Apple iPad Air 9.7" 2 Silver

The iPad Air 2 is a shockingly good value at under $130, with a stunning Retina display and a premium build that puts modern budget tablets to shame. The A8X chip handles reading, sketching, and streaming smoothly, but the 2GB of RAM makes multitasking a pain. The biggest gamble is the refurbished battery, with some users reporting all-day life and others getting a dud that dies in hours. If you want a dedicated e-reader or sketchpad and can buy from a seller with easy returns, this is a steal.

The A8X chip is an 8-core workhorse from a different era, and for single-focused tasks, it still delivers. Our database puts its CPU performance in the 68th percentile, which is solid for a tablet this old. That means apps like Apple Books, Procreate Pocket, or even some lighter games open without a fuss. The real-world feel is one of surprising competence, as long as you don't push it. The 2GB of RAM is the elephant in the room, though. It's one of the worst configurations we've seen, and it means you'll be staring at loading screens if you try to jump between more than a couple of apps. This is a one-thing-at-a-time machine.

For what it's designed to do best, reading and art, the scores tell a clear story. It scores a 63.5 for reading and a 62.3 for art and design, which are its strongest suits. The 2048x1536 display is sharp and color-accurate enough for sketching, and the stylus support makes it a cheap entry point for digital artists. Just don't expect to edit 4K video or run the latest 3D games. The GPU sits at the 67th percentile, which is fine for the App Store's back catalog, but it's going to choke on anything demanding. Think of it as a fantastic digital sketchbook and e-reader that can also handle email and Netflix, not a laptop replacement.

Stacked against the newer Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE, the iPad Air 2 shows its age in raw power but holds its own in design. The Samsung has a faster processor and more RAM, making it a better choice for multitasking and productivity, where the iPad scored a weak 54.7. But the Samsung also costs several times more. If you just want a tablet for media consumption and light sketching, the iPad's superior app store for creative tools like Procreate gives it an edge that specs alone don't capture. The Xiaomi Redmi Pad is another budget contender, but its LCD screen and plastic build feel cheap next to the Air 2's aluminum unibody.

Then there are the wildcards like the Vekfulpc T60 Pro and UMIDIGI Active T1. These are rugged or niche Android tablets that offer newer Android versions and better battery life on paper. But their screens and overall polish are a significant step down. The MENTUME K70 is in a similar boat, a budget Android tablet that looks good on a spec sheet but falls apart in real-world use. The iPad Air 2's main trade-off is clear: you get a premium, aging experience with a risky battery, versus a new, mediocre experience with a warranty. For a focused use case like a kitchen recipe display or a child's first tablet, the iPad's superior screen and build make it the more pleasant device to actually live with, as long as you're willing to roll the dice on the refurb quality.

Pricing on these refurbished units hovers between $90 and $126, which is frankly wild for a tablet with a laminated Retina display and 64GB of storage. For the cost of a nice dinner, you're getting a device that can be a dedicated e-reader, a kids' YouTube machine, or a portable sketchpad. The value for money is the single most praised thing in user reviews, and it's easy to see why. You can't touch a new tablet with a screen this good for under $200.

Compared to the competition, the value story gets even better. A new Xiaomi Redmi Pad or a Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE will run you significantly more, and while they'll have better specs on paper, they lack the iPad's app ecosystem and build quality. The real competitor here is other refurbished iPads. If you can find a base iPad from a couple of years later for a similar price, that's a better buy. But for under $130, the Air 2 is a steal, assuming you get a good one. Just factor in the cost of a new charger if you get a dud in the box.

The iPad Air 2 is a bit of a legend, and seeing it pop up refurbished in 2024 is like running into an old friend who's still wearing their favorite jacket from a decade ago. It's thin, it's light, and that 9.7-inch Retina display still holds up for reading and sketching. We're looking at the 64GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model here, which is the one to get if you want to load it up with books and apps without constantly worrying about space. This isn't a device for power users anymore, but for someone who wants a dedicated reader, a digital notebook, or a kid's first tablet, the value proposition is pretty interesting.

At just 6.1mm thick and 435 grams, this thing feels impossibly sleek even by today's standards. The A8X chip with 2GB of RAM was a beast in its day, and for basic tasks, it still feels surprisingly snappy. The real story here is the refurbished market. You're getting a piece of Apple's design history for around a hundred bucks, and from what we're seeing in our database, the feature set lands in the 88th percentile overall. That's not raw power, that's the whole package: the screen, the Touch ID, the build quality. It's a reminder that a well-made device ages gracefully.

But let's be real about what you're buying. This is a refurbished tablet that launched in 2014. The 2GB of RAM is a serious bottleneck, landing in the 4th percentile, which means modern multitasking is going to be a slide show. The user sentiment score sits at a mediocre 39th percentile, and that tells a story of inconsistency. Some people get a unit that looks brand new and runs for days, others get a battery that dies in a few hours and a charger that looks like it came from a gas station. It's a gamble, but at this price, it's a low-stakes one.

If you need a tablet for work, school, or any kind of serious multitasking, the iPad Air 2 is not for you. The 2GB of RAM and the weak productivity score of 54.7 mean it will struggle with split-screen apps, document editing, and anything beyond the basics. You'll be much happier with a newer base iPad or a Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE, which will handle multitasking without constant reloads. The performance gap is just too wide for anything resembling real work.

Also, if you're not comfortable with a bit of a gamble, skip this one. The refurbished quality is inconsistent, and the user sentiment score is a mediocre 39th percentile for a reason. You might get a pristine unit that lasts for years, or you might get one with a scratched back and a battery that can't make it through a movie. If you want a guaranteed experience, spend a bit more on a new budget Android tablet like the Xiaomi Redmi Pad, which will be slower but at least predictable.

If you're looking for a dedicated e-reader, a digital sketchbook, or a first tablet for a kid, the iPad Air 2 is a fantastic buy at this price. The screen is still gorgeous, the performance for single tasks is smooth, and the 64GB of storage means you won't be constantly deleting apps. It's the perfect device to throw in a bag for reading on the go, and the stylus support makes it a cheap entry point for digital art. Just buy it from a seller with a good return policy, because the battery is the big question mark.

For anyone who needs to do real work, multitask, or run modern games, you should look elsewhere. The 2GB of RAM is a dealbreaker for productivity, and the aging processor will struggle with anything beyond the basics. If you need a tablet for school or work, save up for a newer base iPad or a Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE. The Air 2 is a specialist now, not a generalist. Treat it as a premium consumption device with a risky battery, and you'll be happy. Expect it to replace your laptop, and you'll be frustrated in a week.