'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?
ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.
When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.
Apple's iPad 9th Gen is on sale for $80 off at Best Buy
Get the Apple iPad 9th Gen for $80 off.
The holiday season has come and gone, but one of the hottest Cyber Monday deals is back: a 9th-generation iPad for $249 -- a discount of $80.
At Amazon, Apple's 9th-generationiPad with a 10.2-inch screen is down to $249, $80 cheaper than its standard starting price. This gets you 64GB of storage and Wi-Fi only. If you decide to jump up to 256GB, it'll cost you $399, which is also a $80 discount on its normal price. And if you're looking to upgrade to a cellular version, that's on sale for $80 off, too.
We haven't seen a deal on an iPad this good since the holidays last year, so you'll want to jump on this as soon as you can.
Also: The 50+ best Amazon Valentine's Day tech deals
The 9th-generation iPad, originally released in 2021, is at the bottom of Apple's lineup as its entry-level offering. Despite that, this is still an excellent tablet if all you need is a Netflix machine, something to check emails with or do some shopping, or a distraction for your kids. The design is pretty dated with chunky bezels and a Home button with Touch ID, but it's perfectly functional. (I actually still enjoy holding this iPad in particular since you have somewhere for your thumbs to go without blocking the screen.)
Read the review: Apple iPad (2021): If it's not broke, don't fix it
Apple includes a 10.2-inch Retina display that's perfectly adequate for streaming your favorite movies, reading ebooks, gaming, and even drawing thanks to Apple Pencil support. Inside there's an A13 Bionic processor, the same chip as the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, which provides speedy performance and many years of software updates (expect this iPad to get at least a few more years' worth of iOS upgrades if history is any indication).
You'll also get 10 hours of battery life, stereo speakers, front and rear cameras, and the coveted Lightning port, perfect for anyone who hasn't made the switch to USB-C just yet. While it won't give you the blazing-fast speeds or impeccable display technology of an iPad Pro, for under $250, this iPad is a great deal. But hop on it fast -- the deal could be gone before you know it.