Device hub · Tablets · Desk research
iPad (8th generation)
iPad (8th generation) is the September 2020 $329 leftover 10.2-inch Retina slate: first Neural Engine base iPad, A12, Lightning, 32/128GB.
Product images
Placeholder — OEM press not licensediPad (8th generation)
Credit: GadgetShowdown labeled placeholder (not an Apple asset). View official product image
Studio still only. Manufacturer press JPEGs are not hosted here. See the official product page for the real product photo.
Placeholder — OEM press not licensediPad (8th generation)
Credit: GadgetShowdown labeled placeholder (not an Apple asset). View official product image
Studio still only. Manufacturer press JPEGs are not hosted here. See the official product page for the real product photo.
In short
iPad (8th generation) is the September 2020 $329 leftover 10.2-inch Retina slate: first Neural Engine base iPad, A12, Lightning, 32/128GB. Buy leftover if you want the A12 Home-button iPad. Skip it if you want A13 64/256GB (9th gen) or USB-C (10th gen / A16).
Who it is for
- Leftover / refurb shoppers who still want a Home-button 10.2-inch iPad with Lightning, a 3.5 mm jack, Smart Connector, and the first Neural Engine on the base line.
- People comparing 8th vs 9th gen on silicon (A12 vs A13), start storage (32GB vs 64GB), front camera (1.2MP 720p vs later 12MP Center Stage), and finishes (Gold still listed here).
Who should skip it
- Anyone who wants the current base iPad. That is iPad (A16) at /tablets/ipad-a16/.
- Buyers who want USB-C or 5G. That starts at iPad (10th generation).
- People who want 64GB as the floor. 8th gen starts at 32GB on Support 118451.
Key differentiators
- Newsroom: first entry iPad with A12 Bionic and the Neural Engine.
- 32GB or 128GB only. 9th gen Support 111898 is 64GB or 256GB.
- 1.2MP FaceTime HD / 720p front camera. True Tone is not on the Support 118451 display block we pulled (9th gen adds it).
- Lightning + 3.5 mm + Smart Connector + Home-button Touch ID. Gold / Silver / Space Gray.
Caveats
- 500 nits and 10-hour battery lines are Apple claims from Support 118451 testing footnotes (August 2020).
- In-box USB-C Power Adapter wattage is not printed. Do not invent 20W from later 10th-gen boxes.
- RAM is not published. Do not invent 3GB from a teardown.
- Apple product photography is not hosted here.
Tablet-category specs
Same rows on every tablet page (iPad Pro / Air / mini, Galaxy Tab S, Pixel Tablet).
| Attribute | Value | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| Display size | 10.2-inch (diagonal) Retina; LED-backlit IPS Multi-Touch | Apple Support 118451 |
| Display type | Retina; LED-backlit IPS Multi-Touch (not Liquid Retina) | Apple Support 118451 |
| Display resolution | 2160 × 1620 at 264 ppi | Apple Support 118451 |
| Peak brightness (OEM) | 500 nits | Apple Support 118451 |
| Refresh rate | Not published | Apple Support 118451 |
| Display features | Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating. True Tone / P3 / full lamination / antireflective coating are not on the Support 118451 display block we pulled — 9th gen Support adds True Tone. | Apple Support 118451 |
| Sold size(s) | One size: iPad (8th generation), 10.2-inch | Apple Newsroom, 2020-09-15 |
| Dimensions | 250.6 × 174.1 × 7.5 mm | Apple Support 118451 |
| Weight | Wi-Fi 490 g; Wi-Fi + Cellular 495 g | Apple Support 118451 |
| Finishes | Silver; Space Gray; Gold | Apple Support 118451 |
| Chassis / enclosure | Support Environment block: 100% recycled aluminum in the enclosure | Apple Support 118451 |
| Chip / processor | A12 Bionic with 64-bit architecture and Neural Engine. Support does not print. | Apple Support 118451; Apple Newsroom 2020-09-15 |
| Memory (RAM) | Not published | Apple Support 118451 |
| On-device storage | 32GB or 128GB (no microSD). Do not copy 9th gen 64/256GB onto this leftover. | Apple Support 118451 |
| Operating system | Support 118451 still names iPadOS 14 on the OS row we pulled. Quote the live signed iPadOS on apple.com/ipados. | Apple Support 118451 |
