Refurbished iPad Air 13-inch (M2): who it's for and what to check

The 13-inch iPad Air with the M2 chip is the cheapest way to get a big-screen iPad that feels fast. Here's whether it's the right one for you.

What it's good at

• The screen. 13 inches is great for split-screen work, reading documents and drawing — far more comfortable than an 11-inch for anything beyond streaming.
• Performance. The M2 is from the same family of chips Apple uses in MacBooks, so note-taking with dozens of PDFs open, photo editing and most creative apps are easy work.
• Apple Pencil Pro. Supported — good news for students and artists.
• Apple Intelligence. Supported, unlike the standard iPad.
• Video calls. The front camera sits on the landscape edge, so calls look natural in a keyboard case.

How it compares

Against the standard iPad (A16): the Air is much faster, comes in a bigger size and works with the better Pencil. The standard iPad is fine for streaming, browsing and kids' apps.

Against the iPad Pro: the Pro has an even better display and Face ID, but costs a lot more. For most people the Air does the job.

What to check before you buy

1. 1Storage128GB is fine for notes and streaming. Go bigger if you'll download lots of video or work with large files.
2. 2AccessoriesThe Pencil and keyboard are usually sold separately — check what the listing includes.
3. 3Grade and batteryOur listings state the grade and what it means. Every iPad we sell is tested before it leaves us and comes with a 24-month warranty and 14-day returns.