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MagyarApple iPad 10.2 (2020) - Rejuvenation of the lower-priced Apple tablet
The iPad 10.2 (2020) is an 8th generation entry-level tablet in Apple’s iPad series. This is why it is commonly designated as iPad 8 or iPad 2020.
The iPad 10.2 (2020) has a very similar specifications sheet when compared to its direct predecessor. However, the latest iPad 10.2 comes with an A12 Bionic chip instead of the A11 SoC. Prices for the 32 GB version start at 369.40 Euros (~$432.75) and the 128 GB variant retails for 466.90 Euros (~$546.97). An optional LTE modem will add another 136 Euros (~$160) to the bill.
Read our review to learn why the iPad 10.2 (2020) is worth upgrading to and what new features it offers.
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88 % | 10/2020 | Apple iPad 10.2 2020 A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU | 495 g | 7.5 mm | 10.20" | 2160x1620 | |
| 85.4 % | 10/2019 | Apple iPad 7 2019 A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU | 483 g | 7.5 mm | 10.20" | 2160x1620 | |
| 87.5 % | 04/2019 | Apple iPad Air 3 2019 A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU | 456 g | 6.1 mm | 10.50" | 2224x1668 | |
| 84.7 % | 10/2020 | Huawei MatePad 10.4 Kirin 810, Mali-G52 MP6 | 460 g | 7.35 mm | 10.40" | 2000x1200 | |
| 83.1 % | 06/2020 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite Exynos 9611, Mali-G72 MP3 | 467 g | 7 mm | 10.40" | 2000x1200 |
Case - More environmentally friendly iPad
The dimensions and the design of the iPad 10.2 have not changed when compared to its predecessor. However, the iPad 10.2 (2020) weighs 12 grams more. The Apple tablet comes in the following colour schemes: Space Gray
, Silver
and Gold
.
The build quality is impeccable and the aluminium unibody feels very good in the hands. Even though the screen-to-body ratio of the iPad 10.2 seems antiquated by modern standards, the tablet is comfortable to hold in the hands. There are no chinks or gaps anywhere. The slate is also very rigid and does not produce any creaky noises when we try to twist it. However, there is a rippling effect when a lot of pressure is applied to the screen.
The tablet is neither dust- nor waterproof. The battery is not removable. The SIM card slot in the LTE model is not perceptible by touch, and it does not stand out visually.
Apple has put a lot of focus on how environmentally friendly the iPad 10.2 (2020) is. Apple views the iPad as an important stepping stone to getting the California-based company to zero carbon emissions by 2030. The enclosure of the predecessor was made of 100% recycled aluminium. The housing of the iPad 2020 is also made of 100% recycled aluminium. However, Apple went a step further with the 2020 model, using only recycled tin solder for the motherboard. Moreover, 100% of the wood fibre for the packaging comes from recycled and responsible sources and 92% of the packaging is fibre-based, thanks to Apple’s work with using less plastic in packaging. What is more, multiple other components of the tablet contain at least 60% recycled plastic and the CO2 footprint of the iPad 8 is 9% lower than that of the predecessor. The iPad 2020 does not contain any harmful chemicals.
Connectivity - Same old, same old
According to the specifications sheet, there are no differences in this department. The iPad still offers a 3.5-mm headphone jack and the Pin connector for the optional Smart Keyboard.
The Lightning port is still there. The entry-level iPads still do not feature a USB Type-C port. On the one hand, this is a bit of a shame, but on the other hand, thanks to the Lightning port the first-generation Apple Pencil can still be used with the device.
Software - Apple tablet with Scribble
The iPad 10.2 (2020) ships with the latest version of iPadOS (14). iPadOS 14 offers users the ability to customise their home screen with widgets. The latest iPadOS version also introduces streamlined app designs and improved search functionality.
Now Siri, text messages from the connected iPhone and FaceTime calls do not take up the whole screen. Apple has made the API underlying these functions available to third-party developers.
