The baseline iPad you can buy from Apple is the iPad 10th generation. Its design is improved, and the lightning port is gone in favor of a more traditional USB-type c port. This new iPad also gets an upgraded camera. There is an improvement in performance and an increment in the price. Should you get the new iPad 10th generation or go for an iPad pro-11-inch used instead? Let’s find it below.
The Good
- Improved Design
- Excellent Battery
- USB-C port for connectivity
- Upgraded camera system
- iPadOS for the best tablet experience
The Bad
- Awkward Apple Pencil Integration
- 64GB storage at starting price
- Huge price jump
Design of the iPad 10th generation
The new entry-level iPad gets the design updates and it matches the aesthetics of the latest iPad Air. Apple removed the awkwardly big bezels and home button touch id. The old lightning port is replaced with a type c port. It also got some wild color options and apple pencil support. Apple has changed the design of its baseline iPad after 7 years. It has adopted the flat design of iPad pro with slim side bezels. All iPads are USB c after Apple discontinued the 9th generation iPad.
If you enjoyed using the headphones on the 9th gen iPad, then this design decision will disappoint you. Apple has ditched the 3.5mm headphone jack from the latest 10th gen iPad. If you want to use your old headphones, you will need an adapter to use them with a type c port.
A14 Chip Inside
iPad is the world’s number 1 tablet. It is the best-selling tablet on the planet. Performance matters significantly when you want to use your tablet for the next 4-5 years. If you are getting the iPad 10th generation for intensive tasks, you should consider the iPad pro-11-inch used instead. The A14 chip is good but not as powerful as the m1 chip in the iPad pro. That is a monster and future-proof processor. It does not mean that A14 is not good. Apple extensively used it in the iPhone 12 and iPad Air 4th Gen so you can expect good life from this chip.
You can play games on this iPad without any issues. It can handle intensive games too. This iPad handles daily tasks very well. You can use it for media consumption eg watching youtube videos, listen Spotify, and browsing the web without any hiccups. It is running the iPadOS 16 which is incredibly optimized and offers the best productivity with the big screen of the iPad 10th generation.
Screen
The display is the only category where the iPad still has room for improvement. Despite being marginally sharper than 9th gen iPad it is not comparable to the other iPads. It does not have the P3 color gamut, so it falls behind the iPad Air in color accuracy. It also doesn’t have any kind of anti-reflective coating that you see on high-end iPads.
Even though it is not as color accurate as the iPad Air, it is still a good panel for reading books and watching movies. The touch response time is also good with finger and apple pencils. Apple has mentioned a peak brightness of 500nits which is very good for a tablet. It is brighter than some laptops so you can comfortably use it outdoors.
Cameras in the iPad 10th Generation
Most people don’t use the camera on a tablet. Those who do will appreciate the camera upgrade. The 9th gen iPad was using the same 8MP camera from the past few years that you find inside some older iPhones. The new camera is 12MP and captures good images.
It captures beautiful images with high color accuracy and sharp auto focus. These photos don’t match the latest iPhone camera. But this is still a very good camera for a tablet. After all how many tablets have great cameras?
The front camera is also excellent and cleverly placed. This makes the iPad the best choice for video calls over facetime zoom etc. Apple placed the camera on the wide bezel of the 10th gen iPad. It is still not comparable to the iPad pro-11-inch used, because that is a very expensive iPad if you buy that brand new.
Magic Keyboard Folio
10th gen iPad finally supports the apple pencil and an Apple has designed an exclusive Folio Magic Keyboard for it. Instead of using the iPad Air’s keyboard, it is slightly re-shaped to fit the iPad 10th generation. It makes a total of six distinctive keyboards for the whole iPad lineup.
How great would it be if all iPads had a single keyboard? But Apple takes a different approach to boost its accessory business. The new Magic Keyboard Folio costs $249, which is over half the price of the iPad itself. If you buy them as a pair from Apple, it will cost you a whopping $700.
The keyboard itself is a two-piece design. It also doubles as a protective book cover for the iPad 10th generation. This Magic Keyboard Folio comes with a trackpad just like the regular magic keyboard for the iPad Pro & Air.
The keyboard is an excellent accessory for the iPad. You can pull the kickstand of the keyboard and use the iPad on your lap. This is not as comfortable as a laptop but it will get the job done. If you type a lot on your iPad, you should consider buying it with your iPad.
iPadOS 16 for the iPad 10th Gen
Inside the baseline iPad, you will find the heart of an iPad Air, the A14 Bionic. The iPadOS 16 is the best tablet OS. The power features like Stage Manager & Multitasking are limited to the iPad Pros only. It still comes with minor enhancements like editable iMessages and lives video captions for the iPad 10th generation.
You will miss the Stage Manager only if you are coming from the iPad Pro M1 or above. It unlocks the potential of an iPad but most users don’t replace their laptop with an iPad. Those who don’t like the limitations of the Apple iPad 16.
The Verdict
There is not much to complain about the new baseline iPad except the price. It will perform your tablet tasks very well. Its performance is much better than other Android tablets. The battery life especially the standby time is great on this iPad. Apple has given too many choices to buyers by making a complex iPad lineup. Those choices can hold you from buying this iPad and pay more for the Pros & Air models of the iPad.
FAQs
Should you buy the iPad pro used over the iPad 10th generation?
This depends upon your scenario. If you find an iPad pro used in good condition and cheap price, you should go for it. But, if you want peace of mind, you can only get it from a brand-new device.
What are the differences between iPad Air & iPad 10th generation?
iPad 10th generation is the baseline iPad from Apple. The iPad Air is more expensive due to its better display & accessories.