Apple released this iPad back in September and it brought a few meaningful updates to the previous version. Most importantly, the 8th-generation slab has Apple’s six-core A12 Bionic chipset and that’s a big upgrade from the aging processor in the 7th-generation iPad. While the previous-gen’s slowness was noticeable when playing games or interacting with Split-View apps, this new model is zippy and free of hiccups. The new iPad is also much better at handling all the new features brought in the latest versions of iPadOS.
What you won’t find on the base-level iPad is an updated design (it still sports antiquated chunky bezels) and FaceID, but many will just fine sacrificing the latter since you’re still getting TouchID with the physical Home button. The tablet also supports the first-generation Apple Pencil, giving note-takers and budding artists the opportunity to create digital work without dropping hundreds more on the iPad Air or iPad Pro. All of these things led us to give the 8th-gen iPad a score of 86 and dub it the best cheap tablet for most people.
Amazon also has some other iPad models for less right now, too. The a few color options of latest iPad Air with Apple’s new A14 Bionic processor are $40 off, bringing them down to $559. The latest 11-inch iPad Pro is $50 off as well, bringing it down to $749. While not the lowest it’s ever been ($729), it’s still a good sale that we haven’t seen since close to Christmas last year.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
