Apple iPad (10.2-inch): problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-21

Summary

What owners complain about on this tablet is the hardware Apple picked for 2020 rather than anything that breaks: 32 GB of storage that reviewers call too small for heavy use, a 1.2 MP front camera that sits on the side in landscape, accessories limited to the first-generation Apple Pencil and the older Smart Keyboard, Lightning instead of USB-C, and a screen that feels cramped with two apps open side by side. No owner thread was reachable during research and nobody has published a failure rate for this model, so the durability picture is untested rather than proven. Yearly running cost is low because there is no subscription and nothing to replace, so the money goes on apps and on any accessory added later; it is a good buy near $300 and at the $329 launch price, and thin above roughly $400, where the 2020 iPad Air becomes the step up.

Common problems and fixes

No owner thread was reachable during research, so the items below are reviewer-reported limits rather than measured defect rates, and the warranty length and terms for this model were not confirmed in the checked sources.

32 GB of storage is too small for heavy use — Tom’s Guide and CNET both call the 32 GB base too low for heavy app and media use and recommend the 128 GB model, which adds $100 to the price and launched at $429. There is no owner complaint count behind this, it is a design limit that hits the same way for everyone. Fix: buy the 128 GB version up front, since storage cannot be added later. Nothing to fix afterwards, and warranty cover does not apply to a capacity choice. [2][3]
Only the first-generation accessories fit — the tablet takes the first-generation Apple Pencil and the older Apple Smart Keyboard through the Smart Connector, and it does not support the second-generation Pencil or the Magic Keyboard. Workaround: buy the first-generation Pencil and the older keyboard, the only accessories this connector accepts, or pick a different tablet if you want the newest stylus. [1][2][3]
Charging and accessories still run through Lightning — the tablet charges over Lightning, so the USB-C to Lightning cable and the 20 W USB-C adapter in the box are the charging setup, and any accessory with a USB-C port needs an adapter. Workaround: keep the supplied cable and adapter; the 20 W adapter is faster than the one that came with the previous generation and brought the charge to 14% in 30 minutes in Tom’s Guide’s test. [1][2][3]
Two apps side by side feel cramped — CNET found the 10.2-inch screen cramped for two-app multitasking, and the wide bezels look dated next to the iPad Air. There is no fix at this screen size: use Split View with one app at a time, or step up to a larger tablet such as the 2020 iPad Air. [3]

Parts and consumables

Apple Pencil (first generation) — $99 in the pricing Tom’s Guide recorded in 2020; no part number appears in the checked sources. It is optional and the tablet works without it. No owner report gives a replacement interval, because no owner threads were reachable. [2]
Apple Smart Keyboard or Logitech Combo Touch — $159 in the pricing Tom’s Guide recorded in 2020; no part number appears in the checked sources. It attaches through the Smart Connector, and the Magic Keyboard does not fit this model. [1][2]

Yearly running cost

Not enough data for a yearly figure. There is no subscription and no consumable to replace on this tablet, so the recurring spend is apps and whatever accessories you add later, and the checked sources give no app prices and no electricity rate for charging the 32.4 watt-hour battery. The only priced outlays are one-off accessories: the first-generation Apple Pencil at $99 and the Smart Keyboard or Logitech Combo Touch at $159 in the 2020 pricing Tom’s Guide recorded. [1][2][3]

When it is a good buy

About $300 (CNET, 2020 review) — CNET notes the tablet often reaches about $300 at retail, and calls $300 or less an even stronger value than the launch price. At this level the deal is obvious. [3]
$329 (Apple list price for the Wi-Fi model at launch, as reported by Tom’s Guide and CNET, 2020) — at this price the package was strong: A12 Bionic performance, a 10.2-inch Retina display, Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard support, and all-day battery life. [2][3]
$429 for 128 GB (Apple list price at launch, 2020) — reasonable for users who download many apps, and worth the $100 step only if you will fill it. [2]
$459 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model (Apple list price at launch, 2020) — the cellular version is data only over eSIM, so a plan is still needed on top of the extra money. [1][2][3]
Above roughly $400 — the value thins out, because the 2020 iPad Air at $599 becomes the relevant step up for anyone who needs USB-C, a larger display or second-generation Pencil support. [3]
iPad Air (2020) — the better choice when you need USB-C, a bigger screen or the newest Pencil, and the sensible upgrade above $400. [3]
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite — the better choice for Android apps: it managed 1,291 in the same Geekbench 5 test against 2,685 here, with a similar 12 hours 40 minutes of measured battery life against 12 hours 57 minutes, so it gives up processing power rather than endurance. [2]
iPad (7th generation, 2019) — the better choice for browsing and media if it can be found for noticeably less: Wirecutter picked it as its best tablet, and it shares the same design, screen size and storage, but its Geekbench 5 score was 1,429 against 2,685 here. [2][4]