WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.040 Apple doesn't raise the price of the iPad every year, instead they only raise it when 00:00:11.040 --> 00:00:15.000 they launch a dramatic redesign or feature improvement. 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:20.200 When they introduced this flat-edged liquid retina form factor, folding magic keyboard, 00:00:20.200 --> 00:00:25.480 smart connector, and brilliant second-generation Apple Pencil to the iPad Pro in 2018, its 00:00:25.480 --> 00:00:30.160 price jumped $150, compared to the previous gen. 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:33.960 But those price increases and features trickle down to the rest of the lineup. 00:00:33.960 --> 00:00:41.160 The mid-range iPad Air got them in 2020 for $100, and last year's Mini got it too for 00:00:41.160 --> 00:00:44.200 $100 as well. Inflation. 00:00:44.200 --> 00:00:49.920 That leaves this, the entry-level 9th generation iPad, and I was wondering if Apple would continue 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:59.760 this trend with the 10th generation. Well, we got the price increase, but we didn't get everything else. 00:00:59.760 --> 00:01:06.880 Deciding which iPad to buy is not easy, especially as there are now four very different models. 00:01:06.880 --> 00:01:14.560 Not that you'd be able to tell looking at them. This, the newest 10th generation iPad, was released quietly with a simple press release 00:01:14.560 --> 00:01:19.600 NVIDIA. At a price of $450, it's not the cheapest available. 00:01:19.600 --> 00:01:23.960 Because they're still selling the 9th generation for $120 less. 00:01:23.960 --> 00:01:29.240 But don't go thinking it's a good deal compared to the $600 iPad Air. 00:01:29.240 --> 00:01:32.880 This certainly looks familiar. Flat edges? Check. 00:01:32.880 --> 00:01:35.880 Rounded corners? Check. Touch ID in the power button? 00:01:35.880 --> 00:01:38.880 Check. USB-C port? Check. 00:01:38.880 --> 00:01:42.040 Rearmounted smart connector? Wait, it's down here? 00:01:42.040 --> 00:01:46.400 Second gen pencil dock? Um, what is this? 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:51.520 For the first time ever, this new iPad has its center stage webcam on the long side of 00:01:51.520 --> 00:01:55.560 the device. For people who are in group video calls all the time, this is ideal. 00:01:55.560 --> 00:02:00.600 As the camera now aligns with your eyes when you set it down horizontally. 00:02:00.600 --> 00:02:06.040 But it demonstrates a radical change on how Apple thinks we should use this iPad. 00:02:06.040 --> 00:02:13.960 Which is that it's not for art. Because the webcam is up here, it takes up the space of the second gen charging and pairing 00:02:13.960 --> 00:02:21.240 modules, so it doesn't work. And there's nowhere else to put it. 00:02:21.240 --> 00:02:28.960 The solution? Go back in time. This iPad supports the fully round first gen Apple pencil from the Obama era. 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:35.240 And there are many problems with this, let me explain. The first generation Apple pencil was designed to work with iPads that came out before it 00:02:35.240 --> 00:02:41.080 existed. That's why it charges and pairs this way with a very sturdy male lightning connector 00:02:41.080 --> 00:02:43.940 at the end under this easy to lose cap. 00:02:44.140 --> 00:02:49.540 Plug it directly into the iPad for 5 seconds and you get 15 minutes of charge in a pinch. 00:02:49.540 --> 00:02:55.020 For the next generation, the iPad was designed with the pencil in mind, so we got this. 00:02:55.020 --> 00:02:59.940 And you might think that going back to the old pencil and new iPad design would work 00:02:59.940 --> 00:03:07.940 just fine. But it doesn't. Because even if you already own a first generation Apple pencil, you can't use it. 00:03:07.940 --> 00:03:11.780 Say you have a USB-C to lightning cable like the one that comes with your iPhone. 