Officially, the revamped handwriting recognition currently works only in the US and China. However, it can be enabled with a simple trick. This function can be activated by simply adding an English keyboard layout in the system settings. German spelling and umlauts are not recognised, though, and not many applications are supported at the moment. Howbeit, this function has a lot of potential.
Communication and Geolocation - iPad with better Wi-Fi
The iPad 10.2 features a Wi-Fi 5 module that relies on MIMO antenna technology. The predecessor model had really slow Wi-Fi. However, the iPad 2020 comes with better and more stable Wi-Fi, as the Wi-Fi benchmarks with our reference-grade router Netgear Nighthawk AX 12 show. The iPad 10.2 is able to achieve very good upload speeds. However, there are Wi-Fi 5 devices out there that manage to achieve much faster data transfer rates.
The LTE modem, with which the iPad 10.2 ships, offers a good level of performance as well. It supports a wide range of frequency bands, which is why it should be usable anywhere in the world. We did not observe any issues with reception. Thanks to eSIM functionality, buyers do not necessarily have to use a physical nanoSIM card.
The iPad comes with Bluetooth 4.2.
Apple does not specify which global navigation satellite systems the iPad 8 supports. On our obligatory bicycle ride, the Apple tablet proves to be more accurate than our reference-grade navigator Garmin Edge 500.
Cameras - Same exact cameras as last year?
The cameras of the iPad have not change since 2017 – this year included. The main sensor has a resolution of 8 megapixels and the front-facing shooter has a resolution of 1.2 megapixels. The front-facing camera was primarily intended for video-conferencing, and it does a good job at it. However, when compared to the selfie shooter in the iPhone 11 Pro, it looks like it came out years ago.
The main camera is slightly recessed into the housing and produces decent images in daylight. However, the images are a little too blurry and the low-light performance is poor. The camera is good enough for video-calling and scanning documents. There is no optical zoom. However, users can take advantage of 5X digital zoom.
Image Comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
Wide angleWide angleZoom (5x)Low-Light
Accessories and Warranty - A touch of USB-C for the iPad 8
The box of the iPad 10.2 (2020) contains a charger unlike that of the iPhone 12. While last year’s model featured a 10-W charger, this year the iPad 10.2 comes with a 20-W power adapter. There is also the new USB-C to Lightning cable in the box. The box also contains a quick-start guide, warranty information and Apple stickers.
Apple offers various covers, the Smart Keyboard and the first-generation Apple Pencil for the iPad 10.2. If you have any accessories for older models, you can use them with the new iPad.
The Apple tablet has a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty (statutory warranty still applies). Users can extend the warranty by buying an AppleCare+ package (€79/~$93), which provides two years of expert technical support and additional hardware coverage from Apple.
Input Devices & Handling - Many options available
The capacitive touchscreen of the iPad 10.2 (2020) responds quickly and reliably to inputs. The tablet supports the first-generation Apple Pencil, which worked very well in our review. Due to an air gap between the display glass and the panel, writing on the slate takes some getting used to, because it feels like the stylus is floating over the screen.
The tablet uses the Apple keyboard as the default keyboard. Users can download other keyboards from the App Store. The optional Smart Keyboard offers a short travel distance. However, the actuation point is clear, which is why typing on the Smart Keyboard is quite pleasant. The Smart Keyboard does not offer a lot of room for adjustment, but at least it is rather stable. A holder for the stylus would have been nice, because it does not attach magnetically to the tablet.
The fingerprint scanner is integrated into the mechanical home button, which is different from the home button in the iPhone SE that relies on Apple's Taptic Engine
. The fingerprint sensor worked very well in our review.
Display - Good IPS panel without PWM
The iPad 8 has the same exact 10.2-inch panel as the predecessor model. However, the screen of the iPad 2019 was slightly better. With the ambient light sensor disabled, we measured 477 cd/m² in the centre of the screen when displaying a pure white image. With the ambient light sensor enabled, the brightness increased slightly to 482 cd/m². In the APL50 test, in which the screen displays a pattern that consists of evenly distributed dark and bright areas, the brightness amounted to 475 cd/m².
