Choosing the best affordable iPad for 2018
The 9.7″ iPad 6
The new 2018 9.7 inch iPad 6 is nearly half the price of the iPad Pro, starting around US$334 (32G) on Amazon.com instead of $649. (Canadian buyers please note that the 9.7 inch iPad mentioned on Amazon.ca does not support the Apple Pencil and has a A9 third-generation chip, not the A10 one. However, you can buy the iPad 6 from Best Buy for Can$429.99) This means we will experience many of the current apps that are supported by the same chipset as the iPhone 7 Plus and the iPad Pro. In addition, students will be happy to see there is Apple Pencil support like the iPad Pro and there is the option of faster LTE networking (with the cellular version)!
The iPad 6 is similar to the iPad 5, both being hybrids of iPad Air 2. It’s 9.4 inches in length, 6.6 inches wide and 0.29 inches in thickness, weighing in at 1.03 pounds (469 grams) for the Wi-Fi version. (And 1.05 pounds or 478 grams for the cellular version.)
I didn’t bother getting the copper tinted gold, which is too much of an eye catcher. I like my devices to remain incognito when traveling. The Touch ID is also the same, first generation sensor as the 2017, and it allows you to secure the device with a fingerprint. If you do opt for the LTE version with the same plastic window on the top back, you’ll find that the LTE networking runs twice as fast as before.
Imaging and Video: The Retina display with a 2048 x 1536 resolution at 264 ppi allows for wide color and true tone. The iPad 6 has some of the same useful imaging capabilities as the iPad Air 2 such as scanning documents for digitizing, and capturing fairly high quality videos and photos for your favourite projects. It offers the ability for Slo‑mo (120 fps), time-lapse video with stabilization and the now standard video image stabilization. The two speaker system is predictably on the bottom without any mute switch. The camera specs are the same as the iPhone 6 with the back optics offering 8 megapixels, 1080p HD video recording and the upfront being 1.2 megapixels and 720p video. This is great for family or school videos or little snippets of well-lit scenes for your office presentation.
If you have the 2017 iPad, you might have noticed that the 2018 iPad, with its A10 Fusion system-on-a-chip (SoC), is faster. By 1.5 times to be exact. With 64 bit architecture and 4 core design, it will enable me to edit my video snippets which was a key draw for me. But—the iPad6 doesn’t have the A10X Fusion of the current iPad Pro, so it can do side-by-side apps and slide-over apps, but not all at once like the Pro.
Along with a hex-core graphics processor, the iPad can run the multitude of apps. Its gyroscope and accelerator give you the benefit of accurate motion tracking which can supposedly be used for an immersive AR experience. I had read and watched Apple execs touting the augmented reality (AR) experience but to be honest, I haven’t actually seen any outstanding reason for an entrepreneur to be using (AR) although it is quite a useful tool if you are thinking of buying office furniture or a kitchen island and wish to visualize it in your current surroundings. I confess I did download the game, AR Space Wars, allowing me the youthful experience of spacecraft flying around in my bedroom attacking me. (Reminding me of my younger days playing World of Warcraft). I’ve since deleted it as I’d like to find space for something a little more soul enhancing.
The other useful benefit the 2018 iPad has, which is essentially why I bought it, is its ability to support the Apple Pencil. Originally introduced with the iPad Pro, the Apple Pencil, with pressure sensors in its tip and with telemetry sensors, is a perfect device for writing and doing accurate design or art work. I like the pressure sensitivity to both angle and tilt, and also that I can use the Pencil in the new Apple’s iWork suite which includes Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.
Cons: Let’s talk about some negatives (in comparison with the Pro version) that this affordable version has. Without the laminated display of the iPad Pro, we can’t see the richer reds and greens of the spectrum and with the whites don’t appear as pure white. Lastly with no ProMotion, scrolling or pencil drawing isn’t as smooth as the Pro (though this is not always that noticeable). There is stereo sound though there isn’t the audible richness of a four-speaker system. Perhaps what may annoy long time Apple users who have Apple’s Smart Keyboard, there is no Smart Connector, which means you can’t use the Apple Keyboard or any of the Smart Connector Logitech keyboards. You will be relying on Bluetooth for your connection. That said, the iPad came with then discounted Logitech Slim Folio keyboard with integrated Bluetooth, I decided to buy one and it works intuitively with it. I’ve left the keyboard permanently attached as it’s a natural protector though I will need a stretch band around it for extra precaution (that’s just me) against any sudden opening and the tablet slipping out, which seems highly unlikely as the tablet sits very firmly into the keyboard case whether horizontal or upright. (As seen below!)
The 2018 iPad 6 with Bluetooth keyboard (Optional)
Software: The good thing is that this iPad comes with iOS 11—currently iOS 11.3. It includes a variety of built-in apps for everything from web browsing to mail, photography to ebooks, maps to movie-making. It also works with the over 1 million iPad-optimized apps in the App Store, which turns iPad6 2018 into… just about anything.
Bottom Line: I love this iPad! Granted it took me some time to let go Android navigation that I’ve used with my Samsung phone, along with my Asus and Lenova tablets. The size and resolution allows for webinar talks that often screen slides with tiny writing and it frees up my laptop which means I get to multi-task. The sound and picture quality give a great viewing experience especially for movies like “Ex Machina”. And finally I get to naturally write on it for work efficiency, all for a very affordable price. This is probably one of my best buys I’ve made as it has become one of the devices I use the most for both work and entertainment.
Check the tablet out and buy safely here
Check the compatible Tezzonas keyboard here
(The Tezzonas Bluetooth Folio Keyboard case ($55.99) is back lit, ultra-slim and reverts to auto sleep when unused. It’s actually cheaper than my discounted Logitech.)
