Key Points
- Our choice for the #1 Best Overall iPad is the iPad Pro 12.9”.
- Getting an iPad can completely change the way you relate to your digital environment!
- The iPad Pro from 2022 is simply a beast. For all the already-known features that make the product what it is, we need to add the M2 Chip implementation.
- When choosing the best iPad for you, these are the most important aspects: the chip, the display, the cameras, and the accessories.
The iPad is one of Apple’s inventions that has revolutionized the world since its first appearance. Today we will review the most potent product of that family, the Apple iPad Pro 12.9”, along with some other models.
There is no doubt that Apple dominates the tablet industry, and this is possible thanks to a product that hardly disappoints its consumers. The iPad is portable, powerful, and widely available in the market. Choosing the ideal iPad for you may take a lot of work, given the variety of models available. But, you will improve all the digital tasks in your life once you choose the one that suits you best. Which model is best depends on whether you will use it casually or for professional work. So, let’s review the best iPad models to date.
- Best Overall: iPad Pro 12.9” (6th Gen)
- Best for Casual Use: iPad Air 5 (2022)
- Best Portable iPad: iPad Mini (6th Gen)
- Best Standard Model: iPad (10th Gen)
#1 Best Overall iPad: iPad Pro 12.9” (6th Gen)
- 6th Gen
- Includes Apple's latest M2 chip
- 512 GB
- Features Wi-Fi 6E connectivity
- Supports the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil 2 (not included)
Apple’s iPad Pro 12.9” (6th Gen) is our top pick for the best overall iPad on the market today. Equipped with the powerful M2 Chip developed by Apple Silicon, it enables processing power and graphics never before seen in the iPad series.
On the market, we can find it for around $1,200. It is quite expensive but has excellent build quality and features. This iPad Pro includes a Liquid Retina Display XDR that delivers an excellent image with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. In addition, it has several high-resolution cameras with tracking and Face ID capabilities.
In summary, the iPad Pro 12.9″ is ideal for content creators who carry out resource-intensive activities.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It’s very powerful thanks to the M2 chip, and its processing power is greater than any other tablet in the market. | It may not be very portable, due to its almost 13-inch screen. |
| It has three high-resolution cameras which use Center Stage and LiDAR Scanner technology. | It’s the most expensive iPad in the market. |
Check out the iPad Pro 12.9” (6th Gen) on Amazon.
Best for Casual Use: iPad Air 5 (2022)
- Includes Apple's M1 chip
- 10.9-inch screen (2360 x 1640 pixels)
- Features Touch ID
- Wi-Fi 6
- Supports Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil 2 (not included)
Apple’s iPad Air 5 (2022) is the best option for casual use for most people. With an average value of $599, it is a great product for a moderate price.
The iPad Air 5 also takes the prize for the most elegant design of this series, being very compact and light. It has a performance similar to the iPad Pro, but is not as powerful. It includes USB-C connectivity (through which it charges), and the ability to use the Apple Pencil and Magic Mouse. Unfortunately, Apple decided to remove the headphone jack in this model.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Cheaper than the iPad Pro, with a starting price of about $500. | Less processing power than the iPad Pro. |
| It is compact, light, and elegant in design. | It doesn’t include Face ID. |
Check out the iPad Air 5 (2022) on Amazon.
Best Portable iPad: iPad Mini (6th Gen)
- 8.3-inch Retina Display (2266 x 1488 pixels)
- Apple A15 Bionic chip
- 12MP Ultra Wide front camera
- Touch ID for security
The iPad Mini (6th Gen) is our choice as the best portable iPad today. It isn’t as powerful or as elegant as other models, but does the job while being easy to carry.
It gets its power from the A15 Bionic processor, with more than decent battery performance. With a starting price of $430, it’s lighter and smaller than the iPad Air. Also, its thin design makes it easy to transport and ideal for reading or watching a movie.
Although we can use the Apple Pencil with the iPad mini, it is not compatible with the Magic Mouse and does not have a headphone jack.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Quite affordable compared to other iPad models. | The A15 Bionic processor doesn’t come close to the processing power of the M1 and M2 chips. |
| Very light and compact design. | Does not support Magic Mouse. |
Check out the iPad Mini (6th Gen) on Amazon.
Best Standard Model: iPad (10th Gen)
- Includes Apple's A14 Bionic chip
- Size: 10.9 inches
- Features touch ID
- Supports the Magic Keyboard Folio and Apple Pencil 1 (not included)
The iPad (10th Gen) is our choice as a standard base model that’s pretty good for every situation. It has a good presentation, and a balanced performance in all important aspects.