The iPad 8 has a black value of 0.5 cd/m² (APL50: 0.48 cd/m²) and a good contrast ratio of 954:1. We did not observe any screen bleeding.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 477 cd/m²
Contrast: 954:1 (Black: 0.5 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
96.1% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.23
| Apple iPad 10.2 2020 IPS, 2160x1620, 10.20 | Apple iPad 7 2019 IPS, 2160x1620, 10.20 | Apple iPad Air 3 2019 IPS, 2224x1668, 10.50 | Huawei MatePad 10.4 IPS, 2000x1200, 10.40 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite TFT, 2000x1200, 10.40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 26% | 16% | -38% | -24% | |
| Brightness middle | 477 | 499 5% | 515 8% | 511 7% | 503 5% |
| Brightness | 452 | 470 4% | 483 7% | 472 4% | 477 6% |
| Brightness Distribution | 86 | 87 1% | 90 5% | 85 -1% | 91 6% |
| Black Level * | 0.5 | 0.49 2% | 0.41 18% | 0.53 -6% | 0.29 42% |
| Contrast | 954 | 1018 7% | 1256 32% | 964 1% | 1734 82% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 2.2 | 0.97 56% | 1.6 27% | 4.6 -109% | 4.4 -100% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 5 | 1.98 60% | 4.4 12% | 10.3 -106% | 10.4 -108% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 3.3 | 0.9 73% | 2.8 15% | 6.5 -97% | 7.5 -127% |
| Gamma | 2.23 99% | 2.135 103% | 2.21 100% | 2.19 100% | 2.19 100% |
| CCT | 7019 93% | 6571 99% | 6944 94% | 7553 86% | 7700 84% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM not detected |  | ||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17924 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
When it comes to colour accuracy, the iPad 10.2 (2020) is slightly worse than its predecessor. Nevertheless, it still remains a reference device for colour accuracy in its price range. The somewhat cooler colour reproduction does not affect the user experience in a negative way.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 20 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 7.6 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 12.4 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 37 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 39.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 18.8 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 20.4 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 54 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.7 ms). | ||
Outdoors, the iPad leaves a mixed impression. The tablet is usable in the shade. However, because there is an air gap between the glass and the panel, the reflections are very strong and annoying. A laminated display would have provided better reflection handling. Moreover, the screen is not bright enough to be legible in direct sunlight.
The viewing angles of the iPad 2020 are very wide. The colours do not become distorted even when the screen is viewed at extreme angles, and despite an air gap between the display glass and the panel there is no image-doubling effect.
Performance - Apple A12 Bionic is very powerful
The iPad 10.2 has 3 GB of RAM and is powered by the Apple A12 Bionic, which we already saw in the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max.
When it comes to performance, the iPad 8 leaves the Android competition in the dust. Only the Galaxy Tab S7, which is the highest-end Android tablet from Samsung, is able to keep up. Our storage benchmarks, which we conducted with AnTuTu, show that the iPad 2020 offers similar read and write rates to Android devices with UFS 2.1 memory. That being said, the iPad 10.2 does not do particularly well when it comes to writing small chunks of data.
The tablet feels very responsive in everyday use. We did not encounter any freezes or slowdowns. Sometimes it takes a split second for pages in a large PDF file to load.
| AnTuTu v8 - Total Score | |
| Average Apple A12 Bionic (411764 - 430333, n=2) | |
| Apple iPad 10.2 2020 | |
| Huawei MatePad 10.4 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite | |
In the browser benchmarks, the iPad 10.2 performs about as well as any other device in this price range. However, in day-to-day use, scrolling feels very smooth and websites load very quickly.
