The tenth-generation budget iPad features a FaceTime camera in landscape mode, a faster Apple A14 chip, USB-C charging and a higher price than before.
The budget iPad, now from $449
But as Apple over time brought new tablet models into the mix, iterations of the original iPad became known as the “budget iPad”.
This is Apple’s tablet that doesn’t have the latest chip, features or design but makes up for that with a great price. And while the company has for years offered the budget iPad at the starting price of just $329 in the US, that’s no longer the case.
The new, tenth-generation model starts at $449 in the United States. Don’t like the steeper price? Apple still offers the previous iPad for the same $329 as before.
iPad 10 has a landscape FaceTime camera
This iPad has upgraded its ultra-wide selfie camera from eight to twelve megapixels although the bigger news here is camera placement.
Now the front FaceTime camera is located along the landscape edge instead of the display top in the portrait orientation. Apple says this makes video calls a bit better. The front camera also has a 122-degree field of view for Apple’s CenterStage feature the uses intelligent cropping to keep everyone in the frame.
Out the back, there’s an updated twelve-megapixel shooter with 4K shooting, which is a significant upgrade from an eight-megapixel sensor with 1080p video capture on the previous model. Read: How to download files and documents to iPad
Budget iPad switches to USB-C charging
The new iPad also brings USB-C charging, replacing Apple’s proprietary Lightning port. Now the entire iPad lineup uses USB-C instead of Lightning for both charging and data, including the iPad mini, iPad Pro and iPad Air models. Apple says that the newly added USB-C port brings faster charge times “when used with higher power charging adapters.” The iPhone should adopt a USB-C port by 2015.
Tidbits: Apple Pencil, new colors and more
This iPad runs Apple’s newer A14 Bionic chip with six compute cores (2 performance cores and 4 efficiency ones), four graphics cores and a 16-core Neural engine for machine learning and artificial intelligence features.
This iPad doesn’t support the new Stage Manager feature even though it runs iPadOS 16. Speaking of software, Apple’s new Freeform app for collaboration “will be available in an update to iOS, iPadOS and macOS later this year.”
The screen measures a bit bigger at 10.9 inches diagonally versus the 10.2-inch display on the previous model. As a result, the resolution has increased slightly from 2160×1620 on the previous model to 2360×1640 on the iPad 10. This isn’t an HDR display and the maximum brightness is still 500 nits.
Where did the “chin” and “forehead” go?
The bezels have shrunk significantly as the new iPad adopts the fullscreen experience that Apple first brought to the 2018 iPad Pro family—now all Apple tablets look largely the same from the outside. Not only does that mean no “forehead” and “chin,” but also no traditional Home button. Instead, a Touch ID reader is built into the top button like we saw with the new iPad Air.
The previous model could be a bit dull looking with only space gray and silver colors. The iPad 10 keeps the silver option but drops space gray in favor of the vibrant blue, pink and yellow finishes. This is Apple’s funniest iPad in terms of looks!
The iPad 10 supports the first Apple Pencil, but not the second-generation model. But wait, the first Pencil has an integrated Lightning plug for charging! Don’t worry, Apple has also launched an updated version of the original Apple Pencil (still $99) that includes a new USB-C to Apple Pencil adapter in the box.
The adapter is also available separately for $9 on Apple’s website.
Pricing and availability
The iPad 10 is available to order today at apple.com/store and in the official Apple Store app [App Store link] ahead of retail availability beginning Wednesday, October 26. The tablet is available in 64GB and 256GB storage configurations, in blue, pink, yellow and silver.
Wi-Fi models start at $449 in the United States, but going cellular is an extra $110. Students can check out education pricing at apple.com/us-hed/shop.
The device works with Apple’s updated Magic Keyboard Folio which features full-size keys with 1 mm of travel, the new 14-key function row and an integrated large trackpad. It snaps magnetically into place thanks to the Smart Connector on the edge of the iPad 10,
For further information, read Apple’s press release or visit apple.com/ipad-10.9.