Here Are 8 Things to Know About Apple's New iPad With the A16 Chip

While the headline feature of Apple's new lowest-cost iPad is an A16 chip, the device has some other new features and changes.

iPad A16 Colors
Apple's official name for the new entry-level iPad is iPad (A16), but we are referring to the device as the iPad 11 in this article.

Below, we recap eight smaller iPad 11 details you might have missed.

  • In the iPad 11, the A16 chip has a 5-core CPU and a 4-core GPU, whereas the A16 Bionic chip in the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15, and iPhone 15 Plus has a 6-core CPU and a 5-core GPU.
  • The iPad 11 does not support Apple Intelligence.
  • The iPad 11 is the first entry-level iPad with a 512GB storage option.
  • The iPad 11 supports Smart HDR 4, up from Smart HDR 3 on the previous model. Smart HDR 4 makes photos look "even more detailed and vivid."
  • The iPad 11 supports Bluetooth 5.3, up from Bluetooth 5.2 for the previous model.
  • While cellular iPad 10 models have a SIM card slot in all countries, the iPad 11 relies entirely on eSIM technology worldwide.
  • The iPad 11 is still compatible with the first-generation Apple Pencil.
  • Apple says the iPad 11 has an 11-inch display, while the iPad 10 is listed as having a 10.9-inch display. However, Apple is simply rounding up more with the iPad 11, as both devices actually have a 10.86-inch display.

Apple makes no mention of the iPad 11 having its custom C1 modem, so cellular models might still have a Qualcomm modem. We await teardowns.

It is also unclear how much RAM is in the iPad 11, but we are working to confirm this detail as soon as possible. iPhones with the A16 Bionic chip have 6GB of RAM, but the iPad 11 has a regular A16 chip with reduced CPU and GPU specifications, so it is unclear if the iPad 11 has 6GB of RAM. The iPad 10 has 4GB of RAM.

The new iPad can be pre-ordered now, and it will launch on Wednesday, March 12. In the U.S., the Wi-Fi model starts at $349.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPad

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Top Rated Comments

rui no onna Avatar
15 weeks ago
I'm pleasantly surprised that Apple didn't increase the base price to $449.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SteveJobs2.0 Avatar
15 weeks ago
Ridiculous that a brand new product cannot do Apple intelligence.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Billy_Bob Avatar
15 weeks ago
In its current incarnation, "Does not support Apple Intelligence" is a feature, not a bug. Grab one while you can!
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
15 weeks ago
Why do I have the feeling that most of the complaints are coming from people typing on a 13 inch iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard that they collectively spent over $1,500 on?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BelgianChoklit Avatar
15 weeks ago
It's a great price for what you're getting.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Johnny907 Avatar
15 weeks ago
lol so not just an A16 but a BINNED A16?
Wow, Apple. Our expectations were low but holy bleep.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)