New 9th Gen iPad starts at $329 with an A13 chip and better cameras; iPad Mini tags along with a new design, USB-C, and 5G
Apple kicked off its September with the launch of the 9th Gen iPad and the new iPad Mini. Both tablets pack new features such as a faster chipset, better cameras, and the new iPadOS 15.
iPad 9th gen
The new iPad has a 10.2-inch Retina display with similar-sized bezels as its predecessor. Since the bezels have not been cut down, it still features Touch ID on the bottom bezel. A new feature that has been added is True Tone which automatically adjusts the color temperature based on surrounding light.
The big upgrade is the new A13 chipset which Apple claims brings a 20% increase in CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine performance. The base model now comes with double the storage, so you get 64GB instead of 32GB.
Another big upgrade is the camera department. The front-facing camera is a new 12MPsensor with Center Stage, the feature that arrived on the iPad Pro last year that digitally pans the camera when making video calls. The rear camera is an 8MP sensor.
The 9th gen iPad is compatible with the 1st Gen Apple Pencil as well as the Apple Smart Keyboard. It will run iPadOS 15 out of the box.
The new iPad starts at $329 but can be purchased for $299 if you are a student. It will be available in two colors – Silver and Space Gray – and will be available for pre-order today.
iPad Mini
Apple also announced a new iPad Mini. The new tablet has a revamped design, boasting slimmer bezels and a larger display, as well as new features such as a USB-C port, and 5G support.
The new iPad Mini has an 8.3-inch screen, a significant bump from the 7.9-inch screen of the last generation model. However, the slimmer bezels mean it is still comfortable to hold. By the way, this is a Liquid Retina Display and not Mini LED as rumored. Because the bezels are slimmer now, Touch ID now has a new home – the power button.
Apple has also upgraded the cameras of the iPad Mini. The front-facing camera is a 12MP ultrawide sensor with Center Stage. There is also a 12MP f/1.8 sensor with focus pixels on the rear that can record in 4K. Apple didn’t say the processor inside the new tablet but claims that CPU performance has been improved by 40% while GPU performance has gotten better by 80%.
The iPad Mini has support for 5G and Wi-Fi 6. It also has a USB-C port at the bottom and thus can be connected to a wider range of devices now. Apple says it supports the second-generation Apple Pencil which can magnetically attach to its side. It also features stereo speakers in landscape position.
