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iPad Pros and Cons
Pros
- Sleeker design with slimmer bezels
- Fast A14 Bionic processor
- Long battery life
- Comfy Magic Keyboard with touchpad
- Cellular upgraded to 5G
Cons
- More expensive than the previous model
- Apple Pencil awkward to charge
- Just 64GB of storage
- Doesn’t support Stage Manager in iPadOS 16
With the $449 iPad 10th Gen, Apple's entry-level tablet is brought into the modern day. at the current moment, at least. The bigger 10.9-inch display that almost reaches the edge, the power button with Touch ID integrated in, and USB-C charging have taken the place of the oversized bezels, outdated Home button, and Lightning port.
However, those are only a few of the updates to the most recent iPad. A speedier A14 Bionic CPU, a more compact and lighter design with flatter corners (similar to the iPad Air and iPad Pro), and a rather comfortable optional Magic Keyboard Folio with trackpad are also included. It's also wonderful to have selections in vibrant colors. All things considered, this tablet is among the best available.
What then is to dislike? To begin with, the beginning price of $449 is significantly more than that of the previous model. Furthermore, Apple continued to use the original Apple Pencil, which still has a Lightning port; however, this problem is resolved by the new Apple Pencil, which has USB-C. Furthermore, the rear camera is a little lackluster, despite my appreciation for the front camera's new landscape orientation. The $449 beginning price is therefore quite exorbitant.
iPad 10th Gen Review, Price, and Release Date
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The starting price of the iPad (10th generation) is $449/£499/AU$749, which is $120 more than the lowest-priced iPad 10.2-inch model. 5G cellular access is available for $599, £679, or AU$999.
You still only receive a meager 64GB of storage for that amount of money. Upgrading to a much larger 256GB is an option, but it will cost you an additional $150 for either model.
It's important to remember that Apple is still offering the iPad 10.2 (2021) for $329, £369, or AU$549. We compare the iPad 2022 and iPad 2021, highlighting the differences between the two versions.
For the most recent savings, make sure to visit our page with the greatest iPad bargains.
iPad 10.9-inch (2022)
Specifications
| Starting Price |
$449/£499/AU$749 |
| Display |
10.9-inch (2360 x 1640) Liquid Retina |
| OS |
iPadOS 16 (pre-installed) |
| Chipset |
A14 Bionic |
| Storage |
64GB, 256GB |
| Rear Camera |
12MP |
| Front Camera |
12MP with 122-degree FOV |
| Video Quality |
Up to 4K |
| Wireless |
Wi-Fi 6, optional 5G |
iPad 10th Gen Review: Design and Colors
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| (Image credit: Future) |
"At last!" That's what I told myself the first time I held the iPad 10th generation. Apple removed the previous Home button while increasing the display's size from 10.2 to 10.9 inches.
As a result, the screen is almost edge-to-edge, although the bezels are still clearly visible. An additional benefit is that the iPad's Power button incorporates Touch ID, allowing you to unlock the device just by placing your finger on it.
In order to unlock the smartphone in both portrait and landscape modes—where the button is located on the upper right—I made sure to register my index finger on both hands. Touch ID always functioned without a hitch.
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The new iPad 2022 is lighter and slimmer than the 9.th generation iPad, which weighs 1.09 pounds (cellular) and measures 9.79 x 7.07 x 0.28 inches. It also measures 1.05 pounds (1.06 pounds).
Apple is adding some spice to things with the hues of the iPad 2022. I experimented with the yellow variant, which is a bright yellow-gold hybrid. Silver, blue, and pink are further options. My favorite color among them is blue.
Despite its appealing appearance, the iPad 2022 is not so durable, as this durability test indicates.
iPad 10th Gen Review: Display
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The iPad 2022's 10.9-inch display is decent for the price, but it won't wow you. I thought the sequence in the Wakanda Forever trailer where Namor comes out of the ocean with his gold and navy blue armor around his neck had a lot of wonderful color.
I also liked scrolling through the Photos app's photo collection. When I enlarged the image, I could see little water drops on a flower (I took this picture with the brand-new iPad 10th generation).
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The iPad 2022's maximum brightness rating in our lab testing was 504 nits, which is roughly in line with Apple's 500 nit promise. That's great, however like me, you could have problems seeing this panel in bright sunshine. The iPad Pro 2021, in contrast, reached a maximum brightness of 1,588 nits, although that tablet is far more costly. Even the iPad Pro 2022, which fared worse in our tests, managed to reach 1,577 nits.
Color-wise, the iPad's display covered 71.7% of the more demanding DCI-P3 color space and 101.2% of the sRGB color spectrum. The panels on the iPad Air scored higher, at 111.8% and 79.2%, respectively.
Surprisingly, though, the iPad 10th generation's colors performed somewhat better on the Delta-E test, where lower scores indicate superior color accuracy. With a score of 0.21, the new iPad outperformed the Air (0.29) and Pro (0.3).
iPad 10th Gen Review: Magic Keyboard
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If you would want to use your iPad as a small laptop in addition to a tablet, you should definitely get the Magic Keyboard Folio. The keys are pricey at $249, but they have a solid 1mm of travel and quick response.
