Device hub · Tablets · Desk research
iPad (A16)
iPad (A16) is the $349 10.86-inch Liquid Retina slate: A16, landscape stereo, Smart Connector, Pencil USB-C / 1st gen.
Product images
Placeholder — OEM press not licensediPad (A16)
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 licensedLaunch copy lives on the 4 March 2025 Air Newsroom post.
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 (A16) is the $349 10.86-inch Liquid Retina slate: A16, landscape stereo, Smart Connector, Pencil USB-C / 1st gen. Buy it for the cheapest current Apple tablet with a folio keyboard path. Skip it if you want Pencil Pro hover, USB 3, or Wi-Fi 6E.
Who it is for
- Buyers who want a current Apple 10.86-inch slate at the $349 US Wi-Fi start with 128GB (double the previous generation’s starting storage, per Newsroom).
- Classrooms and families who will use Smart Connector folios and Touch ID, not Pencil Pro hover.
- Color-sensitive shoppers: Silver, Blue, Pink, Yellow.
- Cellular users who want 5G eSIM on the cheapest current iPad (+$150 US launch).
Who should skip it
- Anyone who wants Apple Pencil Pro or hover. Support lists Pencil (USB-C) and Pencil (1st generation) only.
- Buyers who want USB 3, Wi-Fi 6E/7, or published RAM. This port is USB 2.0 (480Mb/s); wireless is Wi-Fi 6 / Bluetooth 5.3; RAM is not on the Support sheet.
- People who need 11/13-inch Air windowing space with M-series silicon, or an 8.3-inch mini.
- Shoppers who need an IP rating — not published.
Key differentiators
- Cheapest current iPad on Apple’s published US ladder: $349 Wi-Fi / $499 cellular at the 4 March 2025 launch, with 128 / 256 / 512GB.
- Smart Connector on the chassis — unlike mini (A17 Pro), which has no Smart Connector on the Support connector list.
- Landscape 12MP Center Stage front camera and landscape stereo on a 7 mm / 477–481 g slab.
- A16 (5-core CPU / 4-core GPU / 16-core Neural Engine). Newsroom compared it to the previous-generation base iPad — we have not measured that claim.
Caveats
- RAM is not on Support 122240 — keep the tablets-v1 memory key and write “not published.” Do not invent 6GB or 8GB from a teardown.
- Pencil Pro is not listed. Do not copy Air/Pro hover language onto this first table.
- Battery “up to 10 hours” and 500 nits are Apple claims. We have not held this iPad.
- 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 | 10.86-inch Liquid Retina (rectangle diagonal; rounded-corner footnote) | Apple Support 122240 |
| Display type | Liquid Retina; LED-backlit IPS Multi-Touch | Apple Support 122240 |
| Display resolution | 2360 × 1640 at 264 ppi | Apple Support 122240 |
| Peak brightness (OEM) | 500 nits | Apple Support 122240 |
| Refresh rate | Not published | Apple Support 122240 |
| Display features | True Tone; oleophobic coating. Wide color (P3), full lamination, and antireflective coating are not listed on the 122240 display block we pulled — do not copy those Air/Pro rows here. | Apple Support 122240 |
| Sold size(s) | 10.86-inch iPad (A16) only | Apple Support 122240 |
| Dimensions | 248.6 × 179.5 × 7 mm (Wi-Fi and cellular) | Apple Support 122240 |
| Weight | Wi-Fi 477 g (1.05 lb); Wi-Fi + Cellular 481 g (1.06 lb) | Apple Support 122240 |
| Finishes | Silver; Blue; Pink; Yellow | Apple Support 122240 |
| Chassis / enclosure | Aluminum enclosure; Apple Environment block: 100% recycled aluminum in the enclosure and metal chassis; 40% recycled content overall | Apple Support 122240 (Environment) |
| Chip / processor | A16: 5-core CPU, 4-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine | Apple Support 122240 |
| Memory (RAM) | Not published | Apple Support 122240Do not invent a GB figure from a retailer bullet or teardown. |
| On-device storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB (no 1TB; no microSD) | Apple Support 122240 |
| Operating system | iPadOS (Apple Support names the OS family) | Apple Support 122240 |
| Pencil / stylus | Supports Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil (1st generation) with USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter. Pencil Pro and hover are not listed. Neither Pencil is in the box. | Apple Support 122240 |
| Keyboard / cover (OEM) | Not published | Apple Support 122240 (Buttons and Connectors) |
| Biometrics | Touch ID in the top button | Apple Support 122240 |
| Speakers | Landscape stereo speakers | Apple Support 122240 |
| Microphones | Dual microphones for calls, video recording, and audio recording | Apple Support 122240 |
| Cellular | Wi-Fi models: none. Wi-Fi + Cellular: 5G sub-6 with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; eSIM only (not compatible with physical SIM). Model A3355 band list on the spec sheet. | Apple Support 122240 |
| Wireless (Wi-Fi / Bluetooth) | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) 2x2 MIMO; simultaneous dual band; Bluetooth 5.3 | Apple Support 122240 |
