This iPad Air is as powerful as a laptop, and it's $70 off at Amazon

It may have been reduced last month, but the iPad Air M1 is in the sales again at Amazon.

Between the expensive iPad Pro M2, the perfectly portable iPad Mini, and a pair of base iPads across ninth and tenth generations, the iPad lineup has never been more full of options - but not all are created equal. 

Thankfully, the easiest way to pick the best all-round iPad is to look to the Air - no, not the atmosphere, the iPad Air with M1 chip. It's a powerful tablet with plenty to offer, and it's possibly the best tablet for students, (and unsurprisingly, our guide to the best iPads too).

There was a steeper discount on the 64GB version last month (opens in new tab), but this time around it's the 256GB version that has been discounted at Amazon.

The online retailer is offering the iPad Air M1 256GB with a $70 discount off the MSRP (opens in new tab), bringing the cost down to just $679. Not bad for a tablet with the power of a laptop.

iPad Air M1 - Was $749, now $679 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

Save $70 on the iPad Air M1 tablet and get laptop-class power in a slimline tablet.

While we're expecting an M2 version of the iPad Air in the coming months, there's nothing on the App Store that the iPad Air's M1 chip (the same as the ones you'll find in recent MacBooks and even the current iMac) can't handle.

Whether it's editing photos, jotting down notes with the Apple Pencil (you'll need the second version, which is sold separately), or settling in for some Netflix at the end of the day, the iPad Air with M1 will power through tasks. It'll even run many of them at the same time, using Apple's new Stage Manager feature.

The 10.9-inch display has a resolution of 2360x1640, making it great for watching movies or zooming right in for content, and you can connect up any Bluetooth peripherals, including a mouse and keyboard, for a more laptop-like experience. Looking for something more like a laptop? Be sure to check out our list of the best laptops for students.

There's just a single USB-C port, but if you're happy to provide a dock, you can open up a whole world of possibilities. Need to plug in a keyboard, SD Card reader, external monitor, mouse, and more? It's possible (although the iPad won't run in 'clamshell' mode).

In our 4.5-star iPad Air M1 review, we called the iPad Air M1 "the ultimate student tablet", and even with the arrival of the iPad Pro with M2 chip, we still stand by that statement.

"The iPad Air M1 feels uniquely placed to be a more accessible tablet than the much more expensive iPad Pro. Its lightweight, looks great, has a stunning display, and offers excellent value for money," we explained - and that didn't include a $70 saving.