Apple just rolled out its fifth-generation iPad, and with it a new name: the iPad Air. It also gave us a new iPad mini with a Retina display. When you include the iPad 2 and the original iPad mini, which the company left in its lineup as well, that leaves four devices with multiple configurations. That's a lot of iPad. So which should you buy? We've got a pick for you in both the mini and full-size model.
Let's get the easy stuff out of the way first: Don't buy the iPad 2 or original iPad mini. Sure, they're less expensive than the newer models, but not enough so that it's worth missing out on the A7 chipsets, Retina displays, and new enclosures. Get one of last year's models today, and you're making a lousy purchasing decision. Go new.
Storage is an easy call too. Unless you plan to use the iPad as your primary computer (if you do, go big), get the 16GB model. Odds are you won't be using it to take hundreds or thousands of photos like you might with a phone that eat up storage. Yes, you may have to sync it regularly, but for most people 16GB should be plenty of space.
Next up: Wi-Fi-only, or Wi-Fi + Cellular? This is trickier. The iPad Mini is amazingly portable. It's small enough to fit in the occasional pant pocket. It's great on the train. It's great on a plane. It's the ultimate driving machine (sorry BMW) because it doubles as a fantastic navigation system - or at least it can be if you get the version with cellular connectivity. Yes, LTE adds $130 to the price tag, plus what you'll pay for service. But we find the mini to be so portable that without the LTE option it feels almost hobbled.
Not so with the iPad Air. Sure, it's still light and portable, but not like the mini. If you really need a connection, odds are, you'll use your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot. If you can't use your phone as a hotspot, you may want to consider getting a portable hotspot instead (the Karma hotspot is a really good deal, for example).
So our final takeaway? If you're getting the mini, go for the 16GB LTE Retina Display model. If you're going full-sized, you're going to want the 16GB iPad Air that's Wi-Fi only. You're on your own when it comes to picking out the color.
Mat Honan is a senior writer for Wired's Gadget Lab and the co-founder of the Knight-Batten award-winning Longshot magazine.
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