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All iPads iPad Air deals at Target vs Staples

M

Max Your Macs

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 13, 2008
99
37
Daytona Beach, FL
I returned my Air 2 over the weekend at Target in favor of the original Air since the (minimal) performance difference for me wasn't worth the difference in cost. But that's a different discussion. i just wanted to let everyone know about the pricing and deal I found today in case you haven't seen it and a heads-up about Target's price matching policies.

Returned my Air 2 64GB wifi and bought the discounted Air 32GB wifi for $449 with an extra $9.00 discount for using my RedCard. Not bad at all until this morning when I see Staples advertising the exact same Air for a crazy low price of $379. I looked at Target's price match policy online and while they specify certain retailers they match against (Best Buy, ToysRUs, etc) it does't specifically say anything about Staples one way or another. There is a vague 'other retailers' mention though which seems reasonable.

I just stopped by Target to get the adjustment and they refused to match the price. I followed with a call to Target support to see if I just had gotten a cranky store person and nope, they refused too. I told them a short sale was better than a return that I intended on getting one for $379 from one place or the other. I was flatly told to go ahead and make the best decision for me. Nice.

Sooo, I am now setting up my brand new 32GB wifi from Staples and boxing up the other one for a final trip back to Target to return it. Anyway, I hope someone else can take advantage of the deals at Staples... looks like they have a lot of iPads marked way down today.
 
sonicrobby said:
Id just go to the Apple refurb site :p best deals there
Click to expand...

The price on the Apple refurb site is actually $10 more at $389. Plus you have to factor in shipping, wait time and the fact that it's a refurb over brand new. It makes way more sense to just walk out of Staples with a brand new unit today for less money than pay more for a refurb and have to wait a week for shipping.
 
The Air 2 is not a minimal upgrade. You will regret this decision once Apple announces multi-tasking, probably next year.
 
wolfboy said:
The Air 2 is not a minimal upgrade. You will regret this decision once Apple announces multi-tasking, probably next year.
Click to expand...

If they do introduce multitasking next year, it will be concurrent with, or followed immediately by, the Air 3, which will be the only hardware that does it smoothly.
 
wolfboy said:
The Air 2 is not a minimal upgrade. You will regret this decision once Apple announces multi-tasking, probably next year.
Click to expand...

And by that time we'll all be discussing iOS 9 and the Air 3. The OP did good and OP an Apple refurb is as good as new, 1 year warranty, new battery and new outer shell.
 
Rodster said:
And by that time we'll all be discussing iOS 9 and the Air 3. The OP did good and OP an Apple refurb is as good as new, 1 year warranty, new battery and new outer shell.
Click to expand...

I used to think refurbs were good as new until I got a mini 2 a week or so ago. Battery life is sub par. I set it up as new, disabled Bluetooth/background refresh, brightness at 30%, and set gmail to fetch every 30 mins and I can't seem to get more than 9 hours usage with email, browsing, reading. With streaming video it will struggle to even get 8 hours. With the same usage patterns I could get 14 hours out of the Air 1. Maybe I got a lemon, but either way it's going back and I'll get a new in box model during Black Friday sales.
 
OP I made the same decision based on everything I'll actually use the iPad for.

I saw the Staples listing yesterday and price matched at Best Buy since none of the Staples in my area had one. Was effortless. 32gb for 379.
 
Noble Actual said:
And the iPad Air 2 will probably not support that feature.

LOL
Click to expand...

The Air 2 is the only iOS device that has 2gb of RAM. I'd say the Air 2 has a higher chance of being the only iPad currently out right now that would support that feature (or run it well).

EDIT: Though I guess if you don't care for that, $380 is a good deal for the Air 1. I just don't know how well it will age.
 
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wolfboy said:
The Air 2 is the only iOS device that has 2gb of RAM. I'd say the Air 2 has a higher chance of being the only iPad currently out right now that would support that feature (or run it well).

EDIT: Though I guess if you don't care for that, $380 is a good deal for the Air 1. I just don't know how well it will age.
Click to expand...

That's great, but he was talking about next year.

Next year, the iPad Air 3 and probably iPad Pro will come out. With Apple's history of keeping features for the newest models, its totally reasonably and predictably to see the iPad Air 2 not getting that feature.
 
wolfboy said:
The Air 2 is the only iOS device that has 2gb of RAM. I'd say the Air 2 has a higher chance of being the only iPad currently out right now that would support that feature (or run it well).
Click to expand...

This may be true. However, it won't likely be introduced until iOS 9. When that happens, the iPad air 3 will only be a month or so away. That's when I will upgrade my iPad. Until then I'm fine with my iPad 4/retina mini combo. The iPad air 2 May be faster and lighter, but there's nothing I would do on it that I can't do now.
 
SHirsch999 said:
This may be true. However, it won't likely be introduced until iOS 9. When that happens, the iPad air 3 will only be a month or so away. That's when I will upgrade my iPad. Until then I'm fine with my iPad 4/retina mini combo. The iPad air 2 May be faster and lighter, but there's nothing I would do on it that I can't do now.
Click to expand...

It can vibrate... :p
 
Noble Actual said:
That's great, but he was talking about next year.

Next year, the iPad Air 3 and probably iPad Pro will come out. With Apple's history of keeping features for the newest models, its totally reasonably and predictably to see the iPad Air 2 not getting that feature.
Click to expand...

That is a possibility...but seeing as how they beefed up the Air 2 so much, I can only assume all that extra power is reserved for the multi-tasking feature they're probably working on.
 
sonicrobby said:
Id just go to the Apple refurb site :p best deals there
Click to expand...

I would opt for a new vs refurbished any day of the week if the prices were comparable, which they are in this case. I'd rather try and resell an iPad that I bought new vs refurb'd when its time to upgrade.

Fantastic deal OP! I did a similar thing 2 weeks ago and bought a new 32GB iPad from Microcenter for $399. These Staples deals are the best I've seen though.

The iPad (original) will be just fine for at least the next year. At these prices, can always sell them and trade up when the time comes without taking much of a hit!
 
If you have a Discover Card, you would get an additional 10% off. That is insanely cheap!
 
wolfboy said:
The Air 2 is not a minimal upgrade. You will regret this decision once Apple announces multi-tasking, probably next year.
Click to expand...

I've learned many years ago to not buy an Apple product based on what they "probably" will do next year because in the end then Apple "probably won't".

So when it comes to measuring regret then people getting a heavily discounted iPad Air will likely feel less when Apple tells us that "These great new features only work in the multi-taskable, wide-screen, hologram-friendly iPad Air Pro Plus.
 
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Has anyone been able to stack the best buy movers coupon with the price match at best buy to staples iPad offer?
 
I ordered a 32gb iPad Air from Staples. It will replace my father's iPad 2 (which will go to my niece who has an iPad 2 that she cracked the screen on a couple times now (I've replaced screen myself) and now has started to act up sometimes.

The 32gb iPad Air is the best bang for the buck right now IMO. It wasn't worth spending the extra $220 for the 64gb iPad Air 2 for him and I've found that 16gb just isn't enough anymore. This should last him 2 or 3 years easily.

My mom is getting my former iPad Air as I updated to the iPad Air 2.
 
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