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Many elements of Apple’s most recent base-model iPad have been lifted from the more costly iPad Air. But it’s also significantly more expensive than previously, which makes it difficult to sell.
The new 10th-generation iPad is supposedly the iPad line’s new entry point. Compared to the ninth-gen device, which debuted in 2021 and served as the entry-level iPad for a while, it boasts a larger screen, a quicker processor, and a superior design. The larger screen and many of the aesthetic aspects of the more costly iPad Air have trickled down, but the 10th-generation iPad has an older processor and skips some other features to keep the price down.
The 10th-generation iPad starts at $449, which is $120 more expensive than the previous model. With storage, cellular, and accessory additions, the price can be increased to over $1,000. It’s not truly a device to replace your laptop with; rather, it’s for the entry-level iPad with no qualifier after its name, the one you buy for casual usage, kids, schoolwork, travel, and content consumption.
The 10th-generation iPad starts at $449, which is $120 more expensive than the previous model. With storage, cellular, and accessory additions, the price can be increased to over $1,000. It’s not truly a device to replace your laptop with; rather, it’s for the entry-level iPad with no qualifier after its name, the one you buy for casual usage, kids, schoolwork, travel, and content consumption.
This puts the iPad in an odd position since, although it is undoubtedly superior to the ninth-generation model (which is still fantastic), it is also significantly more expensive and less effective than an iPad Air. This new iPad is not the iPad to buy right now despite the fact that it has a lot going for it, as you can easily find a current iPad Air on sale at this time.
Appearing the role
The squared-off, even-bezel, home button-less design Apple debuted on the iPad Pro back in 2018 is now available at a price point under $500 thanks to the 10th-generation iPad. With the same size display and chassis measurements that are within one millimeter of the Air in every dimension, it is very nearly a carbon copy of the most recent two iPad Air versions. However, because to the difference in millimeters, it is not possible to switch between the Air and the new iPad and use perfectly fitting cases on both devices.
Although the redesigned design is far more contemporary than the ninth-generation iPad, it doesn’t look particularly new because we’ve seen variations of it on previous iPad models for the past four years. Simply put, it resembles an iPad.
Similar to almost every single iPad ever produced, the new model boasts superb fit and finish and is pleasant to handle and use. My review unit has a yellow color, which I don’t particularly like, but happily Apple also offers it in silver, blue, and pink.
In its marketing brochures, Apple refers to the iPad as having a “all-screen design,” but let’s be real: the front of this new iPad is not “all-screen.” The display is framed by a sizable bezel, and although it’s wonderful that it is uniform in size and offers a place to hold the device without unintentionally touching the screen, it is not edge-to-edge. Also, the front of the device has a camera. Therefore, it is not “all-screen” even if you do not count the bezel.
The camera is good news, though: in a long overdue change, Apple’s stuck the front-facing camera in the bezel on the long edge of the screen, which makes using it for video calls in landscape orientation much easier. It’s surprising that this is the first iPad to actually have the front camera in the right spot, but it’s a safe bet we’ll see this change in future updates to other iPad models (though not for this year’s iPad Pro M2, oddly). The camera itself is just fine, but the better placement makes using it for video calls from a desk much less awkward.Although it still supports Apple’s self-centering Center Stage feature, there is no reason to use it now that the camera is positioned correctly. For the bulk of the video conferences I held on the iPad, I turned it off.
The larger screen, which extends to 10.9 inches diagonally from 10.2 inches, is the largest improvement over the ninth-generation iPad, aside from the new design. Its size, brightness, and resolution are identical to those of the iPad Air’s screen. Even if it seems a little claustrophobic as a laptop substitute, it’s a reasonable size for a tablet and comfortable enough for doing light work as well as watching movies, reading, or playing games. Additionally, either the portrait or landscape orientations benefit from the approximately 3:2 aspect ratio.
However, this screen is not laminated, unlike the ones on the iPad Air or Pro, and it has a less effective anti-glare coating. The end result is a screen that is less appealing to look at due to increased reflections, a visible gap between the glass and the LCD panel, and brightness changes when viewed off-axis. At $329, these flaws are much easier to overlook, but at $449, it becomes much more difficult.
