The best refurbished iPads and tablets you can buy

Brand-new iPads and top-of-the-line competing tablets aren’t cheap. Let’s change that with a refurbished model.

Best refurbished tablet overall
Apple iPad | 10.2" | 7th GEN
Apple iPad (7th Gen, 2019)
Starts at$469
Display
10.2-inch 2160x1620 Retina
Storage
128GB
Battery life
Up to 10 hours
Best cheap refurbished tablet
Apple iPad 5th Gen 2017
Apple iPad (5th Gen, 2017)
Starts at$269
Display
9.7-inch 2048x1536 Retina
Storage
32GB
Battery life
Up to 10 hours
Best refurbished iPad
Apple iPad Air (3rd Gen, 2019)
Starts at$659
Display
10.5-inch 2224x1668 Retina
Storage
256GB
Battery life
Up to 10 hours
Best refurbished Android tablet
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus
Starts at$689
Display
12.4-inch 2800x1752 Super AMOLED
Storage
256GB
Battery life
Up to 14 hours
Best 2-in-1 tablet
Microsoft Surface Pro 6
Microsoft Surface Pro 6
Starts at$599
Display
12.3-inch 2736x1824 PixelSense
Storage
128GB
Battery life
Up to 13.5 hours
Nathan Lawrence
Jul 26, 2023
Icon Time To Read6 min read

If you’re in the market for a new tablet, you can always choose from the best brand-new iPads and other tablets. Alternatively, save hundreds by opting for a refurbished tablet. Refurbished products from the right retailer tend to go through a rigorous appraisal and cleaning, plus they’ve had potentially faulty parts replaced. The result is an iPad or other tablet that may have some evidence of use but it's effectively close to new. Practically, the only difference is a much more manageable RRP and potentially a shorter-term warranty.

Scroll on for our pick of the best refurbished iPads and tablets in Australia.

The big disclaimer with refurbished tablets is their existence is dependent on a returned product. While refurbished tablets are typically closer to new than buying a second-hand tablet from eBay, Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace, stock tends to be limited. A refurbished tablet that’s available one day—including our picks—may not be available the next. If one of our picks of a refurbished tablet isn’t available when you read this, use the price and relevant specs as a guide to source a replacement model.

Refurbished iPad and tablet retailers

There are a handful of reputable online retailers to choose from when it comes to sourcing a great deal on a refurbished tablet. If you want a refurbished iPad, get a basic idea of costs from the Apple Store. Apple sells refurbished iPads that come with a new battery and new outer shell, all of which come with a one-year warranty.

For comparison to newer-model refurbished iPads, visit Reebelo. All refurbished Reebelo products come with a one-year warranty. Reebelo is also a good place to check for Samsung, Amazon Fire and Microsoft tablets. Alternatively, there are a range of tablets available from Amazon Renewed, including iPads. For price comparisons, Kogan and Dick Smith both sell refurbished iPads, Android tablets and Windows tablets.

Compare the best refurbished iPads and tablets

Best for
Model
Display
Storage
Battery life
View more
Best refurbished tablet overall10.2-inch 2160x1620 Retina128GBUp to 10 hours
Best cheap refurbished tablet9.7-inch 2048x1536 Retina32GBUp to 10 hours
Best refurbished iPad10.5-inch 2224x1668 Retina256GBUp to 10 hours
Best refurbished Android tablet12.4-inch 2800x1752 Super AMOLED256GBUp to 14 hours
Best 2-in-1 tablet12.3-inch 2736x1824 PixelSense128GBUp to 13.5 hours

Apple iPad (7th Gen, 2019)

Best refurbished tablet overall

Display
10.2-inch 2160x1620 Retina
Storage
128GB
Battery life
Up to 10 hours
Starts at$469

Pricing and availability only accurate as of last page update.

pro
Pros
pro Great display
pro Decent amount of storage
pro Solid battery life
con
Cons
con 2019 model
con Pricey peripherals
con Not much better than previous gen

A good price to pay for a great refurbished tablet is around $500. With that price point in mind, the seventh-generation Apple iPad is a good place to start your tablet comparisons. The renewed WiFi model we found is from 2019 but it has 128GB of storage, which is still about right for a mix of everyday use with tablets nowadays. Everything you do should look great on the 10.2-inch 2160x1620 Retina Display. Expect around 10 hours of battery life, which is basically the standard amount of juice for tablet use. For audio, there’s a pair of decent stereo speakers, plus there’s an 8MP camera on the front for snaps and a 1.2MP selfie cam on the front for FaceTime calls.

