Apple announced the iPad 9th Gen in Sept. 2021 alongside the iPhone 13 series. The 2021 iPad looks a lot like the iPads launched in the past in terms of design, however, it features the A13 Bionic chipset, which is about 20 percent faster than the A12 Bionic on iPad 8th Gen. Given its affordable price and versatile functionality, the iPad 9th Gen is one of the most value-for-money products launched by Apple. It’s comparable to flagship Android tablets like Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and the latest Tab S8, both in terms of performance and features. It is available in two models, with 64GB of storage and 256GB of storage.
Right out of the box, the iPad 9th Gen comes with a 10.2-inch Retina IPS LCD display with a pixel density of 265 pixels per inch. What makes this display unique is Apple's True Tone technology which calibrates the color temperature on the screen according to the ambient light conditions. Additionally, the size of the display is just about right for most users — giving a large canvas for that spark of creativity while being easy to carry. Even putting a cover on or using the iPad 9th Gen with Apple's Magic Keyboard, the whole setup does not feel too bulky.
How Long Will Apple Provide Updates To The 9th-Gen iPad?
The 2021 iPad features the 7 nm A13 Bionic chipset on the inside. Even though the processor was launched in 2019, it is pretty capable of multitasking and gaming. For reference, the device scores about 1,325 in the single-core and 3,360 in the multi-core test on Geekbench v5, which is comparable to the performance score of Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.
The iPad 9th Gen can easily last for another four to five years. The latest version of iPadOS, i.e., iPad OS 15, was launched in June 2021. Taking a look at the list of compatible devices, the oldest iPad to support this update is the iPad Air 2, which was launched in 2014. Given that iPad Air 2 has received the latest software update for about seven years, iPad 9th Gen is a safe purchase, at least for a few years. For students or professionals who wish to purchase a tablet for attending online lectures or video calls, the iPad 9th Gen features an excellent 12MP (ultrawide) front camera with Apple's Center Stage, keeping the subject in the center.
Lastly, the 2021 iPad supports Apple Pencil (1st Gen), which unlocks a lot of use cases. For example, with the help of Apple Pencil, students can take notes on apps like Notability and Noteshelf. After that, creative professionals can use the stylus for drawing illustrations in apps like Procreate and Adobe Illustrator Draw, which are quite capable. All these features are packed in the iPad 9th Gen for $329 for the 64GB model and $479 for the 256GB model.
By comparison, the newer iPad model (10th gen) is much more expensive. The 10th generation iPad released in 2022 starts at $449 for just 64GB of storage — a significant jump in price over its predecessor. The 256GB model starts at $599. For those just looking for an entry-level iPad as opposed to something with more complex capabilities like the iPad Air or iPad Pro, those starting price points may be a huge barrier. At over $100 cheaper, the still-capable 9th generation iPad should be good enough to meet regular users’ everyday needs.
Source: Apple