ChatGPT's New Skills Resident Evil 4 Remake Galaxy A54 5G Hands-On TikTok CEO Testifies Huawei's New Folding Phone How to Use Google's AI Chatbot Airlines and Family Seating Weigh Yourself Accurately
Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories?
No, thank you
Accept
Why You Can Trust CNET
Our expert deal-hunting staff showcases the best price drops and discounts from reputable sellers daily. If you make a purchase using our links, CNET may earn a commission.

The 2018 iPad 9.7 can be yours for $238 (Update: Sold out)

That's $91 less than the price for this year's base-model iPad.

61-ipad-2018-education
The 2018 9.7-inch iPad is still a fine tablet, especially if you can find it on sale.
Sarah Tew/CNET

For the better part of 2019, the iPad 9.7 (not to be confused with the iPad Air and iPad Mini) was on something of a pricing rollercoaster. Apple continued to charge $329 for the 32GB model, but vendors such as Amazon, MassGenie and Walmart frequently sold it for $249. Then came the new iPad 10.2, which sort of reset the pricing model back to $329 (though you can currently save $29 if you preorder the iPad 10.2 with 128GB of storage).

Read more: These are the best iPad deals

Ah, but where does that leave the trusty sixth-generation iPad 9.7? Well, right now, Alldayzip (via Rakuten) has the 2018 iPad 9.7 (Wi-Fi, 32GB) for $238 when you apply promo code SAVE15 at checkout. It's available in gold and space gray; silver is sold out. You'll also bag 280 Rakuten points and, if you're signed up for Rakuten's cash-back program, 1% cash back. Note that CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page.

This isn't the all-time lowest price I've seen for the iPad 9.7, just the lowest one right now. I do predict a bunch of clearance sales in the months to come, so it might be possible to scoop one of these up for closer to $200, maybe even less. Still, $238 represents a solid discount, especially considering that this previously sold for $91 more.

OK, but what about the Amazon Fire HD 10, which costs just $150 and often goes on sale for as low as $100? Great tablet, no question, but the iPad offers faster performance, much better cameras, more apps to choose from, an ad-free user experience and other benefits. I also find iOS -- sorry, iPadOS -- much easier to navigate than Amazon's clunky Fire OS, but that's just my two cents.

Oh, one more thing: My daughter, who's away at college, now uses this very iPad model -- along with the Apple Pencil -- to take notes in class, instead of a laptop. She absolutely loves it.

What do you think? Is $238 a good price for an almost-current-gen iPad? Or will you wait and see if it dips lower?

Read more: 6 new uses for your old iPad

Now playing: Watch this: Hands-on with Apple's new 9.7-inch iPad
2:01

Originally published earlier this year. Updated to reflect new sale prices and availability.


Read MoreAll the latest Rakuten coupons

CNET's Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. For the latest deals and updates, follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and check out our CNET Coupons page for the latest promo codes from Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon and more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page.


Which tablets have the best price?

Use our CNET Shopping extension to compare top products or find coupon codes before buying your next tablet.