Apple iPad 11" A16 Yellow 2025

The Apple iPad A16 is the best entry-level tablet for most people, finally offering 128GB of base storage and a reliable A16 chip for everyday tasks. It's a champ for streaming, note-taking, and video calls, but the non-laminated 60Hz display and weak gaming performance make it a poor choice for creatives and gamers. If you just need a great screen for the basics, this is it.

The A16 chip is a known quantity, and in everyday tasks, it's perfectly snappy. Apps open fast, multitasking with Slide Over and Split View is smooth, and scrolling through web pages feels fluid. For note-taking, streaming, and browsing, this iPad is in its comfort zone. But our database tells a different story when you push it. The CPU sits in the 28th percentile compared to all products we track, and the GPU is even lower at the 19th percentile. That means for anything beyond casual gaming or light photo editing, this thing is going to struggle.

We ran some benchmarks, and the numbers confirm it. In Geekbench 6, the single-core score is respectable, but the multi-core performance gets left in the dust by M-series iPads and even some high-end Android tablets. The 8GB of RAM is fine for now, but it's in the 14th percentile overall, which means it's not exactly future-proofed for heavier iPadOS updates down the line. The real weak spot is gaming, where it scored a brutal 5.7 out of 100 in our testing. You can play Apple Arcade titles just fine, but demanding games like Genshin Impact or Resident Evil Village will chug, with frame rates dropping into uncomfortable territory even at medium settings. This is a tablet for productivity and play, not for pushing polygons.

This iPad's biggest competition comes from within Apple's own lineup. The iPad Air with the M1 chip is the elephant in the room. It's often on sale for not much more than a higher-storage A16 model, and it gives you a laminated display, better Apple Pencil support, and a chip that absolutely demolishes the A16 in multi-core and graphics. The A16's GPU is in the 19th percentile, while the M1 is in a different league entirely. If you plan to do any drawing or photo editing, the Air's screen alone is worth the upgrade.

Looking outside Apple, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE is a direct competitor at a similar price. It includes an S Pen in the box and has a 90Hz display, which makes scrolling feel smoother than the iPad's 60Hz panel. However, iPadOS is still a more polished tablet experience with a better app ecosystem. The Microsoft Surface Laptop ZXX-00026 is a different beast entirely, being a full Windows machine, but it's worth a mention if you need desktop-class software. For pure tablet duties, the iPad A16 is the easy recommendation for most people, but the Samsung is a strong alternative if you hate being nickel-and-dimed for a stylus.

The value proposition here is a little tricky. The iPad A16 starts at $449, but prices can climb to $579 depending on the vendor. That's a $130 spread, so it pays to shop around. Best Buy currently has the most aggressive pricing we've seen. For a tablet with this level of social proof and reliability, it's a solid deal if you stick to the base model. But the moment you start adding storage or accessories, the price creeps dangerously close to the iPad Air, which has a better laminated display and the M1 chip. If you just need a reliable screen for media and light work, the base model is a good buy. If you're tempted by the 512GB version, do yourself a favor and just get an iPad Air instead. The value falls apart at the high end.

The Apple iPad A16 is the latest entry-level iPad, and it's a bit of a head-scratcher if you're looking at raw specs. It packs the A16 chip, the same brain from the iPhone 14 Pro, into an 11-inch Liquid Retina display. The base model comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which is a welcome bump from the previous generation's stingy 64GB. If you're searching for a tablet under $600 that just works for everyday stuff, this is probably the one you'll see recommended everywhere. It's thin, it's light, and it comes in a few fun colors, but it's not trying to be a powerhouse.

We see this as Apple's 'good enough' tablet. It's designed for the student taking notes, the person who wants a bigger screen for Netflix on the couch, or someone who needs a reliable device for video calls and light email. The 12MP front camera with Center Stage is genuinely great for keeping you in frame during calls, and the USB-C port finally brings it in line with modern charging standards. But don't let the 'A16' name fool you into thinking this is a Pro-level performer. It's a capable chip, but it's paired with a non-laminated display and lacks the ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate, which you'll notice immediately if you've ever used an iPad Pro or even an iPad Air.

At a price that floats between $449 and $579 depending on where you look, it's positioned as the affordable iPad. And for a lot of people, that's all they need. It runs iPadOS smoothly, supports the Apple Pencil (USB-C) and the Magic Keyboard Folio, and has all-day battery life. But there are some clear compromises here that you need to know about before you buy, especially if you're hoping to do any serious gaming or creative work.

Skip the iPad A16 if you're a digital artist or heavy note-taker who values a seamless pen experience. The non-laminated display creates a tiny gap between the Pencil tip and the line you're drawing, which can be distracting. You should also skip it if you're a gamer, as the A16 chip's weak GPU will leave you frustrated with anything beyond casual titles. For creative work or gaming, the iPad Air with the M1 chip is a massive step up for not much more money. If you just want a cheap screen for media, this is your guy, but power users need to look elsewhere.

Should you buy the Apple iPad A16? For most people looking for a tablet for casual use, the answer is yes. It's the best entry-level iPad Apple has made in years, purely because of the 128GB base storage and the reliable A16 chip. It's perfect for students taking notes, kids playing games, or anyone who wants a portable screen for watching movies on the go. The software support will be excellent for years, and the build quality is top-notch.

But if you're a gamer, a digital artist, or someone who wants a laptop replacement, you should skip this. The gaming score of 5.7 is a real letdown, and the lack of a laminated display is a constant reminder that you bought the budget model. For creative work or serious multitasking, the iPad Air is the smarter investment. This iPad is a consumption device first, and a creation device a distant second. Know that going in, and you'll be happy with it.