iPad 10.9in (2022) Review: Pretty, Good.

The iPad reviewed here is just called ‘iPad’ and is meant to be Apple’s standard iPad. Not mini, Air, or Pro. It’s the normal one.

But it turns out the iPad is now a mix of the mini, Air, and Pro, all of which are more expensive.

This is the first regular iPad to not have a home button, and it adopts the curved edge screen design of the other more modern-looking iPads.

While it didn’t make much sense at launch in 2022, a price drop in 2024 has changed that.

Design & build

• Same design as iPad Air
• Cool neon colour options
• USB-C

If you held a gun to my head I’d find it hard to tell the difference between the iPad and 2022 iPad Air. The iPad takes the Air’s rounded edge screen and flat edge body design and finally gets rid of the home button.

But there’s no Face ID like on the iPad Pro. Instead, the iPad has a Touch ID sensor in the power button. This works well and it’s good the normal iPad doesn’t have big thick bezels and look like the ancient iPad your dad still has from 2012.

There are also two volume buttons on the top of the right long edge and there are stereo speakers positioned on the top and bottom for best use in landscape.

Another giveaway that this is a newer iPad is the landscape position of the front-facing camera. It was the first ever iPad model to include it on the long edge. It means if stood up horizontally in a case or keyboard like a laptop the camera is now in the middle like on a laptop, meaning you look normal on video calls.

The iPad does come in fun and interesting colours in a body made from nice-feeling aluminium. My pink review sample is truly neon, as is the yellow version. There’s also a more muted blue and blend-in silver if you like. I think the yellow one is the best.

There’s also USB-C for the first time on the regular iPad. Many might not see the big fuss about the older iPad still having Lightning, but USB-C means faster charging and better compatibility with peripherals such as monitors and external drives.

Display & audio

• 10.9-inch 60Hz LCD
• Unlaminated screen
• Dual stereo speakers

The iPad’s screen has grown thanks to its smaller bezels – it’s now a 10.9-inch display.

A nitpick is the unlaminated screen. On the other iPads, the display sits up against the glass of the screen so taps, swipes, and using the Apple Pencil feels as though you are touching the buttons and lines directly.

The unlaminated screen here means there’s a small air gap between display and glass. To be honest I did not really notice it for 99% of my use. But if you’re an artist wanting to draw with the Pencil, the nib is very noticeably hovering above what you’re drawing. It makes Pencil input less accurate. But for normal iPad stuff? Not an issue.

The screen gets nicely bright indoors at up to 500 nits but is a little hard to read outdoors in direct sunlight. It’s an LCD panel, not OLED, and refreshes at the standard 60Hz. It’s very good, and Apple’s TrueTone technology helps by adjusting the blue light level depending on the lighting conditions around you.

Having dual stereo speakers really helps beef up the sound on the iPad, making it a superb tablet to watch films and TV on, but you’ll definitely want to invest in the Smart Folio case or something cheaper. I can’t believe Apple’s official case costs $79/£89/€89!

The headphone jack is also gone – it was on the 9^th-gen iPad but is not here. You’ll need a USB-C adapter for wired headphones now or, as Apple hopes, AirPods.

Accessories

• Works with first-gen Apple Pencil only
• Very annoying charging situation
• Impressive Magic Keyboard Folio

All this prowess in landscape points to the somewhat essential accessories needed to get the most out of the iPad, which are said Folio case, the Apple Pencil, and the Magic Keyboard Folio.

The case is obvious – it’s magnetic and protects the front and back when not in use and props the iPad up for hands-free viewing of videos and for video calls.

The Apple Pencil is also compatible, as it was with the 9th-gen iPad, but this 10th-gen 2022 iPad similarly works with the older first-generation Pencil despite its redesign.

Perhaps it’s because the edge that usually charges the Pencil now has the camera on it – who knows – but it does not have the magnets to charge it. Instead, you must use a first-gen Pencil, which charges via Lightning. The iPad does not have a Lightning port.

You, therefore, have to plug the included USB-C cable into the iPad, then the other end of the cable into an adapter, and then the adapter into the Lightning port of the old Pencil. The Pencil is not included and costs £99/$99, and ships with the adapter.

It’s a ludicrous way to charge the accessory and makes the once-ridiculed method of plugging it into the Lightning port of the iPad like a giant lollipop look elegant in comparison.

If you want to try and do some work or writing on the iPad then Apple has created a brand new keyboard that makes the iPad look like a Microsoft Surface, the Magic Keyboard Folio. It doesn’t work with any other iPad, and the existing Magic Keyboard (different product) doesn’t work with this iPad.

There’s a magnetic connector on the left flat edge of this iPad, whereas it’s on the back of the iPad Air and iPad Pro.

This new keyboard magnetically attaches to those connectors and powers it, while another piece attaches to the back of the iPad and has a kickstand. It means you can pull the keyboard section off when you’re not using it.

I much prefer the look and utility of the older Magic Keyboard, which is one piece and has a backlit keyboard. But, this new keyboard actually has more to it with a full function row for Mac-like controls that only the latest Magic Keyboard can match.

I’ve happily typed all this review on the Magic Keyboard Folio. The keys are excellent with good clacky feedback, and the touchpad for mouse control is very responsive. It makes for a chunky and heavy case, but I like it.

