Dimensions and weight: iPads range from about 300g up to just over 600g, and from a little 7.9-inch screen up to a laptop-sized 12.9-inch display. The smaller models will happily go in a little handbag, but even the largest models will comfortably fit in your backpack and won't weigh you down.
Battery: While Apple doesn't typically reveal the size of the physical batteries inside its tablets, all of the most recent iPads share the same battery life. They will give you up to 10 hours of internet use via WiFi or watching videos, or up to nine hours of internet use via a mobile data network. How long the tablet lasts is always dependent on how much it's being used. For example, watching videos on YouTube all day will drain the battery much faster than sporadically checking your emails.
Display: All Apple iPads have a "Retina" display, which is an Apple marketing term that means the screens are sharp and have a high pixel density (to make images clearer). The high-end ones are dubbed "Liquid Retina" – although this won't mean much to most people – and all iPad screens will be more than good enough for streaming Netflix, playing games and checking social media. If gaming, animation, or video editing really matters to you, the high-end iPad Pro models boast a higher refresh rate that'll make things run smoother.
Processor: Apple makes its own smartphone and tablet processors, and you probably won't need to worry too much about the difference between an A12 Bionic and an A14 Bionic – these chips are all optimised to the devices so apps will load up quickly and they'll have good battery life. The most recent iPads – the two Pro models and the Air (5th gen) include Apple’s own M1 chip, which is the same processor that’s found in the 2020 MacBook Pro.
Storage: Planning to download a lot of movies, music or other files to your new iPad? Make sure you've got enough space. The most recent entry-level iPad starts with 64GB storage, which is smaller than some smartphones, so you may need one with more room. There are several sizes available across the range of models, including 256GB and 512GB. One HD movie is around 3-5GB, so you'd really only need the huge 1TB-plus maximum storage of the high-end iPad Pro models if you're working on multiple large photo or video projects. None of the iPads supports microSD cards so there’s no physical expandable storage.
Camera: You're unlikely to use the iPad cameras for taking photos, but they all have front and rear lenses that'll most likely be used for FaceTime calls with friends and family. Most new iPads have the same 12MP resolution front-facing setup, although the older models do have a bit of a downgrade which means you might not look quite as sharp to whoever you're talking with on video.
Connectivity: All iPads connect to Bluetooth keyboards to make them more of a laptop replacement, and all except the Mini connect up with Apple's Smart Keyboard, while the Air and Pro work with Apple's higher-end Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio, too. Want to use a stylus with your iPad? They all support a version of the Apple Pencil. The £84 first-generation Pencil works with iPad and iPad mini, while the £119 second-generation Apple Pencil works with the iPad Air and iPad Pro. Both are great for drawing and sketching.
