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Savannah Terry

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 15, 2020
125
405
Hello everyone, I was just wanting some input on what model everyone thinks Is best for a child. A child age 10. My son is wanting a new iPad and I’m just not sure which model I should get him. What models have you bought for your child?
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,921
13,273
Hello everyone, I was just wanting some input on what model everyone thinks Is best for a child. A child age 10. My son is wanting a new iPad and I’m just not sure which model I should get him. What models have you bought for your child?
Is this supposed to be a surprise? If not, why not ask him what size iPad he likes?
 
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AutomaticApple

Suspended
Nov 28, 2018
7,401
3,378
Massachusetts
Hello everyone, I was just wanting some input on what model everyone thinks Is best for a child. A child age 10. My son is wanting a new iPad and I’m just not sure which model I should get him. What models have you bought for your child?
Get a refurbished iPad Air 3 from Apple’s certified refurbished website.
 

Tsepz

macrumors 601
Jan 24, 2013
4,888
4,698
Johannesburg, South Africa
Hello everyone, I was just wanting some input on what model everyone thinks Is best for a child. A child age 10. My son is wanting a new iPad and I’m just not sure which model I should get him. What models have you bought for your child?
The new iPad 8 (known as the iPad 10.2 2020), it doesn’t have a laminated display meaning that if the screen does break it will be a lot cheaper to fix than the Air 3.

It will be supported for a long time and can run most games he would probably want to ply.
 

ssledoux

macrumors 601
Sep 16, 2006
4,412
4,243
Down south
I‘ve always loved the mini for kids, but my 9yo grandson most definitely prefers his Air 3. He loves having a bigger screen, and, even though the base iPad is just fine, I like the Air 3 for the larger base capacity, better display, and better processor. I figured it would last him longer.
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,921
13,273
I‘ve always loved the mini for kids, but my 9yo grandson most definitely prefers his Air 3. He loves having a bigger screen, and, even though the base iPad is just fine, I like the Air 3 for the larger base capacity, better display, and better processor. I figured it would last him longer.
The Air 3 and iPad 8 have the same chipset so that's no longer a differentiating factor. If buying right now, the remaining years of support will be the same.

iPad 8 Wi-Fi:
32GB: $299-329
128GB: $399-429

iPad Air 3 Wi-Fi certified refurb:
64GB: $419
256GB: $549

So pretty much better display vs more storage vs lowest price.
 
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KittyKatta

macrumors 65816
Feb 24, 2011
1,058
1,212
SoCal
The iPad Mini - a strong processor and a good size for a 10 year old.
I got my kid a Mini. Its great as their personal device but now that its a school tool then a bigger iPad became more practical.

iPad Mini
+ Small (Great for games and travel size)
+ Laminated display makes it “feel” more premium
+ Pencil support
- No Smart Keyboard option
- Expensive and Old
- Small (Now that she’s using it for school then its pretty cramped)

iPad
+ Price. Size. Specs
+ Smart Keyboard Support
- Display feels hollow
- A bit big for travel
- Outdated design is more obvious on 9.7” than 7.9”


Both are great products with tradeoffs so if money isnt an issue then maybe ask what they think.
 
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parker5011

macrumors regular
May 17, 2018
198
194
Hello everyone, I was just wanting some input on what model everyone thinks Is best for a child. A child age 10. My son is wanting a new iPad and I’m just not sure which model I should get him. What models have you bought for your child?

My 12 yr old and 10yr old have mini 3s. Both are getting very old and slow. I asked them the other day what they would want next. Both said they wanted a bigger screen next time if possible. Also the iPad 8 is cheaper for more storage which makes it almost a no brainer for me.
 
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lugolo

macrumors member
Feb 11, 2014
32
23
Spain
I got my kid a Mini. Its great as their personal device but now that its a school tool then a bigger iPad became more practical.

iPad Mini
+ Small (Great for games and travel size)
+ Laminated display makes it “feel” more premium
+ Pencil support
- No Smart Keyboard option
- Expensive and Old
- Small (Now that she’s using it for school then its pretty cramped)

iPad
+ Price. Size. Specs
+ Smart Keyboard Support
- Display feels hollow
- A bit big for travel
- Outdated design is more obvious on 9.7” than 7.9”


Both are great products with tradeoffs so if money isnt an issue then maybe ask what they think.


iPad has pencil support too
 

ejin222

macrumors 6502a
Oct 12, 2011
564
432
My 6 year old has a Mini 2 and is asking for a bigger sized iPad if that helps. I am eyeing the 2020 iPad 8 or 2019 Air myself.
 
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Allyance

Contributor
Sep 29, 2017
2,075
7,689
East Bay, CA
Kids catch on quickly, so get something that will last. Get a protective cover for it, their regard for how fragile they are doesn't match their user ability. Kids are fearless, they will download anything and everything, get some anti-virus and anti malware too.
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,921
13,273
My 12 yr old and 10yr old have mini 3s. Both are getting very old and slow. I asked them the other day what they would want next. Both said they wanted a bigger screen next time if possible. Also the iPad 8 is cheaper for more storage which makes it almost a no brainer for me.

