iPad buyers' guide

There's a lot to consider before you buy or upgrade to a new tablet, even a new iPad Air 2 or iPad mini-3. What's more important, portability or display size? Can you live with an older, cheaper model or do you really need something more future-proof? Which color and what capacity is best for you? There's never been more to choose from, which means it's never been harder to choose!

Enter iMore's 2014 iPad buyers guide. We'll go over all the details, all the options, and help you decide on which iPad is perfect for you. And if you've already decided, just bookmark, email, Facebook, or Tweet this so we can help your friends and family and you can get on with enjoying your new iPad!

iPad buyers guide podcast

Serenity, Peter, Ally, and Rene discuss whether you should upgrade your iPad, what the alternatives are, which model is best for you, and options for color, capacity, and more! If you'd rather watch or listen before you read, start here!

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iPad evolution

Since Steve Jobs first unveiled it at a special event in 2010, the iPad has improved steadily in one way or another. The iPad 2 was thinner, lighter, and faster. The iPad 3 got a Retina display and LTE. The iPad 4 went Lightning. The iPad mini dropped back to iPad 2 tech, but in a much smaller form factor. The iPad mini 2 brought Retina to the smaller screen, and the iPad Air made the bigger iPad noticeably smaller. Now the iPad mini 3 and iPad Air 2 add gold finishes, Touch ID, and in the latter's case, a powerful new Apple A8X processor to boot.

