I’ve been avid flip phone user since beginning of their introduction. Went through not one but 2 android, Samsung “free” tablets from Verizon. Started enjoying the idea of device other than desk top. Was gifted a non cellular iPad and while it took a little learning curve to switch from Android to Apple, I was soon convinced that Apple had superior function ability for my needs. Upgraded to a cellular iPad after couple years of strictly WiFi usage primarily for business needs. Work is dead zone with no access to Verizon Fios, best option is COX internet and we rarely go a month without extended service interruption. Now I have all my business functions on my cellular iPad and can truly function 100% incase of internet outage at office as well as be 100% mobile/remote. Took three years to use up the 32GB space so this upgrade was for the 256GB and so far, I’m still 100% Team Apple. Needless to say when the flip phone went swimming, I went to iPhone so I have it synched with iPad to get text messages and emails on both devices. The absolute most impressive think to me being a tech dinosaur was my ability to set up my new iPad and transfer EVERY picture and app already installed on previous iPad. It made me feel like an IT expert.

I'm no fan of Apple, due to their proprietary hardware and software - not very share, or user, friendly with non Apple devices, (without their software and an associated account.) Unfortunately, all of that proprietary "safety" does not prevent the devices from being hacked. Me, I like my ability to send and receive files on my Android and windows devices via bluetooth - something you just cannot do with an Apple device and your desktop, or via a data cable for that matter, absent that Apple software and an apple account: (Nice hardware, bad software.)
It is a very nice tablet, with a lot of value in it's own right for the reasonable price. My wife loves it. Anspecially nice feature it has is the "Center Stage." which tracks your face and keeps you centered in in video chat. If it detects another face, it will zoom out to get the second face in the scene for you automatically. The 600 dollar Samsung tablets can't do that.
It has a good battery life, a pretty powerful mobile processor, a pretty good amount of RAM, (and storage), a very good display, and fast charging.

Upfront disclosure: I'm a PC guy. I make my living fixing PC problems. My wife is technophobic. She would avoid computers all together except for her iPad and iPhone. We were forced to replace her iPhone when it would no longer do what she needed to do. Unfortunately, her iPad had reached that same plateau.

Best Buy put the 9th gen iPad on sale. Without my wife's knowledge I ordered one. My plan was to do the switch while she was not around. I've bad-mouthed Apple for years, but there's one thing they do infinitely better than any Microsoft product -- upgrading to an up-to-date replacement.

I powered up the new iPad and the first thing that came up was the instruction to set up the iPad being replaced next to the new iPad. I did as instructed, and immediately both iPads acknowledged each other. I was instructed to scan the moving circle on the new iPad with the camera on the old iPad. I answered "yes" to the question if I wanted to set up the new iPad with the info on the old iPad. Thirty minutes later I had a perfectly cloned iPad 9th generation.

Except that the new iPad had a black frame instead of a white frame, my wife noticed no difference in the operation. Everything just happened a lot faster.

Whoever designed this feature for Apple has earned the admiration from this diehard PC guy. Microsoft -- of all the things you copy from Apple, this is one you need to steal.

Since 2012, I have purchased several Apple products. None have disappointed. The original iMac Pro I purchased in 2012 still functions, but has physical damage from repeated lifting by the left front corner of the laptop from the table next to my chair. This is not an apple problem; I simply did not realize that the shell was flexing each time I did this. The repeated gesture wore an internal part over time. I did have it repaired in a "shade tree" shop. Other than the damage I inflicted, the laptop still works 12yrs later. I averaged 3yrs or less from PC's in the past. Mostly from the OS becoming junked up and unusable.

My recent cell phone is also my first Apple and I'm completely satisfied.

The 9th gen 10.2 iPad I purchased approximately 2wks ago is functioning like a charm. Something I have come to expect from Apple. With the steady increase in prices for high-end PC products, and the relatively steady pricing of Apple pricing (which all tend to be high-end), I will likely never purchase anything else.

The new Apple-branded processor in my MacBook Air functions with no noticeable difference from the familiar high-end brand that has led the market for years. I have, so far, experienced the same functionality and speed from my new iPad. The price of this model, which isn't the latest, was very reasonable.

My iPad was purchased online and picked up at the store. Best Buy has an excellent process in place for this type of shopping. I made the purchase and received a notice that is was ready for pickup a few minutes later; well within the time it took me to drive to the store (about half an hour). The wait in the pickup line was very short and the process well organized.

The Best Buy website is also accurate and user friendly for comparison shopping. The prices are very competitive and consistently so.

Completely satisified start to finish.