Best iPad 2022: which Apple tablet is best for you?

iPad Pro (2022) (from £899)

When it launched in 2018, the iPad Pro made good on Apple’s promise of an all-screen slate that ‘becomes’ whatever app is running. Sketching in Procreate? The entire iPad Pro is your canvas, thanks to barely-there bezels.

The 2022 update improves things further, but let’s get the headline grabbing news out of the way first. The iPad Pro is expensive and will cost you £899 in the UK, or $799 (£707) in the US.

What do you get for that jump in price? 2022’s iPad Pro has had a processing glow up through its M2 chip, which brings an 8‑core CPU and 10‑core GPU to the iPad Pro. There’s also a 40% speed boost through the iPad Pro’s 16-core Neural Engine that accelerates machine learning tasks. This means the 2022 iPad Pro can create photorealistic 3D designs and play games better than before. The iPad will also soon support the popular video editing software DaVinci Resolve.

The 12.9in Liquid Retina display features 1000 nits of full‑screen brightness and 1600 nits of peak brightness. It’s also been improved to work better with the Apple Pencil which features a new ‘hover’ function, allowing for digital sketching without the mistakes.

Support for Wi-Fi 6E makes for even faster performance when connected to networks. The cellular spec also supports 5G for supercharged connections on the move.

Those who, for some reason, take iPads to gigs will be impressed with the camera updates, too. On the front, the iPad Pro features an Ultra Wide camera with a 12MP sensor and a 122‑degree field of view. Round the back, an Advanced Wide and Ultra Wide camera makes for crystal clear snapping. The upgraded iPad Pro also supports for ProRes video capture, while the boosted ISP in the M2 chip also supports Smart HDR 4.

In short, the iPad Pro certainly builds on the iPad’s past tablet dominance, but the price point will likely put a lot of people off.

Buy the iPad Pro if…you want supercharged performance for a premium price

iPad Air (2022) (From £569)

In 2020, the iPad Air evolved from a featherweight slate into something significantly more powerful – and demanded an extra £100 for the privilege. Fast forward to 2022 and it’s been upgraded yet again. Only this time, the price has gone down by a tenner.

Starting at £569 for the 64GB Wi-Fi version, the fifth-generation iPad Air is still a streamlined tablet but packs beefier performance than ever before. This comes courtesy of Apple’s meaty M1 chip, the same 8-core processor found in the iPad Pro. Apple reckons the supercharged silicon makes the new iPad Air the fastest tablet available for the price.

Visually, it’s the spit of its predecessor, which itself was almost identical to the iPad Pro 11in from 2020. That means flat sides, delightful aluminium all over and a screen that fills the front. The Liquid Retina display remains the same at 10.9in. It doesn’t offer ProMotion’s fast refresh rates, but it is clear, bright and gives great viewing angles.

Unlike the Pro, there’s still just a single 12MP sensor on the rear, but the front sensor has finally been upgraded: it’s now a 12MP Ultra Wide snapper with a 122° field of view. More importantly, it supports Apple’s Centre Stage smarts, which will automatically keep you in the middle of the frame during video calls.

Connectivity has also been upgraded. The fifth-gen iPad is compatible with 5G, while its USB-C port is reportedly twice as fast as before. This should unlock enhanced accessory support (alongside compatibility with the Magic Keyboard and second-gen Apple Pencil). As before, you also get stereo sound in landscape orientation for more immersive audio. There’s still no Face ID, but Touch ID is neatly integrated into the power button.

Its combination of refined design, raw M1 power and useful accessory support makes the iPad Air a solid option if you don’t need dual rear cameras or a 12.9in display.

Buy the iPad Air if…you want Pro performance without the bloated price tag

iPad Mini 6 (from £479)

Mini it might be, but the smallest iPad doesn’t go little on specs. Quite the opposite, as it is equipped with the same A15 Bionic chip found in the latest iPhones and offers a full iPad experience that’s broadly free from compromise. It transforms the iPad Mini from a portable plaything into a proper pint-sized powerhouse.

With a design that’s finally been refreshed, the 6th-gen Mini looks like an iPad Air that’s shrunk in the wash. The Home button’s gone, leaving behind a blank canvas surrounded by a reasonably big but unobtrusive bezel. It looks great and feels suitably premium in the hand. The smaller-than-A5 dimensions mean it should fit into bags, folders and roomy pockets with ease.

Further aping the Air, the Mini moves its Touch ID sensor to the power button. It also swaps Lightning for USB-C, and presents you with a True Tone display that’s sharper than any other at 326ppi. It looks great, even without 120Hz ProMotion. The landscape stereo speaker setup also has surprising oomph. The repositioned volume buttons, meanwhile, automatically switch actions depending on orientation.

That A15 chip keeps things zippy with even the most demanding apps and games, even if some titles currently have issues with the new 14:9 aspect ratio used by the 8.3in screen. The 12MP front camera is the same ultra-wide number now found in all iPads apart from the Air – which means a 122-degree field of view that can follow you with Centre Stage smarts.

The iPad Mini 6 is clearly a more niche product, especially given the price hike that comes with it. Its size can make the interface fiddly, although the Apple Pencil helps with inputs. But the Mini 6 prizes portability. For those who don’t need a traditional keyboard option (there’s no Magic Keyboard for the Mini) and have the eyes for a smaller, sharper display, the new iPad Mini is an excellent package.

Buy the iPad Mini if…you want a properly portable powerhouse tablet

iPad 10th-generation (2022) (from £499)

The standard iPad has long been Apple’s best-selling slate. It makes sense, then, that Apple wouldn’t change a proven formula with its 2022 edition? Wrong.

This new device leaves the basics behind and brings with it a major overhaul. There’s an updated design, support for new accessories, and a bunch of new features trickled down from the more premium offerings. It’s set to be Apple‘s best bang for your buck tablet, despite a hefty price hike.

There’s a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display that stretches to the device’s edge. The display comes in at 2360×1640 resolution, nearly 4 million pixels, 500 nits of brightness, and Apple’s True Tone technology. Oh, and Apple have also ditched the home button.

Touch ID has been relocated to the power button on the top of the device, just like on other models. And new to this 10th generation are a new suite of colours that come in blue, pink, yellow, or silver.

A14 Bionic chipset from the iPhone 12 Pro series offers a 20% CPU and 10% GPU boost from the 9th-gen device. For happy snappers, new to this model of iPad is a 12MP ultra-wide landscape camera with a 122-degree field of view that supports Center Stage.

The iPad remains the best all round tablet that Apple offer, and it’ll likely remain that way with all its bells and whistles upgrades. At £499 it still offers value for money, despite a price increase, and remains a powerful tablet without forking out for the extra features that come with the Pro.

Buy the iPad (2022) if…you want a well-rounded tablet, but do consider the price