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

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 (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

apple price hike

Apple Just Increased Prices on MacBooks, iPads, and More

Thursday June 25, 2026 5:44 am PDT by
Apple today dramatically increased device prices across multiple product lines. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. After temporarily taking it down earlier today, Apple's online store is back up with a series of product price increases. The changes are as follows: HomePod mini: $129, up from $99 (+$30) HomePod: $349, up from $299 (+$50) Apple TV: $199, up from...
iPhone 5c Yellow

Apple Pulls Ability to Restore iPhone 5c, iPad Mini, and More [Updated]

Thursday July 9, 2026 5:31 am PDT by
Apple has stopped signing several older versions of iOS for a group of legacy iPhone and iPad models, cutting off the paths to reinstall or downgrade the affected software. Apple will no longer validate over-the-air (OTA) or direct IPSW installs of the builds in question. Once a version is unsigned, there is no longer a way to restore or install it through Finder or iTunes. The change is...
iphone 16 teal

'Siri AI' Lawsuit Update: Apple to Pay Owners of These iPhone Models

Thursday July 9, 2026 7:08 am PDT by
In May, Apple agreed to pay $250 million to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit over Siri AI's delayed launch, and eligible iPhone users could receive up to a $95 payout. This week, the California court overseeing the case held a hearing regarding preliminary approval of the settlement, but the judge has not yet issued a ruling. It will likely be at least a few more months before eligible...

Top Rated Comments

rui no onna Avatar
18 months ago
I'm pleasantly surprised that Apple didn't increase the base price to $449.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
18 months ago
Ridiculous that a brand new product cannot do Apple intelligence.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Billy_Bob Avatar
18 months 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
18 months 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
18 months ago
It's a great price for what you're getting.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Johnny907 Avatar
18 months 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)