Apple iPad (2020) review - Peerless performance outweighs dated design - Android

Apple iPad (2020) review: Design and display

• 250.6 x 174.1 x 7.5mm
• 490g (Wi-Fi), 495g (LTE)
• 10.2-inch TFT LCD
• 2,160 x 1,620, 500nits

Apple loves to recycle its own designs. We’ve seen it for  years across Apple product lines, including the MacBook, iPhone, and iPad. The Apple iPad (2020) recycles just about everything from the seventh generation model, except for some internal components.

It’s a well-built, sturdy slate made from an aluminum chassis and glass front. The metal edges are rounded along the sides and an appealing chamfer is angled to meet the display glass. The rear panel is perfectly flat with naught but a reflective Apple logo and pinhole camera interrupting the metal finish.

Apple did a fine job with the controls. A traditional Touch ID button adorns the chin of the iPad and it works flawlessly for securing and unlocking the tablet with a fingerprint. The pair of volume buttons on the upper right edge have an excellent profile and even better action. The same goes for the power button on the top edge. As a bonus, you’ll find a headphone jack on the top, which almost offsets the Lightning port on the bottom. Almost.

It's time the iPad (and iPhone, for that matter) join the USB-C party.

As good as the Lightning connector is, it’s not the industry standard USB-C. Most Apple laptops, as well as the iPad Air and iPad Pro, all ship with USB-C connectors these days. It’s time the iPad (and iPhone, for that matter) join the USB-C party, despite USB-C’s faults.

You’ll also find “stereo” speakers on the bottom edge. I put that in quotes because the speakers generate a stereo effect when the iPad is held vertically. If you tip it over on its side, which is what most people do when they watch video, the sound then comes lopsidedly from one edge. The stereo effect is lost. Moreover, it’s easy to accidentally cover the speakers with your hand when you hold it this way.

Last, there are pogo pins on one side edge. This allows the iPad to connect to the new Smart Keyboard from Apple without requiring pairing or Bluetooth.

The design begins to look dated when you glance at the screen. You know, the thing you’ll spend most of your iPad time staring at. The issue is the bezels, which are simply monstrous. The iPad Pro and new iPad Air feature slim(mer) bezels. This is another carry over that Apple should have been left behind. The majority of phones and many tablets these days are sold with “all-screen” faces, meaning bezels are kept to a minimum. Apple eschews that design philosophy here, and the iPad suffers for it.