| Jetstream 2 - Total Score | |
| Apple iPad 10.2 2020 (Safari Mobile 14) | |
| Average Apple A12 Bionic (108.4 - 123.8, n=4) | |
| Apple iPad Air 3 2019 (Safari Mobile 12) | |
| Average of class Tablet (19.9 - 236, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| Apple iPad 7 2019 (Safari 13) | |
| Huawei MatePad 10.4 (Huawei Browser 10.1.4.303) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (Chrome 80.0.3987.99) | |
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Average Apple A12 Bionic (267 - 273, n=4) | |
| Apple iPad 10.2 2020 (Safari Mobile 14) | |
| Apple iPad 7 2019 (Safari 13) | |
| Average of class Tablet (57.3 - 135.7, n=5, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MatePad 10.4 (Huawei Browser 10.1.4.303) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (Chrome 80.0.3987.99) | |
| WebXPRT 3 - Overall | |
| Apple iPad 10.2 2020 (Safari Mobile 14) | |
| Average Apple A12 Bionic (155 - 166, n=6) | |
| Apple iPad Air 3 2019 (Safari Mobile 12) | |
| Average of class Tablet (34 - 342, n=42, last 2 years) | |
| Apple iPad 7 2019 (Safari 13) | |
| Huawei MatePad 10.4 (Huawei Browser 10.1.4.303) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (Chrome 80.0.3987.99) | |
| Speedometer 2.0 - Result | |
| Apple iPad 10.2 2020 (Safari Mobile 14) | |
| Average Apple A12 Bionic (123 - 139, n=4) | |
| Apple iPad Air 3 2019 (Safari Mobile 12) | |
| Average of class Tablet (14.7 - 376, n=52, last 2 years) | |
| Apple iPad 7 2019 (Safari 13) | |
| Huawei MatePad 10.4 (Huawei Browser 10.1.4.303) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (Chrome 80.0.3987.99) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Average Apple A12 Bionic (41367 - 43280, n=6) | |
| Apple iPad Air 3 2019 (Safari Mobile 12) | |
| Apple iPad 10.2 2020 (Safari Mobile 14) | |
| Apple iPad 7 2019 (Safari 13) | |
| Average of class Tablet (2672 - 74614, n=72, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MatePad 10.4 (Huawei Browser 10.1.4.303) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (Chrome 80.0.3987.99) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (Chrome 80.0.3987.99) | |
| Average of class Tablet (451 - 34733, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MatePad 10.4 (Huawei Browser 10.1.4.303) | |
| Apple iPad 7 2019 (Safari 13) | |
| Apple iPad 10.2 2020 (Safari Mobile 14) | |
| Apple iPad Air 3 2019 (Safari Mobile 12) | |
| Average Apple A12 Bionic (603 - 653, n=6) | |
* ... smaller is better
Gaming - iPad can handle every title
We use Gamebench to record frame rates for our gaming benchmarks. The Apple tablet is able to achieve playable frame rates in all modern titles on the highest settings.
In PUBG Mobile
, the iPad achieves a stable 40 FPS with the new Ultra HD preset. The role-playing game Genshin Impact
is also playable.
Gaming on the tablet may become uncomfortable after a while, because of its size and weight. The slate is able to provide a good audio experience when gaming without the use of external speakers or headphones.
Gaming
Emissions - iPad’s speakers produce some bass
Temperature
The iPad 10.2 does not get hot. Under load, the surface temperatures slightly exceed the 30-°C (86 °F) mark at several measurement points.
We use a battery testing utility known as GFXBench to examine how well our review device performs under sustained load. In the T Rex section of the GFXBench benchmark, the iPad does very well. However, in the more demanding Manhattan section, the performance drops by about 10% and subsequently stays at the same level. Howbeit, the performance is still very good and the predecessor model (1628 frames max) was never able to achieve such a high score. In the 3DMark Wild Life benchmark, the SoC exhibits very similar behaviour.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 32.3 °C / 90 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F, ranging from 20.7 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 30.4 °C / 87 F, compared to the average of 33.3 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.1 °C / 79 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.
Speakers
Both speakers of the iPad 2020 are located on the bottom and are as loud as those of the predecessor. The sound stage is very wide. However, there is a gap of about 3500 Hz between the lows and the upper highs. The tablet produces some bass, though, which can be both heard and felt.