My 6 year old has a Mini 2 and is asking for a bigger sized iPad if that helps. I am eyeing the 2020 iPad 8 or 2019 Air myself.
It's interesting to find out there are plenty of others kids similar to my nieces and nephews who prefer a bigger tablet than the Mini.

Especially for doodling and stuff, that's easier on a bigger display. And really, the 10-11" iPads are not that big. They're smaller than your typical A4 or letter sized paper.
 

RevTEG

macrumors 65816
Oct 28, 2012
1,364
1,237
San Jose, Ca
It's interesting to find out there are plenty of others kids similar to my nieces and nephews who prefer a bigger tablet than the Mini.

Especially for doodling and stuff, that's easier on a bigger display. And really, the 10-11" iPads are not that big. They're smaller than your typical A4 or letter sized paper.
My

My 3 kids passed on mini’s as well. They wanted larger screens for videos, games, drawing.... oh and school work. Yes, in that order. Lol
 

ahostmadsen

macrumors 65816
Dec 28, 2009
1,109
854
My kids have the iPad 7th generation (Of course now I would buy the 8th generation). They are often on sale, so it’s a good value. I don’t think there is reason to buy kids anything more expensive. If they for example really need a keyboard, the low end iPad has those.
 

Savannah Terry

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 15, 2020
125
405
Thanks for everyone’s inputs!
So I think I’m leaning towards the new iPad or the new iPad Air. He actually has a iPad 4th gen but the battery isn’t that great now. (going to give his old one to my younger son when he receives new one). I got myself the new pro that is suppose to come tomorrow and I think he’ll like the look of the new air which will hopefully defer him from wanting to touch my pro. ? It was suppose to be a surprise for him working so hard on his Online schooling. But I’ll probably just ask him which one he wants.

The reason I always go for the newer models is so I can pass them down to my younger child and it not be to outdated in a couple years. And my 10 year old actually takes pretty good care of his phones/iPads.
 
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rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,921
13,273
My 3 kids passed on mini’s as well. They wanted larger screens for videos, games, drawing.... oh and school work. Yes, in that order. Lol
Back when I was a kid, I probably would've used school work as justification to convince my parents to buy me an iPad. Actual use would most likely be games and videos. That's how it went with my PC. ???
 

paulsonj72

macrumors regular
Mar 28, 2010
223
184
Back when I was a kid, I probably would've used school work as justification to convince my parents to buy me an iPad. Actual use would most likely be games and videos. That's how it went with my PC. ???

Same here. But my dad who was a teacher actually used our computer to do his grades and wrote his own tests for his upper level classes(He also did his finals that way. Nothing like a 200 question comprehensive final in American history in 7th grade) I missed 2 questions and forgot to answer 1
 

Crow_Servo

macrumors 6502a
Feb 17, 2018
982
1,308
America
Thanks for everyone’s inputs!
So I think I’m leaning towards the new iPad or the new iPad Air. He actually has a iPad 4th gen but the battery isn’t that great now. (going to give his old one to my younger son when he receives new one). I got myself the new pro that is suppose to come tomorrow and I think he’ll like the look of the new air which will hopefully defer him from wanting to touch my pro. ? It was suppose to be a surprise for him working so hard on his Online schooling. But I’ll probably just ask him which one he wants.

The reason I always go for the newer models is so I can pass them down to my younger child and it not be to outdated in a couple years. And my 10 year old actually takes pretty good care of his phones/iPads.
The 4th gen iPad is 8 years old, isn’t it? I’d say that’s pretty outdated. You could probably get each of them the 8th gen and pay the same as one new Air. Just a suggestion. I guess that might make it less special for your older son, knowing that his little brother got the same iPad. I don’t know anything about rewarding/raising kids. Don’t mind me.
 
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Analog Kid

macrumors G3
Mar 4, 2003
9,361
12,606
Hello everyone, I was just wanting some input on what model everyone thinks Is best for a child. A child age 10. My son is wanting a new iPad and I’m just not sure which model I should get him. What models have you bought for your child?
My answer would be whatever model you have now. I’d get the new one for yourself and hand down the one you have...
 

1rottenapple

macrumors 601
Apr 21, 2004
4,758
2,774
Kids catch on quickly, so get something that will last. Get a protective cover for it, their regard for how fragile they are doesn't match their user ability. Kids are fearless, they will download anything and everything, get some anti-virus and anti malware too.
anti-virus and anti-malware for the ipad? There is such as thing virus protection software for it?
 

ssledoux

macrumors 601
Sep 16, 2006
4,412
4,243
Down south
Kids catch on quickly, so get something that will last. Get a protective cover for it, their regard for how fragile they are doesn't match their user ability. Kids are fearless, they will download anything and everything, get some anti-virus and anti malware too.

They can’t download anything if you put parental controls and block all the websites. ;-p
 
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