Apples default budget tablet just hit $399 for October Prime Day — save $50

Amazon slashed the price of Apple's 11-inch iPad to $399 during October Prime Day, marking an 11% reduction from its regular $449 list price, as reported on October 7. This deal represents the default budget tablet from Apple, according to Samantha Mangino of Mashable, who deemed it the best budget iPad choice of 2026.

The iPad comes equipped with the powerful A16 chip and offers 128GB of storage in the 128GB version. Apple's processor upgrade enables swift app loading and seamless multi-window browsing, surpassing the performance of many premium Chromebooks. Despite not featuring the high-end M-series chips, the iPad's benchmark results rival and outperform most top-tier Chromebooks, making it a capable light work or study device.

The 11-inch Liquid Retina display ensures vibrant visuals and True Tone technology, adjusting screen color warmth to ambient lighting for comfortable viewing. A 12MP front camera, positioned along the long landscape edge, provides centered framing during video calls. The 12MP rear camera is ideal for document scanning.

Additional features include Touch ID integrated into the power button for quick fingerprint authentication and secure Apple Pay transactions. The device sports a universal USB-C charging port, all-day battery life, and supports WiFi 6 for uninterrupted streaming. It also accommodates both the USB-C Apple Pencil and the first-generation Apple Pencil for note-taking and sketching, alongside the Magic Keyboard Folio for transforming it into a portable mini laptop.

With a multitude of features, the $399 iPad 11-inch A16 Prime Day deal stands out as the optimal choice for those seeking a dependable, high-quality Apple tablet, before the deal expires at midnight tonight.