When I took a typing speed test on 10fastfingers.com, I was taken aback. I completed 71 words per minute on average with 96% correctness, which is exactly my speed on the 14-inch MacBook Pro. Nevertheless, considering the tablet's overall tiny size, several keys—such as the Return and Delete keys—are smaller on this layout.
Another benefit is that you can effortlessly view all of your open applications at once and control the brightness and volume thanks to the 14-key function row at the top of the keyboard.
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The Magic Keyboard Folio has an easily adjustable kickstand, and even with the iPad 2022 bouncing around a little in my lap, I was still able to type rather steadily. Though it fell off the iPad a few times, I still enjoy how effortlessly the protective back plate connects to the device using magnetism.
If all you want to do is use the rear panel as a stand, say to watch a movie, you may take the keyboard off as well.
iPad 10th Gen Review: Apple Pencil
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My main issue with the new iPad is definitely the lack of compatibility for the Apple Pencil. To be honest, it's a major puzzle for a business that values clever design. You will need to purchase the $99 first-generation Apple Pencil if you want to be able to sketch, take notes, and do other tasks on the iPad 10th generation as it does not support the most recent 2nd gen Apple Pencil.
Here, there are two main problems. First of all, the Apple Pencil has nowhere to be stored while not in use. The 2nd generation Apple Pencil can be conveniently stored on the top flat edge of the iPad Air and iPad Pro's chassis by magnetic attachment, and both devices allow the Pencil to be charged while in use. Furthermore, it's simple to misplace the detachable cap on the original Apple Pencil.
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Things worsen. A additional USC-C to Apple Pencil adapter is required in order to link and charge the first-generation Apple Pencil. This is a result of the Pencil's continued usage of an outdated Lightning port in instead of USB-C. The good news is that if you purchase an Apple Pencil first generation, Apple will throw in this little dongle. The unfortunate thing is that we even need this clumsy workaround.
If Apple had just included compatibility for the Apple Pencil 2nd generation with the iPad 2022, it would have been considerably simpler.
The Apple Pencil functions well, at least. My creative coworker created a delicate floral image with ease with the Pencil, and I appreciate that I can doodle in any text field and the iPad will translate it into text right away. The Apple Pencil is utilized by several third-party applications, such as Pixelmator, GoodNotes, and ProCreate. ProCreate's ability to detect pressure sensitivity from the Pencil for fainter or darker lines is something I really like.
Thankfully, the newly released $79 Apple Pencil connects to the iPad magnetically and supports USB-C charging. It is helpful to have this storage option even if the pencil doesn't charge when it is connected. It is also not sensitive to pressure. But if you're purchasing this iPad without an Apple Pencil, this less expensive alternative is better than the Apple Pencil 1.
iPad 10th Gen Review: Performance and 5G
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This is not surprising. Given that the A14 Bionic chip powering the iPad 2022 is the same processor found in the iPhone 12, it should come as no surprise that it is rather speedy. The iPad performed admirably when I tried to use my sword to thwart three foes at once in a game like Genshin Impact. The animations were smooth. I saw a slight lethargy while scaling a rock.
The iPad 2022 scored 1,580 on single-core and 4,400 on multi-core on Geekbench 5, an overall performance benchmark that is significantly higher than the 1,384 and 3,387 the 9th generation iPad recorded. With its M1 chip, the iPad Air achieved a significantly higher score of 1,707 / 7,151.
iPad 2022 Benchmarks
Benchmarks
| |
iPad 2022 |
iPad 2021 |
iPad Air M1 |
| Geekbench |
1,580/4,400 |
1,384/3,387 |
1,707/7,151 |
| 3DMark Wild Life Unlimited |
8,579/51.4 fps |
8,000/47.9 fps |
17,966/107 fps |
| Video Transcoding |
29 seconds |
27 seconds |
22 seconds |
Moving forward to graphics, the iPad 2022 completed the 3DMark Wild Life test with 8,579 points and 51.4 frames per second. As opposed to the 9th generation iPad's 8,000 and 47.9 frames per second. Thus, you're seeing a minor visual enhancement. Unsurprisingly, the iPad Air scored higher—17,966 and 107 frames per second.
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Strangely, the new iPad took 29 seconds against 27 seconds to complete our video transcoding test in Adobe Premiere Rush, a little bit longer than the iPad 9th generation, even if both times are quick. It only took the iPad Air 22 seconds.
We tested the Verizon 5G cellular connection that came with our evaluation unit using the Ookla Speedtest app. I observed 4.09 Mbps uploads and barely 38 Mbps downloads close to my home in central New Jersey; meanwhile, download speeds in midtown Manhattan were more than 100 Mbps. In reality, 5G performance is contingent upon both signal strength and location.
