The Amazon Prime Day deals may be over, but there are still deals available out there – and this is one of the best.
Right now, you can get a 64GB 10.2-inch 9th-generation iPad for $249 at Walmart – that’s a neat saving of $80 and the lowest price this iPad has ever dropped to. It's been at that price for three days now, but there's no guarantee the deal won't end soon, so if you're interested, act fast.
The slight wrinkle here is that it’s an iPad from 2021, just before Apple refreshed the design of its cheapest tablets. But don’t let that put you off, as the standard iPad is still a great entry into the world of Apple tablets and the rich iPadOS ecosystem.
Today's best iPad deal - down to a record-low price
Sporting the A13 Bionic chip and a Retina display with Apple’s True Tone tech, which adjusts the colors and white balance to suit the environment you’re using the tablet in, the 9th-gen 10.2-inch iPad still has plenty of power and a solid display to handle all manner of content. It works well as a portable media player, e-reader (there’s Apple Books and support for the Amazon Kindle app), and a neat gaming device, especially if you have access to Apple Arcade.
And this iPad also has support for the Apple Pencil, making it a good tablet for people keen to flex their digital art skills. Or simply start their drawing journey with the assistance of the myriad of curated apps the App Store has to offer. For people who want to tap out the beginnings of a play or novel while on a lengthy commute or trip, then there’s support for Apple’s Smart Keyboard accessory as well.
The only real downside is the lack of a USB-C charging port, as this generation of iPad made do with the near-defunct Lightning port. It’s fine if you happen to have any iPhone other than the new USB-C-equipped iPhone 15 models, as you’ll likely be ready for the Lightning cable life. But for those used to the ease of USB-C charging, you’ll need to get used to carrying an extra cable.
At $249, Walmart’s iPad deal is a bit of a steal, and you might not see a better price until November's Black Friday deals event. For anyone who’s held out on getting an Apple tablet, the price is just about right to take the plunge and see if you like it; as a long-time iPad user myself, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
