Apple has not moved the price of the 11-inch iPad (128GB, WiFi) by a single dollar on its official website but Amazon has dropped it twice in recent days, and the current price sits at $299, down from the $349 Apple continues to charge and below the $320 Amazon was asking just a few days ago. The second consecutive drop on the same product in the same week is unusual, and at this point the gap between buying from Apple and buying from Amazon is wide enough that there is no argument for going directly to the brand.
A16 chip, Liquid Retina display, and the full iPad ecosystem at a price Apple will not offer you
The 11-inch iPad runs Apple’s A16 chip, the same processor that powered the iPhone 14 Pro and still handles every app, game, photo editing task, and creative workflow on iPadOS without hesitation. The Liquid Retina display at 2360-by-1640 pixels adjusts color temperature automatically via True Tone to match the ambient lighting in the room, which keeps reading, drawing, and watching comfortable across changing conditions throughout the day. Wi-Fi 6 handles fast uploads, downloads, and streaming on congested home networks without the slowdowns that older wireless standards produce when multiple devices compete for bandwidth.
The 128GB base configuration covers most everyday use comfortably for anyone who streams rather than downloads large libraries locally, and the USB-C connector works with external storage, displays, and accessories without needing an adapter. Touch ID in the top button handles unlocking, app sign-ins, and Apple Pay with a fingerprint rather than a face scan or a PIN, which is the interaction model most iPad users prefer for quick, frequent access during a working day. The 12MP front camera with Center Stage keeps you automatically in frame during video calls, and the 12MP back camera handles document scanning and casual photography well enough to replace a dedicated scanner for most use cases.
Apple Pencil USB-C support transforms the iPad into a drawing canvas and the best note-taking device in the iPad lineup, and the Magic Keyboard Folio converts it into a laptop-adjacent productivity machine for anyone who wants both form factors from a single device.
Apple’s website shows the same iPad for $349 with no current promotion, no student discount applied, and no seasonal pricing. Amazon has dropped it twice in recent days without any announcement. The product is identical, the warranty is the same, and Apple’s own support handles either purchase. With 4.7 stars from nearly 24,000 reviews and more than 10,000 units sold last month, this is the best-selling iPad on Amazon. At $50 below Apple’s price after two consecutive drops, the case for buying anywhere other than Amazon is difficult to make.