Honestly, walking into an Apple Store in 2026 is a bit of a psychological experiment. You see the rows of sleek, colorful slabs, and if you aren’t a spec-sheet nerd, you’re going to get lost. The biggest culprit? The iPad 10th generation. It looks so much like the iPad Air that most people just assume it’s the same thing with a different price tag.
It’s not. But for a lot of you, it might as well be.
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This tablet has had a weird life. When it first launched, people were annoyed. It was more expensive than the old "budget" iPad, it used the first-gen Apple Pencil with a ridiculous dongle, and it sat in a "no man’s land" between the cheap iPad 9 and the powerful Air. Fast forward to today, and the landscape has shifted. The iPad 10th generation is now the entry-level standard, and its $349 (or often $299 on sale) price point makes it the most logical choice for about 80% of humans.
Why the Design Still Messes With Our Heads
Look at it. It has the flat edges. It has the thin bezels. It’s got the USB-C port that we all begged for. If you put it next to an iPad Air M2 or even the newer M3 models, you have to really squint to see the difference.
The screen is a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display. It's bright—500 nits, which is plenty for a coffee shop but maybe not for direct sunlight at the beach. But here is the "kinda-sorta" catch that tech reviewers always mention: it’s not a laminated display.
On an Air, the glass and the LCD are one piece. On the iPad 10th generation, there’s a tiny air gap. If you’re a professional artist, you’ll feel it. The Pencil tip feels like it’s floating a millimeter above the "ink." If you’re just signing a PDF or taking notes in a psych lecture? You won't care. Seriously. You won't even notice.
The Landscape Camera: The One Thing It Does Better
Here’s the hilarious part. For a long time, the $1,000 iPad Pro had the webcam on the short side. When you put it in a keyboard, you looked like you were staring off into space during Zoom calls.
The iPad 10th generation was actually the first one to fix this. It put the camera on the long edge (the landscape side). This makes it a much better device for video calls than the older iPad Air 5. Apple eventually brought this to the M2 and M3 Airs, but it’s funny to think the "cheap" model led the way on that.
- Processor: A14 Bionic. It’s a few years old now, but let’s be real—it still eats Netflix and Minecraft for breakfast.
- Colors: Blue, Pink, Yellow, Silver. They are way more "pop" than the muted colors on the Pro models.
- Security: Touch ID in the top button. No Face ID here, but the fingerprint sensor is fast and reliable.
The Pencil Drama (And the Solution)
We have to talk about the Pencil. It was a mess. Originally, this iPad only supported the 1st-Gen Apple Pencil—the one that looks like a sleek white stick but has a Lightning plug under the cap. Since the iPad 10 is USB-C, you needed a tiny plastic adapter to charge the Pencil.
It was clunky. It was very "un-Apple."
Thankfully, the Apple Pencil (USB-C) exists now. If you're buying an iPad 10th generation today, just get that one. It sticks to the side magnetically (it doesn't charge there, but it stays put) and charges via a cable. It solves the biggest headache this tablet ever had.
Is the iPad 10th Generation Still Worth It in 2026?
With the rumors of an A19-powered iPad 11 on the horizon, you might be tempted to wait. But honestly, if you can find the 10th gen for under $300, it's a steal. It’s the perfect "kitchen iPad" for recipes, the perfect "airplane iPad" for movies, and the best "student iPad" for someone who doesn't want to spend $600+ on an Air.
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The main limitation in 2026 is Apple Intelligence. Because this model only has 4GB of RAM and the A14 chip, it doesn't get the fancy on-device AI features that the M-series iPads or the newest iPhones get. If you want a robot to rewrite your emails and generate custom emoji, you’ll need to step up to the Air.
But if you just want a tablet that works, doesn't lag, and looks modern? This is the one.
Actionable Advice for Buyers
- Check the Price: Do not pay the full $349 if you can help it. Amazon and Best Buy frequently drop this to $299 or $279.
- Storage Warning: The base model is 64GB. That fills up fast if you download movies for travel. If you can swing the 256GB version, do it.
- Pencil Choice: Skip the 1st-Gen Pencil. Get the USB-C version or a high-quality third-party stylus like the Logitech Crayon to save money.
- Keyboard Tip: You don't need the $249 Magic Keyboard Folio. A $50 Bluetooth keyboard case from a brand like ESR or Fintie works just as well for casual typing.
The iPad 10th generation is basically the "Old Reliable" of the lineup now. It’s not the flashiest, but it’s the most practical choice for almost everyone who just wants a great tablet without the "Pro" tax.