Apple iPad 9th Gen (10.2-inch, 2021)

Great battery life Powerful internals Big upgrade to the front-facing camera Amazing software support Base storage more acceptable at 64GB

Display doesn't get bright enough Lightning port in 2021 Slow Touch ID sensor

“The iPad 10.2 (2021) is the best iPad you can buy today. There are few discernable upgrades over the previous two generations, but if you don't have one, this is the one to get. If you do, there's no point in upgrading.”

Excellent picture quality ; Refined sound for headphone listening ; Sophisticated front camera

Short on meaningful upgrades ; Design starting to look dated

The ninth-generation iPad cements its status as the benchmark for everyday tablets, though a more thoroughly revamped design is overdue

Powerful performance ; Multi-year OS upgrades ; Solid front-facing camera

Dated design ; Tinny speakers

Apple's 2021 base model iPad delivers strong performance and an excellent front-facing camera at a very palatable price, making it the best tablet for most people.

Excellent value ; Upgraded selfie camera for video calls ; True Tone display

No Face ID ; Doesn’t support newer accessories ; Lacks recalibrating speakers

Great value overall ; Strong screen quality ; Fast and capable ; Better storage capacity

Apple Pencil's awkward charging ; Weak camera quality ; No landscape stereo speakers

The iPad 10.2-inch (9th Gen) is an excellent budget tablet, and this new version fixes the two biggest gripes I had with its predecessor. It's just as capable for creative work as it is for watching YouTube, making it the cheap tablet you can do the...

Outstanding performance at this price ; Excellent battery life ; Bright, vivid 10.2-inch display ; Double the storage (64GB/256GB) ; Improved cameras

Recycled design ; Not compatible with Magic Keyboard/Pencil Gen 2 ; Lacks Wi-Fi 6 or 5G support ; Weak speakers ; No USB-C

More powerful than ever ; Double the memory this time around ; TrueTone very welcome ; A lot of bang for buck

Design needs refreshing ; Accessories add expense ; No 5G ; Apple Pencil 1st gen doesn’t magnetically attach

It might have a dated design, but there’s so much here for the price. For many, this is all the iPad they’ll need.

Versatile ; Top-quality webcam ; Slim and lightweight

No USB-C

People I know often ask me what laptop or tablet they should buy and, if the budget is low, I’ll invariably ask: “Have you considered buying an iPad?” That’s because the cheapest Apple tablet is a wonderfully flexible machine that I know will do the...

More powerful than ever ; Double the memory this time around ; TrueTone very welcome ; A lot of bang for buck

Design needs refreshing ; Accessories add expense ; No 5G ; Apple Pencil 1st gen doesn't magnetically attach

It might have a dated design, but there's so much here for the price. For many, this is all the iPad they'll need.