Apple's entry-level iPad just hit its sweet spot for Cyber Monday shoppers. The 2025 iPad A16 is now available for $274 at Best Buy, down from its $349 retail price, making it the best tablet deal of the shopping season. With the recent iPadOS 26 update adding Mac-like windowing features, this discounted slate suddenly looks like the smart buy over pricier Pro models.
Apple's entry-level iPad just became the season's best tablet bargain. The 2025 iPad A16 is now selling for $274 at retailers like Best Buy and Amazon, marking a $75 discount from its $349 retail price during Cyber Monday sales.
The timing couldn't be better. Apple recently rolled out iPadOS 26, which fundamentally changes how this humble tablet operates. The update introduces Mac-style windowing features that let users resize windows, snap them to split-screen mode, and even brings back the popular Slide Over multitasking feature in version 26.1.
"This iPad recently got a whole lot more versatile with the iPadOS 26 update, which adds windowing features, turning the iPad experience into a Mac," according to WIRED's review, which gave the device an 8/10 rating. The publication notes that users can "resize windows, flick them to the sides for split-screen" functionality.
What makes this deal particularly compelling is what the iPad A16 doesn't have - Apple Intelligence support. While that might sound like a drawback, many of Apple's AI features "aren't very useful right now," making the absence less of a concern for most users.
The 11-inch display hits the sweet spot between portability and usability. Connect a Bluetooth keyboard, and you've got a capable work machine for emails and light productivity tasks. The A16 processor handles most apps and games without breaking a sweat, while battery life remains solid throughout day-long usage sessions.
For creative users, there are some limitations. The iPad A16 only supports first-generation Apple Pencil and Apple Pencil USB-C models. More importantly, the display isn't fully laminated, meaning there's an air gap between the glass and screen that makes it "suboptimal for sketching," according to WIRED's testing.