	iPad	iPad 2	iPad 3	iPad mini	iPad 4	iPad Air	iPad mini 2	iPad mini 3	iPad Air 2
Code Name	K48	K94	J1, J2	J65		J72	J85	J85	J81
Model Name	iPad 1,1	iPad 2,1	iPad 3,1	iPad 2,5	iPad 3,4	iPad 4,1	iPad 4,5	iPad 4,7	iPad 5,1
Launch OS	iPhone OS 3.2	iOS 4.3	iOS 5.1	iOS 6	iOS 6	iOS 7	iOS 7	iOS 8.1	iOS 8.1
Screen Size	9.7 inches	9.7 inches	9.7 inches	7.9 inches	9.7 inches	9.7 inches	7.9 inches	7.9 inches	9.7 inches
Screen Resolution	1024x768 (132ppi)	1024x768 (132ppi)	2048x1536 (264ppi)	1024x768 (163ppi)	2048x1536 (264ppi)	2048x1536 (264ppi)	2048x1536 (326ppi)	2048x1536 (326ppi)	| 2048x1536 (264ppi)
Screen Type	IPS LED	IPS LED	IPS LED	IPS LED	IPS LED	IPS LED	IPS LED	IPS LED	Laminated IPS LED
System-on-a-chip	Apple A4	Apple A5	Apple A5X	Apple A5	Apple A6X	Apple A7	Apple A7	Apple A7	Apple A8X
CPU	800MHz ARM Cortex-A8	1GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9	1GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9	1GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9	1.4GHz dual-core Swift (ARM v7s)	64-bit dual core Apple A7 Cyclone (ARM v8)	64-bit dual core Apple A7 Cyclone (ARM v8)	64-bit dual core Apple A7 Cyclone (ARM v8)	64-bit dual core Apple A7 Cyclone 2 (ARM v8)
GPU	PowerVR SGX535	PowerVR dual-core SGX543MP2	PowerVR dual-core SGX543MP4	PowerVR dual-core SGX543MP2	PowerVR quad-core SGX554MP4	PowerVR G6430	PowerVR G6430	PowerVR G6430	PowerVR GX6650?
Co-processor	none	none	none	none	none	M7 Motion	M7 Motion	M7 Motion	M8 Motion
RAM	256MB	512MB	1GB	512MB	1GB	1GB	1GB	1GB	N/A
Storage	16GB/32GB/64GB	16GB/32GB/64GB	16GB/32GB/64GB	16GB/32GB/64GB	16GB/32GB/64GB/128GB	16GB/32GB/64GB/128GB	16GB/32GB/64GB/128GB	16GB/64GB/128GB	16GB/64GB/128GB
Cellular Data	HSPA	LTE	LTE	LTE	LTE	LTE	LTE	LTE	LTE Advanced
SIM	Micro	Micro	Micro	Nano	Micro	Nano	Nano	Nano	Apple
Rear Camera	none	1.3MP/720p	5MP/1080p	5MP/1080p	5MP/1080p	5MP/1080p	5MP/1080p	5MP/1080P	8MP/1080P
Front Camera	none	0.3MP/VGA	0.3MP/VGA	1.2MP/720p	1.2MP/720p	1.2MP/720p	1.2MP/720p	1.2MP/720p	1.2MP/720p
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 2.1+EDR	Bluetooth 2.1+EDR	Bluetooth 4.0	Bluetooth 4.0	Bluetooth 4.0	Bluetooth 4.0	Bluetooth 4.0	Bluetooth 4.0	Bluetooth 4.0
Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/n	802.11a/b/g/n	802.11a/b/g/n	802.11a/b/g/n	802.11a/b/g/n	802.11a/b/g/n MIMO	802.11a/b/g/n MIMO	802.11a/b/g/n MIMO	802.11a/b/g/n/ac MIMO
GPS	aGPS	aGPS	aGPS, GLONASS	aGPS, GLONASS	aGPS, GLONASS	aGPS, GLONASS	aGPS, GLONASS	aGPS, GLONASS	aGPS, GLONASS
Sensors	Ambient light, accelerometer, compass	Ambient light, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope	Ambient light, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope	Ambient light, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope	Ambient light, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope	Ambient light, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope	Ambient light, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope	Ambient light, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope	Ambient light, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope, barometer
Speakers	Mono	Mono	Mono	Stereo	Mono	Stereo	Stereo	Stereo	Stereo
Connector	30-pin Dock	30-pin Dock	30-pin Dock	Lightning	Lightning	Lightning	Lightning	Lightning	Lightning
Height	9.56 inches (242.8 mm)	9.5 inches (241.3 mm)	9.5 inches (241.3 mm)	7.87 inches (199.9 mm)	9.5 inches (241.3 mm)	9.4 inches (238.8 mm)	7.87 inches (199.9 mm)	7.87 inches (199.9 mm)	9.4 inches (238.8 mm)
Width	7.47 inches (189.7 mm)	7.31 inches (185.7 mm)	7.31 inches (185.7 mm)	5.3 inches (134.6 mm)	7.31 inches (185.7 mm)	6.6 inches (167.6 mm)	5.3 inches (134.6 mm)	5.3 inches (134.6 mm)	6.6 inches (167.6 mm)
Depth	0.53 inches (13.5 mm)	0.34 inches (8.6 mm)	0.37 inches (9.4 mm)	0.28 inches (7.1 mm)	0.37 inches (9.4 mm)	0.29 inches (7.4 mm)	0.29 inches (7.4 mm)	0.29 inches (7.4 mm)	0.24 inches (6.1 mm)
Weight	1.5 lbs (680 g)	1.33 lbs (603 g)	1.44 lbs (653 g)	0.68 lbs (308 g)	1.44 lbs (653 g)	1.0 lbs (454 g)	0.73 lbs (331 g)	0.73 lbs (331 g)	0.96 lbs (437 g)
Battery	6600mAh	6930mAh	11560mAh	4440mAh	11560mAh	8820mAh	6471mAh	6471mAh	6471mAh | N/A
Colors	Black	Black/White	Black/White	Black/White	Black/White	Space gray/Silver	Space gray/Silver	Space gray/Silver/Gold	Space gray/Silver/Gold
Launch Price	Wi-Fi: $499, $599, $699 Cellular: $629, $729, $829	Wi-Fi: $499, $599, $699 Cellular: $629, $729, $829	Wi-Fi: $499, $599, $699 Cellular: $629, $729, $829	Wi-Fi: $329, $429, $529 Cellular: $459, $559, $659	Wi-Fi: $499, $599, $699, $799 Cellular: $629, $729, $829, $929	Wi-Fi: $499, $599, $699, $799 Cellular: $629, $729, $829, $929	Wi-Fi: $399, $499, $599, $699 Cellular: $529, $629, $729, $829	Wi-Fi: $399, $499, $599, $699 Cellular: $529, $629, $729, $829	Wi-Fi: $499, $599, $699, $799 Cellular: $629, $729, $829, $929
Release Date	4/3/2010	3/11/2011	3/16/2012	11/2/2012	11/2/2012	11/1/2013	11/12/2013	10/24/2014	10/24/2014

iPad Air 2 vs. MacBook Air: Which Apple ultra-portable should you get?

