Help, iPad?

Supatramp

I wonder if you experts can advise me?

I've been asked by my son and his partner, her son wants an iPad for Christmas, maximum budget would be £300. Where do I start?

I know nothing about iPads, I'm an Android person, phones and pads, as is my son.

So what on earth are my options? It seems a complete minefield, different versions, different generations, different amounts of storage etc. And some seem to come with 4G, which is surely the ability to be able to use as a phone?

TIA

400ixl

You haven't really got much option if new as the cheapest starts at £329 from Apple.

https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/buy-ipad/ipad

64Gb Wifi only is the cheapest at £329

Martin_the_Unjust

Brand new from Apple 64g WiFi only basic iPad £329 that’s about as near to £300 as you are going to get 

https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/buy-ipad/ipad/64gb-yellow-wifi

you can pick a different colour though

ididgetwhereiamtoday

Just go with the basic iPad. Good enough for most people. Buy from John Lewis to get a 2 year warranty. The 2022 iPad is currently £308. 

The 2021 is £279 but you’re better with the newer model. 

Supatramp

Is 64Gb sufficient, most Android pads are now in excess of 64?

DullGreyGuy

Supatramp said:

I wonder if you experts can advise me?

I've been asked by my son and his partner, her son wants an iPad for Christmas, maximum budget would be £300. Where do I start?

I know nothing about iPads, I'm an Android person, phones and pads, as is my son.

So what on earth are my options? It seems a complete minefield, different versions, different generations, different amounts of storage etc. And some seem to come with 4G, which is surely the ability to be able to use as a phone?

There are a lot less options for iPads than Android tablets!

Do you want brand new or are you considering secondhand, reconditioned, refurbed? 

4G doesn't mean using it as a phone but means being able to use a (e)SIM card to have data when not on wifi. If you buy a 4G/5G model then they'd need to have a data plan in addition to make use of the functionality. 

Apple doesn't make budget products so if you want brand new you'll be looking at their entry level models. 

Supatramp said:

Is 64Gb sufficient, most Android pads are now in excess of 64?

It depends on how they are going to use it... just for web browsing and streaming video then 64gb is more than enough. Wanting to store hundreds of 4k movies or make hundreds of complex ProCreate drawings then no, its no where near enough and you can't put memory cards in iPads to expand storage. 

Supatramp

DullGreyGuy said:

Supatramp said:

I wonder if you experts can advise me?

I've been asked by my son and his partner, her son wants an iPad for Christmas, maximum budget would be £300. Where do I start?

I know nothing about iPads, I'm an Android person, phones and pads, as is my son.

So what on earth are my options? It seems a complete minefield, different versions, different generations, different amounts of storage etc. And some seem to come with 4G, which is surely the ability to be able to use as a phone?

There are a lot less options for iPads than Android tablets!

Do you want brand new or are you considering secondhand, reconditioned, refurbed? 

4G doesn't mean using it as a phone but means being able to use a (e)SIM card to have data when not on wifi. If you buy a 4G/5G model then they'd need to have a data plan in addition to make use of the functionality. 

Apple doesn't make budget products so if you want brand new you'll be looking at their entry level models. 

Supatramp said:

Is 64Gb sufficient, most Android pads are now in excess of 64?

It depends on how they are going to use it... just for web browsing and streaming video then 64gb is more than enough. Wanting to store hundreds of 4k movies or make hundreds of complex ProCreate drawings then no, its no where near enough and you can't put memory cards in iPads to expand storage. 

I think reconditioned/refurbed would be considered, if in very good condition.

DullGreyGuy

Supatramp said:

DullGreyGuy said:

Supatramp said:

I wonder if you experts can advise me?

I've been asked by my son and his partner, her son wants an iPad for Christmas, maximum budget would be £300. Where do I start?

I know nothing about iPads, I'm an Android person, phones and pads, as is my son.

So what on earth are my options? It seems a complete minefield, different versions, different generations, different amounts of storage etc. And some seem to come with 4G, which is surely the ability to be able to use as a phone?

There are a lot less options for iPads than Android tablets!

Do you want brand new or are you considering secondhand, reconditioned, refurbed? 

4G doesn't mean using it as a phone but means being able to use a (e)SIM card to have data when not on wifi. If you buy a 4G/5G model then they'd need to have a data plan in addition to make use of the functionality. 

Apple doesn't make budget products so if you want brand new you'll be looking at their entry level models. 

Supatramp said:

Is 64Gb sufficient, most Android pads are now in excess of 64?

It depends on how they are going to use it... just for web browsing and streaming video then 64gb is more than enough. Wanting to store hundreds of 4k movies or make hundreds of complex ProCreate drawings then no, its no where near enough and you can't put memory cards in iPads to expand storage. 

I think reconditioned/refurbed would be considered, if in very good condition.

In the first instance have a look at https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/refurbished/ipad they will be indistinguishable from new in terms of looks but dont come in retail packaging. Gives you the options of a 9th gen 64gb (3 year old) or 8th gen 128gb (4 years old) within your price range for wifi only. A few more if you will stretch your budget. 

Generally iPad go iPad -> iPad mini -> iPad Air -> iPad Pro in terms of performance. Obv the mini is smaller so some may prefer a less powerful but bigger iPad. Comparing across years is naturally more difficult. 

As a big Apple user I find the latest iPads strange... they are grossly over powered for 99.99% of users. The only people that could possibly need the power of a latest gen iPad Pro is people that are producing music or videos but naturally latest models come not only with the most powerful processors but better quality screens etc. 

* age based on release date, not the particular device for sale

chrisw

The trouble is with older ones, as soon as they no longer have the latest IOS, many apps cease to work. I powered up an old iPad 4 the other day out of interest and at least half the apps wouldn't load as the IOS was too old.

daveyjp

chrisw said:

The trouble is with older ones, as soon as they no longer have the latest IOS, many apps cease to work. I powered up an old iPad 4 the other day out of interest and at least half the apps wouldn't load as the IOS was too old.

For context an ipad 4 is 12 year old tech.  

Vitor

The problem is kids get bullied at school if they don't have the very latest tech