Apple iPad (10th generation) review: Family magic

Apple’s iPad range is extensive and somewhat confusing if you don’t spend your time writing and reviewing the various models. Like iPhone and the company’s MacBooks, there are several models to choose from, all of which serve a different need or purpose so it can be tricky to figure out which is the model to buy. 

The standard iPad – the model that doesn’t have an Air or Pro suffix – is in its 10th generation after it got upgraded in late 2022. There were no new iPads in 2023 so the 2022 model is still most recent when it comes to the base level iPad. There’s a good chance it will get replaced by a new model at some point in 2024, but does it need to? 

I’ve used the iPad (10th generation, 2022) alongside the iPad Air (5th generation) and iPad Pro models for over a year and there’s a strong argument to suggest it’s the iPad to buy. But, that of course depends on what you are using it for. Here’s my review having had it since October 2022.

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The Disconnekt Downlow

The Apple iPad (10th generation, 2022) is perfect as an everyday iPad, from browsing the internet and playing games, to sending emails and streaming the latest TV series. If you’re planning on working on the move, you want to play more heavy duty games or perform high intensity tasks like image or video editing, the iPad Air or iPad Pro models are a better bet, but for an iPad that’s perfect for day-to-day, whether individual use or as a family tablet, the 10th-gen iPad is golden.

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The reasons you should choose the Apple iPad (10th generation)

The Apple iPad saw a complete redesign in 2022 and by complete, I mean it still looks an iPad but it switched to flat edges like the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. It also moved the Touch ID fingerprint sensor into the power button, consequently ditching the thicker bezels around the display, while the front camera moved to a landscape position and USB-C arrived for charging.

It was a huge shake up compared to the previous 9th generation model – which had started to look a little like a fossil. Gloriously light (477g) and portable – not quite as light as the iPad Air (466g) but not far off – the iPad (2022) is what I would consider to be the perfect family tablet. It looks almost identical to the iPad Air aside from the colour options, which is great news for this model.

There are some whacky colours on offer compared to the more serious tones available for the iPad Pro and pastel options of the iPad Air. While the Pink and Yellow might be a little bold for some, there’s a Silver if subtle is more your vibe. I’m here for the bright and bold, but I appreciate sometimes understated is better – especially if you’re bringing this tablet to the office.

When it comes to performance, the iPad (2022) is solid. Sure, it doesn’t have an Apple Silicon chip under the hood – with the A14 Bionic instead – and it’s not the model I would recommended for image manipulation on the go or video editing, but it’s great for surfing the internet, checking emails, playing games and streaming the latest series on Netflix. It’s an everyday tablet, with a screen (10.9-inch Liquid Retina) that’s vibrant and punchy and an experience that’s slick and sleek.

A Smart Connector is present on the left edge, allowing you to connect Apple’s Magic Keyboard Folio – or a third party option – should you want to work on the move, and it perfectly complements the repositioned front-facing camera too.

With or without the Magic Keyboard Folio, the landscape camera fits more people in the screen, making it perfect for video calls – work or personal – and it uses Centre Stage too, keeping everyone in the frame. The Magic Keyboard Folio pulls its power via the iPad so keep that in mind, as typing on the keys and navigating with the trackpad – no matter how nice an experience – will take its toll on the otherwise decent battery life.

What the Apple iPad (10th generation) could do better

The iPad (10th generation, 2022) is over a year old and while it is still a great performer and likely will be for years to come – especially for families – there are a couple of things to consider. Firstly, there’s a good chance we will see a replacement for this model at some point in 2024 so keep that in mind. If the 11th generation does appear, I’d still expect the older model to remain in the lineup – or at least be available for several months – and it’s likely the price will reduce further too.

Secondly, the iPad (10th generation, 2022) only supports the 1st generation Apple Pencil and the Apple Pencil (USB-C), but not the Apple Pencil 2nd generation. If you pick the Apple Pencil (USB-C), it will attach to the edge of the iPad (10th generation) but there’s no pressure sensitivity and it won’t charge wirelessly so you’ll have to plug it in to charge. If you opt for the first generation Apple Pencil, you will get pressure sensitivity but it won’t attach magnetically and you will need to use an adapter to charge it because of the switch to USB-C.

Thirdly, despite looking almost identical to the iPad Air, the iPad (10th generation, 2022) doesn’t have a fully laminated display or anti-reflective coating. Now, if you don’t have the two models side-by-side, you may not notice this. What it means in reality is the glass isn’t as close to the LCD panel so the colours on the standard iPad aren’t quite as punchy as the iPad Air. Meanwhile the lack of an anti-reflection coating is noticeably absent on bright and sunny days, or when sat with a window behind you. Neither are deal breakers, but they are worth highlighting.

Lastly, the iPad (10th generation) has a base storage of 64GB, which is the same as the iPad Air, but that’s quite low. Download a few games, take a few photos, save a few videos and that storage is going to get eaten up pretty quickly – especially if the whole family is using it. Kids will take a photo of absolutely everything – from a door handle to the dog’s ear – so a little bit of extra storage at the base would have been welcomed here.

The only other thing I’d love to see on a future iPad – and this is software related more than hardware – is the option to have different user profiles. It’s something that’s possible on macOS but it’s not something currently offered on iPadOS and it would be useful. An iPhone is usually a one-person device, but an iPad can very much be a family affair so separating apps, music and search history would be beneficial. 

A little bit about iPadOS 17

Speaking of software, this leads me very conveniently onto iPadOS 17 – the current software the iPad (10th generation) runs on. It wasn’t what it launched on – that was iPadOS 16 – but it is what it now runs. There are no profiles as I mentioned, but there are a range of other features that make for a great overall user experience. 

You can use widgets on the screen – and they are interactive – for easy access to information like weather, your favourite Reminders list, your calendar, or the Home app for turning smart lights or devices on or off. The Health app got added to iPad with iPadOS 17, and Messages got improved too.

Elsewhere, profiles were added to Safari so while those user profiles don’t exist overall, you can have separate profiles on Safari and these apply across all your devices, from iPhone to Mac. It’s a feature I use a lot and one I appreciate significantly, but it’s also one that may go completely unnoticed if you only use your iPad for casual browsing rather than for work and personal use for example. 

You’ll find plenty more within iPadOS 17 and depending on what you use your iPad for, some will come in very handy, while others you may never use. The overall user experience is great however, and one that has improved significantly over the years. Multi-tasking in particular has greatly developed in the last couple of years alone and while the iPad (10th generation) doesn’t have Stage Manager like the more powerful iPads, you can still do things like split screen, allowing you to use two different apps at the same time.

Should you buy the Apple iPad (10th generation)?

The Apple iPad (10th generation) sits in a slightly obscure position. In terms of design, it is excellent – pretty much matching that of the iPad Air – whilst delivering a solid battery life, good performance and a great user experience overall. 

It’s not as powerful as the Air, or the iPad mini, it’s probably going to be replaced at some point in the next year and it would benefit from a little extra storage and an anti-reflective coating on its display. 

The iPad (10th generation) is perfect as an everyday iPad however, from browsing the internet and playing games, to sending emails and streaming TV shows. If you’re planning on working on the move, you want to play more heavy duty games or perform high intensity tasks like image or video editing, the iPad Air is a better bet, but for an iPad that’s perfect for day-to-day, whether individual use or as a family tablet, the iPad (10th generation) is golden.

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