A new entry-level iPad could arrive in early 2021, with cheaper pricing and the same fast A13 Bionic processor as the iPhone 11.

At least this is what Chinese tech site CNBeta claims to have information about the upcoming budget iPad. The new iPad will reportedly be released in the spring and will likely replace the current 10.2-inch iPad, which is Apple's least expensive tablet offering.

The next standard iPad is likely to receive a performance upgrade of its own: A13 Bionic, the chip found in the iPhone 11 and the latest iPhone SE. It is still one of the best mobile chipsets on the market today, and a step up from the A12 Bionic.

CNBeta also states that the 9th generation iPad will have a 10.5" display, 4GB of RAM, at least 64GB of storage space, and a price starting at just $299.

For comparison, the 8th generation iPad, which came out in September, has a 10.2" display, the aforementioned A12 Bionic chipset, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage capacity starting at $329.

The new entry-level iPad is said to be thinner and lighter and will retain the Touch ID button. However, it is unclear if the design will be refreshed; the 10.2-inch iPad has used the same bezel-heavy design for years and is definitely due for a refresh like the new iPad Air 2020 received.

Nevertheless, the 9th generation model appears to offer a solid upgrade over its predecessor.

The 2020 iPad was just released in mid-September, so a spring launch seems a few months early for an upgrade. But one never knows what will happen.

There are also rumors of an upgraded iPad Pro in early 2021. Also, the 9th generation iPad is supposed to have hardware that is over 18 months old, so it does not have the same production and development constraints as the iPhone 13, for example.