Review: Apple iPad (10th Gen, 2022)

I can’t pinpoint exactly why I was so easily enamored with the new 10th-generation iPad. Maybe it was the array of candy colors, or the more modern design sans the classic Home button. Maybe it was the new placement for the front-facing camera, which meant I no longer had to stare awkwardly to the side during video calls. Or the support for the floaty Magic Keyboard Folio with a detachable keyboard and a kickstand. 

But it wasn't long before the bubble burst. When you crunch the numbers, reality sets in. The affordable and plenty-capable iPad that used to start at $329 has now been hiked up to $449. That’s without the added cost of accessories (Apple charges $249 for the Keyboard Folio). It‘s tough to justify a $120 price hike over its predecessor—especially when one of the “upgrades” is the removal of the headphone jack. It doesn't help that Apple is continuing to sell the ninth-gen iPad for $329, and you can typically find the iPad Air for roughly $519 at retailers like Amazon. The 10th-gen tablet sits in an odd spot.

Photograph: Apple

The redesign on this iPad is simply catching up to the rest of the lineup. The A14 chipset powering it, while snappy, is already two years old. The display is larger, but it still isn’t fully laminated—there's an air gap between the glass and the screen, so using it with the Apple Pencil doesn't feel as precise as with pricier iPads. The USB-C port, which I'm thankful for, requires an adapter to charge the first-generation Apple Pencil—because, yes, bafflingly, this iPad doesn't support the second-gen Apple Pencil. This slate feels exciting and fresh at first, until you realize you’re just paying for cosmetic changes. Apple almost had me.

The iPad finally looks like the rest of Apple's tablet lineup. The Home button is gone, but there's no Face ID here. Instead, Touch ID is integrated into the top power button like on the iPad Mini and iPad Air. The uniform bezels are still chunky compared to the ones on the iPad Pro, but it's nothing like the ninth-gen iPad with its thick borders at the top and bottom. They're less distracting here, and the 10th-gen slate truly feels modern.

The display is a teeny bit bigger too, sitting at 10.9 inches (up from 10.2 inches). I spend most of my workday in front of a screen, so this extra space feels less cramped than on this iPad's predecessor—especially when I use it as a secondary display with my MacBook Pro. The screen is now using a Liquid Retina panel, which basically means it's still an IPS LED but with rounded corners. It's too bad the brightness is still stuck at 500 nits—that's perfectly fine indoors, but working by a window, I had to crank the brightness to the max to see anything. And because there's no anti-reflective coating, there's a lot of distracting glare. (I suggest picking up an anti-glare screen protector.)

A bigger annoyance if you use the Apple Pencil a lot, is the fact that this iPad still doesn't have a fully laminated display. That means there’s a gap between the screen and the glass. It's fine, but it is noticeable when drawing fine lines. It's the only iPad without one, and considering the price hike, it ought to be here. 

Photograph: Apple

Speaking of the Apple Pencil, you can only use the first-generation stylus. It feels obsolete compared to the features you get with the second-gen Pencil, like auto pairing, magnetic wireless charging plus storage, and touch controls to switch between digital tools in your favorite sketching app. Hilariously, you’ll have to use a Lightning-to-USB-C adapter to recharge the Apple Pencil, since Apple has ditched its proprietary port on the tablet. Like some kind of dongle monstrosity. If you already own the first-gen Pencil, you’ll have to purchase the adapter for an extra $9. But if you’re buying a brand-new one, it comes with it. Not only will you have to keep track of the annoying Pencil cap, but you'll also need to keep an eye on the adapter as well. Yay?

This would typically be the point in my iPad review where I’d complain about the awkward front-facing camera's placement. This is, thankfully, a problem no more. Apple finally moved the 12-megapixel camera to the center top edge of the iPad (when held in landscape mode). It sounds minor, but it’s my favorite change about this model. I love that I no longer have to stare to the side during Zoom calls. Hopefully, this new placement will make its way to the rest of the iPad lineup.

Yes, the standard iPad is the most basic model, but don't let that fool you—it’s more than capable of managing everyday tasks like word processing, web browsing, note-taking, reading ebooks and textbooks, plus even gaming. That's thanks to Apple's A14 Bionic processor (the same one that’s in the iPhone 12). Performance has been smooth sailing in my week with it. Then again, I could say the same for the ninth-gen iPad. 

I’ve been using the 10th-gen model as my primary machine for work instead of my MacBook for the past week. It’s handled multiple Google Chrome tabs, Slack, Spotify, Messages, Telegram, and Twitter simultaneously without feeling sluggish. No complaints here. I can’t help but question why Apple couldn’t add the A15 Bionic chip as it did for the iPad Mini, which is only $50 more. It would help justify the price jump and would further future-proof the device.

I paired this tablet with Apple’s new Magic Keyboard Folio, which is made up of two pieces. The first half covers the back with a built-in kickstand, while the second half is a detachable keyboard with a trackpad (similar to Microsoft’s Surface accessories). I’m a huge fan of the adjustable kickstand, which allows you to position the tablet at various angles. Whether I was using the iPad to write this review on my desk or watch TV before bed, it kept the iPad sturdy and stable on both surfaces. The trackpad also kept me from annoyingly having to switch between the keyboard and the touchscreen. But at $249, it’s way too expensive. That's almost $700 for both, and that's for the 64-gigabyte model. You can get an M1 MacBook Air for that kind of money.

There’s a running theme here: There are a handful of alternatives that’ll give you more bang for your buck than the 10th-gen iPad. Want to spend as little as possible? You'll get nearly the same experience with the ninth-generation iPad, which regularly sells for $299 on Amazon. You should also go with the Logitech Combo Touch ($148), an excellent keyboard case that'll bring your total to $447. If you don't mind spending more, the M1-powered iPad Air usually is $519 at Amazon. You’ll get support for the second-generation Apple Pencil and a fully laminated display with an anti-reflective coating. Tack on the Zagg Pro Keys keyboard case for $150 and you’re at $669—$39 less than the iPad and Magic Keyboard Folio combo.

Even if you don’t need the keyboard and trackpad, either of those iPads will still get you more for your money. None of this is to say that the 10th-gen iPad isn’t a great tablet—it delivers on looks and performance. Maybe just wait for a sale.