iPad 11th gen (2024) vs iPad 10th gen (2022): expectations

Apple's base iPad saw a pretty big update back in 2022. It was the last iPad to be updated to the new "all screen front" design, with no home button and stereo speakers. It was called the iPad 10th gen and also had a new accessory launched specifically for it — the Magic Keyboard Folio.

Basically, it was the discount iPad Air, or the discount discount (yes, we said it twice) iPad Pro — the design, the keyboard, and Apple Pencil gen 1 support give you access to all the core iPad features, even with some corners cut.

In 2023, Apple skipped updating basically any of its tablets, despite analysts constantly teasing us with a supposed "imminent launch" of new Pros and new Airs. When that didn't happen, we were looking towards March, 2024, for the usual spring event. Nothing happened! So... we know Apple has new iPads in store for us, but there seems to be some kind of delay. Maybe Cupertino is waiting for the right moment? Or trying to iron out the right kind of upgrade?

In any case, this is what we've heard through the grapevine regarding the iPad 11th gen, and how it should compare to its predecessor, the iPad 10th gen (2022).

Apple loves to stick to designs for years at a time, so since the iPad got a facelift in 2022, we don't expect the new 2024 model to change shape. That's actually a good thing — if you happened to have a Magic Keyboard Folio for the iPad (2022), it should work with the new model, if you decide to upgrade.

Other than that, we expect the same setup with a Touch ID power button, landscape stereo speakers, a selfie camera the ends up on the top frame when in landscape, and USB C port on the bottom.

In fact, it's very well possible that the two tablets would have the same thickness, so even cases for the 2022 model could fit the 2024 model. Of course, hold up on that one — Apple could surprise us.

The base iPad has the non-laminated, 60 Hz LCD screen. Its colors are not bad, and it supports True Tone and Night Shift, so it can look pleasing to the eyes. It's not great at fighting off light glare, and its oleophobic coating (anti-fingerprint) is pretty weak. We see no indications that Apple plans to change this formula up with the iPad (2024) model.

But, at the very least, it supports the Apple Pencil — the new USB C model that was released in 2023, as well as the old Apple Pencil gen 1.

The one thing you can hold against the base tier iPads is the hardware — they typically ship with Apple A processors that have been on iPhones from years ago. For example, the iPad (2022) has an Apple A14 Bionic inside it — the chip that shipped with the iPhone 12. For the iPad (2024), we thing that might jump to an A15 Bionic, a.k.a. the iPhone 13 chip.

Is this bad? Well, this reviewer spent the last couple of months with an iPhone 12 mini as a main phone, and it actually held up quite well as of late 2023. We'd call it a processor that sits comfortably in the top end of what we might call midrange class. There were some stutters and slowdowns to notice, but nothing that would feel jarring or annoying.

And the iPads perform the same. If you want to edit and export video, and then compare the performance next to the iPad Pro — yeah, there's definitely a difference. But can it do the job? Yes, it can. The Apple A13 Bionic will similarly, not blow you away, but it will keep the iPad (2024)'s performance acceptable for the next few years.

When we are talking about cameras on tablets, it's the selfie camera that gets the most use — video calls and maybe the occasional selfie, sure. The main camera takes a back seat and is typically used to scan a document or take a quick photo at your dog sleeping in a cute position.

So... the iPad (2022) has a 12 MP selfie camera with an ultra-wide lens that is pretty acceptable. We've attended plenty of virtual meetings with it and it does its job just right. The main camera is also a 12 MP snapper that takes photos in the ballpark of iPhone 12 quality. So, again, pretty serviceable.

We expect the specs and performance of the iPad (2024) to be comparable, maybe slightly improved. We'll take the scientific selfies here once it gets released, no worries!

With two speakers in landscape stereo format, we find the iPad 10th gen to sound pretty good. A bit honky in the mids, a bit thin on the bass if we are nitpicking. But if you are not comparing it to the meaty sound of an iPad Pro, it's perfectly fine. Again, we don't expect the iPad 11th gen to play around with that formula in any capacity.

iPads typically last around 10 hours and Apple seems to be happy with this number. Whenever there's a new processor or new redesign, the slates seem to have just enough battery capacity to stay on for an entire work day. If you only use them mixed in here and there, with the screen often in standby, you can definitely get 2 days of use out of them.

The iPad 11th gen will mostly adopt the look and feel of iPad 10th gen. When we have more information about the specs, it will be put in our iPad (2024) vs iPad (2022) specs comparison page. For the time being, we expect something in the ballpark of:

If you have an iPad 10th gen, should you jump to upgrade to an iPad 11 (2024)? By the looks of it — no. We expect a pretty small update, keeping the base iPad in the game for new users, but the iPad 10 will not be that much behind technologically. In fact, once the 11th gen launches, maybe it will be a good idea to find the iPad 10 at clearance prices and score a deal.

Of course, we will have to wait and see what Apple's pricing strategy for these will be — maybe it will keep the iPad 10 on board as a cheaper alternative (the way it did with the iPad 9, when the 10th gen launched in 2022). And, who knows, maybe we will see a curveball upgrade that will make us change our opinion once the iPad (2024) is official!