The iPad is obviously an inferior device to the Air and Pro models, but if all you want a tablet for is media consumption and typing up the occasional word document, Apple’s cheapest slate is still the best option. The £130 extra you can pay for a base configuration iPad Air buys you a faster processor, a lighter frame and a better screen, but for most people, none of these things are must-haves, especially as the iPad remains an attractive and well-performing tablet despite its aging hardware. And the slightly bigger display and Smart Connector bring it even closer to the mid-tier tablet. iPadOS’s arrival also makes it an ideal time to invest in a new tablet if you haven’t done so in a while - and if you want to give your laptop the afternoon off, the iPad is a just-about capable stand-in. It’s like we always say: a milk chocolate Viennese might be the ultimate biscuit, but you can’t go wrong with a custard cream.

Great price; Can now be used with Apple’s Smart Keyboard; Bigger screen, which matters no matter how small the increase; It’s an iPad - they’re good ;

Nothing to entice those who bought an iPad last year; Non-laminated screen isn’t as good for drawing; A new processor would have been nice;

Great price; Can now be used with Apple’s Smart Keyboard; Bigger screen, which matters no matter how small the increase; It’s an iPad – they’re good ;

Nothing to entice those who bought an iPad last year; Non-laminated screen isn’t as good for drawing; A new processor would have been nice;

The basic budget iPad is good, and makes a strong case for spending as little as possible on an Apple tablet in 2019.

The 10.2-inch iPad has a larger display than before, supports a few snap-on keyboard accessories and is one of the most affordable devices in Apple's gadget lineup; iPad OS works better than I 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 A10 processor is aging; It's similar to the previous iPad, which you can still get on sale

With its slightly larger screen and the introduction of the new iPadOS 13 operating system, the 2019 iPad is the safe, familiar and affordable iPad option. It lacks some of the speed and design points of the higher-end models, but that's why this is the perfect iPad option for many – as there's...

Affordable price point; Apple Pencil support (1st Gen; IPad OS great for multi-tasking apps; Smart Connector means keyboard and accessories support; Ideal performance for media consumption and apps

Bezels a bit chunky; Processor is fairly old in Apple terms; No FaceID; Not an anti-reflective screen; No True Tone screen technology

With its slightly larger screen and the introduction of the new iPadOS 13 operating system, the 2019 iPad is the safe, familiar and affordable iPad option. It lacks some of the speed and design points of the higher-end models, but that's why this is the perfect iPad option for many – as there's still no better entry-level tablet around.

Affordable price point; Apple Pencil support (1st Gen); IPad OS great for multi-tasking apps; Smart Connector means keyboard and accessories support; Ideal performance for media consumption and apps;

Bezels a bit chunky; Processor is fairly old in Apple terms; No FaceID; Not an anti-reflective screen; No True Tone screen technology;

My old iPad was so slow and wouldn't load half the time so treated myself to this new one and I'm so glad I did . It's so fast and got everything I need and was great value for money

Wow , what an amazing piece of technology, after owning one of the first iPad minis for a few years I thought it was time to update to a newer version, I was very impressed with the looks and the speed of this new iPad , well worth the new update, it makes surfing the internet and workflow so much...

Great size and buttery smooth performance. Setup was super easy and worked flawlessly. For the price it seems hard to beat. Love that it still has the standard headphone jack! It weighs a tiny bit more than the 9.7 version but with the larger screen you would expect some weight change.

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;

Can't fault the iPad which I received yesterday. However this item comes with 2 years support and I understand 1 years free Apple TV. The leaflet for the support was not supplied and unavailable at this time. also details of free Apple TV were not in the box.