Review Roundups
Is the 10th-gen iPad worth buying? Here’s what reviewers say
Apple’s latest iPad is about to hit the shelves. Should you buy it?
Apple recently revealed the 10th-generation iPad, and now the Apple tablet is starting to reach reviewers. Is it any good?
Announced last week and hitting stores on October 26, the latest iPad comes in a handful of fun colors, introduces new features, and brings USB-C into the mix.
But does the updated 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display and improved camera justify the $449 price tag? Or should you hold out for the iPad Pro? Let’s dive in.
Are the upgrades notable on the 10th-gen iPad?
For serious iPad owners, performance will be one of the deciding factors when determining what model you will get.
Thankfully, Apple has provided an improved experience over the last-gen iPad. In fact, some benchmarks place the new A14 chip at 30% faster than the previous A13 option.
“On Geekbench 5, which measures overall performance, the iPad 2022 scored 1,580 on single-core and 4,400 on multi-core, which is a marked improvement over the 1,384 and 3,387 turned in by the 9th gen iPad. However, the iPad Air with its M1 chip scored a much higher 1,707/7,151,” says Mark Spoonauer of Tom’s Guide.
While we’ll dive into other concerns further down, it’s good to see that Apple has improved the performance of this model substantially.
The 2022 iPad handles multitasking well
Stats are a great performance indicator, but real-world tests will always provide value insights into a product’s functionality.
Thankfully, the latest iPad model from Apple is quite capable of juggling your emails, browsing, apps, and more.
[The new iPad] handled multiple Google Chrome tabs, Slack, Spotify, Messages, Telegram, and Twitter simultaneously without feeling sluggish,” writes Brenda Stolyar for Wired.
What’s going on with Pencil support on the 2022 iPad?
The 10th-generation iPad has undergone some design changes, but what does that mean for the Apple Pencil and Pencil 2?
The 2022 iPad and iPad Air look a lot alike, and the Air allows the Pencil 2 to attach magnetically.
So, it’s understandable to assume it would work the same with the 10th-gen iPad. But, surprisingly, that’s not the case.
In fact, the new iPad only works with the original Pencil. But things get even more awkward when it’s time to charge your accessory.
“The new iPad offers a USB-C charging port, which makes the original Pencil’s integrated Lightning jack useless without an optional dongle. With help from a charging cable, you can use the Pencil while it’s connected to the iPad, but it’s an inelegant solution,” writes Stan Horaczek of Popular Science.
This might not be your tablet if you are an artist or just someone who likes robust Apple Pencil support.
The once-affordable iPad is not even that affordable anymore
When deciding on the right iPad, pricing obviously plays a huge role in your decision. The 10th-gen iPad, however, is in a strange place.
It does offer more features and better internals, but at what point is it worth getting the base iPad and not the new iPad Air?
It starts at $599 and is almost on the same level as an iPad Pro.
The 10th-generation iPad starts at $449, $120 more expensive than the 9th-generation model. It makes the latest Apple tablet sit in a weird spot, and reviewers agree.
“[I]t’s certainly better than the ninth-gen model (which is still great), but it costs considerably more and is not as good as an iPad Air. And since you can find a current iPad Air on sale fairly easily at this point, this new iPad is not the iPad to buy right now despite the fact that it has a lot going for it,” says Dan Seifert of The Verge.
Other outlets noted similar thoughts about the latest iPad. It’s a solid device, but what role is it filling for users?
Rounding up the latest iPad
At the end of the day, Apple’s 10th-generation iPad is just that — an iPad. It features improved internals, great color options, a better camera setup, and will be a functional tablet for buyers.
If it’s your first iPad ever, you’ll probably love it. But seasoned Apple veterans will likely feel it is a misstep from the company.
Expensive accessories, weird Apple Pencil support, and wonky pricing keep this from being a must-have.
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Editors’ Recommendations:
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- The Pixel Tablet is a welcome return to the space for Google
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