Apple iPad 10.2" 9th Generation 2021, A13 Bionic, 3GB, 64GB, Space Gray

The iPad 9th gen is still a great tablet in 2025, with a fast A13 chip and a lovely Retina display. The refurb buying experience is a gamble, with reports of defective units and wrong models. If you get a working one, it's the best budget tablet you can buy.

The A13 Bionic is no slouch, even in 2025. Apps open fast, multitasking is smooth, and iPadOS handles everything from note-taking to light video editing without breaking a sweat. The 3GB of RAM is the weak link here, sitting in the bottom 11% of tablets we track. You'll notice it when you've got a dozen Safari tabs open or you're hopping between heavy apps. The 10.2-inch display is sharp enough at 264 ppi, and True Tone makes reading comfortable. Battery life is rated at 10 hours, but real-world reports are mixed, with some owners complaining about faster-than-expected drain. The 8MP rear camera is fine for scanning documents, and the 12MP front camera with Center Stage is genuinely great for video calls.

Against the competition, the iPad 9th gen holds its own in the budget space. The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus and Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro both offer better specs on paper, with more RAM and newer processors, but they can't match the iPad's app ecosystem or long-term software support. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is in a completely different league, with a massive OLED display and S Pen included, but it costs three times as much. The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is a full Windows machine, which is great if you need desktop apps, but it's overkill for casual tablet use. The BESTTAB T60 is cheaper, but you get what you pay for, and what you pay for is a tablet that feels like a toy. For pure tablet value, the iPad 9th gen is still the one to beat at this price.

At USD 200 to USD 220, this is the cheapest iPad you can buy, and the value proposition is strong if you get a working unit. The price spread across vendors is tight, but shop around. Best Buy's Geek Squad Certified Refurbished units are the ones to look for, since they at least come with some testing and a warranty. That said, the refurb risk is baked into the price. You're saving money upfront, but you might pay for it in headaches later. If you can stretch your budget, a new iPad 10th gen or even a used iPad Air from a private seller with a clean history might be the safer bet.

The 9th gen iPad is the budget workhorse that refuses to die. Apple still sells this thing because it nails the basics: a 10.2-inch Retina display, the A13 Bionic chip, and iPadOS that just works. This Geek Squad refurb is the cheapest way into the iPad ecosystem, and for most people, it's all the tablet they actually need.

But this is a refurb, and that's where things get dicey. The hardware itself is solid, but the buying experience is a coin flip. Some folks get a unit that looks brand new. Others get a dud, a wrong model, or a device that dies in two weeks. If you get a good one, you'll love it. The trick is getting a good one.

Skip this if you need serious multitasking power or plan to use it as a laptop replacement. The 3GB of RAM will frustrate you if you're juggling heavy apps, and the 64GB storage is tight for creative work. Also skip it if you're risk-averse about refurbs. The reports of defective units and wrong models are real, and dealing with customer service can be a time sink. If you need reliability for work or school, buy new or look for a used unit from a private seller with a verifiable history.

If you want an iPad and you're on a tight budget, this is the one to get. It's perfect for students, casual readers, and anyone who wants a reliable tablet for browsing, streaming, and light productivity. The A13 Bionic will keep this thing relevant for years, and the display is genuinely nice to look at. Just be prepared for the refurb gamble. Buy from a seller with a solid return policy, and test everything the day it arrives. If you get a good unit, you've got one of the best tablet deals on the market.