This $80 off iPad deal is a steal – and it's the model I recommend to most people

Apple sells some very fancy iPads these days. In fact, several of them now cost over $1,000. But for the things most people do with their iPads — watching streaming content, making video calls, reading books and documents, answering messages, and surfing the web, the best iPad to buy is the standard 10th-generation iPad. This model even looks very similar to the two high-end models — the iPad Pro and the iPad Air. I recommend the standard iPad to everyone other than artists and high-end multimedia professionals. 

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While heavy discounts on Apple products are rare, the iPad 10th-Gen is on sale for $80 off, a 23% discount. The iPad retails for $349, but Amazon is currently offering it for $269, thanks to Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. Be aware that this deal only applies to the 64GB model. The 256GB iPad is on sale, too, retailing for $394 but only in Blue.

This is a great iPad to get for yourself or anyone, including children, an elderly relative, or a friend or family member who doesn’t need a full computer but wants a bigger screen than a phone to do some of their favorite or most-needed digital activities. That can also include video calls, filling out web forms, looking up information with Google or ChatGPT, and online shopping. 

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This was the first iPad to get a front-facing camera centered on the long end, so it works great for video calling and conferencing when placed in landscape mode.

If you want to use this iPad for email, notetaking, or writing, I recommend also grabbing the Logitech Combo Touch keyboard case ($105) or the ESR keyboard case ($82). Both are a lot cheaper than Apple’s $250 keyboard case, and the Logitech offers better protection.

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If you’re thinking about giving a tablet as a gift this year, ZDNET is also bullish on the TCL Tab 10 Nxtpaper 5G. Its paper-like display makes it a hybrid of an e-reader and a traditional tablet. At $239, it’s close to the same price as the iPad 10th-gen. 

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How I rated this deal

The iPad has a multitude of functions and purposes for students, professionals, artists, and more, so a great device for this price is a steal. However, because we have seen better iPad prices, we rated this a 3/5. We also considered that it is an older iPad model. I would absolutely take advantage of this deal if you are in the market for an iPad. 

Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.