BestbuyBest Buy has slashed pricing on third-generation iPad models by thirty percent, bringing the price down to $315 for the 16GB Wi-Fi models. Comparable refurbished units are available for $379 directly from Apple.

However, the iPads are only available via in-store pickup and it appears that selection varies widely between stores.

Potential purchasers can check availability for individual models at their local Best Buy locations and reserve them for in-store pickup on the website.

The current fourth-generation iPad was a modest upgrade from the third-generation that Best Buy has discounted. The older model has a slower A5X processor, uses the 30-pin connector rather than Lightning, and has slower Wi-Fi capabilities.

Top Rated Comments

jdogg836 Avatar
143 months ago
Not true. I put in every model (16/32/64) in black and white, and found a few at various stores within 50 miles from my home.

There aren't many available - but there are some.

My zip code is 14219. For example, there are 2 stores with White 64gb AT&T models available at 9:00am EST on April 5. (You get another $100 off that by signing up with AT&T). I'm sure there are other models in other zip codes.

It's just Best Buy's way of getting rid of the last few they have. There were a lot more different models available yesterday in my area. They're going quick.

This. It's funny how quick people are to call bait and switch. There are 18 different models (2 carriers plus wifi, 3 sizes, 2 colors) out there and 1000+ stores. Probably more than a million dollars of dead stock inventory sitting in stores throughout the country, seems like a justifiable reason to put them on the website to me. Doesn't mean they were trying to be shady, it just means that there are iPad 3's in stock at a Best Buy somewhere when it went up. I know exactly why they didn't offer them for purchase online, when everyone tries to buy the 2 they have in stock they have no way to limit it at exactly 2 as the orders come in. So they take them off the web. Same thing happened back when the Wii's were selling like hotcakes during the holidays 3 years ago and made people go into the store.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nohaver Avatar
143 months ago
2nd This



However, I did find a very small selection of 3rd gens with limited availability at some Target stores, including the one closest to my house. I was able to get the 32GB wi-fi only in white (they had a couple left in black as well), price matched with the Best Buy print-out from the web site down to $384.99 (Target had it listed at $449.99), plus 5% off for using a Target RedCard. I think that's even a little better deal than Target was offering back in early Feb (although they marked their 16GB models down to $299 then, but, again, it was impossible to find one in stock, and it had to be picked up in-store/no online orders as well).


Thanks to this tip I just got home from Target after a successful price match on a 32gb white wifi only* for the wife. I thought it would be tough, but it was one of the easiest things I've done. FYI - They had to look in the back as none of these are on display.

*I don't know if they just goofed, but when my wife opened it at home we discovered that they gave us an AT&T cellular model. We're a Sprint family (unfortunately) but I guess it doesn't hurt to have...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
szw-mapple fan Avatar
143 months ago
The upgrade from the iPad 3 to 4 isn't modest at all. The looks are the same, but the speed is more than twice as fast. That means the iPad 4 is going to have a lot longer useful life than an iPad 3 will.

But you have to admit the 3 is still more than sufficient (at least for now).
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
szw-mapple fan Avatar
143 months ago
Sounds pretty tempting... I have to remind myself that I have no use for one given I already have an MBA and an iPhone; I'd get limited new value out of one...


At this price, you should definitely consider it. iPads are much better at doing most stuff than iPhone, and there are things that you just can't get out of a MBA(gaming, ebooks, movies...). I have both the MBA and iPad and both are used frequently.:D
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jmw1480 Avatar
143 months ago
Aaaaand it's gone

The discounted prices are no longer advertised at Best Buy (as of Sunday, 7 Apr 2013) - 32gb wi-fi back up to $549.99.

So the best deal now is at Target - $449.95 (same price as the 16gb model at Best Buy), plus a $30 gift card (and an extra 5% off if you use a RedCard). Not great, but definitely not bad.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
charlituna Avatar
143 months ago
This probably means Apple is trying to clear out stock for the new models.

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2259336/ipad-price-cuts-hint-at-imminent-ipad-launch

Nope. It means what it means. That Best Buy had a bunch of previous generation iPads they couldn't get rid of and marked them down to dump them

If this had been the iPad 4 it might mean something
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
iPhone Home Screen Gradient Blank Spaces 1

Sources: iOS 18 Lets Apps Be Placed Anywhere on Home Screen Grid

Sunday March 24, 2024 1:33 pm PDT by
iOS 18 will give iPhone users greater control over Home Screen app icon arrangement, according to sources familiar with the matter. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, to ensure there is some uniformity, our sources say that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18. For example, we expect that the update will introduce...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
iPad Pro 2024 Landscape Camera Feature

New iPad Pro Again Rumored to Feature Landscape Front-Facing Camera

Monday March 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
The next-generation iPad Pro will feature a landscape-oriented front-facing camera for the first time, according to the Apple leaker known as "Instant Digital." Instant Digital reiterated the design change earlier today on Weibo with a simple accompanying 2D image. The post reveals that the entire TrueDepth camera array will move to the right side of the device, while the microphone will...
sonoma desktop wwdc

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 With Fix for USB Hub Bug

Monday March 25, 2024 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, a minor update for the macOS Sonoma operating system that launched last September. macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 comes three weeks after macOS Sonoma 14.4. The ‌‌‌‌macOS Sonoma‌‌ 14.4‌.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings. There's also a macOS 13.6.6 release for those who...