Intuitive and powerful operating system.The connectivity to macOS and iOS is also second to none. The iPad runs on iPadOS 15 in 2021 and thus has the best tablet operating system on the market. Nothing creaks, nothing rattles, and I carried the iPad in a thin sleeve without any hesitation. Speaking of the aluminum case: The workmanship of this iPad still remains first-class. Here you can see the iPad 2021 in the silver color variant / © NextPit Basically, some cases might cover the speaker openings, and that would mean the end of your stereo sound! While this iPad offers stereo sound which is quite good, but both speakers only fire to the left and right of the Lightning port at the bottom.
The iPhone manufacturer already relies on USB-C for the iPad Air, mini, and Pro, just like everyone else in 2021. To my chagrin, there's the Lightning port, which is now the most incompatible among all iPad ports. However, Apple is still also holding on to some of its old relics that are really annoying in practice. Touch ID still works flawlessly in these days of "Please wear a face mask for the entire train ride". At the same time, the 4:3 format that Apple continues to adhere to is perfect for business tasks. The 9th generation iPad's display was bright enough to make me blush in shame during a surprise nude scene on Netflix on the train the other day. In everyday use, however, such shortcomings did not bother me.
In this department, its Android competition offers far more value for the same price. The resolution is not outstanding, with a pixel density of 264 pixels per inch, not to mention an archaic refresh rate of 60 Hertz. Instead of OLED technology, there's an LED display that manages an average brightness of just 500 nits. However, the most affordable iPad lags behind its tall and slim brethren in other aspects. I know a lot of people like tablets with enough holding space. The older iPad still offers enough "holding fat" for convenient operation / © NextPit This creates a strange dichotomy. On the one hand, the iPad 2021 looks somewhat old-fashioned, but on the other hand, it's very comfortable to hold and easy to use. That's because its bezels are rather large for a modern tablet with just enough space to accommodate Apple's Touch ID and Home button. Stereo speaker is located at the bottom.Įven though it was launched in 2021: The 9th generation iPad belongs to a dying breed.Lags behind other iPad displays (60 Hertz, LED, 264 ppi).
This is where the iPad Air becomes a much more interesting proposition. Unfortunately, this is spearheaded by the useless camera at the back, the underperforming display despite the inclusion of True Tone, and the Lightning connector that is located at the bottom. This is because with a maximum price of $879, Apple's technical legacy is slowly but surely becoming more unforgivable. While it remains affordable to most people with the $329 model, it does become outrageously expensive when you take into account higher capacity storage space or the inclusion of the LTE module. And you're welcome to do so with great gusto, because Apple's build quality once again comes up tops!Īre you already convinced? Pick up the iPad (2021) on Amazon If that's exactly what you're looking for, you can definitely grab the 9th generation iPad without having to read on further. Apple knows exactly what are the strengths of the basic iPad! An affordable price, a neat design with uncomplicated Touch ID, and a terrific operating system.