94 MACWORLD DECEMBER 2019
FEATURE REVIEW: 10.2-INCH iPA Dmmmmh
10.2-inch iPad
PROS- Larger display size allows
for easier multitasking,
writing, and interaction. - Smart Connector allows
use of Smart Keyboard
(and theoretically other
accessories). - 1GB RAM boost over last
year’s model.
CONS - Same A10 chip as last
year’s model. - Few Smart Connector
accessories.
PRICE
$329
COMPANY
Apple
for as low as $250 on
Amazon these days, at least
when you can find it in stock.
Even so, for first-time
buyers, I see this model as a
powerful statement from
Apple, and we’ve been
building to this moment for a
while now. Apart from
goodies like a laminated
display and the Pros’
ProMotion 120Hz refresh
rate, the lowest-priced iPad
now has many of the
features you’d want from one
of the company’s sexier
tablets. Apple kicked this trend in motion by
bringing Apple Pencil support to
all its current tablet models last
year, and it topped it off this year
by bringing a ton of interface and
productivity improvements to all
iPads with iPadOS.
And that first-time buyer
market may be about to get a bit
larger. Ever since Apple Arcade
launched, I’ve seen dozens of
folks asking of people asking on
Twitter what the “best and
cheapest” Apple device they
should get for the service is, and
I believe this device fits that
description nicely. By including
options such as the Smart
Connector and improving the screen size,
Apple has made the iPad as
appealing as it probably can
without changing the price, and
as such, as I see this as a quiet
and rare push to bring people to
into Apple’s wider ecosystem by
making an extremely attractive
entry-level device. It’s also a
relatively affordable Apple
device to buy if you’d like to take
advantage of Apple’s offer of a
free year of Apple TV+ for
buying a new Apple device. And
once the price drops at third-
party retailers—and it inevitably
will within the next few months—
it’ll be even more appealing. ■Apple may eventually make all of its iPads compatible with
USB-C, but for now, you can keep using your Lightning cables
with your tablet.