If you’re thinking about buying a tablet, I’m sure you already know that Apple makes some of the best models in its iPad range. In fact, I’m fairly certain that a decent iPad can replace a laptop for most people. They can be pretty pricey, though, making this deal I’ve just spotted one of the best of the Black Friday sales event so far.
Long story short: Apple’s entry-level iPad – the 10.9-inch model unveiled in 2022 – is a fantastic tech bargain right now, dropping well below its typical price of £329 to £289 for a limited time. That’s not a major discount, but even 12% off is rare for Apple’s slates, and it applies across the whole colour range.
This iPad deal isn’t just at one retailer either – I’ve seen it at this price on Amazon, at John Lewis, Currys and Argos, while it still costs over £300 from Apple directly, at AO and in the EE store.
Key specifications
| Screen | 10.9 inches, 2360 x 1640 pixels |
|---|---|
| Cameras | 12MP ultra-wide (front-facing), 12MP wide (rear-facing) |
| Colours | Yellow, Blue, Pink, Silver |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours |
A fantastic option for your everyday computing needs, the standard iPad has a great set of features that make it a big upgrade if you’ve got an older iPad model or an ageing laptop that doesn’t get much use. It has a vibrant and detailed 10.9-inch edge-to-edge display, so you’ll see more of your films and TV programmes than you would on older iPads that have a home button and thicker edges around the display.
This model also has 12-megapixel cameras on the front and back, which makes it ideal for FaceTime video calls. It has Touch ID for security, the impressive A14 Bionic chip (that powered the iPhone 12 models and 4th generation iPad Air), and support for great accessories like the Apple Pencil (USB-C) and the Magic Keyboard Folio.
It’s no surprise that our 10th generation iPad review rates it as the best iPad for beginners. You get full access to an extensive list of over a million supported apps via the App Store, so this iPad quickly becomes a great option for entertainment, whether that’s streaming films and TV, music, reading books or flicking through magazines.
It’s excellent for reading articles with its bright display, and also a viable replacement for your laptop with its productivity features. That’s especially true when it’s paired with Apple’s Magic Keyboard Folio or a wireless keyboard and mouse.
If you’d like to get creative or want to use it to take notes, it supports the Apple Pencil (USB-C) that can transform your handwriting into typed text, solve jotted-down maths sums, and is great for sketches, design and editing work. And the great news is that the iPad itself isn’t the only notable discount – the Pencil would usually cost £79 and is now £69, while the Magic Keyboard Folio is down to £199 from £249 (it’s never been this low before).
Apple Magic Keyboard Folio for iPad (10th generation) - British English
Are there any downsides? Of course, there are a handful, but none I'd consider dealbreakers at this price. This isn’t an ultra-powerful iPad Pro and it’s less capable than the iPad Air with a slightly restricted support for accessories. It has a lower base storage of 64GB, which might not be enough for some users who want to keep a lot of apps, videos and files on the device (however, the 256GB version is also down to £429 and 10% off now), and the screen can suffer from some glare in harsh lighting. It’s also larger and less portable than the iPad Mini. But, crucially, it’s more affordable than any other iPad, and that’s even more the case with this fantastic Black Friday price cut.
The 10th generation iPad first launched in 2022 with a retail price of £499, and has gradually decreased over time, with its price fluctuating between around £330 and £350 since February of this year. It did get a pretty significant price cut during the Prime Day sale in July, but even then that exclusive deal for Prime members only brought it down to £306 for the pink colour and £319.99 for the rest of the range.
Overall, this latest deal is by far the best offer I’ve seen to date, and a great way to get your first iPad at an affordable price! Just don’t wait around – the most desirable colour will go out of stock as shoppers snap them up and I’d be surprised if this Black Friday offer sticks around for long. It will almost certainly expire after Cyber Monday.
Apple Magic Keyboard Folio for iPad (10th generation) - British English
Read review
Simon Cocks is Good Housekeeping UK’s Technology Editor, overseeing tech shopping content and strategy for the title. He previously also worked across other titles including Esquire UK, Digital Spy, Men’s Health UK and Women’s Health UK.
Simon specialises in testing the latest smart gadgets, home entertainment gear, headphones, speakers, portable chargers, radios, e-book readers and smartphones. He's reviewed top tech products from brands including Google, Apple, Amazon, JBL and Bose.
A magazine journalism graduate from Kingston University in 2014, Simon also worked on the Discovery and Silkroad inflight magazines. He then gained experience writing about entertainment at SFX and Total Film. He also contributed reviews and interviews to TwitchFilm (later ScreenAnarchy), CultBox and Frame Rated.
He joined Good Housekeeping UK as the Editorial Assistant for Special Projects and was part of Good Housekeeping’s Consumer Affairs Team between 2014 and 2019. In this role, he conducted price comparison research, wrote detailed household and money-saving advice guides and edited thousands of in-depth reviews for the Good Housekeeping Institute.
He has focused on technology and gadgets since 2020, where he started by testing out power banks and instant cameras. He writes reviews, roundups, news articles and deals updates, and also covers top tech deals during sales like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
When not testing out the latest gizmos, you’ll find Simon either catching up with the newest releases at his local cinema or out shooting with his beloved compact camera.
You can follow Simon on Instagram, on Bluesky, on LinkedIn and on Threads.
