Apple quietly unveiled two new iPads yesterday, seemingly downplaying the refreshed iPad 2025 in favor of the flashier iPad Air 2025. While the Air boasts more power, a stunning display, and the much-hyped Apple Intelligence, the basic iPad offers something more compelling: practicality. It retains a familiar form factor, packs a capable processor, and addresses a critical shortcoming of its predecessor. This seemingly minor update has transformed the iPad back into the ideal tablet for many users, myself included.
Someone holding the yellow iPad (2022) in front of trees with orange, yellow leaves.
Why the Basic iPad Was Always the Best Value
For years, my tablet recommendation has been consistent: buy the basic iPad. While the iPad Air and iPad Pro offer tempting features, the entry-level iPad provides ample performance for most users. It excels at everyday tasks like web browsing, ebook reading, streaming movies, and casual gaming. For the price, it’s arguably the best value in the tablet market, rivaled only by the Amazon Fire Max 11.
iPad 10.2 2019
The Storage Struggle: A Major Drawback
Despite my enduring appreciation for the base iPad, I hesitated to upgrade from my 7th generation model. While its performance remains respectable, its paltry 32GB of storage became increasingly problematic. Apps were constantly offloaded, and updating to the latest iPadOS version proved impossible without sacrificing essential apps. This limitation severely hampered its usability.
Using an Apple Pencil to draw, color, and edit on an Apple iPad.
The 10th generation iPad offered a larger display and a more powerful processor, but its storage options were less appealing. The 64GB base model felt inadequate, while the 256GB version represented a significant price jump. This gap in storage tiers pushed me towards considering the iPad mini or even the iPad Air, likely a deliberate strategy by Apple.
The Sweet Spot: 128GB of Storage
The 2025 iPad addresses this storage conundrum. While the A16 processor upgrade is incremental and the design remains largely unchanged, the increased base storage to 128GB is a game-changer. This capacity offers the perfect balance of storage and affordability, restoring the iPad to its rightful place as the ideal all-around tablet.
Apple iPad showing Morpholio Trace app.
Conclusion: The iPad Finds Its Perfect Balance
While the 2025 iPad might not have the allure of Apple Intelligence or the sleek design of the iPad Air, it delivers exactly what many users need: a reliable, capable tablet with ample storage at an accessible price. This seemingly minor update has perfected the iPad’s formula, making it the ideal choice for everyday tasks and casual entertainment.
