The new Apple iPad 10.2 will change how you work and how you play. That’s my impression after using the new model, released on September 29, that’s still the lowest-priced Apple tablet. (The 32GB model with Wi-Fi is available for $328 on Amazon. A version with 128GB of storage and cellular data is $599.)

Apple updated the operating system on all iPads, and this 10.2-inch model is a price leader (since the iPad Mini costs $399). Here’s why it’s also a price winner: In landscape orientation, the new iPadOS shows the time, current weather, and your schedule in a handy little side window along with the usual row of icons. The Safari web browser is all grown-up, acting more like a real desktop browser. (Funny side note on that: Safari tricks every website into thinking you are on a Mac computer.) This beast is fast. In my tests playing the game The Gardens Between, the animations and graphics looked super smooth. Toy Story 4 looked and sounded fantastic on the 10.2” retina display.

My sense is that Apple is slowly making their tablets run more like laptops, yet the iPad 10.2” doubles as wonderful “lean back” device for movie night, checking email on a plane, or surfing the web while you are supposed to be paying attention during a meeting at work. The iPad also works well with the Apple Smart Keyboard for typing up docs. If you must know, I’m typing this right now on the iPad and I don’t miss my normal Dell XPS. 

The world is changing, too. We type less and browse more; most of us spend hours per day on social media. Heck, even Adobe Photoshop CC -- the high-end photo editing app that only runs on laptops and desktops -- is going to debut on the iPad soon enough. We’ll be swiping and gesturing with high-end apps on tablets soon enough, laptops be damned.

And, about the price. I haven’t used a budget laptop that runs as fast as the iPad 10.2” lately, unless you count a Chromebook (which doesn’t run real apps anyway). You will work and play more efficiently on the iPad 10.2”, and that’s the ultimate win. | Get it on Amazon >

Scouted is internet shopping with a pulse. Follow us on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter for even more recommendations and exclusive content. Curious about a specific product? Let us know! Don’t forget to check out our coupon site to find great deals from your favorite brands. Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales.