Should you buy an iPad Air on Black Friday?
Black Friday should be an excellent time to find the first substantial deals on the iPad Air 4, even though it launched just last month.Computing on Air: iPad Air 4 ($599 at Amazon)
Black Friday is always a great time to get deals on a lot of gadgets, but is that true if the device in question just launched? After all, Apple only released the iPad Air 4 last month.
While there haven't been any significant discounts for the iPad Air just yet, I expect to see one or two pop up right on, or even directly ahead of, Black Friday. While Apple naturally won't offer any discounts of its own, don't be surprised to see retailers like Amazon and Best Buy offer some great Black Friday iPad deals.
The discounts aren't on yet, but it's not Black Friday yet
It's not surprising that there haven't been any substantial discounts on the iPad Air 4 just yet. After all, it was only released on October 16, just under a month ago.
That being said, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are probably the best shots we have at seeing significant discounts on Apple's latest and greatest tablet, with some great Black Friday iPad deals probably cropping up closer to the actual day.
And even if it doesn't see any discounts, it's not like Black Friday is any worse a time to buy an iPad Air.
Skip the iPad Air 3, even if you find it at a discount
The iPad Air 3 can still be found in some places, but I'd advise against buying it. For one thing, it's older technology that won't last you as long as the iPad Air 4. For another, the iPad 2020, while not the best iPad you can find, is powered by the same chip as the iPad Air 3, offers more storage (128GB) for a lower cost than you'll generally find for the older iPad Air, with only a slightly smaller screen (10.2 inches vs. 10.5 inches on the iPad Air 3).
The iPad Air 4 is a significantly better tablet in many ways. It runs on a much more powerful system-on-a-chip, the A14, and has a small-bezel, semi-industrial design of the iPad Pro line. It doesn't have Face ID like the iPad Pro, but instead goes for Touch ID on the power button. It supports the second-generation Apple Pencil, which magnetically attaches to the iPad's side for charging and storage. You can also magnetically attach the Magic Keyboard for iPad for one of the best typing and trackpad experiences you can find on a tablet.
The best tablet for most people, the iPad Air 4 brings some Pro features, like a modern industrial design, Apple Pencil 2 support, and a Liquid Retina display down into a more affordable price range.
Great Black Friday deals
Even if Black Friday iPad deals end up few and far between, there are still going to be countless discounts to take advantage of throughout the day and over the following weekend. Black Friday has long been the biggest shopping day of the year, and it's the perfect time to pick up those usually-expensive items that you've been searching for at a substantial discount. Don't miss out on other Apple Black Friday deals if you really want to save some money.
