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Here’s how to buy the iPad (2020) and iPad Air 4

The new standard-sized iPads are now available: Here's how and where to purchase the iPad 8th-gen and iPad Air, and what you can do to get deals when you buy.

The iPad (2020) and iPad Air 4 were some of the best tablets to hit the market in 2020. Both options have a lot to offer those looking for a standard-sized iPad, whether you want cost savings or lots of extra performance. If you’re looking to pick up a new iPad we can help out with the best ways to buy (and some extra advice on getting deals). Here’s everything you need to know.

Note that you don’t have to buy from Apple. Major retailers are also carrying the newest iPad models. You can get it from Amazon if you prefer (there are also cellular models available). Here’s where to buy from Target, and here’s where you can get it on Best Buy.

These stores may be a better choice if you are part of their loyalty programs or have credits you can use to help with your purchase. However, Apple is a great default option because it’s very easy to customize, add engravings if you want, and purchase AppleCare for an extended warranty.

The iPad Air 4 can be bought directly from Apple like all current Apple products. You can also purchase the new iPad Air 4 from the same third-party retailers as mentioned above. You can find it at Target, BestBuy, and Walmart. As noted before, you may prefer these locations if you participate in reward programs or retailer credit cards.

New Apple devices, and Apple products in general, don’t usually have that many deals. However, there is one way that you can guarantee that you save when buying a new iPad — combine it with a trade-in of an old Apple device.

Any Apple trade-in will do, but it’s especially handy to give up an old iPad in exchange for the new model. First, visit the Apple Trade-In site and select the type of device that you want to trade. Apple will then ask you some basic questions about the model, so try to have the serial number at hand if possible. You can then choose to get an Apple Store online credit that you can apply to the purchase of a new iPad, and Apple will send you a box to send your device back to the company.

Amounts can vary based on the age of the device and wear and tear, but an iPad (2019) in good condition can help you net more than $200 toward buying a new model! The actual credit does vary with time and may decrease as time passes or demand changes, so it’s important to trade-in as soon as you can.

Otherwise, you can wait for around the holidays. You might get a special deal for extra money on a trade-in, or companies like Target or Best Buy may offer gift cards along with the purchase of a new iPad, as they have many years in the past. It won’t count as a major discount, but every bit helps.

Need some new accessories to go with your new iPad? Apple will recommend a couple when you make your purchase, but for the full list, you will want to visit the iPad accessories page.

Remember that compatibility varies between the iPad (2020) and the Air 4. For example, the Air 4 is compatible with the latest Smart Folio keyboard with a trackpad, while the iPad only works with the older Smart Keyboard, and different Apple Pencils also have different requirements. Apple is good about noting the compatibility in their product titles on this webpage, so read carefully, and you should be fine.

Affinity’s new all-in-one creative app is finally coming to the iPad, nearly a year after Canva launched the redesigned desktop version for Mac and Windows. Creatives have been asking for the iPad release ever since, especially because files created in the new Affinity app cannot be opened in the older V2 iPad apps.

Affinity already has Photo, Designer, and Publisher apps on iPad, but the new release combines those tools into the same unified app that Canva launched on desktop last year.

Touchscreen laptops have been around for years. You can get them in all sizes and shapes. Just not from Apple. For years, the Cupertino giant has treated the idea of a touchscreen MacBook the way I treat a meeting that could have been an email: with open contempt. However, Wednesday looks like the day the company could finally change its mind. 

The latest Apple invite puts the “Pro and Tell” showcase in Los Angeles at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET) on October 28, 2026. Instead of a regular live-streamed keynote, it is an invitation-only, hands-on event for a handful of press and creators (similar to what the company did for the MacBook Neo earlier this year). 

Apple has just launched its latest iPad mini with a notable set of upgrades, including an OLED screen, improved speakers, and a more resilient build. It also gets a new chip, and the whole package costs $200 more than its predecessor. But if you look closely at Apple’s online store, you’ll realize that $699 isn’t enough to get you the most powerful version of the A20 Pro chip inside this tablet. In fact, even if you pay $800 for the 256GB model, you still won’t get the beefiest variant. Only when you jump to the 512GB trim, which costs an absurd $999, do you get the most powerful flavor of the A20 Pro.

The $999 model gets more than extra storage