Apple's 9th-gen iPad returns to an all-time low of $199 for Prime Day

Prime Day is here and we've been busy rounding up the best deals we can find. There's an iPad offer in particular that matches one we've seen before, but it's definitely worth highlighting. The 9th-gen iPad has dropped back down to $199, which matches a record low. That's 40 percent off the regular price of $329.

Let's be very clear: this iPad is quite old at this point. Apple released it in 2021 and the company has since rolled out another base iPad, along with several mini, Pro and Air models. If you're looking for a more recent model that Apple will support for longer, you can check out our guide on how to pick the best iPad for you. This sale feels very much like a case of trying to clear out old stock, but there are plenty of valid reasons to opt for the 9th-gen iPad instead of a more powerful model.

We gave the 9th-gen iPad a score of 81 in our review, due to its solid camera, performance and base storage (64GB) upgrades and the solid battery life. It lasted for 14 hours on a single charge during our initial video-streaming tests. It even has a headphone jack, which is a definite plus point.

The tablet will certainly do the trick if all you really need is a tablet to catch up on reading, browse the web, handle some emails and watch videos — more so if you're already in the Apple ecosystem. You'll be able to doodle on this iPad with the original Apple Pencil, but this model is not best suited for professional-level design work or productivity.

Apple tends to support iPads for at least five years in terms of iPadOS updates, so it's likely (but not a sure thing) that you'll be able to install up to iPadOS 20 on this thing. As such, you should be able to stream video via the likes of Netflix to this tablet for several years to come.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.