The Touch ID fingerprint reader in the power button on the left (when in landscape orientation) and a USB-C port for data transfer in place of the previous iPad’s Lightning port are other features that are carried over from the iPad Air and Mini models. Even if it’s not quite as fluid and practical as the Face ID technology on the iPad Pro, the Touch ID scanner nonetheless does its function admirably. Although it is limited to USB 2.0 data speeds and 4K 30Hz (or 1080p 60Hz) external displays, the USB-C connector makes charging and adding devices like USB hubs considerably more convenient than previously. These restrictions won’t really matter for the consumer usage that this iPad is intended for, in my opinion.
The main omission is a headphone jack, which is puzzling for an iPad that is meant to appeal to the broadest possible audience. It will be irritating not to have a universal and simple way to put in conventional wired headphones because many schools and parents purchase entry-level iPads for youngsters. A braided USB-C cable and a 20W power supply are provided in the box by Apple, however there isn’t a USB-C to 3.5mm wired headphone adaptor. It will set you back $9.
Funny Magic Keyboard Videos
The iPad 10th generation doesn’t have any accessories in common with the iPad Air and iPad Pro versions, despite looking similar to them. The 10th-generation iPad receives a whole new keyboard accessory dubbed the Magic Keyboard Folio instead of using the same Magic Keyboard as the Air and Pro. If you’re keeping score, there are now six different iPad keyboards available from Apple. This new type, though, cannot be used with an iPad Air or Pro.
The absurdly pricey $249 Magic Keyboard Folio has a two-piece magnetic design with a rear cover with a kickstand and a separate keyboard. This package for an iPad and keyboard costs $700, or a full 55 percent more than the iPad’s initial price. There is no requirement for a battery or Bluetooth connection because the keyboard is connected to the iPad using the Smart Connector on the tablet’s edge.
The Folio keyboard makes typing enjoyable since the keys are large and evenly spaced out, and they have the same amount of travel as Apple’s Magic Keyboard. Excellent as well, the trackpad is even a little bit bigger than the one on the Magic Keyboard. It is really appreciated that a function row was included with easy access keys for things like media control, volume, and brightness; the absence of any illumination, especially at this price, is a stupid oversight.
The Magic Keyboard Folio has a style we’ve seen before, unlike the Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air and Pro, which has a distinctive floating design. It’s very identical to the keyboards that come with budget tablets like Lenovo’s $300 Chromebook Duet and is extremely close to Microsoft’s Surface keyboards. Even the $160 Logitech Combo Touch, which is available in versions for the iPad Air, Pro, and now the 10th-generation iPad, has essentially the same design.
Compared to the Magic Keyboard, this two-piece design offers more versatility because you can remove the keyboard while the tablet is still supported by a kickstand for watching movies or playing games with a controller. It works, but it’s not quite as comfy as the Magic Keyboard or a real laptop. It’s also much less stable on my lap. More magnets from Microsoft helped to hold the keyboard better, while Apple’s keyboard flops far more when placed on a lap. On a desk or table, you truly get the finest experience using this.
Apple’s design also limits how far back the kickstand can travel, so you can’t push it down to a 20-degree angle ideal for drawing or writing like you can with many other keyboard cases of this type. And just like the Magic Keyboard, the Magic Keyboard Folio provides virtually no protection against drops — if you need something with more protection, you should look at Logitech’s offering.
Last but not least, the Magic Keyboard Folio is only available in white, so unless you want a somewhat orange Magic Keyboard Folio, you should be cautious using it while eating a Doritos Locos Taco.
Problems with pencils
The fact that the second-generation Apple Pencil, which has been available since 2018, can not function with the 10th-generation iPad is another confusing accessory issue. Only the first-generation model, which debuted way back in 2015, is compatible. However, because the new iPad lacks a Lightning connector, connecting and charging the $99 first-generation Pencil with it requires a new $9 USB-C to Lightning converter, which plugs into a USB-C cable and then into the iPad. (Apple is included the adapter in the package when you buy a first-generation Pencil right now, but if you’re upgrading from an older iPad and still want to use your Pencil with this one, you’ll need to purchase the adapter.)