It supports the Magic Mouse, but if we want to charge the Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) we will need to get an adaptor. Also, this model is equipped with an A14 Bionic processor. This chip isn’t as powerful as the A15 or the M1 and M2 chips.
A pleasant addition is the variety of colors it’s available in and that we cannot choose in other models. Pink, yellow, blue, and classic Apple silver are the options available.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It provides decent performance, making it a good option for most situations. | It does not natively support the Apple Pencil 2nd Gen. |
| Compared to more expensive models, we can choose our iPad from a variety of colors. | It has the least powerful chip of the models we review in this article. |
Check out the iPad (10th Gen) on Amazon.
How to Pick the Best iPad: Step by Step
These are the most important aspects to keep in mind when choosing an iPad:
- Chip
- Display
- Cameras
- Accessories
Chip
Since last year, the iPad Pro got an immense improvement in processing power. This was possible thanks to the implementation of the powerful M2 chip, released in early 2022. Apple Silicon’s flagship includes an 8-Core CPU and a 10-core GPU, improving up to 35% in terms of processing speed and graphics performance. The M2 also includes Neural Engine technology (designed to speed up Machine Learning tasks) and up to 50% more memory bandwidth. These features take the iPad Pro’s processing power to the next level. Encoding and decoding video is also up to 3 times faster with the M2 chip.
Display
Thanks to Retina technology, Apple’s displays are one of the most loved features by consumers. No competitor on the market comes close to the experience that these screens provide! The Liquid Retina XDR gets its power from 10,000 mini-LEDs, which gives us a bright screen ready to work in the worst conditions. The mini-LEDs fit through the entire iPad’s screen and are the secret to the pristine image we get. They are grouped in 2500 dimming zones, lighting up depending on what’s on the screen. Moreover, these displays can achieve a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio.
Cameras
The iPad Pro 12.9” comes with one front camera and two back cameras. Thanks to its 12MP sensor and ultra-wide lens, the front-facing camera delivers very high-quality images. We can take amazing selfies and unlock our iPad using Face ID. For those who do frequent video calls, the front camera includes the Center Stage technology. When video conferencing, Center Stage keeps track of your movements and maintains you in the screen’s center. Center Stage is compatible with FaceTime, Zoom, and other similar services, and is available on the iPad Pro and iPad Air.
On the iPad Pro’s back, we have a 12 MP Wide Camera and a 10 MP Ultra-Wide Camera. Both lenses deliver high-resolution images and support Smart HDR 4 technology. Next to the lenses, we have the LiDAR Scanner, which measures the distance from the iPad to objects located in the nearby space. The cameras in cheaper iPad models are still of excellent quality, but they do not have all the features of the iPad Pro.
Accessories
Apple provides some accessories that can improve the functionality of our iPad. First, we have the Apple Pencil, a must-buy for any designer or artist. It allows us to make sketches, illustrations, and more. The Apple Pencil works with the most modern apps in the industry. It reacts to the screen even before you touch it, at a distance of up to 12mm. This allows you to mark the stroke before making it, working in a three-dimensional way. The Apple Pencil performs at an incredible processing speed, with almost no latency, thanks to the M2 chip.
If you need to type at a high speed, you should definitely power up the iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard. Besides the classic keyboard, it also includes the TrackPad, which allows us extra features like those of Apple laptops.
What to Know Before Buying an iPad
In case you still can’t decide which iPad is the best for you, we’ll recap the most important points.
The biggest improvement from the last iPad model is the addition of the M2 chip. Its processing power allows us to perform any resource-demanding task without effort. In short, this chip sets the iPad Pro apart and puts it above the options we reviewed.
The image quality is impressive in all the models, and the accessories make the experience close to using one of Apple’s laptops. Still, make sure to check if the model you like supports these accessories.
If you are a designer or artist looking to gain precision and quality in your work, make sure to get an Apple Pencil.
Apple’s iPad Pro 12.9″ is a specific tool for content creators. However, it may be too powerful and expensive for what you need. For everyday use and simple activities, a different version of the iPad might be better.
Using an iPad: What It’s Like
Getting an iPad will improve your daily digital activities and how you relate to them. All the models we reviewed are great products, and each one has its own advantages.
For example, the iPad Pro is great for content creators that do activities like video editing and design. However, it can be very expensive and difficult to transport. Instead, the iPad mini is a portable, inexpensive option that’s great to carry with you at all times! The iPads’ intuitive touchscreen interface makes navigating through apps and content effortless. Moreover, the vibrant display brings movies, games, and photos to life.
In short, no matter the model you end up choosing, you’ll have a portable and powerful window into the digital world.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©NYC Russ/Shutterstock.com.
