Finest iPad for teenagers 2025: iPad vs iPad mini vs iPad Air

Whereas the iPad mini is perhaps the smallest member of the household, don’t let that idiot you, there’s loads of energy and options packed into the diminutive body. The one damaging is the value, which is a bit of larger than the larger iPad, so it’s not fairly as a lot of a discount for teenagers.

The 8.3-inch Liquid Retina show is attractive. Like all the trendy iPads, there isn’t any Dwelling button – Apple ditched {that a} era in the past and as a substitute put a Contact ID sensor within the Energy button on the facet. 

Below the hood, there’s an A17 Professional driving factors, this processor is the bottom spec required to run Apple Intelligence options. In case you are selecting between the iPad mini and cheaper iPad and are inquisitive about Apple Intelligence, solely the iPad mini, iPad Air and Professional will help it.

Even when Apple Intelligence doesn’t peek your curiosity, the A17 Professional chip means there may be no lack of energy on this smaller iPad, making certain the newest video games and apps will completely fly on this gadget. It additionally has help for the Apple Pencil (USB C) or the Apple Pencil Professional, which means your youngster can use if for doodling, creating artwork or note-taking at college after they get a bit older. 

The compact dimensions of 195.4mm x 134.8mm x 6.3mm at 297g make it small and light-weight, which might be simpler for little ones to carry. There are additionally 4 totally different colours to select from, together with tender shades of Purple and Blue. 

The iPad mini is on the market in these configurations:

• iPad mini (A17 Professional) 128GB – $499/£499
• iPad mini (A17 Professional) 256GB – $599/£599
• iPad mini (A17 Professional) 512GB – $799/£799
• iPad mini (A17 Professional, mobile) prices $150/£150 greater than the non-cellular variations.

Verify our information to the greatest iPad mini offers to see if you may get one for a cheaper price. 

For most youngsters, the Air might be a bit above what they want, but when your youngster is rising up and on the lookout for one thing to assist them with schoolwork (in addition to enjoying the newest video games) then the Air is a good package deal.

Powered by the M3 chip that has additionally featured in current variations of the MacBook Air, iMac and MacBook Professional, the iPad Air (which is available in 11-inch and 13-inch varieties) is a quick and really succesful gadget. The M3 chip additionally signifies that the iPad Air can use Apple Intelligence (the corporate’s suite of AI-tools) which presents assist with writing, trying up details about something you place in entrance of the cameras, plus a spread of different useful options.

You gained’t have any issues working the newest apps on the iPad Air, and with as much as 10 hours battery life for watching video on a single cost, lengthy journeys needs to be a bit extra peaceable.

At 460g/1.01lbs it’s a bit heavier than the iPad mini, however after all you get that bigger show. If the 11-inch mannequin remains to be too small, then Apple additionally presents the iPad Air 13-inch variant. Each help the Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil Professional, making them nice for observe taking and creative endeavours (see: Apple Pencils in contrast: Which Apple Pencil works along with your iPad?), plus there’s additionally the Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Air which may flip the gadget right into a makeshift laptop computer – nice in case your children are attending to the stage the place they should work on tasks or essays.

The cameras are stable (a 12Mp extensive on the rear and 12Mp Centre Stage digital camera on the entrance) and may file up 4K at 60fps for YouTube movies or different content material platforms on which your child would possibly need to construct a platform.

Storage choices are good, with the base-level 128GB most likely being sufficient for many makes use of, however if you wish to retailer a great deal of video games, motion pictures and music onboard then there are additionally 256GB, 512GB and 1TB capacities accessible.

The iPad Air 11-inch is on the market within the following configurations:

• 128GB – $599/£599
• 256GB – $699/£699
• 512GB – $899/£899
• 1TB – $1,099/£1,099

If you would like the bigger iPad Air 13-inch, then these are the fashions accessible:

• 128GB – $799/£799
• 256GB – $899/£899
• 512GB – $1,099/£1,099
• 1TB – $1,299/£1,299

Each sizes share the identical selection of colours, that are Blue, House Gray, Purple, and Starlight.

If these costs appear a bit excessive, then it’s value noting that larger training college students get a reduction, however not faculty aged kids. You’ll be able to see extra about that and our present suggestions in our Finest iPads for College students roundup in addition to greatest iPad Air offers to see if you could find a discount.

Apple revamped its commonplace iPad again in 2022 and the design stays the identical for the 2025 model, in actual fact little or no has modified other than the up to date A16 chip at its coronary heart.

Like with the opposite fashions on this listing there’s a Contact ID sensor embedded within the energy button on the highest edge. This implies there’s loads of area for the 11-inch Liquid Retina Show. As with the earlier commonplace iPad fashions, the show isn’t laminated, which means there’s a slight air hole between the glass and the show beneath. This can be a minor factor and doubtless gained’t even be one thing you discover, until you employ an Apple Pencil typically, through which case you’ll most likely expertise a really slight lag as you write. It’s all good although, and after no time in any respect, you’ll have the ability to incorporate that into your method and scribble away with the very best of them. This mannequin helps the first era Apple Pencil (which is strain delicate) or the Apple Pencil USB C (which isn’t strain delicate).

Apple suits the Eleventh-gen iPad with an A16 processor, which is identical tech that powered the iPhone 14 Professional fashions in addition to the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. Whereas it’s a succesful little bit of silicon, it doesn’t meet the necessities to help Apple Intelligence. So if Apple’s new AI-tools are one thing you really need — or assume it’s your decision sooner or later — then this isn’t the mannequin for you.

That being mentioned, the A16 chip will nonetheless present respectable efficiency for taking part in video games, streaming video content material, and working academic apps. As with all new Apple units (due to EU regulation) the charging port is USB-C port relatively than Lightning. This opens up a world of peripherals that you should use with the iPad, and you’ll even join it to a appropriate monitor in case your youngster wants a desktop-style expertise. There’s additionally the choice of utilizing the iPad with Apple’s Magic Keyboard Folio case to show it into an iPad flavoured laptop computer. After all, you may pair it with a third-party Bluetooth keyboard and mouse if you happen to don’t fancy Apple’s premium pricing. Try our roundup of the Finest iPad Keyboards for some glorious choices.

The iPad is available in 4 shiny, daring colours (Blue, Pink, Yellow, and Silver), so your youngster can choose one which displays their character or simply the one with the hues they like essentially the most.

Probably the greatest options of the iPad (A16) is its low worth. You’ll be able to choose them up for the next costs:

• iPad (A16, Eleventh gen) 128GB – $349/£329
• iPad (A16, Eleventh gen) 256GB – $449/£429
• iPad (A16, Eleventh gen) 512GB – $649/£629

Verify our information to the greatest iPad A16 offers to see if you may get one for a cheaper price.