The base iPad has always attracted plenty of buyer attention. Affordable, with enough performance for studying, watching videos, and light work tasks. But in 2026, the model with the A16 chip has become the tablet you’re better off avoiding — even if your budget is limited. If you’re considering a purchase, it’s better to wait for Apple’s new tablets — especially if you live in Russia.
Now I’ll tell you which iPad you shouldn’t buy
Apple Intelligence on iPad in Russia: Why It Matters
Apple updated the base iPad in March 2025, and more than a year has passed since then. That alone is reason to think: the company is clearly preparing a replacement. But the main problem isn’t even the device’s age — it’s that inside there’s a chip from the iPhone 14 Pro dating back to 2022. And this chip doesn’t support Apple Intelligence.
You might wonder what Apple Intelligence has to do with Russia, but the connection is direct
Some might say: what’s the difference? In Russia, Apple Intelligence barely works. Activation requires the English interface language, some features are cloud-dependent, and there’s still no Russian language support in Writing Tools and Smart Reply. And formally, that’s true — right now you’re not losing that much.
There’s one exception: the “Eraser” feature in Photos (Clean Up). It works locally, isn’t tied to a language, and excellently removes unwanted objects from photos. On the iPad with A16, it simply doesn’t exist. And if you even occasionally edit photos on your tablet, that’s a noticeable loss. But the real problem isn’t what’s missing today. It’s what won’t be there tomorrow.
New AI Features in iPadOS 27: Why Apple Intelligence Support Matters
At WWDC 2026, taking place on June 8, Apple will unveil iOS 27 and iPadOS 27. And based on the latest information appearing online, there will be truly important changes.
The new OS will deliver even more AI tools, but iPad A16 won’t have them
Let’s start with the big one: iOS 27 will introduce the ability to choose a default AI assistant. Instead of Siri, you’ll be able to assign ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude — and they’ll work right through the system interface. Not as a separate app, but as a full replacement for the voice assistant. According to Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, Apple is already testing this integration.
Why does this matter for Russia? Because ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude work perfectly in Russian. Siri still hasn’t received full AI capabilities in Russian, and it’s unknown when it will. Meanwhile, third-party models can already generate texts, answer complex questions, analyze documents, and help with translations. If Apple allows using them instead of Siri at the system level — this will fundamentally change the value of Apple Intelligence for Russian users.
And on the iPad with the A16 chip, none of this will work. Under any circumstances. This is a hardware limitation that can’t be bypassed with a software update.
Windows in iPadOS 26: How the Base iPad Falls Behind More Powerful Models
In iPadOS 26, Apple introduced windowed multitasking — apps on iPad now open in separate windows, like on Mac. You can freely move them around the screen, resize them, and work with multiple programs simultaneously. In iPadOS 26.1, Slide Over returned, and in 26.2, gestures were refined.
Multi-window is great, but iPad A16 already handles it with some strain
Formally, all of this works on the iPad with A16 too. But in practice — with noticeable limitations. The chip from iPhone 14 Pro with 6 GB of RAM handles two or three windows, but beyond that, slowdowns and background app reloads begin. The new iPad with the A18 chip and 8 GB of RAM will hold more windows more stably — this is critically important if you actually want to use the iPad as a work tool rather than just a big screen for YouTube.
With iPadOS 27, multitasking will continue to evolve. Apple will add a menu bar in every app, improve window management, and likely make the system even more demanding on hardware. The iPad with A16 risks becoming “the tablet where everything seems to be there, but everything lags a little.”
New Base iPad 2026: A18 Chip, Memory, and Apple Intelligence
The next base iPad, which according to insiders will launch in the second half of 2026, will feature the A18 chip. The same processor found in the iPhone 16. This means Apple Intelligence support, 8 GB of RAM, a more powerful Neural Engine, and significantly better energy efficiency.
The new base iPad will get the old design but new internals
Mark Gurman reported back in March 2026 that the device is “ready for release” and will come out this year. Since it wasn’t shown in the first half of the year, we should expect it closer to fall, most likely in September-October.
Some sources, particularly Macworld, suggest that Apple might even use the A19 chip. But most insiders agree on the A18 — and for the base iPad, that’s more than enough.
How to Choose an iPad for Several Years Without Losing New Features
In Russia, people buy iPads differently than in the US. There’s no option to simply walk into an Apple Store and exchange a device. The tablet you buy stays with you for a long time — three, four, or even five years. And that’s where the lack of Apple Intelligence turns from a minor inconvenience into a serious long-term problem. Yes, right now Apple’s AI doesn’t offer much value, but future updates could easily make you regret not waiting a few months for a more powerful option.
Apple has already made Apple Intelligence a central part of its ecosystem. Every subsequent iOS and iPadOS update will add new AI features, and all of them
