At the end of October 2022, Apple released the tenth-generation iPad and the new iPad Pro with an M2 chip. Before that, the company launched the iPad Air 5 with an M1 chip at the beginning of the year. The year before, the mini model was updated. Do you want to understand the difference between Apple tablets and the best iPad in 2022? Check out our comparison below.
Ninth-Gen iPad: The Basics
In September 2021, Apple updated the entry-level iPad with the ninth-generation model. With a 10.2-inch screen, the device supports True Tone for the first time.
Thanks to the A13 Bionic processor, it is 20% faster than the previous generation. Plus, it packs twice as much storage as the old model, now available in 64GB and 256GB.
The big news of this tablet is its new 12MP ultra-wide-angle front camera, which uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to activate the Center Stage feature. With it, the user is always centralized in a video call.
This iPad is primarily geared toward education. Apple recommends the ninth-generation tablet as a powerful study tool. Allied with Apple Pencil or Smart Keyboard, it can be useful to unleash creativity. The iPad, by itself, is also a product that promises to last for years on end for the simplest tasks, such as reading, using social media, watching movies and series, etc. The company promises ten hours of battery life when browsing the web or watching movies.
In retail, it is possible to find it at around R$ 2,600. On the company’s official website, from R$ 3,899.
iPad 10: The new standard of basics
Released in late 2022, the iPad 10 brings an almost borderless design to Apple’s then-cheaper tablet. With a 10.9-inch screen, it brings three new colors – in addition to the silver version – the A14 Bionic processor and a USB-C port.
Available in 64GB and 256GB, the iPad 10 has a new accessory called the Magic Keyboard Folio, which can become both a keyboard and a tablet stand so you can watch series, movies, etc. One of the most interesting things about this product is that it is the first iPad with the front camera facing horizontally, making it easier to use for video calls.
Despite having a USB-C port, it still works with the first-generation Apple Pencil and needs an adapter for the accessory to communicate with the tablet the first time. On Apple’s official website, it starts at R$5,299.
iPad mini 6: power in a compact form
Also, in September 2021, Apple introduced the iPad mini’s biggest update. In its sixth generation, it gained a design similar to the iPad Air, now with 8.3 inches, Touch ID on the side button, and a USB-C port instead of the Lightning connector.
With the A15 Bionic processor, the same as the iPhone 13, the iPad mini 6 is 80% faster than its predecessor. It also comes in two versions, 64GB and 256GB. In addition, the iPad mini 6 also supports a 5G connection on the Cellular model.
As for the cameras, the rear has 12MP, and the front does. The difference is that the FaceTime camera is an ultra-wide angle with the Center Stage function. It is also worth noting that this iPad works with the second-generation Apple Pencil.
At around R$3,600 at retail, the sixth-generation iPad mini is ideal for those who want a compact device – but bigger than a cell phone – and that is still easy to handle to catch up on readings, listen to music, and podcasts, use social networks, as well as editing photos and videos. With a USB-C port, it is even easier to transfer files from a camera, external SSD, etc.
Fifth-generation iPad Air: More ‘Pro’ than ever
In its fifth generation, the iPad Air now has the M1 chip of Macs and also the iPad Pro. With this, he is even faster and prepared for the heaviest tasks of everyday life.
At 11 inches, the tablet also supported a 5G network and a 12MP ultra-wide-angle front camera with the Central Stage function. As Apple explains, the iPad Air 5 is up to twice as fast when transferring data via USB-C, has a 60% faster CPU, twice the speed GPU, and an even more efficient battery than its predecessor.
The tablet comes in new colors (purple, blue, pink, stellar, and midnight) but always has the same storage options as 64GB and 256GB.
This iPad costs R$6,999 at the Apple store. This iPad can replace a computer for more demanding users if they buy the second-generation Apple Pencil or Magic Keyboard. With the M1 chip, the same as the Macs, there is no task that this tablet cannot compete with speed. It is ideal for those who need a powerful machine but do not want to leap at the iPad Pro, which has some particularities.
iPad Pro with M2 chip: when details speak louder
Announced in September 2022, the sixth-generation iPad Pro refines the new features of its predecessor. Available in two sizes, 11-inch and 12.9-inch, it manages to be as powerful as Apple’s newest Macs. Before the differences, the similarities between the devices.
Both feature the powerful M2 chip, which improves GPU, CPU, and neural processing more than the previous generation. Their storage capacity goes from 128GB to 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB. Models with more than 1TB have 16GB of RAM, while those with less than 1TB have 8GB of RAM.
With a camera set similar to the iPhone Pro, both iPads have a 12MP Wide lens and a 10MP Ultra Wide lens with support for 4K recording and image stabilization. The front lens is new as it is a 12MP Ultra Wide with the Center Stage function. That is, no matter where the user is positioned, the camera, with the help of the Face ID sensor, centers it on a FaceTime call and ensures that he is looking at people as an equal and not from the bottom up, as with iPads in landscape mode.
Apple also brings 5G support to these iPads, five “studio quality” microphones for calls, video, and audio recordings, four speakers, and a Thunderbolt port, which is the same input as USB-C but with a higher speed. Data transfer, plus ten hours of battery life when browsing the web. Both iPads can be used with the Magic Keyboard (also available in white) and the second-generation Apple Pencil.
While the 11-inch iPad Pro has a Liquid Retina display with ProMotion technology, hand grease resistance, and an anti-glare coating, the 12.9-inch model introduces the Liquid Retina XDR display, a mini-LED panel that guarantees colors more vivid, deeper blacks and peaks of brightness at 1600 nits HDR, close to what the Pro Display XDR monitor does.
These iPads are aimed at the truly professional audience willing to spend a lot of money. Designers, engineers, scientists, and photo and video editors can take full advantage of this big screen with state-of-the-art storage and a processor that rivals any other chip on the market.
The 11-inch model starts at R$9,799, and the 12.9-inch model starts at R$13,299.
Which iPad to choose in 2022?
Apple sells iPad to all audiences. From the entry-level model, for a more casual user, but that won’t be left in hand, to the mini model for someone who wants practicality and power, the Air is for those who need a bigger screen and keyboard support and even for professionals that need the high-end specs of the Pro models.
For the complete iPad experience, it is recommended to purchase the Apple Pencil, Smart Keyboard, or Magic Keyboard, depending on the needs of each user. While the Apple Pencil is around R$1,000 to R$1,500, the Smart Keyboard is around R$1,699 to R$2,000, and the Magic Keyboard can reach R$4,449 for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
Choosing an iPad with accessories can cost more than buying a MacBook. Still, if you’re after the practicality of iPadOS with a mobile experience, no tablet beats one of these models.