00:03:11.780 --> 00:03:16.220 Plugging the lightning coupler the old pencil came with will charge your old pencil, but 00:03:16.220 --> 00:03:23.420 it will not pair to your new iPad. For that, you must buy the new USB-C to pencil adapter separately. 00:03:23.420 --> 00:03:26.700 Or it's included in the box of new first gen pencils. 00:03:26.700 --> 00:03:30.180 But even with that, it's dumb. Here's an actual scenario. 00:03:30.180 --> 00:03:36.180 I went to sketch out thumbnail ideas with Maria. I didn't have my pencil because there's no way to carry it along with me. 00:03:36.180 --> 00:03:40.300 However, her iPad Pro is dead, so we'll use her pencil. 00:03:40.300 --> 00:03:43.980 Just kidding. I can't attach to my iPad, so I can't pair it. 00:03:43.980 --> 00:03:47.580 So I walk back to my desk to get mine. It's also pretty dead. 00:03:47.580 --> 00:03:52.340 So I go back again to get the easy to lose USB-C to Apple pencil adapter. 00:03:52.340 --> 00:03:55.620 I go through the whole rig of my role of assembling the pencil to charge it. 00:03:55.620 --> 00:04:02.300 But even though this looks ridiculous, I can't use it while it's plugged in. 00:04:02.300 --> 00:04:05.700 But Jonathan, you might say, maybe the cable can't send the power and data at the same 00:04:05.700 --> 00:04:10.940 time. Sure. But when I plug my iPad to a monitor, we can see that USB-C is fully capable of sending 00:04:10.940 --> 00:04:19.180 power and data at the same time. So this new iPad is $120 more, and it doesn't support the latest pencil. 00:04:19.180 --> 00:04:23.740 So what about the current Magic Keyboard that uses the smart connector mounted on the back? 00:04:23.740 --> 00:04:30.780 Well, it doesn't support that either. Instead, this iPad has the smart connector on the bottom, like the old style iPads and 00:04:30.780 --> 00:04:36.940 their keyboards. This means that you can only use the new $250 Magic Keyboard Folio. 00:04:36.940 --> 00:04:44.540 The keyboard attaches to the bottom here, and the kickstand attaches to the back. 00:04:44.540 --> 00:04:49.940 Now the Magic Keyboard already solved the lapable problem. 00:04:49.940 --> 00:04:56.220 But this? I still have to sit like a uniformed grade school student just to use it. 00:04:56.220 --> 00:05:00.740 There's no charging pass-through or keyboard backlighting, but there is a very handy function 00:05:00.740 --> 00:05:04.740 row that the more expensive keyboard doesn't get. So great savings! 00:05:05.740 --> 00:05:10.100 Alright, so I'm ranting about peripherals you might not ever buy. 00:05:10.100 --> 00:05:13.500 But the update to the device might be worth it too, right? 00:05:13.500 --> 00:05:20.700 Oh, but it is not. A USB Type-C connector on an iPad does increase its capability significantly. 00:05:20.700 --> 00:05:26.300 You can plug any USB hub, drive, or peripheral in, and they will just work in a really laptop-like 00:05:26.300 --> 00:05:30.700 fashion. Lightning-equipped iPads require a darn goal, and even then you can't expect everything 00:05:30.700 --> 00:05:38.380 to work. But this iPad's port only supports the 20-plus-year-old USB 2.0 standard. 00:05:38.380 --> 00:05:43.900 That's insane, as the standard supports transmission speeds of just 480 megabits per second. 00:05:43.900 --> 00:05:48.580 This is absurd when you consider that the discontinued 4th gen iPad Air from 2020 with 00:05:48.580 --> 00:05:53.540 the same A14 chip supports USB 3 speeds. 00:05:53.540 --> 00:05:59.820 How about the screen? Yes, this is technically a liquid retina, meaning it has the round corners. 