Apple has given the entry-level iPad its biggest update in years with a new design, upgraded internals, and a new colour scheme, but it all comes at a cost. Here are the main differences between the iPad 10 and iPad 9.
The lineage of this device goes all the way back to the beginning. The iPad 10, like the iPad 9 (10.2-inch) before it, is the spiritual successor to Apple’s first tablet released all the way back in 2010.
It’s fair to say that this is probably the biggest visual upgrade in the history of the range, while Apple has torn up the playbook with several other changes. Let’s look at the key differences.
The design has had a massive overhaul
The iPad 9, although thinner and lighter, largely retained the same design as the original iPad. Massive bezels, Touch ID button in the old central spot beneath the display and edges that tapered off. That all changes with the iPad 10, which looks more like the iPad Pro range.
It’s a more angular design with flat edges and arced corners and much thinner bezels. It’s slightly thinner than the iPad 9 (7mm vs 7.5mm), while the new device is also 10g lighter (477g vs 487g). The Touch ID button has been shifted to the power button at the top of the device, just like the iPad Air.
There are big changes when it comes to the physical ports too, compared to the iPad 9. Apple has dropped the headphone port for the first time in this range, while the Lightning port has also been replaced by USB-C, making it easier to connect peripherals. The new design also means a new Magic Keyboard folio case that’s exclusive to this model.
You’ll also get a more colourful range of devices to choose from; with Blue, Silver, Pink and Yellow, compared to last year’s boring space grey and silver options.
iPad 10 uses extra space to boost the display size
Apple has put the additional space on the front of the iPad 10 to good use. The new Liquid Retina LED-backlit display is now 10.9-inches, compared to the 10.2-inch LED backlit display on the iPad 9.
The iPad 10 display has a 2360 x 1640 resolution, compared to 2160 x 1620 on the iPad 9. However both displays maintain the same 264ppi density. Both support the 1st-generation Apple Pencil.
The spec upgrade is modest, but significant
The internal upgrades are a little more incremental with the iPad 10 powered by the A14 and the iPad 9 running A13 Bionic processor. Apple does say iPad 10 owners will benefit from a 6-core CPU, 4-core graphics and 16-core Neural Engine.
The cameras have got a little better too. The rear camera has gone from 8-megapixels to 12-megapixels, with 4K video recording also available compared to 1080p on the iPad 9. The front camera on the iPad 10 remains 12-megapixels, but it’s now a Landscape camera, rather than portrait.
In terms of connectivity, there’s now WiFi 6 and 5G support in cellular models, neither of which were available in the previous generation models.
Oh boy, the price has gone up a lot.
The Apple iPad 10 feels a lot less like an entry-level device, considering it costs a minimum of £499 for the 64GB model. You can pay up to £859 for the 256GB model with Cellular.
Thankfully, Apple is keeping the iPad 9 on sale though for £329, so a true entry-level iPad will remain available.
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