IPad 10.2 review: updated cheap tablet from Apple

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Apple recently updated its cheapest iPad andeven increased the size of the display. Along with this small update, we now have Smart Keyboard support and a much more powerful iPadOS that has separated from the base iOS. Now iPad 10.2 is promoted by Apple as a tablet replacement laptop.

But is the new iPad 2019 worth your attention? Let's find out!

Specifications

Design and display

IPad 10.2 Cameras

Performance

Laptop replacement

Multimedia

Who is the iPad 2019 for?

Should I buy?

Short characteristics of Apple iPad 10.2

Display

Retina with a resolution of 2160 × 1620 pixels (264 ppi)

CPU

A10 Fusion with 64-bit architecture

Coprocessor

M10

Front camera

1.2 MP

Main camera

8-MP

Wi-Fi Model Weight

483 grams

Model Weight with LTE

483 grams

Price

27 999 rubles

Design and display

The updated entry-level iPad has a familiardesign, there is nothing like a round thin frame iPad Pro or Face ID. We have good old panels and a mechanical Home button with an integrated Touch ID fingerprint scanner. So, if you owned a previous generation iPad, you will feel at home.

Pretty thick bezels lookold-fashioned, but they still make it easier to work with the tablet without frequent accidental touches of the screen. Taking iPad 10.2 for the first time, I felt that the device felt a little cheap. While most Apple products usually have a heavy hand, tightly packed with all kinds of components and reduced to the smallest possible dimensions, this tablet seems light and empty, telling us that we are in the economy class.

The display has slightly increased from 9.7 inches to 10.2. This makes the updated Apple iPad a little more than before. The increased screen space has also become more tangible. This is an LCD panel, and although it is a little cool in shades, the colors look great, in a typical Apple style. A pixel density of 265 means that the screen is quite sharp, but if you bring your face closer, you can distinguish uneven edges and individual pixels.

The panel itself has noticeably cheaper quality.- This is not a laminated display like in iPad Air, where you feel that the content is ready to pop right out of the tablet. Most likely, the iPad 10.2 display is heavily recessed inside the case and is hidden behind the top layer of glass.

IPad 10.2 Cameras

Tablets generally don’t get powerful camerasfor a simple reason - few users are interested in using such a large gadget to shoot video or photo. Nevertheless, lenses come in handy for video calls or quick frame capture when the tablet is in your hands.

Cameras remain unchanged in the iPad 10.2 is the 8-megapixel main lens on the back and the 1.2-megapixel Facetime on the front. The main lens works very similar to the sensor in the iPhone 7 when there is enough light. Although the iPad has a smaller aperture and a narrower viewing angle.

If we are indoors, the camera addsnasty digital noise and muffles colors. Selfie shots are still disappointing - there is a lot of noise and fuzzy details, even compared to the 3-year-old iPhone 7. At least there is some dynamic range visible so that you can receive Facetime calls in different environments without worrying too much whether they see you or no. However, when we are indoors, the colors in the pictures become very boring.

Performance and hardware

Unfortunately, the iPad 2019 has the same processor,like last year’s model. This is the Apple A10 Fusion, which debuted with the iPhone 7. In other words, a 3-year-old chip. However, I can’t say that the iPad 10.2 shows us that its hardware is out of date. On the contrary, the A10 is still a very adequate processor, especially when paired with the updated iOS system (iPadOS).

The tablet works quickly and smoothly, perfectlyplaying apps like Apple Arcade and any supported modern games or apps from the App Store. Of course, if you place it next to the latest iPad Pro, you will notice that the older brother is faster, but the iPad 2019 still does a good job.

However, this tablet is not very promising. Apple tends to support its mobile devices for 4 or 5 years after the release. Therefore, if the A10 is a three-year chip, does this mean that the new version will be updated only to iPadOS 3? I can’t say for sure what Apple is planning, so some uncertainty arises here.

In fact, it is worth noting that 32 GB of internalnot enough memory in 2019. I installed just a few of my favorite productivity and game apps, and already took up 20 GB of memory. This means that transferring and storing photos or videos for partial editing on an updated Apple tablet will quickly take up all the memory.

How to replace a laptop

The iPad has been striving to become a replacement for several yearslaptops since last year Apple introduced add-ons like Slide Over and Split Screen. Now we don’t have to shell out the Pro version to get the same experience. IPad 10.2 adds support for covers with a Smart Keyboard and its own three-point Smart Connector.

The device received the full range of iPadOS features - thismeans improved multitasking, where you can easily insert and output applications from split-screen scenes. We can also use improved text editing, with a cursor that is much easier to move from place to place, a large number of icons on the main screen and much more.

iPad 2019 even supports new Sidecar feature- if you have a Mac or MacBook on MacOS Catalina, you can connect to your iPad via Wi-Fi or USB and use your tablet as a second computer screen. Even in Sidecar mode, the tablet allows you to use applications in Slide Over mode or draw using the Apple Pencil (Gen 1). Despite the fact that the updated gadget is the cheapest tablet in the Apple Store, it offers a full working experience.

Like a multimedia device

A tablet is a portable multimediaa computer. It is easy to travel with you, doing household chores or entertaining on a trip so that you can watch television shows, films, play or read books. As already mentioned, the screen here is not the best, but acceptable.

The speakers are located only on one side of the iPad2019 and it's annoying. They sound good, with decent volume, clarity and pronounced bass. Sometimes the sounds can be a little harsh, depending on the genre, but, as a rule, this is the best type of transducers that can be found on a mobile device. They will definitely cope with any task, if you decide to watch a movie and have nothing else, however, good headphones will provide more balanced stereo.

Who is the iPad 2019 for?

Now let's think for whom it is intended.this tablet. The iPad (2018) sold as a device for pupils and students. But, with a 9.7-inch screen, it was already quite large. The iPad (2019) has become even larger, so it's hard for me to consider it as a tablet for schoolchildren.

Perhaps this solution is for those who are looking onlybasic features of the iPad and does not want to spend money on expensive versions. Or those who have never tried an Apple tablet and decided to plunge into a new ecosystem, possibly upgrading it to something better in the future. Well, I would advise both of these user groups to buy another model.

Now let's talk about consumptionmultimedia. The screen here, although not the worst, is definitely not up to the standards of other iPads. 32 GB of internal storage is limited, so you won’t be able to download many games or movies onto your iPad 10.2. Yes, the device can be useful when reading books, but, again, the experience will not be the best of what the Apple family of tablets can offer.

What about productivity? Well, you can use the gadget to treat yourself with a Smart Keyboard or Apple Pencil, but you will find that the base version with 32 GB of memory is limited. Thus, you have to spend money on the option of 128 GB. And even then you get a 3-year processor with an expiration date that is already looming on the horizon.

Are there any alternatives? Well, on Ebay or Amazon, you can still find some old models of iPad Pro 10.5 with a status of about $ 400 (26 thousand rubles). They work on the Apple A10X Fusion processor (the same generation, but slightly updated), and the options for the amount of ROM memory start with 64 GB. We will also get superior displays and stereo sound with four speakers that are significantly superior to the components of the iPad (2019). Of course, if you choose older versions, you may lose the official guarantee, depending on the condition of the product and where it was bought.

Total

Buying an iPad 10.2 is justified if you need to have a new tablet that you plan to equip with a smart keyboard. When testing, I attached the device to the old version of Smart Keyboard made for the iPad Pro 9.7 inch. And although it looked a little strange, since the keyboard is smaller than the tablet, it still works.

Should I buy?

The new entry-level iPad is a good device. The tablet offers basic work experience for little money. But is it worth it to compromise in order to save?