The iPads have the same 10.5-inch fully laminated Retina display with True Tone technology and a 2,224 x 1,668 resolution and 264 ppi. Now that the similarities are out of the way, the primary differences between the iPad models lie in the processor, speakers, display technology, camera, and connectivity. That said, the iPad Pro has four speakers, a ProMotion display that delivers a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, and a better 12-megapixel rear camera with an LED flash and optical image stabilization. Considering the A12 Bionic chip and improved LTE and Bluetooth connectivity, the iPad Air is technically an upgrade in performance. However, when it’s weighed against its so-called predecessor’s ProMotion display and higher speaker count, it’s arguably a downgrade in some ways. “Upgrade” in this context is a spec bump to the A12 Bionic processor, Bluetooth 5.0, and Gigabit-class LTE, and it begs the question: Are they worthwhile to fork over at least another $499 and lose the ProMotion display and two speakers?
Apple iPad 9th gen (2021) review
Most designs in the industry have moved away from rounded corners and body shapes and on to stronger and sharper lines. The traditional round Home key/Touch ID sensor smack on the front is also particularly nostalgic and instantly dating the overall design.
Plus, there is something to be said for the simplicity it affords, especially for a remedial user – no matter how deep you find yourself in the UI or a particular app, you just press and are back to a familiar home screen.
Having a dedicated physical area to read your fingerprint is also, arguably, easier to comprehend than most other, more modern biometric security setups.
At the end of the day, having more space to rest your palms on and get a proper grip is far from the worse thing in the world, and you’ll never hear us complain about getting a physical button. That is to say, an aluminum alloy unibody back and a display, with some undisclosed scratch-resistant glass on top and an oleophobic coating.
The iPad itself weighs 487 grams in its Wi-Fi-only config, which explains why it doesn’t feel overly “dense”, for lack of a better term. It also has a sizeable plastic insert on the top side of its back for the cellular antennas to work properly, making it pretty easy to distinguish.
Since we are on the subject of weight, as expected, a large part of it comes from the battery pack, which on the new iPad 10.2 (2021) is identical to the one inside last year’s 8th gen model – 32.4 Wh or 8557 mAh.
However, it might be worth noting that the 7th get iPad used to carry around a larger 32.9 Wh, 8827 mAh battery inside the same body. Unlike the retro design or any other potential cost-savings, we find this aspect of the iPad build quality the hardest to swallow. A non-laminated setup has one potential benefit -you can replace a cracked screen without repairing the expensive display panel itself.
The volume rockers and power buttons are in a decently convenient location, and both feel great – nice and tactile, with an encouraging “click” to them. Besides the power button, the top side of the tablet also houses a trusty old 3.5mm audio jack, as well as one of two microphones. In terms of actual drawing performance, however, the two generations shouldn’t be too distinct, so if you are an artist on a budget, it might be a viable option, at an MSRP of $99.
Watch: 2018 iPad vs. 2017 10.5-inch iPad Pro
AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission as an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner on qualifying purchases. The 2017 iPad Pro boasts ProMotion, a technology that refreshes the screen at a rate of 120 times a second rather than the normal 60Hz seen on all other Apple devices.
The difference is immediately apparent in slow-motion footage, which shows the iPad Pro’s display is much more fluid when interacting with Pencil.
Another big difference is that the iPad Pro’s display is fully laminated, giving the illusion that the LCD panel is part of the cover glass.
The budget iPad has a non-laminated display, which looks a bit grey compared to the deep blacks the Pro is capable of reproducing. On iPad Pro, however, the gap between Apple Pencil and LCD is almost non-existent, so it pretty much feels like you’re actually drawing on a piece of paper.
In Geekbench 4, the iPad Pro got a 13 percent higher score in the single-core test, which honestly isn’t anything to write home about. Since the iPad Pro did so well in the graphics test, we decided to play the newly-released Fortnite, which is now open to all comers, for an hour on each device. On the 2018 iPad, it only dropped to 87 percent, so we can see that the extra horsepower does drain more battery life while performing processor-intensive tasks. Both phones have a physical Home button with Touch ID, though the Pro gets Apple’s second-generation technology.
Watch: 2018 iPad vs. 2017 10.5-inch iPad Pro
AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission as an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner on qualifying purchases. The 2017 iPad Pro boasts ProMotion, a technology that refreshes the screen at a rate of 120 times a second rather than the normal 60Hz seen on all other Apple devices. The difference is immediately apparent in slow-motion footage, which shows the iPad Pro’s display is much more fluid when interacting with Pencil.
Another big difference is that the iPad Pro’s display is fully laminated, giving the illusion that the LCD panel is part of the cover glass.
The budget iPad has a non-laminated display, which looks a bit grey compared to the deep blacks the Pro is capable of reproducing. On iPad Pro, however, the gap between Apple Pencil and LCD is almost non-existent, so it pretty much feels like you’re actually drawing on a piece of paper.
