Apple iPad 10th gen vs iPad 9th gen: Which tablet should you buy? (2024)

After the recent launch of the new iPad Air M2 and iPad Pro M4, you might be thinking now’s the time to invest in a more budget-friendly option.

We’ve compared the specs and our reviews of the iPad 10 (2022) to its predecessor, the iPad 9 (2021) so you can decide which entry-level iPad is right for you.

Pricing and availability

Available as Apple’s most budget-friendly iPad option, the iPad 10 currently has an RRP of £349/$349.

Apple has quietly removed the iPad 9 from its shelves, although at the time of writing it is still readily available in some retailers for around £299/$299.

Design

The iPad 10th Gen is bigger than the iPad 9, measuring 10.9-inches whereas the latter is 10.2-inches. Although negligible, this is worth considering if you know you’ll be travelling around with your iPad in tow.

Both iPads have a 12MP front-facing camera that’s fitted with Apple’s Centre Stage, a technology that uses machine learning to automatically pan the camera to keep you and others centred in the frame. However, the iPad 9’s front camera is portrait whereas the iPad 10’s is landscape, which is actually the same as the newly launched iPad Air and iPad Pro.

Now slightly outdated, especially for iPads, the iPad 9 has a Lightning connector but the iPad 10 has the USB-C connector. If you have an iPhone 14 Pro Max or older then this may not necessarily be an issue, but if you have made the swap to USB-C then this will feel like a step backwards.

Speaking of outdated, the iPad 10 has a much slimmer bezel and no Home button, which makes the iPad 9 look quite dated in comparison, as it sports much larger bezels and a Home button.

The iPad 10 is available in much brighter colours than the iPad 9, with a choice of Blue, Yellow, Pink or a more muted Silver. The iPad 9 is only available in either Silver or Space Grey.

Screen

Both iPads also have Apple’s trademarked Retina displays, however the iPad 10 screen is Liquid Retina. This means the iPad 10’s display is built upon LCD technology which has a higher pixel-density.

Even so, while the iPad 10 does boast a higher screen resolution than the iPad 9, it definitely isn’t the best screen found on an iPad with the iPad Pro moving onto OLED. For a budget option though, it is more than acceptable.

Performance

Unlike the newer and higher-end iPads, both the iPad 10 and iPad 9 run on Apple’s A chips rather than the desktop-level M chip. The iPad 10 runs on the A14 Bionic Chip, which is also found in the iPhone 12 series, and the iPad 9 runs on the A13 Bionic Chip, found in the iPhone 11 series.

Neither chip is Apple’s most up to date offering however, as the Apple A17 Pro is now available inside the iPhone 15 Pro. Although we found the iPad 9 to “perform admirably” with the 2019 chip “still seriously snappy and more than adequate,” we found the iPad 10 “ticks all the boxes when it comes to performance” with “obvious upgrades if you’re coming from an iPad 9 or iPad 8.”

The iPad 9 also falls short with connectivity, as there’s no Wi-Fi 6 and if you do want a cellular model, you’ll only get 4G networks as there’s no 5G support.

Battery

Apart from the more convenient USB-C port on the iPad 10 and the Lightning port on the iPad 9, the battery and charging life of both iPads remains virtually unchanged with Apple claiming a 10-hour battery life for both models.

We found in our tests that after a typical day the iPad 10 was left with over 50% battery left and the iPad 9 needing to be charged “a couple of times a week.”

Accessories

The iPad 10 is compatible with more iPad accessories, including Apple Pencil First Generation and USB-C and Magic Keyboard Folio.

Meanwhile, the iPad 9 does support Apple Pencil First Generation, but it isn’t compatible with Magic Keyboard, supporting the Smart Keyboard instead.

Verdict

While the iPad 10 isn’t exactly perfect, there are still some clear improvements over its predecessor here, most notably in terms of its design and performance. We’d have appreciated further improvements to the screen, but it remains good enough for watching videos or gaming, and the battery life remains excellent.

If you’re on a tight budget then the iPad 9 still offers plenty of great value and should not be dismissed, but if you have a little more cash to splash then the iPad 10 will be worth it.

You might like…

Apple’s best announcement had nothing to do with the iPad Pro

Thomas Deehan4 months ago

FAQs

Which iPad is better, the 9th or 10th generation? ›

The landscape orientation is much better for video calling, so if that's something you're planning to do a lot with your iPad, the 10th-gen model is the better option. Elsewhere, the 10th-gen iPad offers Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), while the iPad (9th-gen) has Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi‑Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac).

Read On ›

How long will an iPad 9th generation last? ›

The ninth-generation iPad was discontinued on May 7, 2024, with the announcement of the iPad Air (6th generation) and the iPad Pro (7th generation).

