iPad mini vs. 11-inch iPad: Which Prime Day deal should you buy?

Prime Day is going hard on Apple. Honestly, we weren't expecting record-low prices on iPads, MacBooks, Apple Watches, and AirPods, but that's exactly what we've got. And Prime Day has only just started, so there's possibly more to come.

The only problem with an abundance of deals is finding the real value for money. Shoppers can easily be blinded by a discount, so it's important to remain tactical and assess all your options. This isn't an easy thing to do, but we can help.

Prime Day 2025 has delivered discounts on the 11-inch iPad ($299) and iPad mini ($399). According to camelcamelcamel, that's the lowest-ever price for the iPad mini. On the other hand, the 11-inch iPad has previously been available for under $280. So does that make the iPad mini the superior deal on Prime Day?

It's not quite that simple, so we asked Mashable's Apple expert for guidance: "If you’re just using an iPad to watch shows, videos, and use the apps you would on your phone with a bigger display, in all honestly the 11-inch iPad will more than have you covered. However, you don’t necessarily need to grab it during Prime Day if you see it at $299 — in the past three months, the price tracker camelcamelcamel shows that it’s only wavered from that price a handful of times. The iPad mini, on the other hand, drops down to $399 a little less often. It’s also our favorite iPad for reading due to its size, so if you anticipate regularly using the tablet as an e-reader, it’s worth springing the extra $100."

So if you're unsure of what direction to take over Prime Day, take Bethany Allard's advice and go with the iPad mini.