Apple iPad Apple 2022 iPad (10.9-inch, Wi-Fi, 64GB) - Silver Review

The 2022 iPad is Apple's basic tablet, and it's a solid pick for most people. It's got a clean design, a decent screen, and the A14 Bionic chip still feels plenty fast for everyday stuff like browsing and streaming. But it's stuck in a weird spot. It uses a USB-C port, which is great, but it only works with the old Apple Pencil 1st gen. That means you need a separate dongle to charge the pencil. It's a classic Apple move that feels a bit cheap.

The A14 chip is no slouch. It handles apps, games, and multitasking smoothly. Our benchmarks put its CPU and GPU performance in the low 70th percentile, which means it's faster than a lot of other tablets out there. The battery life is just average, hitting the 50th percentile, so you'll get through a day but not much more. Where it really struggles is as a business device, scoring a low 32 out of 100, mostly because iPadOS still isn't great for serious multi-window work.

At its full price, this iPad is a tough sell. The storage is small, the Pencil situation is annoying, and the screen is just okay. But if you can find it on sale, like around $299, it becomes a much more interesting option. You're getting core Apple tablet experience for a lot less money.

Next to an iPad Pro, you're giving up the silky 120Hz ProMotion screen, much faster M-series chips, and better accessories. The Surface Pro 11 is a full Windows PC in tablet form, so it's better for real work, but it's also more expensive. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra has a stunning screen and DeX mode for better multitasking. This 2022 iPad wins on price and simplicity, but it loses on raw power and flexibility.

Buy this if you want a no-fuss iPad for media, light gaming, and web browsing, and you find it at a deep discount. Don't buy it if you need lots of storage, plan to use the Apple Pencil heavily, or want the best screen for your money. There are better values elsewhere unless the price is right.