iPad 10th Generation Review – Still worth it two years later?

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The iPad 10th generation has dropped in price recently making it a much better deal than it once was. Premium build quality and useful accessories mean the iPad 10 is still a good buy two years later.

The Good

1. Great value for money
2. Premium design and build
3. Purpose-built Apple accessories maximise use cases

The Bad

1. Camera is nothing special
2. No Apple Pencil Pro support
3. Chip slightly lags behind some of the newer iPads

• User Ratings (1 Votes)
  8.5

I’m writing this blog post on the iPad 10th generation in combination with the latest Magic Keyboard Folio two years after it was released. When I first reviewed the iPad 10th generation, I was totally lost as to who it was designed for.

But that has changed thanks to two things; Apple Pencil USB-C and the incredibly low price you can now pick one up for.

Out of the iPads in Apple’s current range, I think the 10th generation ‘normal’ iPad (is that how we refer to it?) is the most interesting. It doesn’t immediately pitch itself with a clear use case.

Therefore, in this review, I’m going to try and work out what this device is all about and determine if now is still a good time to buy with all the other iPad variations receiving recent updates.

Pricing and design

When I originally purchased the 10th generation iPad in 2022 for my first review, I opted for the base model 64GB edition in yellow. It cost me £499, which is not an inconsiderable amount of money for an iPad. But the cheapest version is $349/£329.

You can pick one up for as little as £255 refurbished from Hoxton Macs which means you get such a premium tablet for less than £300.

It’s worth noting that this is now technically Apple’s entry-level iPad. But that doesn’t mean it is ‘basic’ in any way; it’s one of Apple’s best value-for-money devices.

There are four colours to choose from, and they all look rather lovely and vibrant. Alas, in person, they don’t appear to have the same allure. Here’s my original mustard-yellow version

It’s far more metallic and mustard-like than the eye-popping, iMac-like yellow I was hoping for. In fact, it’s a bit of a disappointment, and I feel that Apple’s product photography and footage of these iPads are rather misleading on that front, I’m afraid. I prefer the standard silver colour that I’ve got now.

Colours aside, this new iPad does have a modern design. The front-facing home button has been deleted (Touch ID is now on the power button, which still feels unnaturally placed to me, but it had to go somewhere) and the bezels have been reduced. It’s also very light.

Overall, the design is quintessentially Apple: high quality, premium feel.

Performance and display

The 10th generation iPad is powered by the A14 Bionic. That’s a super-fast chip, like all Apple silicon, but let’s remember that this is an iPad. As a result, it is iPad Fast™️ and, consequently, a joy to use.

There’s no need for benchmarks, no need for me to search every nook and cranny for instances of jitteriness or performance gaps. This is because it’s an iPad, and it is therefore great.

That being said, the A14 Bionic chip is getting on a bit. The new iPad mini 7 for example uses the A17 Pro chip, a processor that is four generations newer than the A14. The iPad Air 6 has an M2 chip inside whilst the latest iPad Pro uses M4 chips. It feels like we’re due an update soon.

Moving onto the display, we’re given a 10.9” Liquid Retina panel with 500 nits of brightness and True Tone. It obviously doesn’t have ProMotion (you’ll never get that at this price point from Apple) which means you’ll need to ‘put up’ with 60Hz scrolling if you opt for this device.

That makes it pretty much identical in terms of specs to the current iPad Air. That’s no bad thing; just like the performance, iPad displays are typically great – you won’t be disappointed. The only thing to bear in mind is that the 10th generation iPad’s display isn’t fully laminated, which means there’s a noticeable gap between the glass and display technology. But it’s only noticeable if you go looking for it, and if you find yourself doing that, it might be best to find something else to do with your time.

Satisfied with the asking price for this new iPad yet? No?

Let’s move on to the accessories.

Magic Keyboard Folio and Apple Pencil support

This is where things get really weird. And unforgivable.

Let’s start with the Magic Keyboard Folio. The more I use this accessory, the more I love it and the more I wish it was available for other iPads (on that note, it’s worth noting that it is only compatible with the 10th generation iPad).

