 9th-gen iPad, 5G on everything else). If not, then no, you don’t need it. Instead, you can use tethering on your smartphone or local Wi-Fi pretty much all of the time. Also, be aware that cellular iPads need a separate data plan (and a monthly charge) in order to work beyond Wi-Fi. 

The Apple Pencil is a worthy upgrade for anyone who wants to do some drawing or other artwork on an iPad. There are cheaper alternatives, but they’re not nearly as good. And even if you’re not an artist, there’s a certain pleasure in using the iPad like a pencil and paper. (Especially if you’re signing digital paperwork frequently.) Keyboards are more situational, and really only useful in the same situation as a full laptop. If you think you need one, you absolutely don’t need Apple’s expensive accessories — save some money on a wireless board from Keychron or Anker instead.