iPad 11 (2025) Vs. iPad 10th Gen: What's Different, What's The Same?

Apple has been quite busy with a slew of product updates since 2025 started. Following the launch of the iPhone 16e in February 2025, the company has — in March 2025 — come up with two fresh additions to its tablet lineup with the launch of the 7th Gen iPad Air and the 11th Gen iPad. Most of the updates to the 2025 iPad Air mostly center around the new M3 chip — a welcome update given that the sixth-generation model featured the older M2 chips. As for the standard iPad model, those expecting Apple to do something noteworthy with the new 2025 iPad might just be disappointed.

On paper, the brand-new iPad is the 11th Generation model from the company. It is pertinent to note that Apple isn't officially calling it the 11th Gen product. Instead, the naming scheme of the Apple iPad (2025) centers around the chipset that powers it, which is why Apple calls it the iPad (A16).

Given that its predecessor — the 10th generation iPad — has been around for well over two years now, the entry-level iPad was in dire need of an update. Let us investigate what those updates are, and whether the iPad 11 makes for a worthwhile upgrade if you currently own the 10th Gen iPad.

Right from the design to the cameras and the supported accessories, there is almost nothing that has changed between the iPad 11 (2025) and the older 10th gen model. In fact, they're so similar that Apple did not even bother to change the color options the newer model is offered in. The 2025 iPad, therefore, gets the same color options as its predecessor: blue, pink, yellow, and silver.

As for the display, it is the same LCD panel as before with a resolution of 2360 × 1640 pixels with a peak brightness of 500 nits. The panel also supports the sRGB color space and gets Apple's True Tone tech. The dimensions of the two products remain identical, with both the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular models sharing the same weights (1.05 pounds and 1.06 pounds, respectively) and measurements. This, effectively, also means that all accessories for the old iPad will work with the 2025 model.

Despite the upgraded processor, the claimed battery life of the newer iPad hasn't changed. Apple also did not bother tinkering around with the tried and tested camera setup of the older 10th Gen iPad. The updated 2025 iPad model, therefore, gets the same 12MP rear-facing camera that supports 5x digital zoom and smart HDR. As for the front camera, both models share the same 12MP Center Stage camera that supports 2X zoom, extended dynamic range, and cinematic video stabilization.

The primary difference between the 2025 iPad and the older 10th gen model comes down to the processor. Replacing the older A14 Bionic chip on the older model, the 2025 iPad gets the faster A16 Bionic chip. While not the latest chip from Apple's portfolio, it is still two generations newer than the outgoing model. That being said, the A16 chip is still not good enough for Apple to enable Apple Intelligence features on the 2025 iPad.

The only noticeable physical difference between the two products comes down to the display size. The display on the iPad 11 (2025), at 11 inches, is slightly bigger than the 10.9-inch display on the 10th generation model. Other small differences enabled by the newer chip include the addition of Bluetooth 5.3 (over Bluetooth 5.2) and the enhanced HDR capability of both the front and rear cameras. While the Apple iPad (10th Gen) featured Smart HDR3 for photos, the newer 2o25 model gets the improved Smart HDR 4 algorithm.

Another key difference between the two is the storage options that the iPad 11 offers. The 64GB option has been discontinued with the 11th Gen model and the base model of the tablet starts at 128GB. There is also a new 512GB option for the 11th Gen model, while the older model topped out at 256GB. 

As for pricing the Wi-Fi models of the new iPad will start at $349, while the cellular models start at $499. Both models will go on sale starting March 12, 2025.