Apple iPad 10.2 In (2019)

The best entry-level tablet just got better, but the killer new feature – a Smart Keyboard – costs half as much again

- Jonathan Bray

I have a simple answer when friends ask, “What laptop do you recommend for around £300 to £400?” That answer: “Why don’t you buy an iPad and keyboard instead?” Good battery life, great performance and a top-quality screen go together to make for a product that, in most instances, will be far superior to a Windows 10 laptop at a similar price. All they need to do is add that keyboard and they’re good to go.

As if in acknowledgement of the iPad’s rising status as an all-round productivity tool, Apple has made this easier with the addition of its “Smart Connector” keyboard interface. This three-pin magnetic connector means you can add Apple’s Smart Keyboard for a laptop-like experience. It’s the first time you’ve been able to do this on Apple’s cheapest, non-Pro tablet. (Note it supports the first-generation Apple Pencil, too.)

As with all add-on keyboards, the iPad’s can’t match a “proper” laptop for feel; if I was going to type thousands of words, I wouldn’t use the Smart Keyboard. However, it’s a great choice for quick emails and the keys have a surprisingly nice feel considering their shallow depth.

Usability to the fore

Probably the biggest improvement to the newest iPad, somewhat ironically, is one you don’t have to buy new hardware to experience: iPadOS. To use the marketing term, this is iOS “reimagined” for the world of productivity. In other words, it’s a version of iOS that has been liberated from the shackles that Apple previously imposed upon it.