Is the entry-level iPad 10.2 "iPad" to buy? After using the tablet for a few days, here's our ninth-generation Apple iPad review to help you decide.
The tablet space in India was pretty much dead until some Android smartphone makers decided to restart the segment in 2021. Realme, Motorola and even Samsung launched budget tablets under Rs 20,000 in India. However, Apple is the only company that regularly offers various iPad models at different price points in the country. Yes, the iPad model's entry point isn't quite as cheap as its Android competitors, but even the entry-level iPad offers significantly more value for what you pay. In September 2021, Apple refreshed the iPad and launched it with improved internals, and double the storage for the same price as the predecessor. So, is the entry-level iPad 10.2 "iPad" worth buying? After using the tablet for a few days, here's our ninth-generation Apple iPad review to help you decide.
ipad review
Apple hasn't bothered much with the design of its products for a few years now. With the new iPad 2021, the design will remain the same as the iPad 8th generation. You get a 10.2-inch Retina display with 2160x1620-pixel resolution that's quite large and excellent for content consumption. Yes, it's not as big as the 12.9-inch model, but the 10.2-inch iPad will be a lot more ergonomic and portable for people who travel frequently.
It continues to sport thick bezels on the top and bottom of the display for the front camera and Touch ID home button. In the era of our face masks, I was quite happy with Touch ID, which is fast enough to detect your fingerprint and unlock the device. That being said, Apple actually implemented Touch ID placement on the iPad Air 2020, with the fingerprint scanner placed on the top-right edge of the power button. Hopefully the 10th generation iPad will get similar behavior.
The 10.2-inch iPad also serves as a perfect companion for content consumption. I used the iPad to watch shows during my flight from Delhi to Mumbai and during the overnight bus ride. The 10.2-inch True Tone display is more than just bright for indoor content consumption. However, at a peak brightness of around 500 nits, one may need to maximize brightness levels under the sun.
Apple generally offers the best LCD panels in the industry and it continues to do so with the 10.2-inch iPad. I chose to edit many of my Vivo V23 Pro review images on the 10.2-inch iPad because of its color accuracy. I've also edited a few reels for my Instagram profile on the iPad. While there is no official support, the enhanced UI makes it easier to move the slider around when editing reels on the iPad. There's no 120Hz ProMotion here and although one might like it, don't expect it to be around Rs 30,000 on an Apple iPad.
With such a large screen, the iPad is good enough for video calls as well. It has a 12MP ultrawide front camera, which is much better than the 5MP sensor that competing tablets offer. The iPad also gets center stage support to improve the video calling experience. The feature uses Apple's Neural Engine from the A13 Bionic chip to pan the camera and focus as the user moves. If there is more than one user in a frame, the camera detects and also focuses on them to provide wider frames when zooming out. I found this feature especially useful when we were sitting in front of the screen with our families when FaceTime our cousins in the US. Third-party apps are supported but I expect popular apps like WhatsApp Video and Google Meet to support it.
There is one complaint though. The iPad has dual speakers, which are loud and deliver crisp audio. However, both the speakers are on the bottom edge and when placed vertically, they don't offer a surround sound-like experience. It would have been nice to have speaker grills on both sides (even if it is dual speakers). There's a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top, which is great for those who use a wired pair of earphones. There is an 8MP wide camera on the back for scanning documents. Although decent, don't expect high quality if you're using the iPad's rear camera for photography purposes.
The iPad gets support for the first generation Apple Pencil, but since I don't have one, I won't comment on its performance. You can use the Pencil to edit images or sign digital signatures on the iPad's large canvas. Many people will also use it to take notes.
performance and battery life
Another great plus about the iPad is its powerful display unit. It does not have the A15 Bionic found on the iPhone 13 (Review) and iPhone 13 Pro (Review). Instead the budget iPad gets the A13 Bionic chip. Although two years old, the chip is quite capable of handling heavy duty when thrown in. Plus, iPad OS 15 is well-tuned and provides a smooth experience. One of the best features (as per my use case) was automatic text recognition in images. The software essentially recognizes the text and lets you copy it from the image and paste it into the Notes app or anywhere else.
I also played several games during my iPad review. If you play Asphalt 9 or any other car racing game, you are going to enjoy the immersive experience on iPad. If they are into multi-finger gameplay, they can also play games like Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) on the iPad. Apart from these, there are also a bunch of Apple Arcade games on the iPad like Angry Birds Reloaded, and Sonic Dash.
The battery backup of the 10.2-inch iPad is also quite good. Apple hasn't mentioned battery specs, but claims that the Wi-Fi + Cellular model delivers up to 10 hours of juice on a single charge. This claim is largely true because I ended up binge-watching an entire season of Lost in Space on Netflix by the time the iPad's battery was completely drained. This reminds me, I really missed out on the deep blacks that the Apple iPad Pro lineup offers. While I didn't get a chance to review one, I did see the capabilities of the display on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro that a maker friend of mine has. It would be too rich to ask for a Mini LED display on an entry-level iPad considering how expensive the display technology is, but the iPad's Retina display works just fine for content consumption. To charge the iPad, Apple provides a 20W adapter and a USB Type-C to Lightning cable. Yes,
So, is the iPad 9th generation iPad for you?
Decision
The iPad ninth generation is a handy recommendation for anyone who wants to get the iPad experience without spending a hefty premium. Of course, to get the absolute best, you'll need to buy the iPad Pro models, which come with a starting price tag of Rs 71,900. The iPad 10.2-inch, on the other hand, offers similar software experience and a big enough screen at a starting price of Rs 30,900. For the price, you get 64GB of internal storage, which should be enough to store a lot of movies and videos. Those who want more memory can opt for the 256GB variant, which costs Rs 44,900. The baseline iPad comes in WiFi + Cellular configuration for both the storage options, priced at Rs 42,900 and Rs 56,900.
Those looking for a smaller iPad can check out the iPad mini 6. However, it is not as affordable as the baseline iPad 10.2-inch and has a starting price of Rs 46,900. Pro users who want a 120Hz display and the latest hardware from Apple should look to the iPad Pro series, which starts at ₹71,900 for the base 11-inch model.
(Image source:- moneycontrol)