The headphone jack has a low signal-to-noise ratio and a very linear frequency response. Wireless headphones can be connected via Bluetooth 4.2, which is not the latest standard. However, it should not cause any compatibility problems.
Apple iPad 10.2 2020 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (93.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 17.3% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (4.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5.6% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (4.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 7.1% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (6.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 26% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 68% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 23%, worst was 129%
Compared to all devices tested
» 20% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 76% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Huawei MatePad 10.4 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (88.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 16.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (12.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 16% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 82% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 23%, worst was 129%
Compared to all devices tested
» 9% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 89% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Energy Management - Tablet with very good battery life
Energy Consumption
The iPad 2020 is slightly more energy-efficient than its predecessor, especially under medium load.
The new 20-W power adapter should have no trouble supplying the Apple tablet with enough energy.
| Off / Standby |   0.01 / 0.16 Watt |
| Idle |  2.12 / 6.43 / 6.69 Watt |
| Load |
8.17 / 11.84 Watt |
    
| |
| Apple iPad 10.2 2020 8827 mAh | Apple iPad 7 2019 mAh | Apple iPad Air 3 2019 8134 mAh | Huawei MatePad 10.4 7250 mAh | Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 7040 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -15% | 4% | 31% | 30% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 2.12 | 2.2 -4% | 2.18 -3% | 1.29 39% | 1.21 43% |
| Idle Average * | 6.43 | 6.7 -4% | 6.4 -0% | 4.57 29% | 4.24 34% |
| Idle Maximum * | 6.69 | 8.2 -23% | 6.43 4% | 4.64 31% | 4.34 35% |
| Load Average * | 8.17 | 11.3 -38% | 7.48 8% | 6.01 26% | 6.99 14% |
| Load Maximum * | 11.84 | 12.5 -6% | 10.65 10% | 8.06 32% | 8.79 26% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery Life
Because the SoC is more energy-efficient, the iPad 10.2 (2020) lasts longer in our battery test than the predecessor.
The MatePad 10.4 is able to achieve even better battery runtimes. It lasted a couple of hours longer in our practically oriented Wi-Fi test.
| Apple iPad 10.2 2020 8827 mAh | Apple iPad 7 2019 mAh | Apple iPad Air 3 2019 8134 mAh | Huawei MatePad 10.4 7250 mAh | Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 7040 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -19% | -19% | 26% | 7% | |
| Reader / Idle | 2241 | 1486 -34% | 1501 -33% | 2020 -10% | 2120 -5% |
| H.264 | 934 | 802 -14% | 684 -27% | 1003 7% | 950 2% |
| WiFi v1.3 | 782 | 707 -10% | 738 -6% | 1190 52% | 792 1% |
| Load | 238 | 196 -18% | 214 -10% | 366 54% | 309 30% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict - Not much new, but still going strong
The iPad 2020 is not a huge leap forwards in the iPad 10.2 series. In addition to a more powerful SoC, there is a new USB-C 20-W charger (previous-generation iPads shipped with USB-A power adapters). Those who were hoping that Apple would replace the Lighting port with a USB Type-C port will be disappointed. Presumably, Apple decided to stick with the Lighting port to keep the price of the entry-level iPad low.
The iPad 10.2 is still the most powerful tablet in its price range.
Moreover, switching to a USB-C port would have meant that older accessories such as the first-generation Apple Pencil would no longer be usable. Instead, buyers can keep using accessories made for previous-generation Pads, which is not only user-friendly but also in line with Apple’s sustainability push. When compared to the predecessor, the iPad 2020 has a smaller carbon footprint.
However, the somewhat worse screen and the Bluetooth 4.2 chip deserve some criticism. Howbeit, this does not influence the performance of the tablet. You can use the iPad to study, work, game and stream movies. Everything is possible with the iPad.
Apple iPad 10.2 2020
-
10/16/2020 v7
Daniel Schmidt
Pricecompare
