Apple
Apple iPad 11-inch (A16), 128GB, Wi-Fi 6, Liquid Retina
Apple iPad 11-inch (A16), 128GB, Wi-Fi 6, Liquid Retina
Our Verdict
The tablet with the deepest library of apps actually designed for a tablet, and the longest software support.
Why it's number one: Three published reviews of this exact model, the deepest library of apps built for a tablet rather than scaled from a phone, and the longest software support in the category.
It is close: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite scores slightly higher, carried by an exceptional owner rating on a deep record, and it includes an S Pen the iPad charges extra for. No outlet has reviewed it, so it cannot take the top slot here. It is the better buy if you want to write on the screen; the iPad is the better buy if you want it working in five years.
The case for an iPad has little to do with the hardware and everything to do with what runs on it. Tablet-specific versions of professional creative, note-taking and productivity apps arrive on iPadOS first and often only, and Apple supports its devices with software updates for far longer than the Android tablet market manages. The A16 model is the standard iPad rather than the Air or Pro, which means a good Liquid Retina display, Wi-Fi 6 and enough performance for anything short of sustained professional work. The limitation worth knowing is storage: there is no card slot, so the 128GB you buy is permanent. Its case rests on software and support rather than price: everything else here costs less.
Owners is our reading of this listing's Amazon UK owner rating (excellent rating, very deep record), shrunk toward the category average when the record is thin. Critics averages 3 published reviews. Tick marks show the category average.
How we scored it
Each measure is marked against the category's rubric, where 10 is the best you can buy, 8 is strong, 6 is basic but sound and 4 falls short. The bars show that mark on the Top7 scale (a 6 reads as 7.0, an 8 as 8.5); the notes quote the rubric mark.
- Software 10.0 (rubric 10): iPadOS: the largest library of tablet-native apps, and the longest update support in the category.
- Display 8.5 (rubric 8): 11-inch Liquid Retina, per the listing. Sharp and accurate; no high refresh rate on this model.
- Expandability 5.5 (rubric 4): No microSD slot. The 128GB bought is permanent.
Critic scores: Expert Reviews 5/5 · Macworld 4/5 · TechAdvisor 4/5
Pros
- + The deepest library of apps built for a tablet rather than scaled from a phone
- + Software support runs far longer than the Android tablet norm
- + Liquid Retina display and Wi-Fi 6
- + Very deep owner record on Amazon UK
Cons
- − No microSD slot: storage is fixed at purchase
- − The most expensive tablet here
- − The Apple Pencil is sold separately
- − This is the standard iPad, not the Air or Pro