GoKawiilOver the years, buying an iPad has become an increasingly confusing task. With multiple models and overlapping features and accessories, there’s no longer a clear-cut way to recommend one iPad for one type of user. Still, Apple does have a general idea of how it sees the iPad lineup and who each model is meant for.
Apple’s messaging when it comes to its four different iPad products is basically split into: base iPad for “everyday stuff,” iPad mini for “small-but-mighty on the go,” iPad Air for “Mac-class power without Mac-class weight,” and iPad Pro for “money-is-no-object pros.”
Below is a quick tour of how Apple promotes each device, plus a bit of my perspective on what Apple really means (or doesn’t say) when promoting its lineup.
iPad
“Lovable. Drawable. Magical.”
Right off the bat, Apple promotes the current 11th-generation iPad as a no-brainer for the casual user who wants a colorful and fun device “for the things you do every day, “ which… doesn’t say much.
Translation? Streaming on the couch, FaceTime with grandma, homework in Pages, and maybe the occasional Apple Pencil doodle. Oh, and no Apple Intelligence support, which some might say is currently a plus.
On its webpage, Apple highlights its all-screen-no-Home-button design, as well as its Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard Folio compatibility. While this might make it a bit harder to tell models apart, these are certainly welcome features for those who choose this one.
My two cents: despite the lack of Apple Intelligence support, this is still the goldilocks, cost-benefit option. The real trap is storage, though. At $349, 128 GB is finally standard, but depending on how you use it, this might go quick. Spring for 256 GB if you can, or keep your cloud budget handy.
Tech specs: 11” Liquid Retina display with sRGB color and True Tone, A16 chip, 4K 12MP wide rear camera, landscape 12MP Ultra Wide front camera, Apple Pencil 1st gen and USB-C support, Magic Keyboard Folio support.
... continue reading