Apple’s 10th gen iPad comes with a USB-C port to make things more convenient than before. But does it support external displays? Let’s find out.
Apple’s entry-level iPad was the only model to miss out on the USB-C port, but that changed in October 2022 with the arrival of the 10th-generation iPad. This model finally retired the lightning port in favor of the universally adopted standard. This means the entire iPad lineup now uses a USB-C port to support a wider variety of peripherals. But does the USB-C port on the new iPad 10 support the same protocols as the one on the more expensive Pro models? Can you connect external displays to the Apple iPad 10?
Unlike the USB-C port on the newer iPad Pro models that support Thunderbolt/USB 4, the Type-C port on iPad 10 is limited to slower USB 2.0 speeds. It supports native DisplayPort output over USB-C, but you can only use it to connect a single external display with up top 4K resolution at 30Hz or 1080p resolution at 60Hz. There is no Thunderbolt digital video output on the iPad 10, so keep that in mind. You can get VGA, HDMI, and DVI output from the iPad 10, but you’ll need respective adapters to use compatible monitors.
Apple iPad 10 doesn’t support Studio Display or Pro Display XDR
The lack of a USB-C port with Thunderbolt support also means you can’t use it as a brain to power the modern Thunderbolt monitors out there. This is also true in the case of Apple’s new Studio Display and the Pro Display XDR, both of which work with the more powerful iPad Pro models. This isn’t necessarily a bummer as those monitors are primarily reserved for professional users, as opposed to the consumers using an entry-level iPad. You can, however, use the iPad 10 as a secondary display for your Mac with Sidecar.
Long story short, the USB-C port on the iPad 10 isn’t as powerful as the one you get on the more expensive Apple tablets, but it’ll get the job done if you want to connect to a single external display. Just make sure you have the appropriate cable or adapter for the job, and you should have no issues whatsoever.
Apple iPad 10
The USB-C port on the iPad 10 isn’t as powerful as the one on the Pro models. You can, however, use it to connect one external display with up to 4K resolution at 30Hz or 1080p resolution at 60Hz.
Apple’s new iPad 10 now looks more in line with other tablets in Apple’s iPad lineup, and it’s available to purchase in four different colors. You can browse our collection of the best iPad 10 deals to find the best price for it online right now. We’ve also rounded up some of the best iPad 10 cases in case you want to protect your new tablet.