Discover More Details ›

How old is the 9th generation iPad? ›

Apple iPad

Release	Released	Supported
iPad Air (5th generation)	2 years and 6 months ago (18 Mar 2022)	Yes
iPad (9th generation)	2 years and 12 months ago (24 Sep 2021)	Yes
iPad Mini (6th generation)	2 years and 12 months ago (24 Sep 2021)	Yes
iPad Pro (5th generation)	3 years and 4 months ago (21 May 2021)	Yes

24 more rows

Jul 3, 2024

Should I get the 9th generation iPad or iPad air? ›

The iPad Air and the iPad 9th gen have different designs, processors, color options, prices, and compatible accessories. The iPad Air has a full screen with a larger and better display, a newer and faster chip, more color choices, and supports more advanced accessories like the Apple Pencil 2 and the Magic Keyboard.

See Details ›

How old is 10th gen iPad? ›

The iPad (10th generation) (also referred to as the iPad 10.9-inch) is a tablet computer developed and marketed by Apple Inc. as the successor to the ninth-generation iPad. It was announced on October 18, 2022, and was released on October 26, 2022.

Find Out More ›

Is 64GB enough for an iPad? ›

The answer depends greatly on how you plan to use your iPad. For light users who simply browse the web, read books, stream music and occasional video, and have just a handful of apps, 64GB should suffice. But intense media creators, gamers, and professionals may need more room for all their files.

Tell Me More ›

How many years will the iPad 10th generation last? ›

How long your iPad lasts tends to come down to it's battery health, it's internal hardware, and it's screen. Your iPad should last at least 5 years. But your device can last even longer depending on: Your iPad model.

Show Me More ›

Is Apple discontinuing the iPad 9th gen? ›

Key Takeaways. The iPad 9 has been discontinued by Apple, but you can still snag one at a discount from participating retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. The iPad 9 has been replaced by the newly discounted iPad 10, which boasts a sleek design and powerful A14 Bionic chip.

Explore More ›

How do you know when you need a new iPad? ›

In many ways, it depends on how regularly you use the device. In terms of hardware and battery life, an iPad that one uses only occasionally is more likely to last longer. However, you should also consider other factors such as the operating system, app performance, storage, and hardware issues.

Which iPads are obsolete? ›

Obsolete Models

iPad: Original, 2, 3, 4.
iPad Air: Original.
iPad Mini: Original, 2, 3.

May 15, 2024

Show Me More ›

Is iPad 9th generation easy to use? ›

Easy to use. Versatile. The new iPad has a beautiful 10.2-inch Retina display, powerful A13 Bionic chip, an Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage and works with Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard. iPad lets you do more, more easily.

Read The Full Story ›

Does the iPad 9th gen have a SIM card slot? ›

The SIM tray is located on the lower right side of the device. To insert a SIM card, insert a SIM tool into the small hole to eject the SIM tray. Note: The SIM tool can be found in the documentation folder inside the iPad packaging.

See Details ›

Is there much difference between iPad 9th and 10th generation? ›

The iPad10 is a more recent and more advanced iPad model than the entry-level iPad9. Other than technical differences, some of the more significant physical aspects are the location of the front-facing camera and the speakers.

Get More Info Here ›

What is the big difference between iPad and iPad Air? ›

The iPad Air gains the M2 processor from the previous generation iPad Pro, complete with 10-core GPU. The M2 chip delivers all the necessary power for most daily tasks, while the M4 chip used in the iPad Pro as it is the only chip that supports the Tandem OLED display.

Does the iPad 9 have a headphone jack? ›

With cameras on both sides, this iPad is equipped with Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 ac), Bluetooth 4.2, a lightning connector, and a 3.5 mm audio jack. The iPad (9th Gen) is compatible with the Apple Pencil.

Is the iPad 9th and 10th case the same? ›

iPad 9th Generation (2021) Case will not fit the iPad 10th generation (2022). According to Apple official figures, the new 10th generation iPad has a 10.9-inch screen, and the 9th generation iPad has a 10.2-inch screen, so you need to buy an iPad 10th Generation Case.

View Details ›

Is iPad Air better than 10th generation? ›

A key difference between the devices is their chips and amount of memory, so if you plan on using your ‌iPad‌ for more demanding tasks like 3D graphic design, advanced photo editing, and gaming, the ‌iPad Air‌ will be the better choice by far.

What is difference between iPad 10th generation and iPad Pro? ›

Whether to grab an iPad 10th Gen or an iPad Pro depends entirely on your needs and budget: iPad 10th Gen is more affordable than the iPad Pro. iPad Pro has a bigger, sharper screen with pinpoint detail. Both the iPad Pro and the iPad 10th Gen have the M2 chip.

Learn More ›

Is it better to wait for iPad 10th generation? ›

But now that Apple reduced the price of this iPad by $100 and also discontinued the previous version (although you can still find it at third-party retailers), we think the 10th-gen is the best for most people.

Discover More Details ›