It's a Bad Time to Buy the Low-Cost iPad

[MacRumors]

Apple's iPad that's just an iPad with no Air or Pro attached is its most appealing tablet because of the affordable starting $349 price tag, but if you've been thinking about buying one, you should wait.

Apple refreshed the iPad in March 2025, so it's over a year old. That's reason enough not to buy when there's a new model on the horizon, but this year, there's even more to lose by purchasing now.

The 2025 iPad has an A16 chip inside that does not support Apple Intelligence. It does not have features like Writing Tools, Image Playground, Clean Up, Live Translation, notification summaries, Smart Reply, Priority Messages in Mail, Visual Intelligence, and multiple other AI-related tools.

Apple Intelligence is still new so it might not sound like a big deal to miss out on those capabilities, but not having access to it is going to become more of a problem as Apple continues implementing new AI features.

Rumors suggest there are big changes coming in iOS 27. Siri is going to get smarter and turn into a full chatbot, the Camera app is going to get Visual Intelligence integration, the Photos app will have AI image editing tools, Shortcuts may be more automated, and there are probably features coming that haven't even been rumored yet.

The A16 iPad will likely feel outdated in the next year or two because of the feature set it won't have access to.

The next iPad is likely to get the A18 chip, and the A18 does support Apple Intelligence. It will have faster performance, more RAM, and most importantly, future-proofing and access to the AI features that Apple is investing in.

Holding out for the next iPad will take some patience, because right now, we don't know when it's coming. Updating the iPad alongside the low-cost iPhone 17e would have made sense, but that didn't happen. A new entry-level iPad isn't coming in the first half of 2026, so we're likely going to be waiting until September or October.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said in March that an updated low-cost iPad is "ready to go" and "still coming this year." Even though the wait may be several months, we think it's worth holding out for the next iPad instead of buying now because of the upgrade that comes with Apple Intelligence support.

Article Link: It's a Bad Time to Buy the Low-Cost iPad

 

[Matsamoto]

Imo it’s always a bad time and idea to buy the low cost/entry iPad.
I much rather choose a refurbished iPad Air M2 than a iPad 11.

 

[Genelec8341]

I have Apple Intelligence turned off on the devices I own that do support it.
I'm not influenced by this article.

 

[EchoplexSE]

Narrator: It in fact, was the perfect iPad to buy right now (with regular sales making it cheaper)

 

[Apple_Robert]

In my opinion, telling people to not buy is bad advice. Just because there is a rumor of a new product, that doesn't mean the current one is suddenly worthless. Not everyone cares about using AI with everything.

 

[Terbetinan]

A pending update is a great reason not to buy. A lack of Apple Intelligence is not. Maybe it will get better later, but I find all of it forgettable so far.

 

[avanpelt]

I’m not sure why MR seems to be posting these types of articles more frequently — bad time to buy an iPad, bad time to buy a Mac, bad time to buy an iPhone.

If you need the hardware now, you need it. If you don’t, by all means wait until you do and buy what’s current then.

 

[Timpetus]

I'd argue that the lack of support for AI is the best reason to buy the base iPad right now. I have zero interest in ever using any generative so-called "AI," even if it comes from Apple so at least the usual security concerns don't apply.

 

[1BadManVan]

In my opinion, telling people to not buy is bad advice. Just because there is a rumor of a new product, that doesn't mean the current one is suddenly worthless. Not everyone cares about using AI with everything.

Not to mention the warning Apple sent out at their last earnings report about getting hit by memory prices by June. Meaning this next entry level iPad may not carry the same entry level price.

People need to be careful giving out advice and telling people to wait right now. We’ve been warned for awhile that the price increases were starting to make their way into prebuilt consumer products now, not just individual parts and that the full effect would be felt on the second half of this year.

We’re already seeing the pricing trending upwards, and they’re saying it’s going to get worse. So if you plan to get something in the near future, waiting might end up shooting yourself in the foot

 

[now i see it]

I always buy more-than-a-year-old Apple devices

 

[Böhme417]

Imo it’s always a bad time and idea to buy the low cost/entry iPad.
I much rather choose a refurbished iPad Air M2 than a iPad 11.

Unless you need the processing power and aside from the display, there isn't much of a difference between them. Why pay $200+ more for a refurbished device when you can get the base iPad for $300? For the people just using social media, watching content, and surfing the web, the basic iPad is completely fine.

 

[numberfive]

not having apple intelligence support is the biggest seller for me

 

[MysteriousStain]

I am exceedingly happy that my Mum’s iPad will never support Apple Intelligence, it already does enough things “on it’s own”

 

[BGrifter]

Yeah, I’m delaying for the new model but it’s nothing to do with Apple Intelligence. I disable that immediately.

I’m just due for a new one, and prefer to buy Apple stuff that’s close to newly launched. It’s a second screen while I do stuff around the house so no huge hurry.

 

[timber]

The way the supply chain situation is and will be for the foreseeable future the best time to buy any hardware is probably yesterday.

 

[dannyyankou]

Look for an M3 iPad Air at Costco. It’s on clearance, I got one last weekend for $399.97

 

[Win$ton l]

It’s never a bad time to buy a low cost iPad. Some just use them for movies, scrolling etc, such a stupid post