Labor Day’s wrapped, but a few deals are still hanging on — including the one my family keeps reaching for. The 10th-gen iPad has become our go-to for everything from video calls to quick grocery orders, and right now Walmart has it for $269, down from its usual $349. That’s $80 off, and it’s one of the better prices we’ve seen lately — especially with newer models pushing up the baseline.

It’s not the flashiest tablet in Apple’s lineup, but it nails the basics: a solid A14 chip for everyday tasks, USB-C charging, and a front camera that’s finally in the right spot for landscape video chats. If you’re debating between this and the pricier iPad Air, this deal makes the decision a little easier.

Just a heads-up — post-holiday markdowns like this tend to vanish fast, so if you’ve been eyeing a budget-friendly iPad, now’s probably the time to grab it before prices bounce back.

I spend a lot of time testing tablets, phones, wearables and other gadgets, so as you can imagine, my home is full of tech. But you might be surprised which device my family reaches for the most, because it’s the least expensive one: Apple’s iPad 10th-gen. It’s always ready to go when we need to do something quickly, like order groceries, look at photos together or do some quick research on a trip we’re planning.

Right now you can pick one of these iPads up with a decent $80 discount, dropping the price down to $269.

Because I have kids, having a cheaper iPad on hand is a must. Apple’s entry-level iPad gives us more than enough for basic game-playing, movie-watching, video chats and even some light work. Staying on the cheaper end of the iPad lineup also means that I’m in no rush to run out and grab the latest 11th-gen iPad, either. If the latest entry-level iPad received the same treatment the 2024 iPad Mini did, it might be a different story.

I can’t justify the iPad as a true laptop replacement. However, on any trip my family goes on, it is the first device we decide to pack after a phone. It doesn’t support the higher-end Apple Pencil Pro stylus, but it can work for art with a USB-C Pencil just fine and has a lot of keyboard case options that nearly turn it into a laptop.

The iPad has fancier varieties that ramp up processing power, display quality and size, and add more storage. Still, in many ways, all iPads feel pretty much the same. That’s the great success of the iPad in the first place, and it’s also why cheaper iPads are still great gifts.

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The 10th-gen iPad is the perfect size and price

I like the 11-inch iPad size the most. It’s a perfect blend of screen size and portability, and it’s a great fit for keyboard cases. It’s easy to slip into a bag and big enough to multitask with split-screen apps. I love doing quick writing and notetaking on iPads with keyboard cases, and the iPad is also my preferred quick and easy way to watch TV shows and movies by myself. I don’t always play games on the iPad (I’m a game console person), but games like Catan, Balatro and Retro Bowl on the iPad are my personal obsessions.

Read more: Best iPad for 2025

I play with plenty of gadgets in my house, and the iPad is one of many tools in my tech collection. It really hits me how much the iPad is an essential family tool when I see how my wife and kids gravitate to it. It’s comforting, instant, and most of the iPads in our home are years old, which doesn’t even slightly affect how often we use them. That’s why I suggest buying low is the way to go, despite how nice and speedy higher-end iPads can seem.

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Why this deal matters

Discounts on Apple devices don’t come around too often. So when a deal does become available, it’s best not to wait, as it can disappear at any time.

In a world full of rapidly changing tech and gadgets, it’s nice that each generation of the iPad can be so reliable and stable. The 10th-gen iPad is affordable and the best bet for basic uses, such as watching TV, creating art and playing select games.