Alternatively, consider a refurbished Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 or a Microsoft Surface Pro model that you can nab for around $500.

Apple iPad (5th Gen, 2017)

Best cheap refurbished tablet

Display
9.7-inch 2048x1536 Retina
Storage
32GB
Battery life
Up to 10 hours
Starts at$269

Pricing and availability only accurate as of last page update.

pro
Pros
pro Decent screen
pro Good battery life
pro Portable size
con
Cons
con 32GB storage is light
con No design change from previous gen
con Older model but no 3.5mm audio

We’ve set our max spend for this category at under $500; the lower the price, the better the value. Case in point, the fifth-generation Apple iPad. Sure, it’s from 2017, but if you’re after a basic tablet (maybe even one for the kids), this is a solid asking price. The 32GB storage capacity is restrictive, so expect to have to manage what’s installed down the track. But everything else is great for a first-time tablet user or someone after a cheap iPad. The 9.7-inch Retina Display screen still pops and the smaller size makes it more portable (and a better fit for smaller hands), plus it has the typical iPad 10-hour battery life.

For alternatives, look for any refurbished iPad or Android tablet under $500 or consider buying a new Lenovo Tab M10 or Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite for around $200.

Apple iPad Air (3rd Gen, 2019)

Best refurbished iPad

Display
10.5-inch 2224x1668 Retina
Storage
256GB
Battery life
Up to 10 hours
Starts at$659

Pricing and availability only accurate as of last page update.

pro
Pros
pro Great-looking display
pro Plenty of storage
pro Decent battery life
con
Cons
con Sound lacks oomph
con Bezels are kinda big
con Support for first-gen Apple Pencil

iPhone is synonymous with smartphone, and iPad, for many, is a replacement word for tablet. If you want to get more bells and whistles from an iPad, look for something like the third-generation iPad Air. This particular 2019 iPad model boasts a great 10.5-inch Retina Display that’s great to look at for up to 10 hours of battery life. This is a good starting point for wannabe digital doodlers, too, with support for the Apple Pencil (admittedly, only the original version). The model we found at the time of writing came with 256GB of storage, which is plenty. If you don’t need all that capacity, save money by sourcing a 64GB alternative.

Alternatively, push the budget closer to $1,000 for a shot at a newer-model Apple iPad, iPad Air or 11-inch iPad Pro.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus

Best refurbished Android tablet

Display
12.4-inch 2800x1752 Super AMOLED
Storage
256GB
Battery life
Up to 14 hours
Starts at$689

Pricing and availability only accurate as of last page update.

pro
Pros
pro Gorgeous display
pro Plenty of storage
pro Great battery life
con
Cons
con Pricier refurbished investment
con Finicky S Pen storage
con Samsung bloatware

If you’re not in a home whose device ecosystem is dominated by Apple products, it’s absolutely worth considering an Android tablet. Take the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus, for instance. I recently considered buying a Google Pixel Table to replace my ‘ageing’ Tab S7 Plus, but there’s honestly no point. The Tab S7 Plus is still a fantastic tablet today, and opting for refurbished makes it noticeably cheaper than the newer Tab S8 line. The refurbished Tab S7 Plus we found boasts plenty of storage (256GB), a gorgeous Super AMOLED display and plenty of battery life (up to 14 hours). Outside of temperamental S Pen storage on the back of the case and potentially unused Samsung software, the Tab S7 Plus is otherwise a wholly recommendable Android tablet.

