Through a newsroom press release, Apple has finally launched the affordable, entry-level iPad 10. Considering the base model is one of the most popular iPads, fans will be delighted to learn about this year's upgrade. Lo and behold, the iPad 10 comes with a complete design overhaul, the first we're seeing in many, many years. Typically, Apple only upgrades the processor with every annual refresh. However, this time around, there's a lot more than just a chipset bump. Let's dive right into it!

iPad 10 Specifications

Display

Considering that large screens are what makes iPads special, let's start with the display. The 2022 iPad 10 introduces uniform screen bezels and retired the physical Home button. So now, this iPad looks like the iPad Air or Mini in terms of the overall layout. Similar to the aforementioned iPad models, the 10.9-inch iPad 10 also brings Touch ID to the Power button. So while it may appear similar to the iPad Pro, it doesn't actually support Face ID.

The 2360-by-1640p  screen surprisingly still doesn't support the Apple Pencil 2. Instead, the company now includes a USB Type-C adapter in the Apple Pencil 1 package to charge it through the iPad's port. That's right — this model finally drops the Lightning charging port in favor of the USB Type-C one. Speaking of dropping ports, Apple has also retired the headphone jack. So now all iPads have USB Type-C as their only port.

Design

In terms of design, now the affordable iPad matches the rest of the iPad line. It no longer looks like a dated, cheap intruder that doesn't belong with the other variants. This year's upgrade introduces new colors, allowing you to choose between Silver, Blue, Pink, and Yellow. Interestingly, Apple has moved the front-facing camera from the top edge to one the landscape edges. This makes it easier to video call other people when using the tablet horizontally.

Performance

In terms of performance, you get to choose between 64GB and 256GB of storage. It's actually surprising that Apple hasn't retired the 64GB variants, considering it has hiked the device's price. Meanwhile, you get the A14 Bionic processor from 2020. It's the same one included in the iPhone 12 series. While it's not the latest and greatest, it does a decent job powering iPadOS 16 on this low-end device.

So what's different when comparing the iPad 10 to the iPad 9? A lot. Starting with the colors, you get four options instead of just two. Meanwhile, the screen has been stretched from 10.2 inches to 10.9 inches. You get a new (but actually old) chipset, an upgraded 12MP rear camera, USB Type-C, 5G support for the first time on the entry-level iPad, and a tweaked speaker system.

iPad 10 Pricing and Availability

The iPad 10 is currently available to preorder from the Apple Online Store. It will then start shipping to customers next week on October 26. The base model costs $449 in the U.S. If this price tag doesn't match your budget, the company still sells the iPad 9 from last year for $329.

Will you be buying an iPad 10? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments section below.