Performance & Specs

• A14 chipset is fine for most people
• Great everyday performance
• 64GB storage sucks

This iPad has the A14 chipset that was first seen in the iPhone 14 in 2020. It’s a solid chip and I had no performance issues when using the iPad.

In the Geekbench 5 multicore test it scored 4175, on par with the 2020 iPad Air that scored 4210 and runs the same A14 chip.

Admittedly I’m not much of a gamer and word processing, web browsing, and the occasional dabble with GarageBand aren’t going to tax this still-powerful silicon. If you want to render video or do more intense tasks on an iPad, you’re going to want to look at an iPad Pro.

It’s insulting that Apple only offers 64GB of storage on the cheapest model of this iPad. 64GB is not enough these and it will certainly not be enough if you want to keep this tablet – as well you should – for five years or so.

64GB will soon fill up with downloaded apps, photos, and other media. You need to get 256GB, but this pushes up the already high price.

I reviewed a 256GB model with cellular too, which costs more still. You only need opt for the cellular model if you want to buy a data-only SIM card and stay connected away from Wi-Fi. There’s a SIM slot, or you can buy an eSIM plan. It’s 5G or 4G compatible.

Cameras

The newly positioned front-facing camera is a 12Mp ultrawide lens with a 122 degree field of view. It has Centre Stage, the Apple software that follows you if you are moving about on video calls or if you are wandering out of frame. It’s good, but less needed now the camera is the middle when landscape.

If you live in Zoom for work or like to FaceTime then this is a fine option as the position of the camera means you are centred and look like you’re paying attention.

The rear camera is also a 12Mp lens that’s more capable with 4K video recording, slo-mo video, and auto-focus for video. It’s a boon for boomers who take pictures on iPads at Disneyland. If you are one of them, more power to you.

Software

The 2022 iPad ran iPadOS 16 at launch, but it’ll continue to get the new version of iPadOS ever year for a while.

Because Apple loaned me the iPad and keyboard, I ended up using them together much like a laptop. When you do this, you don’t think about the iPad’s software much at all, or use its many hidden features. The screen is too small to do meaningful work on in split screen mode, though this is more useful if you want to hold the tablet and look at two apps at once such as TikTok and Messages.

You also get handy Apple features like iMessage mirroring your iPhone’s Messages, the ability to answer calls and FaceTime on the iPad, and AirDrop to wirelessly transfer files, contacts, photos, Spotify playlists, or anything else, between your devices or to someone else’s. AirDrop is low-key one of the best Apple software features, ever.

I also love Hand Off which lets you transfer calls, FaceTime, or other apps from iPhone to iPad and vice versa, and Universal Clipboard, which you can use to copy something on one device and paste it on another. I use it solely to copy and paste funny tweets from the Twitter app on iPad and paste them into WhatsApp chats on my iPhone.

But the versatility of the iPad lies in the App Store. While you could have a decent experience just with Apple’s apps (and many iPad users probably do), the thing becomes a true digital canvas with third-party apps.

You can record and edit podcasts, design a building, read any document, or remotely manage a team’s workflow all from the iPad if you have the right apps.

I love the distraction-free iA Writer for getting writing done – when working on the iPad I find it much less distracting than on a PC or Mac as I tend to work in one app at a time full screen, and can’t see any notifications or red dots. It’s rare that happens on desktop computer these days.

Battery life & Charging

I found the iPad’s battery life to be quite good but not excellent. It’s nowhere near as long-lasting or as efficient as the M1 MacBook Air I usually work on but it lasts me a full working day without running out of juice, which is more than I can say for most Windows laptops.

Apple says the iPad will last for 10 hours on Wi-Fi, which I found a slight overstatement. In Geekbench 4’s battery test it lasted for six hours and 13 minutes, which is closer to the reality of using it all day. It lasted over eight hours of work for me without hitting 20%.

Charging via the included USB-C cable and 20W charger is steady but not speedy. It reached 27% from empty in half an hour and then just 53% in an hour, so it’ll take a couple of hours to fully charge – though you can fill it quicker with a higher wattage charger from Apple.

Price & Availability

At launch, the 2022 iPad started at £499/$449 for the 64GB model, so most people would need to spend £679/$599to get 256GB – or even more for a cellular model.

However, a price drop in 2024 makes it much more realistic. Now, you’ll pay either £349/$349 (64GB) or £499/$499 (256GB)

It’s available from Apple UK, Apple US and a variety of third-party retailers in the UK and US.

The Magic Keyboard Folio, which makes the iPad a great little writing machine, is £279/$249 extra. And the compatible first-gen Apple Pencil is £109/$99.

It’s still expensive, but much better value than it once was. See how it compares to the best iPads and best tablets you can buy.

Should you buy the iPad (2022)?

The 2022 iPad is a good iPad and is the go-to option if you just want a tablet to watch films, have video calls, read books, and surf the web.

64GB is too little storage for most people, so the 256GB version is the one to get, making it significantly more expensive. However, a price drop in 2024 means it’s a realistic option these days.

I enjoyed using the iPad with the Magic Keyboard Folio, and the new colours are very nice. It’s still not the amazing deal it once was, though.

Specs

• 248.6 x 179.5 x 7mm
• 477g (Wi-Fi)/481g (cellular)
• A14 Bionic chipset
• 64GB /256GB storage
• 10.9in 2360 x 1640p LCD display
• 60Hz refresh rate
• Front-facing 12Mp camera
• Rear 12Mp camera
• Dual stereo speakers