Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. Guides

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Does the Apple iPad (2022) have USB-C? What you need to know

Prakhar Khanna
By

The Apple iPad (2022) comes with a plethora of upgrades. It has a landscape front-facing camera, a new keyboard, upgraded cameras, and more. But you don’t get these upgrades for the affordable price tag of $329 that the base model has been for years.

The iPad (2022) ramps up the price to $449. You would expect the Lightning port to be gone, as the base model was the only iPad without a USB-C port. So, does the iPad (2022) feature a USB-C port? Here’s the answer.

Recommended Videos

The iPad (2022) comes with a USB-C port

The yellow iPad (2022) lying face-down on a green bush.
Joe Maring/Digital Trends

You no longer need to fumble with dongles to attach an external SSD to transfer your media with the iPad (2022). That’s because the iPad (2022) comes with a USB-C port. It’s a significant change from the iPad (2021) — and all baseline iPads before it — which have relied on Apple’s Lightning port.

Related

But it’s a tricky situation if you want to buy the tablet for artistic reasons.

The USB-C conundrum with Apple Pencil

The second-gen Apple Pencil was launched in 2018, but after four years, it still doesn’t support the base iPad (2022). The latest tablet only works with the first-gen Apple Pencil.

If you remember correctly, the first-gen Apple Pencil consists of a Lightning connector that was used to attach to the iPad (2021)’s Lightning port to charge. But since the new base iPad has a USB-C port and doesn’t support the second-gen Apple Pencil, you’ll have to stick to the first-gen Pencil. And getting it to charge via the iPad is a bit clumsy.

Someone using an Apple Pencil with the 10th Gen iPad.
Apple

Apple came up with an odd solution: a USB-C to Lightning adapter. Plug the end of the Apple Pencil into one end of the adapter, a USB-C cable into the other, and then put the other end of the USB-C cable into the iPad to pair and charge the Apple Pencil.

If you buy a first-gen Apple Pencil to use with the iPad (2022), this adapter comes included in the box. However, if you buy the iPad (2022) and already have an existing Apple Pencil you want to use, you’ll need to buy the adapter for $9 from Apple’s website.

This USB-C is different from iPad Pro’s USB-C

While this is the first baseline iPad to come with USB-C, the port is different from the iPad Pro’s offering. The Pro variants come with a Thunderbolt/USB 4 port, whereas you don’t get the advantage on the iPad (2022).

For the unaware, a Thunderbolt port gives you better data-transfer speeds. It also supports up to two 4K displays on the iPad Pro. The feature is especially useful for professional creators who might want to connect their iPad to an external monitor. All of this can’t be done with the iPad (2022).

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Prakhar Khanna
Prakhar Khanna
Mobile Writer
Prakhar writes news, reviews and features for Digital Trends. He is an independent tech journalist who has been a part of the…
The DOJ has sued Apple over the iPhone. Here’s what it means for you
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro seen from the back.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro (left) and iPhone 15 Pro Max Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

If you're reading this article, chances are you have an iPhone. It's also quite likely that your friends and family members also use an iPhone. The iPhone is the smartphone of choice for millions of people in the U.S., and now, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is suing Apple over the iPhone monopoly it has established over the years.

Read more
YouTube TV just got even better on iPhones and iPads
Multiview on YouTube TV on an iPad.

If you use the most popular live-streaming service on an iPhone or iPad, things just got even better. YouTube TV — which boasts more than 8 million subscribers — just pushed multiview live on Apple's mobile devices, as previously promised.

It works basically the same way it does on a television. YouTube TV picks the programs available in multiview, and you get them all at once, with audio coming from one of the shows. Tap another, and the audio switches. And just as before, you can get multiview for sports, news, business, or weather. (Though we definitely don't recommend watching four news channels at once in an election year.) It's just in time for March Madness, which is great, though we hope you'll be able to pick your own games instead of just sticking with the multiple viewing options YouTube TV gives. This will be great come fall, though, when the new season of NFL Sunday Ticket takes hold.

Read more
Best refurbished iPad deals: Get an iPad with warranty for $109
Woman Using 2021 iPad Pro 11-inch

The Apple iPad is one of the most popular tablet lineups on the market. If you’re in the market for a new tablet, you’re probably shopping with an awareness that even the best tablets can be made better by a discount. And if you’re looking to save big on one of the best iPads, you definitely should consider shopping refurbished iPad deals. Refurbished iPads often come with warranties and large return windows, so you can shop knowing you’re getting a product that works. There are a lot of refurbished iPad deals out there right now, many of them eclipsing the best tablet deals. We’ve made your shopping a little easier by rounding up all of the best refurbished iPad deals, so read onward for some big time savings.
Apple iPad (2018) — from $109

When this iPad model came out in 2018 it was hard to imagine it ever being available for just $119. It has a 9.7-inch Retina display that makes it good for browsing the web and watching movies. It only comes with 32GB of storage space, but this isn’t an iPad for loading up with modern apps and media anyhow. It would be a good starter iPad for the kids, or a good way to take the internet with you when you travel. This iPad deal includes a 1-year warranty and free 30-day returns.

Read more