Forget the new iPad Mini, this is the iPad deal you want

Apple might have just announced a new low-priced iPad Mini, but this iPad (10th gen) offer is arguably a better deal.

Amazon is selling the current mainline iPad model for £319.99. That’s not quite the true 8 percent saving that’s being advertised – Apple itself dropped the RRP of the tablet to £329 in the wake of the launch of the latest iPad Air and iPad Pro models earlier in the year.

Even so, a £10 (ish) saving is nothing to be sniffed at, especially on a still-current Apple device. More relevantly, this makes the iPad (10th gen) about £180 cheaper than the new iPad Mini 7.

We awarded the iPad (10th gen) 4 out of 5 in our review at launch, calling it “a great tablet”. Indeed, the main thing keeping it from an even higher score at the time was an unwelcome price hike. This new Amazon price, following on from Apple’s own price cut, feels much better.

Our review praised the iPad (10th gen) for its massively improved design, which is in keeping with the rest of the iPad range. Think a stylish straight-edged frame and uniform bezels.

The current model also benefits from a switch to USB-C, meaning you can power it up and transfer files using the universally accepted port rather than Apple’s bespoke Lightning standard.

We also appreciate Apple’s front camera alignment, which positions it far more naturally for video calls.

But the main reason to buy any iPad is, as always, Apple’s peerless software. There are some impressive Android tablets out there, but none of them can match Apple’s iPad OS for its clean, powerful UI and excellent third party app support.

Basically, if you’re looking to get into Apple’s tablet ecosystem as cheaply and efficiently as possible, this iPad (10th gen) deal is as good as it gets right now.