I’ve tested every iPad sold by Apple right now – here’s the model I recommend most

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Eleventh-generation iPad Eleventh Technology usually retails for $349.
• The upgraded iPad has double the bottom storage because the earlier technology, extra RAM, and an upgraded processor within the A16 Bionic chip.
• Nevertheless, it nonetheless is not suitable with Apple Intelligence and does not assist the Apple Pencil Professional.

extra shopping for decisions

It is not on daily basis {that a} tech big presents a brand new, improved product for an equal or lesser worth than its earlier mannequin. That is much more true now, with looming tariff hikes inflicting uncertainty within the tech world. 

Additionally: 8 reasons why I replaced my Kindle with an iPad Mini for reading ebooks

But Apple did this very factor with the launch of the most recent iPad, which is the Eleventh technology of the iPad base mannequin. This iPad replaces the three-year-old Tenth-generation mannequin however has higher options for a $100 decrease checklist worth (although reductions and offers affect this). 

Let me break down the year-over-year spec upgrades first. The newest iPad has double the bottom storage of the earlier technology, with choices starting from 128GB as much as 512GB. The brand new technology additionally has 6GB of RAM, in comparison with 4GB on the earlier mannequin.

One other notable enchancment to the iPad is the newer A16 Bionic chip, an Apple silicon processor that’s mentioned to be 30% quicker than the A14 chip. On GPU efficiency, Apple says the brand new iPad is 50% higher at graphics rendering than the earlier model.

However a lot stays the identical within the Eleventh-generation iPad in comparison with the Tenth-gen. The Liquid Retina show has the precise decision of 2360 x 1640 and as much as 500 nits of brightness, and the iPad continues to assist Wi-Fi 6 for connectivity and peripherals just like the Apple Pencil (1st technology and USB-C) and the Magic Keyboard Folio case. 

These numbers aren’t dangerous per se, however it’s secure to say that Apple is not essentially pushing the boundaries in any regard with this yr’s base-level iPad.

Additionally: The best iPads 2025: We’ve tested every iPad on the market – here are the best ones

However, because it seems, retaining issues the identical may very well be the Eleventh-gen iPad’s largest energy. As somebody with a Tenth-gen iPad at residence, I used to be glad to see that the brand new mannequin matches my Logitech Combo Contact keyboard case and the ESR keyboard case, saving me on equipment and peripherals prices. 

I have been utilizing the iPad Eleventh-generation for work all through the week, and it performs exceedingly nicely for phrase processing, picture enhancing, and even video enhancing for social media. I’ve had no points with lagging, connectivity, or crashing on it to date. You actually must push this factor to get it to interrupt a sweat.

The iPad can be an incredible leisure pill, very best for enjoying, streaming, messaging, and social media. It is no Tandem OLED show like on the iPad Pro, however the Liquid Retina panel will get simply colourful and sharp sufficient to offer an pleasant viewing expertise.

As you’ll be able to see from the usual Geekbench 6 testing, the brand new iPad is a transparent chief amongst earlier base fashions and even the most recent Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+, which sells for a whole lot of {dollars} extra at $650. These benchmarking exams consider day-to-day efficiency, so the upper scores imply you’ll be able to anticipate much less lag, quicker multitasking, and a high-end gaming efficiency from the most recent iPad in comparison with an older base mannequin. 

This was evident in my testing, because the Eleventh-Gen iPad carried out flawlessly throughout photograph enhancing and gaming. 

Additionally: Every iPad model that supports iPadOS 26 (and which ones won’t be compatible)

The one important drawbacks of the brand new iPad are that it does not assist Apple Intelligence, which requires an A17 Bionic chip or newer, and, unsurprisingly, it does not assist the Apple Pencil Professional, which got here out final yr. These incompatibilities aren’t a deal-breaker per se, however they’re notable for these contemplating budgeting right down to a typical iPad from an Air or Professional mannequin and want to pay attention to what’s lacking. 

Apple could also be capitalizing on the iPad base mannequin being a pill for informal customers, college students, and youngsters, one thing for which I do not fault the corporate. If so, it is smart for Apple to skip over some options that might enhance its worth. The bottom mannequin iPad is already an incredible pill throughout, no matter whether or not extra succesful choices can be found. 

Additionally: The best iPad stylus of 2025: Expert tested

The iPad can be the best tablet for many consumers, with sturdy processing energy and a handsome show. That’s, until the customer is an influence consumer in search of a pill able to changing a laptop computer.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

On the time of writing, you should purchase an 11th-generation iPad for under $299 (sometimes $349). That alone makes it a more sensible choice than the earlier technology. In case you’re questioning which base mannequin iPad is most well worth the cash, this newest iPad is it. It has upgraded options for a cheaper price, and it’s probably all you may want if you happen to’re in search of an on a regular basis pill. 

The frills and options of the quicker, extra highly effective iPad Air or iPad Pro are enticing, however the fact is that they are probably extreme for most individuals. In case you’re in search of a pill to do mild work on the go, edit some quick movies, stream content material, or play video games, the iPad base mannequin will not disappoint.

Suppose you are extra of an influence consumer and intend to make use of heavier apps like Remaining Minimize Professional for iPad, for instance, to edit longer movies. In that case, I would suggest a higher-end mannequin, like these talked about above.

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