Editors' note, Nov. 26, 2019: Apple's iPad strategy for 2019 was weird, with no new iPad Pro, but updates to the iPad Mini and iPad Air. The 10.2-inch iPad, however, might be the best bet. It has an older A10 processor, original Pencil support and a smart connector for smart keyboard (sold separately), and a slightly bigger screen. Spending as little as possible for an iPad makes a lot of sense right now, unless you have needs (or desires) that justify a fancier model. You could always look for last year's model on sale (which has the same processor, and also supports Pencil), but there's a case for the slight improvements here if you want to pay up for Apple's keyboard case. And, yes, iPadOS 13 generally runs just fine (except for the perpetual bugs, of course). As the dust settles on this year's iPad crop, this entry model is our Editors' Choice. Our original review of the 10.2-inch iPad is below.
The entry-level iPad is good enough for most users, especially with its new Smart Keyboard.
The 10.2-inch iPad has a larger display than before.; Smart Connector supports a few snap-on keyboard accessories.; One of the most affordable devices in Apple's gadget lineup.; iPad OS works better than expected and is well-optimized for the A10 processor.;
The base 32GB of storage isn't enough, meaning you'll really be paying $429 for the 128GB model; It's bigger and heavier than older model; The older A10 processor is the same as the previous iPad's, which you can still get on sale;