The Default iPad — 2022 iPad review: The best oneexcept for all the others Apples latest tablet doesnt quite justify its price compared to other iPads.

Samuel Axon – Oct 26, 2022 12:00 pm UTC reader comments 88 with 63 posters participating Share this story Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Reddit The front of the 2022 iPad. Samuel Axon The back of the 2022 iPad. Samuel Axon

There was a time when Apples focus was on simplicity in its product lineupson making a one-size-fits-all design for just about every consumer. In other words, it wasnt too long ago that there was only one iPad.

Today, nothing could be further from reality. The iPad lineup includes six different models, not counting different finish colors or storage configurations, of course. Apples new tablet brings some welcome changes to the aging base iPad design, but it doesnt quite carve out a strong position for itself in a robust iPad lineup.

Nonetheless, it modernizes an aging design and doesnt shed anything that was great about its predecessor in the processwell, except for one thing, but well get to that.

If the top-and-bottom bezels design of the original iPad seemed too outdated for you to tolerate, then you might consider buying this new 10th-generation model instead of its ninth-generation predecessor. But at least as many potential buyers will be better served by the still-available previous-generation model or the pricier iPad Air. Specifications Specs at a glance: 2022 Apple iPad (10th generation) Screen 2,3601,640 10.9-inch (264 PPI) touchscreen with True Tone OS iPadOS 16 CPU Apple A14 GPU Apple A14 Storage 64GB or 256GB Networking Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 (5G/LTE optional add-on) Ports USB-C Camera 12 MP rear camera, 12 MP wide-angle front camera Size 9.797.070.28 inches (248.6179.57 mm) Weight 1.05 pounds (477 g) for Wi-Fi model; 1.06 pounds (481 g) for cellular Starting price $449 (Wi-Fi only) Other perks Apple Pencil (first generation) support

Apart from the iPads design, not much has changed in terms of specifications over the previous tablet. The device is still offered in two storage configurations (64GB and 256GB), it still has a 12-megapixel front-facing camera that can record 1080p video at up to 60 fps, it still has stereo speakers (in landscape orientation this time) and dual microphones, it manages the same battery life, and the display still offers a pixel density of 264 pixels per inch, with a maximum brightness of 500 nits.

So whats different? Well, the A14 system-on-a-chip to start. The ninth-generation iPad had the A13, one generation behind this one. Like its predecessor, the A14 has a CPU, a GPU, an NPU, and an ISP, among other things. But it isnt radically different from the A13; it should offer 1020 percent faster performance depending on the task. (Well test that shortly.)

While the screen has the same pixel density as we saw in the ninth-generation iPad, it has a new resolution: 2,360 by 1,640 pixels. Thats because the screen is bigger10.9 inches diagonally instead of 10.2thanks to significant reductions of the top and bottom bezels. The screen design differs from the pricier iPad Air in an important way: There’s an air gap that makes the Apple Pencil peripheral feel just a bit worse to use. That was the case with the ninth-generation iPad, too, so just note that there has been no improvement there with this refresh.

The rear camera has jumped from 8 megapixels to 12, with no optical zoom. It also can capture 4K video at up to 60 fps. It supports Smart HDR 3, Apples computational photography solution for taking better photos in some situations, especially in low light. The downside is that some photos have a processed look, as we discussed at length in our most recent iPhone review. We dont see the iPad as primarily a photography device, so we won’t spend much time on it here, but the basics are there if you need them. Advertisement

The new iPad supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 for connectivity, as well as 5Ga first for this model in all cases. The previous model supported slightly older Wi-Fi and Bluetooth standards and capped out at 4G. That said, most people dont have Wi-Fi 6 routers, and 5G is only notably faster in certain urban areas, so these connectivity changes neednt drive most people to upgrade.

Another notable change is the move from a Lightning port to USB-C. Apple had already moved the rest of the iPad lineup apart from the base iPad to the more popular USB-C connection.

Further Reading2022 iPad Air review: M1, other tablets 0The real benefit of moving to USB-C is that since its an industry standard, there will likely be better interoperability with a wider variety of chargers and peripherals. The iPad doesnt always play nice with third-party peripherals anyway, but youre bound to have more options regardless. You might have to buy some new adapters or cords if you’re coming from a Lightning-equipped iPad, though.

All told, this iPad is a bit of an amalgamation of the previous-generation iPad Air and the previous-generation iPad. It has been called the FrankeniPad in the Ars Technica Slackand that about sums it up.

Oh, and one last note on the specs: The 64GB entry-level configuration is suitable only for devices used in limited contexts like point-of-sale or some educational uses. If you’re going to be loading apps, games, music, or movies onto this device, you’ll want more storage. The next step up is 256GB, for a whopping $150 more. For that reason, we don’t think of this iPad as being quite as affordable as it claims to be for most users. That’s just something to keep in mind. Page: 1 2 3 4 5 Next → reader comments 88 with 63 posters participating Share this story Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Reddit Samuel Axon Based in Chicago, Samuel is the Senior Reviews Editor at Ars Technica, where he leads the site’s gadget and reviews section. He covers Apple and display tech, as well as hardware and software for developers and creative professionals. He has been writing about technology for 15 years, and is an AR and game developer for iOS and other platforms. Email samuel.axon@arstechnica.com Advertisement

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