The Magic Keyboard Folio is expensive at £279, but you get a lot for your money. Just like the regular Magic Keyboard, it’s well made and has the exact same extremely satisfying keyboard. The trackpad is brilliant, too, yet weirdly larger than the one on the Magic Keyboard.

It also has a Microsoft Surface-like kickstand, which can be angled perfectly and, contrary to what others have said, works just as well on your lap as it does on a desk.

The Magic Keyboard Folio has some neat tricks up its sleeve which make it a far more compelling proposition than the Magic Keyboard, in my book. Firstly, the keyboard part can be detached, leaving you with a regular iPad folio cover that retains the kickstand. Having always yearned for the ability to either rid the Magic Keyboard of its keyboard occasionally or flip it around (you can do that on the Folio, too), this is a very welcome feature.

Secondly, there’s a function key row! Why Apple didn’t include this on the Magic Keyboard – and why that accessory hasn’t been updated to include one – is completely beyond me. Just the presence of an escape key is reassuring, but gaining quick access to media controls, screen brightness and a Spotlight shortcut are wonderful things.

Let’s talk about Apple Pencil support.

Since I last reviewed this iPad, the situation has improved. It used to be that the iPad 10 would only support the first-generation Apple Pencil which is infinitely worse than the Apple Pencil 2.

Thankfully, the newer Apple Pencil USB-C (yes, Apple has confusing naming conventions) is compatible with the 10th-generation iPad. Now, that doesn’t resolve all my problems. Apple Pencil USB-C is still not as good as the Apple Pencil 2. The former doesn’t have pressure sensitivity, double tap or wireless magnetic charging (although it does still magnetically attach).

The USB-C Apple Pencil does mercifully solve the ridiculous rigamarole of having to charge the Apple Pencil 1 via a Lightning to USB-C adapter. But it remains a shame that the iPad 10 doesn’t support the 2nd generation Apple Pencil.

That being said, the Apple Pencil USB-C is still excellent for most everyday users and transforms how you can use the iPad 10. It just isn’t viable for the serious artists amongst you.

Camera

Look, no one is buying an iPad for the camera. But it’s there and that means I need to show you what it’s like.

The iPad 10 uses a 12MP rear camera that can shoot 4K video, and a 12MP landscape front camera. This is the exact same camera system as the one in the newer iPad Air 6, so you’re not missing out on anything here by buying older.

iPad cameras are never that great. But here are some examples in different lighting.

It does a good enough job but nothing revolutionary. For basic needs, the camera is fine.

Should you still buy the iPad 10th generation in 2024?

Absolutely. Based on price alone, it’s a bit of a bargain and is the perfect entry-level iPad for quite a big audience. You don’t need an iPad Pro for example if you aren’t going to be doing beefy work on it, like editing video or music.

If you’d asked me about this two years ago, I’d have said something different but given the range of first-party accessories available from Apple now, it’s hard to look past this iPad now if you want one.

If you’re willing to go smaller, I’d grab the iPad mini 7, which is the best iPad Apple has ever made. If that’s too small for you, the 11-inch iPad Air is the most logical next step up and gets you into Apple Silicon territory with Apple Intelligence compatibility.

But there is still great value to be found in the iPad 10.

Wrapping up: who is this iPad for?

The new iPad gets some stuff brilliantly right. For instance, the FaceTime camera is now where it should be – at the top of the iPad when the device is in landscape orientation. Nice work – and about time.

The Magic Keyboard Folio is a huge win, too. It’s pricey, yes, but turns the 10th-generation iPad into a genuine laptop replacement for many people. And there’s that much needed Apple Pencil USB-C compatibility.

It is also so cheap now, on Apple’s official store, but also through refurbished retailers like Hoxton Macs that I mentioned earlier.

So who is this thing for? If you want an entry-level Apple tablet which is perfect for watching videos, typing up your work as a laptop replacement and note-taking with an Apple Pencil, then it’s hard to look past the iPad 10 at these prices.

Remember, this is still an iPad and therefore smashes pretty much any other competition out of the water. £250 for all that? Yes, please!

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