Top 5 Tablets to Consider Before Buying the iPad Air [August, 2014]

iPad 4

If you want to stay in the Apple ecosystem but don't want to shell out $500 or more for the iPad Air, take a look at the iPad 4, or fourth-gen 9.7-inch iPad

The iPad 4 is still on sale through the Apple Store for $399. And while it may not have the same sleek design as the iPad Air or the 64-bit processor or the new camera, it's still a very solid thanks to its feature set.

In addition to the cheaper price tag, the iPad 4 comes equipped with a powerful processor, the same Retina Display, a solid metal design, good but not great camera, a good front-facing camera for video chatting, and iOS 7. It, like the iPad Air, will get iOS 8 later on this year.

It's not Apple's best tablet but it's cheaper than the iPad Air and that alone means that it's worth ruling out before you buy the iPad Air this month.