Apple iPad 8th Generation Review & Expert Opinion
Talking about Apple products, most of them are priced very premium. But, if one asks which of the apple product provides the Best value for money, the first thing that comes to our mind is the iPad. Thus, when it comes to premium Tabs, choosing an Apple device is a no-brainer. The top-notch built with the state of art features & the signature Retina display make the Apple iPad 8th Generation a device like no other. It is one of the best devices for an artist or graphic designer to invest their money without any second thoughts. But, what makes it such a great choice among other devices, and what are some of its drawbacks? We are going to find out in this ‘Apple iPad 8th Generation Review’.
This review is based on the extensive usage by our team & customer feedbacks that we have gathered by doing market research. So, please read till the end to know the pros/cons of this device & our final verdict on it.
Apple iPad 8th Generation Review- what to expect?
If you are low on time and just want a quick opinion before buying the Apple IPad 8th Generation tab, here is an Honest expert opinion summarizing this Apple IPad 8th Generation Review:
Features | Review |
---|---|
Build Quality | Great with metal body & Oleophobic coating. |
Display Quality | Great Quality Retina Display |
OS & UI | Good Latest iPad OS 14 |
Processor | Great multitasking by A12 Bionic chip |
Sound | Good Duel- stereo speakers |
Microphone | Great dual-mic setup |
Design & Looks | Great premium looks & design |
Connectivity Options | Average with Bluetooth v4.2 |
Battery | Great Battery life with fast charging facility |
Camera | Good camera for well-lit conditions |
After-sales service | Great service |
Price | Good premium option |
Now, if you still want a detailed insight about each & every aspect of this IPad, we recommend you to read this article carefully till the end to get the complete list of pros/cons and the final verdict by us.
Apple iPad 8th Generation Launch date in India
Apple iPad 8th Generation was launched in September 2020 and is sold online through Amazon India & offline through Apple stores.
Older versions and Alternatives of Apple iPad 8th Generation
The first IPad was launched in April 2010. Starting from this, Apple has launched eight generations of basic IPad, four generations of IPad Air, five generations of IPad mini, and five generations of Apple IPad Pro to date.
The most recent iPad models are:
- 5th generation iPad mini, released on March 18, 2019
- 8th generation iPad, released on September 18, 2020
- 4th generation iPad Air, released on October 23, 2020
- 5th generation iPad Pro, released on May 21, 2021
Features Rating
Display quality
Build quality
Battery life
Performance
Box Content
- IPad
- USB-C to Lightning Cable
- USB-C Power Adapter
The display quality of the Apple iPad 8th generation
The Good:
One of the most beautiful things that we found about the Apple iPad 8th generation is its 10.2-inch retina display. Technically speaking, the Retina display used by apple is a high-end branding of the IPS-led or OLED display with higher pixel density. The main motive of using Retina displays is to make the text and images extremely crisp avoid any color distortion or leaking.
The display resolution of the Apple iPad 8th generation is 2160 by 1620 pixels at 264 pixels per inch. The screen is also very bright as the brightness is capped at 500 nits. What it means in simpler terms is that you can use it in the dark indoors as well as in bright sunny outdoors, without straining your eyes.
The BAD:
In this era of bezel-less screens, Apple still decided to keep the thick bezels in its IPads. The bezels we see here are the traditional wide on top and bottom and lesser on the side. However, wide bezels give you the liberty to hold the Tab properly with your hands without blocking the screen.
The Conclusion:
The screen quality of the Apple iPad 8th generation is undoubtedly one of the Best that you can buy today. Also, the beautiful Icons & butter smooth UI compliments it very well.
Sound Quality of Apple iPad 8th generation
The Good:
The iPad 8th generation comes with the standard iPad stereo speakers. The speakers are loud, and the sound quality is also superb. It performs equally well while watching videos or playing games.
The BAD:
The speakers of this IPad are located at the bottom on either side of the lighting port. These down-firing speakers make it challenging to keep it on the stand in portrait mode or hold it in your hands in the landscape mode without blocking the sound.
The Conclusion:
The speakers of this iPad are of good quality but, it gets better when you attach a high Quality external audio device to it. Best paired with the Apple ear pods, it produces excellent quality sound even when you connect it to a home theatre system or any other top-end Audio device.
Build Quality
The Good:
Apple is known for using the most premium-grade materials in the industry. Apple iPad 8th generation comes with a full aluminum back panel and an IPS display with Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating.
The BAD:
The aluminum back panel is prone to scratches by metal objects. So, we would always suggest you use it with a good quality casing.
The Conclusion:
The use of metal rims & metal back-panel makes it look very premium and sturdy. Moreover, the branding of apple adds the cherry to the top.
Battery life of Apple iPad 8th generation
The Good:
The iPad 8th generation comes with an 8827 mAh battery which gives up to 10 hours of video watch time and surfing the web on Wi‐Fi or up to 9 hours of surfing the web using a cellular data network. In our testing, the battery of this iPad easily lasted the day for a typical light to medium usage.
You can easily charge this device through a power adapter or USB port using the lightning port. The charging time varies depending on the adapter you are using. Typically, the standard adapter took us about 4 to 5 hours to charge it from 0 to 100.
The BAD:
You can only use apple accessories to charge this device. You can’t use any micro USB or type-c charger here.
The Conclusion:
The battery life of the iPad 8th generation is one of the best in the segment, which easily lasts for the day, even for medium to heavy usages.
