Can't afford the latest, Award-winning iPad? We feel you – even with a Black Friday discount it is still £437 at Amazon, making it one pricey tablet no matter how good it may be. But that doesn't mean you can't own an iPad. The excellent previous-gen iPad is still knocking around and, most importantly, very good value this Black Friday.
The 9th-gen iPad (64GB) from 2021 is out of stock on Amazon right now, but the £299 Black Friday price is still available at John Lewis , Currys, Argos and Very. That's £60 off the RRP or £30 off the price it is typically available for these days. We realise we aren't talking huge savings here, but that, we are afraid, are Apple discounts for you.
Our very own tablet guru, Lewis Empson, recently waxed lyrical on why the 2021 iPad is a better buy than the latest model, but in a nutshell it is worth your time this Black Friday because a) it is very rarely discounted by more, b) if you've decided an iPad is for you, there isn't a better alternative at its price level, and c) it is the last iPad to sport the ever-handy headphone jack!
We at What Hi-Fi? still love this iPad for its benchmark (at this discounted price) combination of superb picture quality, great audio, excellent front camera and seamless usability.
iPads are known for their sleek, elegant design and excellent build quality, of course, and the iPad (2021) does not disappoint in this regard. It's a beautiful, well-built device that feels premium even without breaking the bank, though we have to say that the latest iPad 2022 does look and feel like a more premium design thanks to its smoothed-off flat edges and narrow bezels.
The iPad (2021) has a 10.2-inch display with a 2160 x 1620 resolution (slightly inferior than the 2022 model on both fronts), and True Tone support which work together to offer up a fantastic image that the latest iPad only refines as opposed to blows away.
When paired with headphones, the ninth-gen iPad sounds great, too, a clear improvement over its predecessor thanks to Apple's trademark audio clarity. The speakers on the iPad (2021) don't have much stereo separation, but even during busy scenes in movies, dialogue comes through and sounds consistent.
The new model, not to mention the more premium iPad models, might have beefy internals and more expensive displays, but most people won't need best-in-class hardware. With a beautiful screen, smooth UX, and good sound quality alongside solid cameras and enough power to run any app you download, the iPad (2021) is a great deal for £299.
MORE:
See our expert pick of the best Black Friday tech deals on TVs, headphones, soundbars and more
Read our full Apple iPad (2021) review
Don't bother with the iPad (2022), buy the iPad (2021) instead - here's why
See the new Apple iPad (2022) Black Friday Amazon deal instead