Even while the new iPad has the same design as the iPad Air and Pro, including a flat side that may accommodate a second-generation Pencil, you’re still stuck with a ridiculous umbilical chord charging arrangement and nowhere to keep the Pencil when it’s not in use.
The first-generation Pencil had strange storage and charging restrictions, but those restrictions made more sense when the Pencil was added to an iPad that wasn’t designed to support it. It’s perplexing that we’re in this predicament with a new iPad released in 2022 when Apple thought out a better iPad and Pencil solution back in 2018 and this iPad leverages the better design.
So, yes, there is an uncomfortable charging arrangement as well as a ridiculous end cap that is simple to misplace. You shouldn’t worry though because the first-generation Pencil is similarly less user-friendly than the second-generation version and doesn’t allow features like double-tap to transition between writing and erasing. Its circular shape makes it considerably more likely to roll off a desk, and its shiny surface is less appealing than the newer model’s matte finish.
The first-generation ApplePencil performs identically to the second-generation model in terms of stroke smoothness and minimal lag. Although it is pressure sensitive and has tilting support, which are both useful for art and sketching, I prefer the softer-tipped styli from Samsung and Microsoft for handwriting. The firm tip of the Pencil creates more noise when writing than the others and slides around on the iPad’s glass.
It’s nice that the first-generation Apple Pencil is compatible with the new iPad for individuals who currently own one and are simply wanting to upgrade. However, Apple could have made the iPad compatible with the second-generation Pencil and offered first-generation Pencil backward compatibility for people who require it, but it opted not to.
Inside there is an air
The fourth-generation iPad Air will look exactly like the 10th-generation iPad inside. It has Wi-Fi 6, an A14 Bionic chip, and 64GB or 256GB of storage options. I’d be surprised if most people can actually tell that the A14 is slower than the M1 or M2 CPUs that Apple is putting inside the more costly iPads. The exact same operations I perform on my 11-inch iPad Pro M1 with no issues on this iPad, including running multiple applications simultaneously, switching between tasks without a hitch, and playing games like Genshin Impact.
Apple currently offers four different processors in its iPad series (five if you include the ninth-generation iPad, which is still available), but aside from the most intensive tasks, all the iPads I’ve tried perform similarly. You will undoubtedly have a speedier user experience with new iPad if you are upgrading from a device that is significantly older. However, the ninth-generation iPad, which costs $329 and is powered by the A13 chip, will give you a speedier experience while saving you $120.
When you get past the iPad’s lower-quality screen, what has consistently surprised me the most during my time with it is how identical it is to every other contemporary iPad. Really, there wasn’t anything I couldn’t do on this iPad or that I found difficult to perform on an 11-inch iPad Pro or an iPad Air. That’s not my experience with MacBooks, where I can tell the difference between a MacBook Air and a MacBook Pro in terms of performance.
When you get past the iPad’s lower-quality screen, what has consistently surprised me the most during my time with it is how identical it is to every other contemporary iPad. Really, there wasn’t anything I couldn’t do on this iPad or that I found difficult to perform on an 11-inch iPad Pro or an iPad Air. That’s not my experience with MacBooks, where I can tell the difference between a MacBook Air and a MacBook Pro in terms of performance.
iPadOS 16
The iPad uses iPadOS 16, which doesn’t significantly differ from the previous two iterations of the operating system. Numerous iOS 16 features, such as editable iMessages, live text for videos, and the ability to extract a topic from a picture and insert it into another app, are included. Additionally, it offers more configuration options for program toolbar styles as well as more options for arranging apps in split-screen mode. Here is a much more thorough review of iPadOS 16 for all iPad models by my colleague David Pierce.
The Stage Manager windowing tool and the ability to change the display scaling to show more items on the screen at a smaller size are what iPadOS 16 on this model lacks compared to the Air or Pro. Even while it’s not a fantastic experience right now, not having Stage Manager isn’t a loss, and unless you’re switching from an Air or a Pro and are used to the scaling option, you’re not going to miss it either.
