Apple iPad 9.7" (2018) Review

Good just got a little better.

I've used an iPad Air for a couple of years during high school and have had a kind of love hate relationship with them. For the basic stuff, it's always been a very convenient way to get some work done and get distracted in the same time frame. However, I've often found attempting to do anything too elaborate with it was an exercise in head scratching and wanting to throw it out a window, my school's bloated restriction software didn't improve life either. So with that experience long behind me, I got a chance to play around with the new iPad to see how things have fared, for better or worse.

Size compared to a Galaxy Tab S2 8.0" and a Surface Book display.

Regular tablets have kind of garnered a reputation as being "toys" in recent years due to their limited functionality and it's pretty much widely accepted that if you want to get large amounts of real work done, you're gonna need a computer. And I mean a REAL computer. An iPad Pro doesn't count, no matter how much Apple would like to tell you otherwise. However, I do applaud the effort between most manufacturers to try and improve their tablets for productivity. While they're still not as capable as a good laptop, tablets are now versatile enough that if you don't need the extra horsepower of a laptop for whatever it is you're doing, they're a very practical and potentially cost effective alternative. To be honest, I think Apple completely nailed that concept with the new entry level iPad.

The 9.7" IPS LCD isn't as sharp on paper as some other tablets, but still looks damn good.

Really on the whole though, there isn't a whole lot different between this iPad and last year's model. Hell even the $330 price tag is the same, but apart from the usual spec updates that really solely consists of an update to the quad-core A10 Fusion chip, the biggest advantage this iPad has over the outgoing one is support for the Apple Pencil. On a tablet that, depending on which model you get can cost over $300 less than the cheapest iPad Pro, and somehow $70 less than the iPad Mini 4 which doesn't support the Pencil. For anybody who would rather take physical notes than tap on a keyboard, physical or touchscreen, or even for an artist who's not looking to break the bank on a drawing tablet, having this feature is an absolute god-send. 

Windows 4 lyfe.

Granted, the Pencil is still a $99 peripheral that at such a price tag, might be off putting to some who view it as just a stylus. Which also explains why I don't have one to test, because this iPad isn't getting used as an note-taker's or artist's device. As a longtime Surface Pen user though, whose gear cost's similarly to the Apple Pencil, styluses like this feel much less terrible to use than say a Nintendo DS stylus or those stupid ones with the squishy tips. Good digitizer pens take into account the pressure of the pen tip against the screen which darkens or lightens your strokes, and in the case of the current Surface Pen and the Apple Pencil, detect tilt angle for shading. It all feels very natural, and for someone who uses it nearly every day for notes and/or artwork, worth every penny.

Okay, stop jacking around. You guys keeping it or not?

Beyond the new Pencil support however, there's not really much else new with the iPad. Battery life still clocks in at roughly 10 hours for multimedia use. The display is still the same unit as last year's model, there's still a cellular option available for those who want internet on the go, iOS has changed a bit in the recent updates but functionally, it's still largely the same, no nonsense operating system it's always been. Hell, you even still get a headphone jack because Apple apparently thinks it's worth keeping around on it's tablets. But on the whole, the 2018 iPad is largely a minor spec update and that's potentially off putting, especially if you just bought one last year. They also probably don't want to make it too good either, because it may start taking a chunk out of the Pro lineup's change, which if I'm honest it's pretty close to doing.

Taken with HDR on. Not too shabby.

You also still get a camera, which on a tablet of this size isn't a totally ridiculous prospect but it at least doesn't have a stupid camera bump like the Pro models. It's an 8MP camera with HDR, capable of shooting 1080p video at 30 FPS. It's a pretty solid camera in good lighting but it gets noticeably grainy under even slightly inadequate lighting conditions. The lack of a flash doesn't help this either.

Also taken with HDR on. Images come out a lot more grainy under poor lighting.

In the end, the 2018 iPad is quite literally the perfect run of the mill tablet now in my opinion. Even though it's a very minor spec upgrade of an already solid device, the addition of good stylus support really sets this tablet apart from others and it's an invaluable tool for those who actually use it. Outside of that, not really much else has changed and for those who already own a Mini 4 or last year's iPad, it's honestly not worth pursuing if you don't plan on buying the Pencil to use with it.

Compared to the iPad Pro, it's largely debatable and I honestly think the Pro is kind of a waste of money. I just can't see the appeal in a $300 upcharge for a better camera on a bigger tablet, a general spec bump, and the ability to use a kind of garbage keyboard that feels like typing on bubble wrap, plus the regular iPad can handle a Bluetooth keyboard just fine. At the prices I see iPad Pro's getting, you could just buy a good convertible laptop and eat them alive in versatility. Maybe the upcoming revision will make the Pro lineup worth the money but in the meantime if you want a rock solid, relatively inexpensive tablet with top notch stylus support as an option, the iPad has got your back.

Summary

• Support for one of the best styluses in the game.
• Cheaper than any iPad in Apple's whole lineup, and even some competitors.
• Signature Apple build quality.
• iOS is as butter smooth and simple to use as it's always been.
• The camera is decent, but falls short in low light.
• Higher spec'd models, including the Pencil can drive the price up.
• Feels like a very, very minor update, especially without the Pencil.
• If you already own an older model and don't plan on using the Pencil, it's not worth it.

Is It Better Than?

iPad Pro 10.5"- Depends, the Pro packs more horsepower plus a better screen and camera but doesn't offer much else beyond a general performance boost. Now that the standard iPad offers Pencil input, the only major standout feature of the iPad Pro is the ability to use the Smart Keyboard, which honestly manages to feel worse to type on than the current crop of MacBooks. Not to mention the standard iPad supports Bluetooth keyboards. Worse yet, the cheapest Pro costs roughly $300 more than the cheapest standard iPad. Like I said, there's a revision in the works that hopefully might make the Pro a much more worthwhile upgrade but in the meantime, it's hard to recommend.

 Galaxy Tab S3 9.7"- Depends, the Tab S3 is now more of a competitor to the iPad Pro, packing similar power but also has the benefit of being cheaper, a bit more versatile, and including it's rather excellent stylus. It is however still more expensive than the regular iPad by about $220. While I think this is a better tablet than the iPad Pro as you get more bang for your buck, it's still potentially unnecessary for someone who doesn't have need for the extra power. If you're just in it for the stylus, go for the iPad.



Galaxy Tab S2 9.7"- Yes, while three years old, the Tab S2 still packs a punch and can be had for much less than it's successor. It is however, still $70 more than the iPad and also lacks proper stylus support which kind of levels the playing field and essentially makes the extra power a bit unnecessary for some. Even with Android's staple features like greater customization, I'd say the iPad wins by price and refinement.