The 11-inch iPad just hit its lowest Black Friday price yet, and it’s an excellent doorbuster. The 128GB Wi‑Fi version is now $279, a savings of $70 that brings Apple’s most affordable tablet — by far — well below the $300 mark.
This early Black Friday tag is below standard seasonal deals and equals the lowest we’ve seen in price tracking as of press time, placing it as one of the best mainstream tablet buys this season. That means all colorways are up for grabs — silver, yellow, pink and blue — so you don’t have to settle for a leftover hue to save.
Why This Black Friday Price Is So Unusual
Sub-$300 tablets are a dime a dozen, but brand-new iPads at this price? Not so much. IDC’s quarterly shipment data often puts Apple at or near the top of global tablet market share, typically around a one-third stake, and one reason is longevity. The value of most iPads is more than just the initial discount, however, as iPads tend to receive software updates for years.
At $279, you’re signing up for Apple’s app ecosystem, a strong resale value and powerful parental controls for less than many midrange Android slates. If you have a household of device-juggling users, it’s also an easy way to add a versatile screen for streaming, schoolwork and travel while not giving up support or security.
What $279 Buys You in This 11-inch iPad Deal
Performance is the headline here. Entry-level: With Apple’s A16 chip powering it behind the scenes, this 11-inch iPad has the power for slick multitasking, graphic-heavy games and creative apps — with none of the stutters found on budget tablets. All that overhead also helps the tablet feel fast years from now as apps grow heavier.
A personal favorite, the Liquid Retina display with True Tone continues to be a high point of this thing for media and reading, delivering just the right color accuracy and comfortable brightness level for long sessions. It’s not a spec-chasing panel, but it consistently makes videos and web pages look great for casual design work.
Both cameras are 12MP, and the front ultra‑wide one now supports Center Stage to help keep you framed when video calling — a more useful upgrade if you’re spending time on Zoom, FaceTime or Teams. The rear wide camera can shoot 4K video and also serves as a convenient document scanner when you want to digitize receipts or forms.
Battery life is designed to last all day. Apple claims a full day of typical work and streaming for its normal iPads, and real-world testing from reviewers generally corroborates that. It also includes USB‑C charging and supports accessories, so you can take notes with Apple Pencil (USB‑C) or type with a keyboard folio when necessary.
Who This 11-inch iPad Deal Is Best Suited For
Students and commuters will love the combination of price, performance and battery life. The 128-gigabyte storage tier is a sweet spot: plenty of space for offline videos, class resources and games without regular culling, yet still budget-friendly.
Families in need of a shared device receive a return on shareability with a hardy, simple interface packed with powerful screen‑time controls and an infinitely large library of kid-friendly apps and educational content. Casual sketchers or editors from the Creator side will find it plenty powerful for drawing, photo touch-ups and quick video edits, especially if you use Pencil and have the right apps.
How It Compares in the Current Tablet Market
At this cost, most competitors use lower-tier processors and have shorter software support windows. Consumer research firms like CIRP have commented that Apple users keep their devices for longer, and this is directly linked to continuing OS updates and app support. If you’re balancing long-term use against upfront savings, this iPad’s discount reduces the difference and still represents a great deal in the long run.
The only people who should be looking elsewhere are those who need pro-level features — high-refresh screens, advanced color workflows or desktop-class editing capabilities — and for them, the iPad Air and M‑series-powered iPad Pro models offer more options (albeit at a significantly higher price).
Guidance for Buying This Black Friday iPad Deal
Black Friday pricing is inconsistent and variable, but desirable storage and color options tend to sell out first. Should you spot the $70-off label emblazoned on the 128GB Wi‑Fi configuration, don’t hesitate and be sure to check the price in cart before clicking through checkout in case one of Amazon’s ubiquitous short-lived coupons or automatically applied discounts is being offered. Major retailers tend to copycat around this time — so, should inventory become tight in a hurry, price matching might come into play.
Bottom line: This is one of those rare iPad deals that strikes a sanity zone in price, capabilities and staying power. If you’ve been holding out for an everything tablet under $300, the moment is here.