| Ports / expansion | USB-C with charging, DisplayPort, and USB 2.0 (up to 480Mb/s); Smart Connector. No magnetic Pencil Pro connector language on this sheet. | Apple Support 122240 |
| Rear camera | 12MP Wide, ƒ/1.8; 4K video up to 60 fps | Apple Support 122240 |
| Front camera | Landscape 12MP Center Stage, ƒ/2.4; 1080p video; Retina Flash | Apple Support 122240 |
| Battery (OEM) | 28.93Wh. Up to 10 hours Wi-Fi web or video; cellular models up to 9 hours web on cellular | Apple Support 122240Apple test footnote: January–February 2025 preproduction units, 50% brightness. |
| Charging (OEM) | USB-C Charge Cable (1m) and 20W USB-C Power Adapter in the box. Charging via adapter or USB-C to computer. | Apple Support 122240 |
| Durability / ingress | Not published | Apple Support 122240 |
| Location / GNSS | All models: digital compass, Wi-Fi, iBeacon. Cellular models add GPS/GNSS | Apple Support 122240 |
| US MSRP (launch) | Wi-Fi $349; Wi-Fi + Cellular $499 (US, 4 March 2025, 128GB start). Education: $329 / $479. 256GB and 512GB extra. Re-check apple.com. | Apple Newsroom, 2025-03-04 |
| Price band | Entry Apple tablet ($349 US launch before Pencil/folio) | Derived from Apple $349 start |
| Announced | 4 March 2025 | Apple Newsroom |
| Availability | Pre-order from 4 March 2025; Apple said stores from 12 March 2025. Still the current base iPad Support sheet on 19 September 2026. | Apple Newsroom 2025-03-04; Apple Support 122240 |
iPad (A16) extras
Unique to this line or SKU. Other tablets keep the first table aligned and swap this extras list.
| Attribute | Value | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| No Apple Pencil Pro | Display block lists Pencil (USB-C) and Pencil (1st generation) only. Hover is not listed. | Apple Support 122240 |
| USB 2.0 port | Up to 480Mb/s — not USB 3 (10Gb/s) on Air/mini and not Thunderbolt on Pro | Apple Support 122240 |
| External display | One external display up to 4K at 60Hz | Apple Support 122240 |
| In the box | iPad; USB-C Charge Cable (1m); 20W USB-C Power Adapter | Apple Support 122240 |
| 128GB start | Newsroom: double the previous-generation starting storage | Apple Newsroom, 2025-03-04 |
Overview
iPad (A16) is Apple’s current base 10.86-inch tablet. The job-to-be-done is “cheapest current iPad with Smart Connector,” not “Air silicon” and not “mini carry.” Year introduced on Support is 2025; it was still the current base sheet on 19 September 2026.
We have not used this iPad. Newsroom performance comparisons versus the previous base iPad stay Apple claims.
Display, chip, and speakers
IPS Liquid Retina, 2360 × 1640, 264 ppi, 500 nits, True Tone. The Support display block we pulled does not list P3, full lamination, or antireflective coating — do not copy those Air rows.
A16 is 5-core CPU / 4-core GPU / 16-core Neural Engine. RAM stays not published. Speakers are landscape stereo with dual mics.
Pencil, keyboard, ports
stylus is Pencil USB-C + 1st gen — not Pencil Pro. keyboard is Smart Connector (folios sold separately). ports is USB 2.0 480Mb/s. Those three honest downgrades versus Air are why this hub exists.
Wireless is Wi-Fi 6 / Bluetooth 5.3 on the A16 Support sheet we cite — do not copy Wi-Fi 6E from Air.
Battery
28.93Wh; up to 10 hours Wi-Fi web or video; 9 hours cellular web. 20W brick is in the box.
How this page compares on a desk (not a vs-page)
| Desk fact (OEM) | iPad (A16) | iPad (10th generation) | iPad Air (M4) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chip | A16 (RAM not published) | A14 (RAM not published) | M4 / 12GB |
| Pencil | USB-C + 1st gen | USB-C + 1st gen | Pencil Pro + USB-C + hover |
| Port | USB 2.0 480 Mb/s | USB 2.0 480 Mb/s | USB 3 10Gb/s |
| US Wi-Fi start | $349 (Mar 2025) | $449 (Oct 2022) | $599 / $799 (Mar 2026) |
Sources
- Apple Newsroom — Apple introduces iPad Air with powerful M3 chip (includes iPad A16 pricing) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Support — iPad (A16) tech specs — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Support — Identify your iPad model — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Does it work with Apple Pencil Pro?
Support does not list Pencil Pro or hover. It lists Pencil (USB-C) and Pencil (1st generation) with an adapter. Keep the stylus key honest.
How much RAM does it have?
Apple does not publish RAM on Support 122240. We write “not published.” Do not paste a rumor.
Is this the 11th-generation iPad?
Apple’s Support title is iPad (A16), year introduced 2025. Informal “11th gen” labels are not the H1. If Apple ships a newer base iPad, add a new slug.
USB-C — how fast?
Support lists USB 2.0 up to 480Mb/s. That is slower than Air/mini USB 3 (10Gb/s) and Pro Thunderbolt. External display: one panel up to 4K/60.
Official product page: iPad (A16). Tech specs: iPad (A16) specs.