I review tablets for a living and the iPad mini for $379.99 is a must-buy for Prime Day

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Get this Prime Day deal on Apple's long-standing iPad mini

Amazon Prime Day iPad mini deals banner with iPad mini front and back in starlight color
(Image credit: Future)

The iPad mini is now three years old, and it's the last small tablet standing. I haven't heard any rumors about a new iPad mini on the horizon, and every other small tablet maker besides Amazon, with its cheap Amazon Fire tablets, has grown their tablet screens over the past few years. 

Still, with Amazon Prime Day in full swing, you can score the iPad mini at the lowest price ever. It's just $379.99, a massive $120 off the $499.99 MSRP. Considering that tablet makers keep opting for bigger sizes, it's possible that the Pad mini could disappear suddenly from Apple's lineup, never to be seen again. 

I remember Samsung's first iPad competitor, the Galaxy Tab, was a 7-inch tablet made for mobile networks. Today's Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is a 14-inch couch potato with no cell service. 

Prime Day deal: Apple's iPad mini

Apple iPad mini (2021): $499 $379.99 at Amazon

Apple iPad mini (2021): was $499 now $379.99 at Amazon
The iPad mini is $120 off at Amazon, dropping to its lowest price ever. The iPad mini is Apple's oldest iPad, and it may not be replaced, so if you want to save money on the last mini tablet worth buying, take advantage now. 

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The iPad mini for $379.99 at Amazon represents the lowest price ever for the tablet and a great deal, even if the iPad mini is old. I worry Apple could soon drop the iPad mini and sell the remainder on Walmart.com and if Apple doesn't have many iPad mini left, those could sell out quickly. 

When the Macbook Air M1 was replaced, it went to Walmart for $699, $50 below its lowest price ever. I say it isn't worth the risk. This may be the last chance for a good deal without fighting for the last iPad mini left. 

Tablet fans and iPad aficionados know the iPad mini is special because it's quietly one of Apple's most powerful tablets – or at least it was for its first few years. Today's iPad 10.9 is not as fast as the iPad mini. If you want a capable tablet you can fit in a jacket pocket or a small handbag; there are no others worth considering. Get it with 5G built-in, and you may not want to carry your smartphone anymore. 

Of course, the iPad mini Prime Day deal isn't the only iPad deal worth checking out today; it's just the most urgent one. If you want a larger tablet, you can find an amazing deal on the iPad Air (2022) at Best Buy. For only $399.99, you get an iPad Air at Best Buy with an Apple M1 chip inside, which means it should run Apple Intelligence features, unlike the iPad mini and the basic iPad models. Best Buy also has great savings on older iPad Pro models, saving $300 on the iPad Pro 11-inch (2022). 

More Amazon Prime Day deals in the US

More Amazon Prime Day deals in the UK

Philip Berne
Philip Berne
US Mobiles Editor

Phil Berne is a preeminent voice in consumer electronics reviews, starting more than 20 years ago at eTown.com. Phil has written for Engadget, The Verge, PC Mag, Digital Trends, Slashgear, TechRadar, AndroidCentral, and was Editor-in-Chief of the sadly-defunct infoSync. Phil holds an entirely useful M.A. in Cultural Theory from Carnegie Mellon University. He sang in numerous college a cappella groups.

Phil did a stint at Samsung Mobile, leading reviews for the PR team and writing crisis communications until he left in 2017. He worked at an Apple Store near Boston, MA, at the height of iPod popularity. Phil is certified in Google AI Essentials. He has a High School English teaching license (and years of teaching experience) and is a Red Cross certified Lifeguard. His passion is the democratizing power of mobile technology. Before AI came along he was totally sure the next big thing would be something we wear on our faces.