By George Storr

Published: Tuesday, 18 January 2022 at 12:00 am

---

Apple’s iPads are some of the very best tablets on the market. They come in a variety of models, sizes and specs to suit different needs and budgets — but which iPad suits you? The RadioTimes.com team have been reviewing and researching the full range to find out.

In September of last year, Apple revealed the all-new iPad mini (6th gen). The appealingly compact new iPad was revealed alongside an upgraded classic iPad — the ninth generation of the base Apple tablet. These complete the current line-up alongside the fourth-generation iPad Air and the fifth-generation iPad Pro.

iPads work especially well for iPhone and Mac users. If you’ve bought into the wider Apple ecosystem with your other tech, then you’ll be able to work on apps across your devices and transfer files and experiences more easily. Apple accessories — like AirPods — are also easy to use in conjunction with an iPad, thanks to that interactive Apple ecosystem of products.

Read on for our full rundown of the best Apple tablets available in 2022.

Best iPad to buy in 2022 at a glance

• Best iPad: iPad Pro (5th generation)
• Best small iPad: iPad mini (6th generation)
• Best budget iPad: iPad (9th generation)
• Best mid-range iPad: iPad Air (4th generation)

How to choose an iPad

Choosing an iPad largely depends on your budget and the tasks you need it to fulfil. For example, those with smaller budgets will appreciate the relatively affordable £319 2021 iPad.

However, if you need your tablet to undertake demanding tasks like photo and video editing, you’ll want to grab yourself the most powerful option there is to guarantee smooth performance — the impressively versatile iPad Pro.

Equally, the iPad mini is the perfect iPad for those of you who work on the go, while the iPad Air makes for a nice compromise between size, price and power.

All four are top-rated tablets and choosing the best one for you requires you to have a good grasp of what exactly you plan to use it for. If you’re still deciding though, don’t worry too much. iPads are generally fairly versatile in terms of everyday use. The main differentiating factor will be any highly demanding tasks that need more power and storage. These may need the 1TB or 2TB iPad Pro, both of which have a whopping 16GB of RAM to accompany that huge storage.

Best iPad to buy in 2022

iPad Pro (5th generation)

Best iPad

The powerhouse over-achiever of the iPad family, this tablet delivers across the board. In our full iPad Pro 2021 review, our experts put the powerful device through its paces and were hugely impressed, eventually dishing out a rare five-star rating. It’s fast, sleek and easy to use, but comes with a large price tag — around £960 for the basic WiFi version with 256GB of storage. Go for the cellular version with 2TB of storage and you’ll likely be paying over £2000.

Our reviewer said: “Some very minor criticisms aside, we’ve been completely blown away by the iPad Pro. We’ve been in the tech reviewing game for more than a decade, and this has made us both highly cynical and intolerant to hyperbole. With the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, though, we have to admit defeat. We’ve tried to push it to various limits, we’ve actively gone looking for faults, and the only one we can really point to is its price. Even then, though, the amount of premium technology on board this tablet goes a very long way towards justifying paying so much for it.”

Buy the iPad Pro from £799 at Currys

iPad mini 6

Best small iPad

The release of the iPad mini (6th gen) in September last year was a slight surprise to many Apple fans, with this particular arm of the iPad family having been rested since 2019. Now though, the 2021 iPad mini takes pride of place in the iPad lineup and has plenty to offer.

In our full iPad mini (6th gen) review, our experts enjoyed the tablet’s compact design and vibrant display but thought it could have felt a little more robust. Our reviewer said: “Yes, Apple has increased the price of the iPad mini, but it’s also significantly ramped up the specs to warrant this increase. Whereas previous models have been best suited for entertainment, the power improvements on the iPad mini make it much more suitable for productivity, creative and work tasks.”

Pair the iPad mini with Apple’s Magic Keyboard and it becomes an appealingly tiny laptop. Ideal for anyone who’s travelling from meeting to meeting and needs computing power and simple typing in the palm of their hands.

The iPad mini 6 is available with either 64GB or 256GB of memory and in either WiFi or cellular models.

Buy the iPad mini from £479 at Very

iPad (9th generation)

Best budget iPad

The base iPad cost £319 and outperforms lots of its Android competitors, despite being the most basic tablet on offer from Apple right now.

This iPad packs a 10.2-inch display and is powered by Apple’s 13 Bionic chip. It’s not the fastest in the range, but it still offers plenty of bang for your buck.

In our full iPad 2021 review, our experts praised the value and performance of this Apple tablet. Our reviewer said: “In the wider iPad ecosystem, the iPad falls short. However, in the wider tablet market, the iPad is miles ahead. Especially at this price point. It’s incredibly well designed and sleek. It’s powerful and lasts all day. If you’re looking for an iPad, and you aren’t a power user, then this is the iPad for the masses.”

Buy the iPad from £319 at Amazon

iPad Air (4th generation)

Best mid-range iPad

The iPad Air sits nicely in between the powerful iPad Pro and the more affordable standard iPad. Costing around £550, it’s in the middle when it comes to price and it sits in between the two in terms of performance too.

This 2020 tablet is fast and responsive, nice to use and compatible with Apple pencil — both first and second-gen Apple Pencil that is, even though the newer standard iPad only works with the first-gen pencil. That’s handy for a whole range of tasks including drawing, note-making and file organisation.

During testing, we gave this tablet a 4.4-star rating and our reviewer said: “The iPad Air is the goldilocks of the bunch. It’s not too big, not too small, not too expensive, and you don’t need to sacrifice features or performance. If the iPad Mini is a worthy family tablet, and the iPad Pro is for power users, the iPad Air occupies a middle-ground that will appeal to many people.”

Buy the iPad Air from £579 at Very

---