A few weeks ago, Apple released the new iPad (7th gen) in India with prices starting at Rs 28,999.
Having used the iPad (7th gen) for more than a week, here are my thoughts.
Display, design and build quality:
On the front, it flaunts 10.2-inch LED-backlit multi-touch retina (2160x1620p) display with IPS technology and a peak brightness of 500 nits. It is a bit bigger than the predecessor (9.7-inch) and I am not complaining, as I had a good time watching movies and reading e-books on the bright screen. Even under the bright sunlight, I faced no major issue viewing the multi-media content.
At the base, the device comes with a fingerprint-based TouchID sensor. It accurately recognizes the finger impression and unlocks the screen fast.
Our Space Grey Apple iPad (7th gen) LTE review unit sports premium shell on the back with the trademark raven-hued stripe on top, which by the way is seen only on cellular models.
It actually acts as an antenna. Due to tough aluminium casing, it cannot receive network signals inside easily compared to a plastic-based polycarbonate shell. So, it is placed outside.
It is a premium tablet and offers good hand-feel and it is very easy to carry around, as the weight is not heavy compared to the Pro versions.
The company claims the iPad (7th gen)'s case is made of 100 percent recycled aluminium and is said to have the similar strength and durability as seen in all Apple products made of the same metal.
Also, for the first time, Apple has incorporated a magnetic smart connector in the generic iPad series. With this, consumers can make use of the smart keyboard folio cover accessory.
Performance and user-interface:
It houses an A10 Fusion chipset with M10 coprocessor and it works buttery smooth in terms of app launching, multi-tasking with split-screen feature and playing games was enthralling.
The new iPad (7th gen) supports Apple Pencil, but sadly only the first generation stylus, which comes with lightning port. Weird thing is that the user has to dock it to the iPad to charge, with the stylus protruding like a long antenna of a radio.
And, you can’t be fooling around with them, repairing or replacing any of the two--the tablet and the Pencil--won’t’ be cheap.
On the bright side, iPadOS improves the Apple Pencil usage experience. It offers a refreshing interface, quick access to tools, colour palettes, shapes, object eraser, a new pixel eraser for removing any part of a stroke and a ruler for drawing perfectly straight lines.
Also, the iPadOS is optimised for iPad display and touch inputs, so that the web apps like Google Docs, Squarespace and Wordpress work seamlessly on Safari. Additionally, Safari also supports new features such as a download manager, 30 new keyboard shortcuts and brings enhancements to tab managements.
With magnetic smart connector, Apple iPad (7th gen) can now support detachable smart keyboard folio covers. It further improves the productivity of the tablet user and given the fact that the iPadOS offers PC-like web browsing experience and most of them can use this iPad as a laptop alternative for less intense workloads.
People can do work-related stuff such as creating a presentation document on the go. Kids can also make use of numerous learning applications on the App Store to do school projects and also improve their knowledge in addition to skill sets with regard to coding.
Users can indulge in creative activities like doodling, gaming, and video or photo editing.
Apple iPad (7th gen) houses an 8MP (f/2.4 aperture) on the back. It takes decent pictures, but not as good as iPhones. The best use-case for the primary camera is to scan documents and convert them to PDF copies using applications.
On the front, it houses a 1.2MP FaceTime camera. It offers high-resolution video chatting and records HD video too.
As far as the battery life is concerned, it lived to my expectations. I was able to watch a couple of two HD movies and do a few hours of web browsing and gaming in a single full charge.
Final thoughts:
Apple’s latest generic tablet is really good for both productivity and multi-media consumption. I loved surfing web, doing online shopping, reading ebooks, news feeds on social media, watching movies on Apple TV+, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video apps.
Even kids can make good use of the iPad (7th gen) with truckloads of apps to help understand science subjects and also safe gaming, drawing for a brief time.
Over-all, Apple iPad (7th gen) is a minor upgrade over the predecessor. But, for its price, is feature-rich and offers the best user experience compared to any of the rival Android tablets in its segment.
Apple iPad (7th gen) price: 32GB (Wi-Fi only) - Rs 29,900; 128GB (Wi-Fi only)- Rs 37,900; 32GB (Wi-Fi+LTE)- Rs 40,900; 128GB (Wi-FI+ LTE)- Rs 48,900
Pros:
- Big display
-Good processor
-Long-lasting battery
Cons:
- Supports only the first-generation Apple Pencil
- Minor upgrade over the predecessor
Key specifications of Apple iPad (7th gen):
Display: 10.2-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit with multi‑touch and IPS technology, 2160x1620p resolution at 264 ppi (pixels per inch)
OS: Apple iPadOS 13
Processor: 64-bit fourth-generation desktop-class Apple A10 Fusion chipset with embedded M10 co-processor
Camera:
8MP primary snapper with F2.4 aperture, Live photos, backside illumination, five-element lens, hybrid IR filter, autofocus, tap to focus, exposure control, HDR for photos, Panorama (up to 43 megapixels), burst mode, timer mode photo geotagging, full HD (1080p HD) video recording, Slow-motion video (up to 720p at 240 fps), 3x video zoom, video stabilisation
Front 1.2MP FaceTime camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture, Retina Flash, Backside illumination, Live Photos, 720p HD video recording, HDR for photos and videos, Body and face detection, Burst mode, Exposure control and Timer mode
Battery life: Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching a video or listening to music;
Up to 9 hours of surfing the web using cellular data network;
Charging via USB to the computer system or power adapter;
Dimensions: 250.6 x 174.1 x 7.5 mm
Weight: 493 g
Get the latest news on new launches, gadget reviews, apps, cyber security and more on personal technology only on DH Tech.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks