Apple Announces Its Most Powerful Entry-Level iPad Model Yet

Apple has unveiled the eighth-gen iPad model, which comes packed with a host of improvements over the previous models. The newest inclusion to the company's affordable tablet lineup features the A12 Bionic chip (which brings the Neural Engine), a stunning 10.2-inch Retina display, improved cameras and better battery life.

Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, said in a press release that the new entry-level iPad is designed to provide great value to customers, especially during these times.

“With its beautiful 10.2-inch Retina display, the performance boost from the A12 Bionic, great cameras, and so much more, the new iPad is an incredible value at a time when, more than ever, our customers need powerful and versatile ways to work, play, learn, and connect with loved ones,” Joswiak said.

Here's a quick rundown of the device's specs and features.

A12 Bionic

The A12 Bionic might not be the most powerful chip in Apple's arsenal, but it allows the eighth-gen iPad to offer 40% faster CPU performance and double the graphics performance compared to the seventh-gen iPad.

The Cupertino tech giant proudly claims that this processor allows the new iPad to offer “up to two times faster than the top-selling Windows laptop, up to three times faster than the top-selling Android tablet and up to six times faster than the top-selling Chromebook.”

Apple Pencil compatibility

The new iPad is compatible with the first-gen Apple Pencil. Combined with the new iPadOS 14, this will allow users to do more things on the new device compared to what they could do on previous models.

These features make the new device perfect for those who need a portable drawing, note-taking or creativity device without having to spend on more expensive models such as the iPad Pro.

Camera

The new eighth-gen iPad has an 8MP camera at the back and a 1.2MP FaceTime camera in front. Those numbers might not sound much, but the A12 Bionic should help the device produce good images.

Other details

The new iPad still features chunky bezels and a Touch ID button. It's still slim and remains light as ever, measuring 0.29 inches at its thickest and weighing only 1.02 pounds.

Apple said it offers “all-day” battery life, which translates to about 10 hours of web surfing over Wi-Fi, Tom's Guide noted. It comes in space gray, silver and gold.

Interested parties can now buy the new iPad for prices starting at $329 for the Wi-Fi model.