iPad A12 Bionic 2020

All iPad (8th Gen) devices, including this Wi-Fi and cellular A2428 model primarily sold in North America (US and Canada), are housed in white and gold, white and silver, or black and "Space Gray" cases. They feature a 10.2" 2160x1620 (264 ppi) LED-backlit IPS touch-sensitive "Retina" display. Each includes a "Touch ID" sensor, supports the original Apple Pencil (A1603, MK0C2AM/A), and has a "Smart Connector" for an Apple Smart Keyboard.

Each iPad (8th Gen) is powered by a six-core 2.49 GHz Apple A12 Bionic processor, has 3 GB of RAM, and comes with either 32 GB or 128 GB of flash storage.

Other key features include dual cameras: a rear 8-megapixel camera for stills, Live Photos, and 1080p 30 fps video, and a front 1.2-megapixel "FaceTime HD" camera for stills, Live Photos, and 720p video. It supports dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi with HT80 with MIMO and Bluetooth 4.2, plus stereo speakers. A Lightning port provides power and computer connectivity.

Battery life for this cellular-capable model is rated at 10 hours of "surfing the web on Wi-Fi or watching video" and up to 9 hours on a cellular network.

This Wi-Fi/Cellular A2428 model supports GPS/GNSS, GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA, and LTE bands 1-5, 7, 8, 11-14, 17-21, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38-41, 66, and 71. It does not support Band 28 (700 APT MHz). It includes a Nano-SIM (Apple SIM) and an eSIM for easier carrier switching.

The cellular version of the 8th generation iPad for North America was lauded for bringing a major performance boost to the budget-friendly category. The upgrade to the A12 Bionic chip was the most significant change, making the device noticeably faster and more responsive than its predecessor. This enhanced power, combined with reliable LTE connectivity on US and Canadian networks, made it an excellent and affordable tool for remote learning and work. It retained the same 10.2-inch display and traditional design with a Home button, which some users preferred. It also continued to support the 1st generation Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. The main criticisms were aimed at the dated design and the insufficient 32GB of storage on the base model. Despite this, the A12 chip made the 8th-gen iPad a powerful and versatile connected tablet that offered outstanding value for its price.