Connectivity options in Apple iPad 8th generation
The Good:
It comes with a lightning port and a smart connector port for keyboard connection. The good thing here is this apple device still supports the good old 3.5mm jack port, which comes in very handy for Gaming headphones or speakers.
The BAD:
The Apple iPad 8th generation supports the Bluetooth 4.2 technology, which is a bit outdated at this price point. Apple should have upgraded the Bluetooth to at least v5.0. Still, nevertheless, the connection is solid & sturdy, and you won’t face any real-time issues or lag.
There are two different variants of the 8th generation iPad, one with only Wi-Fi capability and another with cellular and Wi-Fi. One noteworthy thing is that none of them has call capability and thus you can’t use it to replace a mobile phone. However, you can easily use FaceTime for voice and video calls if you have an internet connection.
The Conclusion:
Leaving the on-paper specs aside, the iPad 8th generation connects well with anything. And, with a bit of effort and maybe some investment, it opens the door to the connection to most premium devices.
Performance
The Good:
The iPad 8th generation comes with an A12 Bionic chip with 64‑bit architecture. This chipset is enough for your daily usages. You won’t face a problem during Gaming or multitasking in the Tab.
It comes with 3GB RAM and two storage variants of 32GB and 128GB.
The BAD:
This 8th generation iPad has no performance issues whatsoever.
The Conclusion:
You are going to get an unmatched performance by this highly optimized piece of equipment.
Operating system & user interface
The Good:
The iPadOS 14 comes pre-installed in the Apple iPad 8th generation, one of the most customized and beautiful UI that you can find in a tab. The OS 14 makes it very easy to use and multitask, suitable for students and professionals similarly. This Tab supports the Apple pencil 1 generation, which is a tool convenient for artists & designers.
For unlocking the device, it comes with the traditional front-facing Apple fingerprint design.
The BAD:
The main drawback of using an Apple OS is that you can’t use the software only made for windows or android systems. However, most developers provide support for all three platforms nowadays, so it rarely causes a problem.
The Conclusion:
The iOS is designed to provide a butter-smooth operating experience to the user. In a way, it’s good that it doesn’t support lower-end software because not installing an untrusted piece of software is the only thing that can protect your privacy and give you a lag-free experience as well.
Microphone Quality of Apple IPad 8th Generation
The Good:
It comes with a dual-mic setup, and the quality is top-notch. You can easily use this iPad for video and audio recording as well as for general purpose calls.
The BAD:
There is nothing to complain about here.
The Conclusion:
The two-mic setup dramatically enhances the audio reception & quality during Face timing or recording a video. No inbuilt stock mic of any device comes anyway closer to the iPad 8th generation.
The camera quality of the Apple iPad 8th generation
The Good:
It comes with a front camera of 1.2MP with ƒ/2.4 aperture for FaceTime and an 8MP camera with ƒ/2.4 aperture for document scanning and casual video recording.
The BAD:
The cameras on the Apple iPad 8th generation are not for professional usages due to the lower resolution. But then the main USP of this Tab was never its camera.
The Conclusion:
Even with the lower resolution & specs, the camera of this iPad was able to click some great photos in good lighting conditions. It may struggle a bit during the nighttime but still does not goes completely dark.
Pros & cons of Apple iPad 8th generation
Why you should buy ?
Why you shouldn’t ?
Buy for : Best Display & Performance
If you are not convinced whether this tablet will be best for you or not, and looking for other options. Here is the complete list of best tablet which you can check out right now.
Top 7 Best Tab In India 2021 & The Ultimate Tab Buying Guide
Are Apple iPads any good?
As a premium electronics Brand, Apple does not need any introduction. Established in 1976-77 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, Apple has now become the world’s largest technology company by revenue. Apple Inc. is an American MNC that specializes in consumer electronics, computer software, and online services.
From Macintosh computers, iPods, iPhones, iPads to Apple watches, Apple TV, and now electric vehicles, the brand name only spells excellence. If you have the budget to buy an Apple product, it makes no sense to even think about other options. Aesthetically beautiful & technologically advanced devices of Apple have a very loyal fan base all over the globe. Slowly, Apple products are becoming more than a status symbol; it’s the new way of life.
Final verdict of this ‘Apple iPad 8th Generation Review’
no doubt that the Apple iPad 8th generation is among the best performance-oriented Tab you can buy today. All you need to keep in mind is choosing the variant best suited to your needs to get the best value for your money.
Cyborg suggests:
If you are on a tighter budget, we recommend choosing the model without cellular support. In this way, you will save a significant amount of money to invest in a model with more extensive internal storage. Here it is worth noting that you can always use the Wi-Fi to make calls, but you won’t have an option to add external storage in the Apple iPad 8th generation. Remember that even the cheapest Apple model is still better than most of the other brand options when it comes to tablets.
Alternatives of Apple iPad 8th Generation
Apple iPad Pro (3rd gen)
1. Display – (12.9”) Liquid Retina XDR
2. Processor – M1 chip
3. Storage – Up to 2TB
4. Camera – 12MP Wide and 10MP Ultra Wide cameras
4. Approx. Price – ₹71,900.00
Apple iPad Air (4th gen)
1. Display – (10.9”) Liquid Retina display
2. Processor – A14 Bionic chip
3. Storage – Up to 256GB
4. Camera – 12MP Wide camera
5. Approx. Price – ₹65,490.00
Apple iPad mini (4th gen)
1. Display – (10.2″) Retina display
2. Processor – A12 Bionic chip
3. Storage – Up to 128GB
4. Camera – 8MP Wide camera
5. Approx. Price – ₹45,900.00