I purchased this iPad because my previous iPad, which I need for work (psychotherapist), was failing to process Notes properly. Also, because the new one was on sale. Inevitably, I stumbled in not realizing that neither Best Buy nor most retail stores offer direct phone contact anymore. Still, when I came in you had it in stock, albeit shelved, and the purchase was made.

I have had more irksome issues with Apple. Attempting to migrate between iPads through iCloud was a bit of a disaster. Let me just add that I prefer Best Buy's policy of simply not accepting calls to Apple's supposed AppleCare, which seems to be hiring unqualified people with no tech-support background beyond working through Systems Preferences, etc.

I should add, I'm 77 years old, and can remember better days in both tech and retail environments. My main challenge now is to integrate my iPad with a MacBook Pro M1 Computer I bought several years ago at Best Buy in Ithaca NY. I was a geek squad member there; someone was supposed to come to my house and help me integrate my devices, however, he let me know on the day we picked that he had forgotten that the Daytona 500 was running and would have to get back to me. I canceled my geek squad membership, with significant resistance from Citibank (again, no phone calls accepted).

In summary, the iPad I bought recently from Best Buy seems to work. While I understand that the entire retail environment is in decline, I still wish I could find support for integrating the iPad with the MacBook (and the phone, an older MacBook, and so on). I now live in Rochester –if per chance I win this lottery, I would spend it all a visit from a competent, qualified tech-support person to help integrate my home office tech environment. (e.g., can't add Apple photos to this site).

Very dissatisfied with quality of purchase. I have owned 3 other versions of iPads (2 mini and one previous generation of this regular iPad model comparable to this one). ALL of my older iPads still work great. This iPad just completely stopped working within 3 months of the apple care+ expiring. The ipad only lasted for about 2 years and then one day just completely stopped working all together, with it being used in the morning and then not functional 2 hours later. It was not used for heavy work, more browsing around and apps and well cared for - not dropped, no damage, etc. We brought the iPad to the smart bar at an apple store and we were told it was simply broke and nothing more could be done, no other explanation. We were then told we would simply have to purchase a new one, no discount offered, no trade-in/recycling offered just basically you are out of luck and let me show you the newest model. Extremely disappointing given the cost of the device. My niece who I purchased for is asking for a new one for Christmas to replace this but I will be shopping other tablets due to the lack of quality given it is the last one I purchased and first one to break with no support offered. I highly recommend looking at other brand tablets that cost way less and have similar capabilities.

I have an iPad sixth generation I use an iPad the way most people use their phone and computer, all the time. I wanted to keep the headphone jack as long as possible. This is the last iPad with headphone jack. I looked at the iPad 9 with 64 GB. 64 is not very much if you’re using heavy apps or to store a lot of movies. at about $200 it’s easily the best iPad for the money you could get on sale. my iPad six is excellent and still works great so I’m not sure if I’ll keep this one however the iPad six is from 2018 the iPad nine from 2021.
The iPad nine chip is the A13 versus the A10 of the iPad six. The iPad nine is slightly bigger and supposedly a better front camera. Other than that they are almost identical but the new chip I am hoping will keep the iPad running smoothly for several years. I’m not sure but the iPad 6 may be a little sluggish as I have used it a lot for 5-6 years.
For me as a musician I love having the headphone jack. if you never had an iPad and you can get the 9 on sale It’s a great iPad and will probably run smoothly for another 5 to 6 years. Neither of these iPads will die after 5 to 6 years, they just might lag a bit. so I bought the iPad 9 to somewhat Future-proof for the iPad 6. I went for a monthly AppleCare, but If you’re paying for AppleCare and a deductible for an incident, it may not be worth it.
It does have the chip that allows me to run logic pro on the iPad. That’s pretty cool, but due to the 64 gig I can’t download a lot of plugins and I never liked recording on iPads. But logic works on this iPad and I will use it.
So, if you want to prolong having a headphone jack and have a good all-around iPad for 3 to 4 years to come, This is a great iPad, if you can afford the 256 GB go for it.
If you never owned an iPad and this is on sale for 64 GB it’s a great iPad and not just a starter. The resolution is great. The screen is slightly bigger than a standard iPad. The speakers are not much different than the iPad six but fairly loud and usable. I do a lot of shopping, communicating, research, watching (streaming, YT) and create and edit video and documents. You can always off load videos to a PC or USB.
If you want to upgrade your iPad and you don’t care about the headphone jack, then you might want to look at the most recent iPads, but they are significantly more expensive.
This is a brand new iPad so the battery and chip are new, which makes a difference to longevity. I’ve never seen an iPad go for $200 new so if you see it around this price it’s a great iPad.

Overall rating: ★★★★★

The Apple 10.2-Inch iPad (9th Generation) with Wi-Fi is an absolute game-changer for anyone looking for a reliable, fast, and versatile tablet. I’ve been using it for work, entertainment, and even creative projects, and it exceeds expectations in every category.

Battery life is incredible—I can go an entire day of heavy use without needing a charge. The durability is impressive as well; even with daily use, the sleek Space Gray design still looks brand new. The display is vibrant, sharp, and perfect for streaming videos, browsing, and reading.

The iPad’s A13 Bionic chip ensures seamless multitasking, whether I’m editing documents, playing games, or using creative apps. At 64GB, storage is ample for my needs, and iCloud integration makes it even better. This device is perfect for students, professionals, and casual users alike.

I wholeheartedly recommend this product to anyone—it’s the best value for a premium tablet. Apple has truly delivered with the 9th Generation iPad!

-Andrew Sterling