iPad 7th Generation: The most affordable yet

Some people call it the 2019 iPad. Apple calls it the iPad 7th Generation. Whatever you call it, at $329 this is Apple’s cheapest full-size iPad, an entry-level model with a few new features that make it a very compelling choice if you’re in the market for a tablet.

Much like the iPhone SE, a lower-priced iPhone for people who are good with a slightly older design and CPU from a few years back, the iPad 7th Generation runs on the A10 Fusion processor that was introduced in 2016. The newest iPad runs on the 2019 A12 Bionic CPU.

But if you think the iPad 7th Generation is just an iPad from three years ago, you’d be wrong.

Apple has done a good job of introducing new features -- mainstays on the iPad Pro -- to the low-end model. The first thing you’ll notice is that it has a 10.2-inch screen compared to 9.7 inches of every previous entry-level iPad.

The iPad 7th Generation also has its own smart keyboard that connects via a smart connector. Simply attach it to the connector and it works. No batteries or pairing required. It also works with the Apple Pencil.

It comes with either 32 gigabytes ($329) or 128 gigabytes ($429) of storage for your apps and files, and it’s available in silver, space gray or gold. It has 4G LTE available in all configurations for an extra $130.

For the first time in 2019, Apple has separated the operating systems for iPhones and iPads. The iPads now run iPadOS, which is designed to maximize the large-screen experience and make it more like using a laptop.

It has a new home screen with widgets on the left side of the screen, app icons on the main part of the screen and a dock at the bottom. It feels like you’re more in control of things.

You also can get more app icons on the home screen if you like, and you can add folders to the dock.

Sidecar is a new feature that allows your iPad to be used as a secondary wireless display for your Macintosh computer (if the Mac is running macOS Catalina).

Slide Over is a new way to drag an app from the dock and have it appear in a floating window above whatever app your iPad is running. You also can have two versions of an app running on the same screen or two different apps running at the same time in a split screen.

There’s also picture-in-picture for videos, so you can have two apps on the screen plus a small floating video window playing.

Other features include new multifinger gestures for editing text, like copy and paste with a three-finger pinch in or out. The on-screen keyboard can be shrunk down and moved to one side for one-handed typing. The Files app finally gives users a look at where their files are stored and the ability to create folders and move files around.

This is the perfect iPad for people who just want to surf the internet, read email, watch videos and organize and edit photos and videos.