The new iPad 8 (2020) is the 8th generation of the tablet series. Just like its previous predecessors, the new iPad is also great for browsing the web, reading e-book, watching movies, checking emails and playing games. Apple continues its relentless push in the mobile industry and it is clear that the iPad is much more than just an oversized iPhone. In fact, it could do things that laptops would do.
Design
The 8th generation of iPad is visually unchanged compared to the earlier model. It comes with 10.2-inch display that looks great for many functions. If you have been using iPad Pro and care about certain things like laminated display or ProMotion, you won’t find those here. It means that the iPad 8 (2020) still has large bezels located on the bottom and top. The fingerprint sensor works for the Touch ID feature and it is satisfying to use. It still uses the Lightning connector, which is a familiar feature of latest iPad models. The tablet has a couple of cameras, but there’s nothing to be excited about them. However, they can be comparatively better than competing tablets in the market. Also, the front-facing camera is awkwardly positioned located on the side. Despite being an affordable version of the latest iPads, it’s still sturdy, light and thin. It’s a good thing that Apple has achieved that design quality.
Specs
One major update to the new iPad is the A12 Bionic processor that adds neural engine and graphical boost. Overall, the new iPad works quite fast and it is a good investment, because you can use it for a long time. For a cellular-capable version, you will need to pay an extra of $130. However, with that amount of money, it is probably a good idea to get an Air instead. The basic model has 32GB of storage and sold for $329, which is barely enough for installing more than a few apps and games. For today’s usage, it is hardly enough. It is highly recommended to choose the 128GB model that is sold for $429. The iPad supports a massive amount of excellent apps, so it would be quite a shame to have limited storage capacity. It is particularly true if you also plan to store a lot of videos, photos and e-books.
Software
The iPadOS 14 offers some changes compared to the previous iteration. Scribble is the new feature of the operation system version. It allows you to use Apple Pencil on the text fields, which makes the iPad more convenient to use. It’s a neat feature to have, although convenient only for writing short texts. Apple Notes also offers amazing handwriting recognition. Although the iPadOS 14 is still plagued by a few quirks, it is still an overall solid platform. Combined with the high performance hardware, the software feels fluid and fast. It supports split-screen feature, so you can do proper multitasking. The iPadOS 14 still doesn’t have support for multiple users, so if you hand the tablet to your kid, it is possible that your digital data is compromised. There’s no way to lock certain apps with password or to enable the kid mode.
