Just in case it wasn’t already abundantly clear that Apple doesn’t care about tablets as much as it used to not long ago, the company issued a simple (and, frankly, pretty dry) press release earlier today to welcome not one and not two, but (technically) three new devices to the market.
That includes an upgraded iPad Air duo with a faster chip and basically no other improvements over a previous edition released less than a year ago and an upgraded “standard” iPad with, you guessed it, a newer processor and (almost) no other changes compared to its own predecessor from all the way back in 2022.
More power, more storage, same price
Before declaring yourself disappointed that the 11th-gen iPad looks virtually identical to the two-and-a-half-year-old iPad 10, you should keep in mind three very important things.
First of all, the new base iPad starts at the exact same $349 price as 2022’s Apple A14 Bionic-powered 10.9-incher. That brings me to the second detail, which is perhaps unsurprising, but it’s also crucial to remember when shopping for a budget tablet in 2025. Specifically, that A14 Bionic processor is now replaced with a much speedier A16 (hold the “Bionic” branding).
The new base iPad sure looks a lot like the old base iPad. | Image Credit — Apple
How much faster will the iPad 11 prove out in the real world? According to Apple, “nearly 30 percent faster”, which is maybe not a dramatic upgrade, but it will certainly matter. And if you happen to still own a 2021-released iPad 10.2 with Apple A13 Bionic, you’re strongly advised to buy this new model and enjoy an “up to a 50 percent improvement in overall performance.”
In a somewhat uncharacteristic move, Apple is also comparing the iPad (2025) with the “best-selling Android tablet” in the world, claiming that the performance gap between the two is monumental. Namely, the A16-powered new iPad should deliver “up to” six times as much speed as this unnamed Android slate, which feels like a bit of an exaggeration.
Leaving this very random attack on… Samsung (?) aside, it’s definitely important to also point out that 350 bucks can now buy you 128 gigs of internal storage space, up from just 64GB on the iPad (2022).
Pre-orders are live now, the release is set for next week
Yes, you can already secure your early 128GB Wi-Fi-only iPad (2025) copy in exchange for $349 on Apple’s official US website and receive it as soon as next Wednesday, March 12, when offline sales are also scheduled to start.
$449, meanwhile, will bump your storage space up to 256GB, with a top-of-the-line (Wi-Fi-only) 512GB configuration costing $649. If you think you need a 5G-enabled variant, you’ll have to spend at least $499 and no more than $799 for the latest non-Air and non-Pro-branded iPad, which clearly makes this one of the best affordable tablets out there right now.
There are no changes whatsoever in the iPad’s color options. | Image Credit — Apple
That’s despite the fact that Apple Intelligence doesn’t seem to be supported here, and that very few things have been changed from the 10.9-inch iPad (2022). The Liquid Retina display appears to have ever so slightly grown to a full 11-inch size, while the product dimensions, weight, screen resolution, 12MP rear-facing camera, 12MP front-facing camera, stereo speakers, top-mounted Touch ID sensor, USB Type-C 2.0 port, and all the optional accessories are the same old, same old.
Even the silver, blue, pink, and yellow color options are unchanged, making it clear that Apple is in no mood for a design revolution (or even much of an evolution) until the iPhone 17 Air arrives in the fall.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian’s passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for ‘adequate’ over ‘overpriced’.
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