So we’re breaking the rules slightly with one, as Apple’s entry-level iPad carries a price tag of £329/$349 and upwards, which is above the £300/$300 limit we set for entries into this article. But the reason why this iPad gets a pass is that it can regularly be found at a price just below that.
At almost every major sale, we’ve seen significant discounts for the iPad (A16), so if you ever spot it at full price, it’s unlikely that you’ll have to wait for long before another discount appears.
What’s impressive is even at its full RRP, the iPad (A16) is something of a bargain given that you’re still getting the same core iPadOS experience that you can enjoy with the iPad Air and the iPad Pro, but for a lot less. This includes intuitive multitasking (something that’s only been improved with iPadOS 26), exclusive Apple apps and seamless connectivity with devices like your AirPods.
In fact, multitasking works so well on the iPad (A16) that if you want to use it as a productivity device, you can absolutely do that (within reason). The large 11-inch display works well for typing up documents or kicking back with a bit of Netflix, and the stereo speakers onboard carry a surprising amount of depth for a tablet of this size.
While the A16 chipset does a solid job with everyday performance, it is unable to run Apple Intelligence, and so the iPad won’t be privy to any of Apple’s AI-focused updates in the future. Still, given that Apple Intelligence has a long way to go before reaching the heights of Google Gemini or Galaxy AI, it doesn’t take away from everything that makes this iPad great.
Who should buy the iPad A16?
Apple users who want a simple tablet for productivity and entertainment.
iPad A16: Further considerations
It’s not compatible with Apple Intelligence or the Apple Pencil Pro.
