Apple deal roundup: limited iPad discounts, notable savings on Air, Macs and accessories

After a wave of deep discounts around Prime Day and other retailer events, iPad deals are thinner this week — a pre-Black Friday lull, essentially. That said, a handful of worthwhile discounts remain for shoppers who want to grab higher-capacity models or popular accessories.

Highlights include a $50 discount on the 256GB iPad (A16), big markdowns on certain iPad Air configurations (including the 1TB 11″ M3 Air for $949 and the 13″ M3 512GB cellular Air for $1,000), and price drops on AirPods 4, AirTags (4-pack), the M4 Mac mini and the M4 MacBook Air.

• iPad (A16) 256GB: $50 off — a modest but useful saving if you want more storage without stepping up to the Air or Pro.
• iPad Air (11″ M3, 1TB): $949 — ties the lowest price seen; great if you need top storage and M3 performance.
• iPad Air (13″ M3, 512GB, Cellular): $1,000 — an all-time low for this larger-screen, cellular-capable configuration.
• AirTags (4-pack): Around $65 — near the best price on Apple’s Bluetooth trackers.
• Apple Pencil Pro: $99 — a recurring discount on Apple’s top stylus for supported iPads.
• MacBook Air (13″, M4, 512GB): $999 — ties all-time low for the 16GB/512GB config.
• Mac mini (M4, 16GB/256GB): $499 — decent drop on Apple’s compact desktop.

Why the limited selection? Major sales events (Prime Day, big retailer promotions) have already moved the best inventory and prices, and many of Apple’s newest models were just announced — for instance, the iPad Pro refresh means retailers haven’t yet discounted those models. Expect promotions to pick up again as we head into Black Friday season.

Where to check: retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart and B&H typically carry these offers. For a quick search, here’s a link to current iPad listings on Amazon: Search iPad deals on Amazon. For the original coverage and a full roundup of this week’s offers, see the Engadget summary here.

If you’re shopping, ask yourself: do you need the extra storage or cellular connectivity now, or can you wait for deeper Black Friday-style discounts? If portability and display quality matter, splurging on the Air may be worth it; if you just want a solid tablet for media and light work, the base iPad often offers the best value.

Discussion: Which Apple deals are you watching — will you buy now or wait for Black Friday?