Apple’s 11th Gen iPad Gets A16 Bionic and 128GB of Storage, but No Apple Intelligence

Apple has just revealed a new entry-level iPad alongside the M3-powered 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air, and the new tablet comes with a faster A16 Bionic chip and twice the storage. However, this 11th Gen iPad doesn’t support Apple Intelligence, which is odd at a time when the company’s AI features probably need more hype than ever.

This new entry-level iPad still starts at $349, but users now get 128GB of storage by default. It can also be upgraded with 256GB ($449) and 512GB ($649). Cellular connectivity is still optional, and Apple’s website indicates that the nano-Sim tray is gone: It’s now eSIM or nothing. Besides the new A16 Bionic chip, this new 11th gen iPad adds support for Bluetooth 5.3 while the previous model had Bluetooth 5.2

“The A16 chip provides a jump in performance for everyday tasks and experiences in iPadOS, while still providing all-day battery life,” Apple said today. “Compared to the previous generation, the updated iPad with A16 is nearly 30 percent faster. In fact, compared to iPad with A13 Bionic, users will see up to a 50 percent improvement in overall performance, and A16 makes the updated iPad up to 6x faster than the best-selling Android tablet.”

Overall, customers will get better performance and more storage at the same price, but the absence of Apple Intelligence features on this 11th-gen iPad is strange. The brand new iPhone 16E, which is now Apple’s cheapest iPhone, does support Apple Intelligence, so Apple shipping a new iPad without these AI features means that it’s not really future-proof. If you want an iPad with Apple Intelligence, the cheapest option is now the iPad Mini with its A17 Bionic chip, which starts at $499.