DECEMBER 2019 T3 91Apple iPad
handy part about the bigger screen is
that it’s better for having multiple
apps side by side – the screen is
practically the same size as the iPad
Air, and just as sharp. With the slick
Apple processor, plus the option of
connecting a keyboard cover (Apple’s
is hideously expensive at £159, but
very good), this is a pretty capable
computer, actually.
However, while the display here
is perfectly nice – it’s clear, and the
natural colours are appealing – the
iPad Air’s screen is even better: it
appears brighter and more vibrant
thanks to its wide colour support, it’s
laminated (so the pixels are closer to
the surface), and it has True Tone,
which means it shifts its hue to be
more comfortable to read in natural
light, which makes a big difference.
The iPad mini’s screen also has all
these advantages, though it’s only
7.9 inches, so isn’t good for side-by-
side apps.
There’s support for Apple Pencil,
and it works just as well as on other
models. It supports the original Apple
Pencil v1, which has wired charging,
unlike the more useful v2 unit, but
the drawing function is just as good.
The speakers are loud and really
clear – great for videos.
The Apple A10 chip powering
everything here is a couple of years
behind the A12 you’ll find in more
expensive iPad models, but it’s no
slouch at all. For opening apps and
flitting around iOS, everything is
very slick and fast. Some intensive
apps, and especially games, will open
a bit faster on more powerful devices,
but the difference is less than you’d
think. Our only concern is that Apple
might stop supporting it with updates
sooner than the A12 – that’s years
away in any case, but the A12 is more
future-proofed overall. Along those
lines, the A12 also includes extra
camera processing tech for better shots- the camera here is rudimentary.
How to choose
The basic new iPad comes with 32GB
of storage, but you can up that to
128GB, which costs £449 total. Here’s
where the decisions really get sticky.
The iPad mini comes with 64GB
of storage as standard, has the nicer
screen tech and faster processor, and
costs £399 – just £50 more than the
base iPad, and less than the 128GBversion. 64GB is plenty of storage. The
iPad mini is a really capable games,
movies and creative apps machine –
provided you’re happy doing one
thing at a time. If the smaller screen
isn’t a problem, it’s a smart choice.
The iPad Air costs £479, which is
£30 more than the 128GB version of
this iPad. That has all the advantages
of the iPad mini, plus a 10.5-inch
screen that’s ideal for multitasking.
The 64GB that the base iPad Air comes
with will be enough for the vast
majority of people, too.
We’re not saying you shouldn’t get
this – far from it. It’s easily the best
tablet in this price range, and is a fab
little computer for the price. But it’s
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and Pencil support.
£479, apple.com/uk
AMAZON
FIRE HD 10
Want a cheaper cheap
tablet? This has a 1080p
10-inch screen, 32GB
storage and octa-core
processor. It’s not as
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£149, amazon.co.ukTHE ALTERNATIVES
Find the best deals for the
Apple iPad at: bit.ly/t3ipad