| Pencil / stylus | Supports Apple Pencil (1st generation). Not in the box. Pencil (2nd generation) / USB-C / hover are not on the Support 118451 display block. | Apple Support 118451 |
| Keyboard / cover (OEM) | Smart Connector on the chassis. Newsroom education block lists Smart Keyboard (sold separately). Do not write Magic Keyboard Folio onto this Home-button iPad. | Apple Support 118451; Apple Newsroom 2020-09-15 |
| Biometrics | Touch ID in the Home button | Apple Support 118451 |
| Speakers | Stereo speakers | Apple Support 118451 |
| Microphones | Dual microphones for calls, video recording, and audio recording | Apple Support 118451 |
| Cellular | Wi-Fi models: none. Wi-Fi + Cellular: Gigabit-class LTE; nano-SIM + eSIM; data only. Not 5G. | Apple Support 118451 |
| Wireless (Wi-Fi / Bluetooth) | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac; dual band; HT80 with MIMO; Bluetooth 4.2 | Apple Support 118451 |
| Ports / expansion | Lightning connector; 3.5 mm headphone jack; Smart Connector; nano-SIM tray on cellular SKUs | Apple Support 118451 |
| Rear camera | 8 MP, ƒ/2.4; 1080p HD video at 30 fps | Apple Support 118451 |
| Front camera | 1.2 MP FaceTime HD, ƒ/2.4; 720p HD video. Center Stage / 12MP are not on Support 118451 — those start on 9th gen. | Apple Support 118451 |
| Battery (OEM) | 32.4Wh. Up to 10 hours Wi-Fi web or video; cellular models up to 9 hours web on cellular | Apple Support 118451 |
| Charging (OEM) | Lightning to USB-C Cable and USB-C Power Adapter in the box. Adapter wattage is not printed on Support 118451. | Apple Support 118451 |
| Durability / ingress | Not published | Apple Support 118451 |
| Location / GNSS | All models: digital compass, Wi-Fi, iBeacon. Cellular models add GPS/GNSS | Apple Support 118451 |
| US MSRP (launch) | Wi-Fi $329; Wi-Fi + Cellular $459 (Newsroom 15 September 2020) | Apple Newsroom, 2020-09-15 |
| Price band | Previous entry Apple tablet ($329 US launch before Pencil/Keyboard) | Derived from Apple launch prices |
| Announced | 15 September 2020 | Apple Newsroom |
| Availability | Order from 15 September 2020; availability beginning Friday 18 September 2020. Current base iPad is A16. | Apple Newsroom, 2020-09-15 |
iPad (8th generation) extras
Unique to this line or SKU. Other tablets keep the first table aligned and swap this extras list.
| Attribute | Value | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| First Neural Engine base iPad | Newsroom 15 September 2020. A12 Bionic. Do not copy A13 from 9th gen backward. | Apple Newsroom, 2020-09-15 |
| 32GB / 128GB only | Not published | Apple Support 118451 |
| Later leftover sibling | iPad (9th generation) is live at /tablets/ipad-9th-generation/ — A13, 64/256GB, 12MP Center Stage front camera, True Tone on Support 111898. | Apple Support 111898 |
| Leftover predecessor | iPad (7th generation) is live at /tablets/ipad-7th-generation/ — A10 Fusion (no Neural Engine row), 32/128GB, 483/493 g, first 10.2-inch Smart Keyboard entry iPad. | Apple Support 111911 |
Overview
iPad (8th generation) is the September 2020 Home-button 10.2-inch base iPad — the first entry iPad Newsroom says includes the Neural Engine. Current base sell-in is iPad (A16). This hub stays so leftover shoppers have a tablets-v1 record instead of mixing A12 32GB rows with later A13 / USB-C sheets.
We have not used this iPad.
Display, chip, ports
Retina IPS, 2160 × 1620, 264 ppi, 500 nits. True Tone is not on Support 118451. Chip is A12 + Neural Engine. Storage is 32GB or 128GB. Ports: Lightning + 3.5 mm + Smart Connector.
Sources
- Apple Newsroom — Apple introduces eighth-generation iPad with a huge jump in performance — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Support — iPad (8th generation) tech specs — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from iPad (9th generation)?
8th gen is A12, 32/128GB, 1.2MP 720p front camera, Gold still listed, 490/495 g. 9th gen is A13, 64/256GB, 12MP Center Stage, True Tone on Support 111898, Silver/Space Gray.
Official product page: iPad (8th generation). Tech specs: iPad (8th generation) specs.