A Tablet Gamer’s Tested Review of Apple iPad (2021)

We can’t give Apple too many stars in this category. The 2021 edition is barely an upgrade from the 2020 iPad, in terms of appearance. It’s the same size, coming in 25.06 x 17.41 x 0.75cm, with a 10.2″ display, although the Retina display was enhanced with True Tone color quality. As for weight, there’s a negligible shaving of 0.01 pounds (3 grams) off the new version, down from 1.08lb (490gm) in 2020, to 1.07lb (487gm) in 2021.

It boasts a nice 12MP front camera, perfect for those ZOOM meetings so many of us endured. Apple doubled down on storage space, increasing the min/max from 32/128 to 64/256. The device has all the usual sensors, with Touch ID and fingerprint for security, but no Face ID. Add on an Apple Smart Keyboard, and it becomes a great little laptop. With the Gen-1 Apple Pen, it becomes a notepad, sketchbook or canvas. While the pen is extremely easy to use and draws pretty well, you’ll have to plug it into the Lightning port to charge it. It’s not nearly as exquisite, or as handy, as the Gen-2 Pen’s artistic ability and magnetic set-it-and-forget-it wireless charging. But alas, Pen Gen-2 is not compatible.

Even without those frills, the iPad holds its own for its price range.

2021 iPad Standard – Performance

This is where Apple’s value-tab shines the most. The Apple iPad (2021) outperforms all other competitors in its price column. Heck, it performs better than any Samsung tablet you’d expect to pay twice as much for. It really is that good.

The A13 Bionic processor, despite being less advanced than any other Apple tablet of 2021+, is a beast. It loads anything and everything without delay, even when multitasking. Browsers, apps, background systems – everything just works, with no noticeable lag to speak of.

The one thing that must be noted, however, is the major difference in storage capacities. the 2021 iPad comes in two sizes – 64GB or 256GB. As always, there’s no option to expand storage with an SD card. That means you’ll need to choose wisely before you buy. 64GB is a good amount of space if you do most of your activities in browser. But it runs out quickly if you download a lot of apps. You’ll pay quite a bit more for the 256GB version, but it’s probably worth it in the long run.

iPad Online Casino Gamer’s Pro Tip
Today’s mobile casinos do not require an app to play. It’s an option, but not necessary. The mobile browser and mobile app editions are virtually identical. As such, the 64GB iPad will run all your iGaming favorites seamlessly. The 256GB upgrade is only necessary if you prefer apps to in-browser gaming.

All that high-tech performance should last you a good, long while. The battery boasts a 10hr lifespan between charges. The more you do, the faster it depletes, but we’ve had good experiences with it. It’s not any better than the previous version, but it’s just as good, and it really does live up to the 10hr hype. Plus, you can recharge it in under 3 hours with its included 20W charger.

Reasons to Buy or Pass on Apple’s 2021 iPad

Is this the right tablet for you? Does the standard Apple iPad meet all your needs and expectations? We’ve already established that the Apple iPad (2021) is a great option for mobile casino gambling. But is it the right choice for you, specifically? That really depends on what else you might intend to do with it. Here’s a quick list of reasons you should or should not buy this particular tablet.

Buy the Apple iPad 2021 if you…
» …want an Apple tablet, but don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for it.
» …plan to spend a lot of time using it outdoors. That True Color Retina display is amazing at eliminating the glare other tablets are notorious for.
» …appreciate good camera and video quality, especially in live streaming situations (video calls, ZOOM meetings, etc.)

Don’t Buy an Apple 2021 iPad if you…
» …already have the Apple iPad 2020 edition.
» …appreciation good sound quality. The speakers are not nearly as good as other iPad models, making it hard to listen to music for any length of time.
» …fancy yourself an aspiring artist, or better. The iPad and Apple Pen make a good combo for notes and basic sketching, but for anything more, you’ll want Apple Pen Gen-2 compatibility.