Alternatively, see if you can source a Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 model for under $1,000 or save money by going for the Galaxy Tab S7 or an S7 Plus with 128GB of storage.

Microsoft Surface Pro 6

Best 2-in-1 tablet

Display
12.3-inch 2736x1824 PixelSense
Storage
128GB
Battery life
Up to 13.5 hours
Starts at$599.99

Pricing and availability only accurate as of last page update.

pro
Pros
pro Solid performance
pro Attractive display
pro Great battery life
con
Cons
con Light on storage for a 2-in-1
con No USB-C
con Not much of a jump over previous gen

The lifehack of any tablet with decent performance is it’s a Bluetooth keyboard or keyboard case away from being an ad hoc 2-in-1. For something more geared towards 2-in-1 use—the ease of use of a tablet with the versatility of a laptop—start comparisons with the Microsoft Surface Pro range. We found a Microsoft Surface Pro 6 at a great sub-$500 price. What it lacks in storage 2-in-1 storage capacity (a measly 128GB), it makes up for with a great screen and powerful innards. It also has Windows 11 installed, which adds a whole lot of versatility. Roll out the keyboard for everyday computing or use it for video playback and other tablet uses with great all-round battery life.

Alternatively, keep an eye out for a refurbished Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook, otherwise you can lower or raise your budget for an older or newer-model Microsoft Surface Pro.

What to look for in a refurbished tablet

You really want to buy a refurbished iPad or other tablet from a reputable retailer. Ideally, find one that offers a warranty and details guarantees about the refurbished process. Given that tablets are effectively big-screen smartphones, find a screen size that matches your portability vs immersive needs.

Speaking of smartphones, you can save money by choosing a WiFi tablet but expect to spend more if you also want mobile data functionality (not to mention the extra cost for a data plan). Storage is also a key consideration. If you like to take lots of photos and download lots of apps—particularly if those apps are massive game installations—consider getting more storage. Older tablets may have around 32GB but 64GB is a decent starting point these days; alternatively, 128GB or 256GB are even better. You may want even more storage for a 2-in-1 if you want to use it more as a laptop than a tablet.

Performance is worth considering but mainly if you’re a frantic multitasker or looking to play the latest mobile games. Otherwise, most common uses for tablets don’t need the most powerful innards. Finally, keep an eye on battery life: 10 hours is standard for iPads but Android and Windows tablets can get a dozen or more hours.

How we choose the best refurbished tablets

We started our refurbished-tablet comparisons by rounding up the best retailers that sold iPad, Android and Windows tablets in Australia. Then we set the relevant prices for our categories. For the best overall, we chose something around $500 (a good mix of price and performance) and for cheap, we picked something comfortably under $500.

The iPad market share in Australia is massive (and they’re great products), which is why we leant towards Apple tablets in most categories. For the dedicated iPad category, the price range was set between $500 and $1,000, which was also the case for the Android and 2-in-1 categories.

From there, it was a case of comparing products in terms of price and performance. Because tablets aren’t typically used all day, it allowed us to lean more towards cheaper options instead of high-performance flagship tablets.

Refurbished tablet frequently asked questions

A refurbished iPad is an Apple tablet that’s used in one way or another but has been cleaned and repaired to a like-new state. Refurbished iPads may not have as long a warranty as brand-new ones, but they should still function just as well.
A refurbished iPad is a good choice for kids because they’re cheaper than brand-new iPads. Go for a cheaper iPad model or, alternatively, seek out a cheap Android tablet for kids.
Whichever latest version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S you can get your hands on is a good place to start for a great refurbished Android tablet. Alternatively, save some money by opting for a Samsung Galaxy Tab A model.
Nathan Lawrence
Written by
Nathan Lawrence has been banging out passionate tech and gaming words for more than 11 years. These days, you can find his work on outlets like IGN, STACK, Fandom, Red Bull and AusGamers. Nathan adores PC gaming and the proof of his first-person-shooter prowess is at the top of a Battlefield V scoreboard.

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