00:05:59.940 --> 00:06:04.020 But this screen is actually no better spec-wise than the one installed on the 9th gen iPad 00:06:04.020 --> 00:06:08.580 as well. It's not laminated, so there's a gap between the top of the glass and the bottom of the 00:06:08.580 --> 00:06:15.380 panel. And it displays fewer colors too, outputting the SRGB color palette instead of the DCI-P3 00:06:15.380 --> 00:06:20.380 found in more expensive models. I don't mind that as much as the fact that it doesn't seem to have an anti-reflective 00:06:20.380 --> 00:06:23.380 coating. And is this even oleophobic? There's so many fingerprints. 00:06:23.380 --> 00:06:27.380 You're going to want a good screen protector. 00:06:27.940 --> 00:06:31.260 Oh, and there's no headphone jack as well, so if you want to give one of these things 00:06:31.260 --> 00:06:35.060 to your kids, remember that AirPods are choking hazard. 00:06:35.060 --> 00:06:38.460 So at 450, is this iPad worth it? 00:06:38.460 --> 00:06:41.900 No. And things get even weirder when you look in the refurbished store. 00:06:41.900 --> 00:06:45.540 At the time of writing, a two-year-old iPad Air with the exact same chip and none of the 00:06:45.540 --> 00:06:48.900 compromises is available for only $20 more. 00:06:48.900 --> 00:06:53.140 A four-year-old iPad Pro with a chip in the same performance tier, remember the list I 00:06:53.140 --> 00:07:00.140 made, is also only $20 more. If you want a little more storage, you can get a three-year-old iPad Pro for $100 more. 00:07:00.140 --> 00:07:04.660 And if you want a lot more storage, that four-year-old iPad Pro is $60 less than the equivalent 00:07:04.660 --> 00:07:09.980 10th gen. Compared to this, getting one of those is a complete no-brainer. 00:07:09.980 --> 00:07:15.260 And remember, Apple's refurbished iPads get a completely new chassis and battery. 00:07:15.260 --> 00:07:22.060 Though I think because of the more modern chip equivalency, I'm going to be leaning towards recommending a refurbished Air. 00:07:22.060 --> 00:07:29.140 But it also shows something else very interesting. The iPad Pro has been in the B performance tier for four years. 00:07:29.140 --> 00:07:32.540 Then two years later, the iPad Air joined the B performance tier. 00:07:32.540 --> 00:07:37.660 So for a similar price, you can get a cheap iPad or one that was an expensive model a few 00:07:37.660 --> 00:07:43.740 years ago. Or if you think you're going to be using your iPad for a long time and you have the 00:07:43.740 --> 00:07:48.500 cash, you could get an expensive one now and get all the fancy new features. 00:07:48.500 --> 00:07:53.880 In fact, the iPad I daily hear at the office is a BDOP 2017 iPad Pro. 00:07:53.880 --> 00:07:57.640 It has that beautiful promotion screen and it still screams. 00:07:57.640 --> 00:08:01.360 It does everything I could ever expect an iPad to do incredibly well. 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:11.880 But the battery is now wearing out, so let's say $100 repair. 00:08:11.880 --> 00:08:17.600 But if you need a new model now, I'm still happy to buy, use and recommend the 9th generation 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:27.160 model or look in a refurbished store. For the extra $120, the 10th generation iPad commands, it's only really useful for those 00:08:27.160 --> 00:08:31.800 who are doing lots of video calls and don't need the pressure sensitivity of the Apple 00:08:31.800 --> 00:08:37.960 Pencil, which might be most people, just not me. 00:08:37.960 --> 00:08:42.800 Thanks for forgetting to record the outro for this Mac Address, Jonathan. 00:08:42.800 --> 00:08:46.480 If you like the colors of the new iPad, give this video a like. 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:50.720 And if you're curious about more of my thoughts on the iPad, particularly with the Pro, might 00:08:50.720 --> 00:08:56.560 as well subscribe. Now, I'm curious, are you one of those people who will never use the pencil and therefore 00:08:56.560 --> 00:08:59.640 the compromises of this iPad won't matter? Comment below. 00:08:59.640 --> 00:09:00.760 And also, I have a little surprise.