There’s no doubt that Apple makes some great products, and if you’re an Apple fan — or have one in your life — then you’re probably already scouting for AirPods, iPhones, and iPads to put under the tree this year.
While you certainly can’t go wrong with an iPhone 14 Pro, iPad Air (2022), or the latest AirPods Pro, not everything Apple has on the market right now is an obvious buying choice. There are a few that you should probably avoid, or at least think carefully about before you decide to slap down your credit card or click that buy button.
iPad (10th Gen, 2022)
Joe Maring/Digital Trends
This year, Apple unified the design language of its iPad lineup by finally updating the standard iPad to match the more premium iPad Air and iPad Pro. Sadly, though, this wasn’t quite the refresh many hoped for.
For one thing, it’s not a replacement for the entry-level iPad, as evidenced by the fact that Apple is still selling last year’s model at the same $329 price. The new iPad (2022) will set you back $449, placing it almost halfway to the price of the considerably better iPad Air (2022).
Further, despite the new design, the iPad (2022) lacks support for the second-generation Apple Pencil and the Magic Keyboard. Instead, Apple has introduced a new $249 Magic Keyboard Folio explicitly designed for that iPad model. While that’s $100 cheaper than the full Magic Keyboard, it’s a purchase that locks you into that lower-end model; the Magic Keyboard Folio doesn’t work with the iPad Air or iPad Pro. The same applies to the first-generation Apple Pencil, which still sports a Lightning connector and requires a more convoluted charging process for the new USB-C-equipped iPad.
The bottom line is that the iPad (2022) is in a pretty odd place in Apple’s lineup. It’s not a bad choice, but it’s definitely a niche product. The iPad (2021) is still available, and while it doesn’t have the shiny new design of this year’s model, it’s $120 cheaper and offers nearly the same performance, making it the iPad of choice for those on a budget. On the other hand, for only $150 more than the iPad (2022), you can get the iPad Air (2022) with Apple’s M1 chip, support for the much better Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard, and a fully laminated anti-reflective display.
iPhone 12
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