It is important to note that the USB-C connector on the new iPad can only transport data at USB 2.0 rates. Numerous media sources found that its maximum speed is around 480 Mbps, which is the same as what Lightning offers.
iPad 10th Gen Review: Cameras
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The rear camera on the iPad 2022 is more precise than on the previous edition, with 12MP compared to 8MP. Additionally, there is a nice change to the front camera's alignment from the top edge to the long edge. This results in more organic video conversations in landscape mode, particularly with the iPad docked in the Magic Keyboard Folio.
The 12MP primary camera on the back is not great. The iPad 2022 took a clear, vivid picture of this blossom outside. Tiny drips of water are visible on the petals, while the iPad skillfully blends off the surrounding foliage. It is something I would want to talk about.
When there is a good amount of ambient light indoors, the iPad 2022 performs admirably; but, I detected some graininess in this picture of a witch's boot on a fireplace mantel. Though it might not be a fair comparison, the shot taken with the iPhone 14 Pro Max is noticeably brighter and has far less noise.
The iPad 2022 lacks a night mode, so you can forget about it. That's unfortunate. Not only that, but the iPad Air 5th generation is also devoid of these functions, including a flash.
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The iPad's front-facing 12MP camera is situated above the display's long edge in a new landscape orientation. The iPad is now better for video calls as a result. Despite some noise in my shirt, the iPad managed to get a rather crisp shot of my face and hair in a poorly light environment. The iPad is intelligent enough to turn on the display as well, which functions as a makeshift flash.
iPad 10th Gen Review: Battery Life and Charging
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You should be able to use the iPad 2022 for the most of the day without using the 20W charger that comes with it. In the Tom's Guide Battery Test, the iPad 10th generation demonstrated exceptional endurance, lasting 10 hours and 57 minutes over Wi-Fi while continuously browsing the web at 150 nits of screen brightness.
The iPad 2022 had a longer runtime of 11:59, but testing is still ongoing, so if we average the data, the iPad 2022 may catch up. The iPad Air only had a 10:09 lifespan.
We're happy that the iPad 2022 has USB charging because, in our tests, it did lead to faster recharge times than the previous generation. In thirty minutes, the new iPad reached 26%, while the iPad 9th generation with Lightning only reached 19%. Though it's not a big jump, I'll take it.
iPad 10th Gen Review: iPadOS 16
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Let's pull off this Band-Aid and notify them that the iPadOS 16 capability is not supported by the new iPad 2022. That would be Stage Manager, which arranges your frequently used apps on the left side of the screen to facilitate multitasking.
But you'll also be able to benefit from a few other noteworthy iPadOS 16 improvements. For instance, you may modify or unsend a message in Messages after you've sent it. Additionally, text from a video frame may be easily copied, translated, or locked.
The ability to remove a subject from the backdrop of a photograph in iPadOS 16 (equivalent to iOS 16) is my favorite feature that I utilized on the latest iPad. Simply press and hold the subject of a picture to drag and drop it to another location, such as a running message.
Among the other improvements in iPadOS 16 are apps that are more suited for the bigger iPad screen. Along with find-and-replace in applications, you'll notice features like scalable toolbars, the option to examine folder size in Files, and a more uniform Undo and redo experience.
iPad 10th Gen vs iPad Air M1: A Comparison
Since I rarely use the Apple Pencil, I would personally choose the iPad 10th generation. However, the more expensive $599 iPad Air is worth considering if you want to use the Pencil frequently for sketching or taking notes because it is compatible with the updated 2nd generation Apple Pencil, which connects to the tablet for charging and storage.
In addition, the iPad Air has a speedier M1 CPU and can multitask with the new Stage Manager function. Just remember that the Air comes with more pricey accessories. The Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard cost $129 and $299, respectively, while the same add-ons for the new iPad 2022 cost $99 and $249.
Our iPad 2022 vs. iPad Air 2022 face-off goes into deeper detail on the differences between Apple’s two tablets.
iPad 10th Gen Review: Updates
Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reports that the iPad 2024 portfolio as a whole is expected to launch in the spring. Although nothing is official just yet, an upgrade for the iPads is overdue given that Apple did not introduce new models in 2023.
iPad 10th Gen Review: Verdict
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Compared to the previous several versions, the iPad (10th generation) feels and looks brand new, which is a nice difference. I like the larger display and slimmer appearance, however some people might regret the headphone port from the iPad 9th generation. The updated A14 Bionic processor, 5G connection, relocated front camera, USB-C charging, and Touch ID-enabled power button are all features I appreciate.
Still, $449 is a steep price to pay for this tablet. Yes, Apple is continuing to sell the $329 iPad 9th generation, but the $120 price increase from one iteration to the next still stings. My main complaint is with the Apple Pencil setup; charging this device is just too difficult, and there is nowhere to put the stylus when it's not in use. However, this problem is at least solved with the $79 Apple Pencil.
Is the iPad 2022 worth spending more money than the model from the previous year? mostly because this tablet is more suited for the future. In general, the iPad 10th generation is among the greatest tablets; nevertheless, given its higher price and the Apple Pencil fiasco, I cannot categorically state that it is the best tablet for the majority of users.