Apple has two products designated as "Air", the MacBook Air, updated last June with the latest generation Intel Haswell processors, and the brand new iPad Air 2, introduced in October with a custom Apple A8X chipset. Both are ultra light, super thin, and have insanely great battery life, but one has a keyboard and runs OS X and the other a multitouch and iOS. Both can be absolutely killer on a plane, in an office, or around the house. But which one is better for you?

• iPad Air 2 vs. MacBook Air: Which Apple ultra-portable should you get?

Should you upgrade to the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3?

When new tablets like the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini-3 hit the market one of the hardest decisions we face is whether or not to upgrade from our current model to the latest and greatest. If you have unlimited funds, you can just buy everything, all the time. Most of us don't, however, so we need to check out the new features, see how they compare to what we already have, and decide if the difference is worth the price of an entirely new device, a price that starts at $399 and goes up considerably from there. So, what's the difference between your current iPad and the new ones, and is there value enough to justify the upgrade cost?

• Should you upgrade to the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3?

How to sell your old iPad

If you plan on upgrading to an iPad Air 2 or iPad min 3i, selling your old iPad is a no brainer. Apple products hold their resale value very well. If you've taken good care of your iPad, you should have no problem finding it a new home and putting some cash in your pocket while doing it. Selling the old really does help you afford the new. If you're not sure how to sell, or if you just want to make sure you get the most money, or save yourself the most time and effort, possible, here's everything you need to know!

• How to sell your old iPad

Which iPad should you get?

Apple's 2014 iPad lineup is jam-packed. At the top end there's the brand new iPad Air 2. Then there's the updated iPad mini 3, last year's iPad Air and last year's iPad mini 2, and at the lower-than-ever bottom end, the original iPad mini. There are different features, different screen sizes, different capacities, and different price points to consider. In other words, there's a lot to choose from. So do you go with big or small, old or new, cost or value? Which iPad should you get?

• Which iPad should you get?

What color iPad should you get: Silver, gold, or space gray?

The iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 come in a wider variety of colors — or metallic finishes — than ever before. Now, in addition to space gray and silver, you can also get both the new iPads in gold. The space gray still comes with a black faceplate and the gold, like the silver, comes with a white faceplate. With greater choice in colors, however, comes a harder choice — which one should you get?

• What color iPad should you get: Silver, gold, or space gray?

What iPad storage size should you get: 16GB vs 64GB vs 128GB?

The iPad Air 2 and the iPad mini 3 come in three different storage sizes — 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB. Picking between them can be the hardest buying decision a new iPad owner has to make. That's because App Store apps are getting larger, media files are becoming more accessible than ever, and the functionality of our iPads keeps getting better. All of this comes at the price of storage space. This is why choosing a storage size that matches your particular use case is so important. The last thing you want to do is get the dreaded out of space error after only a few months of owning your new iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 3. Luckily that's where iMore comes in! From start to finish, we can walk you through what you can expect to get out of each iPad storage size!

• What iPad storage size should you get: 16GB vs 64GB vs 128GB?

iPad insurance: Should you get AppleCare or something else?

If you plan on picking up a new iPad Air 2 or new iPad mini, one of the questions you're probably asking yourself is whether or not you should buy AppleCare+ insurance, something else, or forego insurance altogether. It's a question we get asked on a rather regular basis here at iMore so I figured the best way to address it was to put together a guide, since no one insurance plan is right for everyone. And more importantly, if you're using a credit card to buy your new iPad, you may be covered already and not even know it! Follow along to see what we think are the best insurance options to protect your new iPad!

• iPad insurance: Should you get AppleCare or something else?

Need more help?

If there's any detail you're still not 100% sure about, or any question you'd still love to get answered before you buy your brand new iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 3, we have fantastic information pages that are always kept up-to-the-minute, and amazing community forums filled with experts for you to talk with. Bookmark them and check back often! And once you've decided, let us know in the comments - which iPad did you get and why?

• iPad Air 2: Everything you need to know


• iPad mini 3: Everything you need to know