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This may be your best chance to get Apple’s latest ‘starter’ tablet on sale this holiday season. Amazon is offering the new 64GB WiFi iPad for $426, or $23 below the official price. This is the first time we’ve seen a bargain for the device. You’ll see similar five percent discounts for 256GB and cellular models, and you don’t have to be picky about colors.
The 2022 iPad is a mostly welcome redesign. Apple has finally ditched the thick bezels of past base models, and has replaced the Lightning port with USB-C. The Smart Connector allows for improved peripherals like the Magic Keyboard Folio, and the front-facing camera is finally in the right place for typical landscape-oriented video chats. Toss in a still-speedy A14 chip and healthy battery life and this is a fine tablet for everyday use. It might even replace a laptop in the right circumstances.
There are some foibles. The screen isn’t as sophisticated as that of the iPad Air, and the A14 rules out iPadOS 16’s Stage Manager. And you’ll want to spring for the Air if you’re the artistic sort — the new entry model only supports Apple’s first-generation Pencil (not included), and you’ll have to attach an adapter just to pair and charge the stylus. At a reduced price, though, the new iPad is both a better value for less demanding tasks and easier to justify versus last year’s cheaper variant.
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