iPad 10.2-inch
The entry-level iPad gets a new screen size and processor boost, along with Apple Pencil support
From £349 FROM Apple, apple.com/uk FEATURES 10.2-inch Retina Display, Apple Pencil (first-gen) support, smart connector, A10 Fusion Chip
The iPad is Apple’s most affordable tablet. Starting at £349, the latest seventh-gen model has been given a bigger screen and extra memory for 2019.
At first glance, there’s little to differentiate the 2019 iPad from last year’s model. Apple has bumped up the overall body size; it’s marginal so it’s quite hard to spot but it’s just over 10mm taller and a little over 4mm wider. The case is now made from 100% recycled aluminum, and the weight has also increased slightly at 483g for the Wi-Fi model.
As before, you get an 8MP rear camera, 1.2MP FaceTime camera, 3.5 mm headphone jack and a Touch ID sensor.
What is noticeable, though, is the extra real estate from the 10.2-inch screen, especially given the brilliant multitasking features in iPadOS. As per the 2018 model, there’s support for Apple Pencil here, albeit the first-gen model, and the 2019 model now boasts a smart connector so that the tablet can be used with Apple’s Smart Keyboard – or other accessories, such as Logitech’s Slim Combo Keyboard Case.
Obviously, buying an Apple Pencil and a Smart Keyboard affects the ‘value’ element of buying the entry-level tablet but if you really want to get the most out of it – and out of iPadOS – we think you’re better off investing.
The first-gen Apple Pencil (£89) pairs and charges through the Lightning port, which is awkward, but the responsive stylus is useful for jotting down notes and marking up documents. The Smart Keyboard (£159) lacks a backlight, but it’s full size, lightweight and easy to use. We’re fans of the one-piece laser-etched fabric keys; they’re water- and stain-resistant, and impervious to debris.
With an extra outlay of almost £250, these ‘add-ons’ obviously aren’t cheap – and you can use the iPad perfectly well without them – but they do combine for a better overall iPad experience.
The seventh-gen iPad’s Retina display retains the same pixel density (264ppi) as the previous model, so it still looks great at the bigger screen size. The screen is bright and colourful; viewing in bright conditions is fine, and Dark Mode looks stunning. You won’t be able to stream 4K HDR films in all their 3,840x2,160 pixel glory, but for HD movie viewing on the go, the iPad performs well.
Unfortunately, the new iPad only comes in 32GB and 128GB options. 32GB is okay if you just like to surf the web and check for emails but it’s not ideal if you want to do much more. We’re suprised that Apple is still offering this low level of storage – though obviously it helps to keep the price down.
Battery and cameras
Apple promises the same 10-hour battery life as the previous model, and that certainly seemed the case in our tests. The iPad does
The extra real estate from the 10.2-in screen is great for multitasking in iPadOS
take around four hours to fully charge, though. In an age where the iPhone 11 Pro comes with an 18W fast-charger in the box and fully charges in a little over 90 minutes, this feels painfully slow. It’s worth noting, though, that the iPad 10.2-inch is fast-charge compatible, so you could invest in an 18W charger. We actually swapped out the 12W charger for Apple’s 30W USB-C charger and were able to get much faster charging speeds.
The cameras are basic but perfectly acceptable for a quick FaceTime call, a quick snap or a bit of video capture. Images with the front camera tend to look soft and blown out, but that’s to be expected from a 1.2MP selfie camera. More importantly for a tablet these days, the rear camera acts as a fully operational AR gaming tool.
Performance
The iPad handled certain low-demand games okay, but it tended to struggle with more power-hungry options like FIFA Football. As mentioned, AR apps are supported and we found that the ones we tried worked well.
The A10 Fusion chip and memory boost (from 2GB to 3GB) has a noticeable impact on the iPad’s performance. Multitasking with up to three apps works seamlessly, and switching between several apps and windows is quick and easy. Obviously, iPadOS makes multi-window app support more robust, and Slide Over and Split View are easier to manipulate.
If you intend on using Sidecar (using the iPad as a fully-functional second screen with your Mac), be warned that it’s not a flawless experience on an iPad with this kind of processing power. Some apps work well, but there’s a noticeable lag with heavy-duty apps like InDesign and Photoshop. For designing, video and photo editing, Sidecar works a great deal better on an iPad Pro with an A12X Bionic chip and at least 4GB of memory.
The A10 chipset is aged but generally it is adequate for the basic iPad. Our desire for more internal storage than the given 32GB or 128GB is more pressing and sorely missed.
While the new entry-level iPad is not a radical transformation, it is bigger and better than ever before. Certainly, if you have a fourth-generation or older iPad, then it’s worth upgrading for the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard support, as well as the benefits of using iPadOS.
MATT SWIDER & SRIVATS LAKSHMAN