The iPad is powered by the same two-year-old A13 Bionic core used in the iPhone 11 series, netting a 20% boost in processing power versus the A12 in the 2020 edition. While that may not seem like a ton of extra pep in the iPad’s step, it makes a significant difference in day-to-day use. It also means you’ll see at least three to four years of iPadOS updates

Among the major innovations of iPad 2021 the processor or the A13 Bionic chip certainly stands out. Apple promises a 20% faster GPU than its predecessor, particularly responsive when gaming or multitasking. The Neural Engine is combined with the new iPadOS 15 operating system, proving to manage even the most complex apps very well. For those who want to use the tablet as if it were a small notebook, Apple guarantees full compatibility with the Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard. Taking notes, drawing or taking screenshots becomes child's play. Apple: The Price of Innovation In a nod to the unprecedented times we’ve all recently experienced, and the attendant Zoom boom, the front-facing selfie camera has been boosted to 12MP. It also features the handy Center Stage feature, which debuted on the iPad Pro (2021), which pans and zooms the camera automatically to ensure that you’re always in frame during video calls. Even though this is a fairly cheap device, the display is certainly good enough for that. It isn’t a wide gamut screen like that on the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021), but it is wonderfully accurate in the sRGB colour space with an average Delta E of 1.09. It produces a peak brightness of 483cd/m², so it will be readable in all but the brightest conditions, and its contrast ratio of 1,104:1 ensures that onscreen imagery looks punchy and impactful. In real-world use, the latest iPad is slightly snappier in operation – Apple claims it’s 20% faster than the previous model, although it’s not as speedy as the iPad Air 4, which touts the new A14 Bionic chipset, nor can it touch the iPad Pro (2021) and its M1 chipset in terms of speed.

Apple’s latest iPad is the model from this year’s new crop that will suit most people

As its name tells you, the iPad 10.2 (2021) has a 10.2-inch screen. Apple first increased the size of the display on its entry-level iPad in 2019, and the extra half-inch of screen real estate has become the norm for Apple’s most affordable tablet. The Apple Trade In programme makes it easy to trade in an eligible iPad. Just answer a few questions regarding the model and condition, and we will provide an estimated trade-in value** or a simple way to recycle it for free if it’s not eligible for credit. The iPad's 12MP ultra-wide front-facing lens has a 122-degree field of view and performs well in just about any lighting scenario. This makes for dramatically improved selfies, and more importantly, video call quality. In an age when video calls matter more than ever, this change couldn't have come at a better time. Despite how much iPadOS has improved, there’s still a major weakness: It doesn’t allow multiple user accounts. It’s a major oversight that greatly limits the iPad’s utility. Just about anything you store on your iCloud account is available for everyone else using it to see or access.

USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter required to work with iPad (10thgeneration). Subject to availability. Game availability for the 200+ titles across devices varies based on hardware and software compatibility. Some content may not be available in all areas. Although iPadOS 15 is a significant improvement over its predecessors, it’s not going to replace your laptop operating system full time. But it can certainly sub in for short stretches. Benchmarks underscore our findings. The iPad scored 1,331 single-core (SC) and 3,516 multi-core on Geekbench 5. For comparison’s sake, the 2020 iPad scored 1,114 SC/2,474 MC, and the more expensive Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE scratched out 656 SC/1,959 MC on the same test.

As we’ve mentioned, both models of the iPad 10.2 (2021) have double the storage space of last year’s equivelents- you can choose from either 64GB or 256GB models. Although, as with all iPads, there’s no support for a micro SD card, so you can’t expand the storage space at a later date. Adding a Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil makes the iPad a capable laptop replacement for simple tasks (Photo: Steven Winkelman) Apple Fitness+ requires iOS14.3 or later, iPadOS14.3 or later, watchOS7.2 or later, and tvOS14.3 or later.

The iPad 10.2 (2020) is also the only iPad that still features a Lightning connector, rather than a USB-C port. This can be found on the bottom of the iPad, along with two speakers; however, while the two speakers on the iPad mini will recalibrate so that the sound suits the orientation of the tablet, the iPad 10.2’s speakers can’t do this, meaning the audio isn’t as impressive, although it will do the job. Consumer finance on the Apple Online Store is brokered by Apple Retail UK Limited, which acts as a credit broker and not the lender. Apple offers finance from a restricted range of finance providers and Barclays Partner Finance, which is a trading name of Clydesdale Financial Services Limited, a member of the Barclays Group. Clydesdale Financial Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Financial Services Register number: 311753). Registered in England. Registered no.: 2901725. Registered office: 1 Churchill Place, London E14 5HP. Subject to application and status. Full terms apply. Not all providers support eSIM. See your provider for more details.The eSIM technology works with iPadPro 11‑inch (1st generation or later), iPadPro 12.9‑inch (3rd generation or later), iPadAir (3rd generation or later), iPad (7th generation or later) and iPadmini (5th and 6th generation). As well as boosting camera quality and detail hugely over the previous generation, its wide field of view also allows Apple to introduce the Centre Stage feature, a clever piece of software that keeps your face (and any others on the call) in frame, even if you move around. Although there’s no Wi-Fi 6 on board, the iPad supports dual-band Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). I tested it on a gigabit fiber network and recorded average speeds of 421.8Mbps down and 41.2Mbps up.Available space is less and varies due to many factors. Storage capacity is subject to change based on software version, settings and iPad model. 1GB = 1 billion bytes; 1TB = 1 trillion bytes. Actual formatted capacity less.

The displays have rounded corners. When measured diagonally as a rectangle, the iPad Pro 12.9‑inch screen is 12.9 inches, the iPad Pro 11‑inch screen is 11 inches, the iPad Air and iPad (10th generation) screens are 10.86 inches, and the iPad mini screen is 8.3 inches. Actual viewable area is less.

This automatically adjusts the display to suit the ambient lighting of your surroundings so that it’s easier to see – when using the iPad outdoors in the daytime the screen automatically becomes brighter, for example – and during our testing we found this to be a welcome upgrade.