Apple iPad 9.7" 6th Gen 2018, A10 Fusion, 2GB, 32GB, Cellular, Space Gray

The A10 Fusion chip still hits 90th percentile GPU and 89th percentile CPU scores, which is wild for a 2018 tablet. But 2GB of RAM at 5th percentile and 32GB of storage at 16th percentile make this a single-task machine at best. At USD 92 it's a decent budget pick, at USD 129 it's a pass.

The A10 Fusion 4-core chip posts a 90th percentile GPU score and 89th percentile CPU score in our database. For a tablet from 2018, that's genuinely impressive. Apple's silicon has staying power. But the 2GB of RAM at 5th percentile is the anchor dragging everything down. iPadOS handles memory management well, but you'll notice apps reloading when you switch between more than a couple of them. Split View multitasking gets tight fast.

The 9.7" 2048x1536 IPS panel delivers 264 pixels per inch, which is solid for reading and video. Screen quality ranks 72nd percentile, sharpness 57th. Eye comfort at 48th percentile means no fancy anti-reflective coatings or high refresh rates here. It's a perfectly fine display for the price, just not a standout.

Against the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, this iPad gets embarrassed on RAM and storage. The Tab S8 ships with 8GB of RAM and 128GB minimum, while the iPad 6th Gen's 2GB and 32GB are a joke by comparison. The Lenovo Idea Tab Plus and Xiaomi Redmi Pad both offer newer processors and more memory at similar or slightly higher prices. The Antemper D126B-DP and Raemond M70 K70 are budget Android tablets that undercut the iPad on price but can't touch the A10 Fusion's GPU and CPU scores. If you want Apple Pencil support and don't care about multitasking, the iPad wins. If you need storage and RAM headroom, any of the Android competitors make more sense.

Pricing is all over the place on this one. US listings run from USD 92 to USD 129 across four vendors, a USD 37 spread that's worth shopping around for. The CAD 125 listing in Canada is a single data point, so no real comparison there. At the low end, you're getting a cellular-capable iPad with Apple Pencil support for under a hundred bucks, which is hard to argue with. At the high end, you're creeping into territory where a newer Android tablet with more RAM and storage starts looking smarter. Affordability ranks 73rd percentile, so it's a decent deal, but only if you snag the lower-priced listings.

The Apple iPad 6th Gen scores a 90th percentile GPU and 89th percentile CPU in our database, which sounds impressive until you remember this thing launched in 2018. The A10 Fusion chip still handles basic tasks fine, but that 2GB of RAM sits at a brutal 5th percentile. That's the real story here. Apple's silicon ages well, but memory doesn't lie, and 2GB in 2024 is a bottleneck you'll feel every time Safari reloads a tab.

The 9.7" 2048x1536 IPS display lands at 72nd percentile for screen quality and 57th for sharpness. Not bad for a budget refurb, but the 32GB storage at 16th percentile is the other shoe dropping. You'll be managing storage space from day one. Battery life sits at 32nd percentile, which tracks with a six-year-old device, even a renewed one.

Skip this if you need to do any real multitasking. The 2GB of RAM at 5th percentile means Split View with more than two apps is a frustrating experience. Also skip it if you need storage. 32GB at 16th percentile fills up with a handful of apps and a few downloaded shows. The battery at 32nd percentile won't get you through a full day of heavy use, and the 1.2MP front camera makes video calls look like a 2010 webcam. If you're a power user, a student with lots of apps, or anyone who keeps dozens of tabs open, this iPad will drive you nuts. Look at the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 or even a newer base iPad instead.

The iPad 6th Gen is a weird value proposition in 2024. The A10 Fusion chip still delivers 90th percentile GPU performance, which is genuinely surprising for a six-year-old tablet. But 2GB of RAM at 5th percentile and 32GB of storage at 16th percentile are dealbreakers for anyone who wants to do more than browse and stream. At USD 92, it's a solid secondary device or a kid's first tablet. At USD 129, you're paying too much for too little. The battery at 32nd percentile means you'll be charging often, and the 1.2MP front camera makes video calls a blurry mess. If you can live with those compromises and find a low-priced listing, it's a reasonable buy. Otherwise, save up for something with more RAM.