In Geekbench 4, the iPad Pro got a 13 percent higher score in the single-core test, which honestly isn’t anything to write home about. Since the iPad Pro did so well in the graphics test, we decided to play the newly-released Fortnite, which is now open to all comers, for an hour on each device. On the 2018 iPad, it only dropped to 87 percent, so we can see that the extra horsepower does drain more battery life while performing processor-intensive tasks.
Both phones have a physical Home button with Touch ID, though the Pro gets Apple’s second-generation technology.
iPad Pro (10.5-inch) – Technical Specifications
Wi-Fi + Cellular models Height: 9.8 inches (250.6 mm) Width: 6.8 inches (174.1 mm) Depth: 0.24 inch (6.1 mm) Weight: 1.05 pounds (477 grams) iPad to any FaceTime-enabled device over Wi-Fi or cellular
iPad to any FaceTime-enabled device over Wi-Fi or cellular
Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac); dual band (2.4GHz and 5GHz); HT80 with MIMO Bluetooth 4.2 technology Wi‑Fi + Cellular models All models Digital compass Wi‑Fi iBeacon microlocation Pay with your iPad using Touch ID within apps and on the web
Use your voice to send messages, set reminders, and more All models Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‐Fi, watching video, or listening to music Charging via power adapter or USB to computer system
iOS is the world’s most personal and secure mobile operating system, packed with powerful features that help you get the most out of every day.
Accessibility features help people with disabilities get the most out of their new iPad Pro. With built-in support for vision, hearing, physical and motor skills, and learning and literacy, you can create and do amazing things. Pages, Numbers, Keynote, iMovie, GarageBand, iTunes U, Clips, and Apple Store app are preinstalled on iPad.
Apple ID (required for some features) Syncing with iTunes on a Mac or PC requires: English (Australia, UK, U.S.), Chinese (Simplified, Traditional, Traditional Hong Kong), French (Canada, France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish (Latin America, Mexico, Spain), Arabic, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese English (Australia, UK, U.S.), Chinese (Simplified, Traditional, Traditional Hong Kong), French (Canada, France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish (Latin America, Mexico, Spain), Arabic, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese QuickType keyboard support
English (Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK, U.S.), Chinese – Simplified (Handwriting, Pinyin, Stroke), Chinese – Traditional (Cangjie, Handwriting, Pinyin, Stroke, Sucheng, Zhuyin), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian, Japanese (Kana, Romaji), Korean, Spanish (Latin America, Mexico, Spain), Arabic (Modern Standard, Najdi), Armenian, Azerbaijani, Belarusian, Bengali, Bulgarian, Catalan, Cherokee, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Emoji, Estonian, Filipino, Finnish, Flemish, Georgian, Greek, Gujarati, Hawaiian, Hebrew, Hindi (Devanagari, Transliteration), Hinglish, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Irish, Kannada, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malay, Malayalam, Maori, Marathi, Norwegian, Odia, Persian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbian (Cyrillic, Latin), Slovak, Slovenian, Swahili, Swedish, Tamil (Script, Transliteration), Telugu, Thai, Tibetan, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Welsh English (Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK, U.S.), Chinese – Simplified (Handwriting, Pinyin, Stroke), Chinese – Traditional (Cangjie, Handwriting, Pinyin, Stroke, Sucheng, Zhuyin), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian, Japanese (Kana, Romaji), Korean, Spanish (Latin America, Mexico, Spain), Arabic (Modern Standard, Najdi), Armenian, Azerbaijani, Belarusian, Bengali, Bulgarian, Catalan, Cherokee, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Emoji, Estonian, Filipino, Finnish, Flemish, Georgian, Greek, Gujarati, Hawaiian, Hebrew, Hindi (Devanagari, Transliteration), Hinglish, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Irish, Kannada, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malay, Malayalam, Maori, Marathi, Norwegian, Odia, Persian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbian (Cyrillic, Latin), Slovak, Slovenian, Swahili, Swedish, Tamil (Script, Transliteration), Telugu, Thai, Tibetan, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Welsh QuickType keyboard support with predictive input
English (Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK, U.S.), Chinese (Simplified, Traditional), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish (Latin America, Mexico, Spain), Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Thai, Turkish English (Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK, U.S.), Chinese (Simplified, Traditional), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish (Latin America, Mexico, Spain), Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Thai, Turkish Siri languages English (Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, UK, U.S.), Spanish (Chile, Mexico, Spain, U.S.), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian (Italy, Switzerland), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (China mainland, Taiwan), Cantonese (China mainland,, Hong Kong), Arabic (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates), Danish (Denmark), Dutch (Belgium, Netherlands), Finnish (Finland), Hebrew (Israel), Malay (Malaysia), Norwegian (Norway), Portuguese (Brazil), Russian (Russia), Swedish (Sweden), Thai (Thailand), Turkish (Turkey) English (Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, UK, U.S.), Spanish (Chile, Mexico, Spain, U.S.), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian (Italy, Switzerland), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (China mainland, Taiwan), Cantonese (China mainland,, Hong Kong), Arabic (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates), Danish (Denmark), Dutch (Belgium, Netherlands), Finnish (Finland), Hebrew (Israel), Malay (Malaysia), Norwegian (Norway), Portuguese (Brazil), Russian (Russia), Swedish (Sweden), Thai (Thailand), Turkish (Turkey) Dictation languages English (Australia, Canada, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, UK, U.S.), Spanish (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay, U.S.), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland), Italian (Italy, Switzerland), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (China mainland, Taiwan), Cantonese (China mainland, Hong Kong, Macao), Arabic (Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates), Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch (Belgium, Netherlands), Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi (India), Hungarian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Shanghainese (China mainland), Slovakian, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese English (Australia, Canada, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, UK, U.S.), Spanish (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay, U.S.), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland), Italian (Italy, Switzerland), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (China mainland, Taiwan), Cantonese (China mainland, Hong Kong, Macao), Arabic (Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates), Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch (Belgium, Netherlands), Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi (India), Hungarian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Shanghainese (China mainland), Slovakian, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese Definition dictionary support
English, Chinese (Simplified, Traditional), Danish, Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish English, Chinese (Simplified, Traditional), Danish, Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish Thesaurus English (UK, U.S.) Bilingual dictionary support Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish
Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish Spell check English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Turkish
Audio formats supported: AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Dolby Digital (AC-3), Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3), Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV User-configurable maximum volume limit
AirPlay Mirroring, photos, audio, and video out to Apple TV (2nd generation or later)
.jpg, .tiff, .gif (images); .doc and .docx (Microsoft Word); .htm and .html (web pages); .key (Keynote); .numbers (Numbers); .pages (Pages); .pdf (Preview and Adobe Acrobat); .ppt and .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint); .txt (text); .rtf (rich text format); .vcf (contact information); .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel); .zip; .ics Available space is less and varies due to many factors. A standard configuration uses approximately 10GB to 12GB of space (including iOS and preinstalled apps) depending on the model and settings.
Size and weight vary by configuration and manufacturing process. FaceTime calling requires a FaceTime-enabled device for the caller and recipient and a Wi-Fi connection.
Availability over a cellular network depends on carrier policies; data charges may apply. LTE Advanced, LTE, and Wi-Fi calling are available in select markets and through select carriers. For details on LTE support, contact your carrier and see www.apple.com/ipad/LTE. Cellular data plan is sold separately. The model you purchase is configured to work with a particular cellular network technology. Check with your carrier for compatibility and cellular data plan availability.
Embedded Apple SIM in iPad Pro may be disabled when purchased from some carriers. Testing conducted by Apple in May 2017 using preproduction iPad Pro (10.5-inch) and iPad Pro (12.9-inch) (2nd generation) units and software. Testing consisted of full battery discharge while performing each of the following tasks: video playback, audio playback, and Internet browsing using Wi‑Fi or cellular data network. Video content was a repeated 2-hour 23-minute movie purchased from the iTunes Store.
Internet over Wi‑Fi and cellular data network tests were conducted using dedicated web and mail servers, browsing snapshot versions of 20 popular web pages, and receiving mail once an hour. All settings were default except: Wi‑Fi was associated with a network (except for Internet browsing over cellular data network); the Wi‑Fi feature Ask to Join Networks and Auto-Brightness were turned off; Brightness was set to 50%; and WPA2 encryption was enabled. Battery life depends on device settings, usage, and many other factors. Battery tests are conducted using specific iPad units; actual results may vary.
Wireless broadband recommended; fees may apply. Some features may not be available for all countries or all areas.
iPad Air 2019 vs. iPad Pro 2017: An Upgrade Or A Downgrade?
The iPads have the same 10.5-inch fully laminated Retina display with True Tone technology and a 2,224 x 1,668 resolution and 264 ppi. Now that the similarities are out of the way, the primary differences between the iPad models lie in the processor, speakers, display technology, camera, and connectivity. That said, the iPad Pro has four speakers, a ProMotion display that delivers a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, and a better 12-megapixel rear camera with an LED flash and optical image stabilization. Considering the A12 Bionic chip and improved LTE and Bluetooth connectivity, the iPad Air is technically an upgrade in performance.
However, when it’s weighed against its so-called predecessor’s ProMotion display and higher speaker count, it’s arguably a downgrade in some ways. “Upgrade” in this context is a spec bump to the A12 Bionic processor, Bluetooth 5.0, and Gigabit-class LTE, and it begs the question: Are they worthwhile to fork over at least another $499 and lose the ProMotion display and two speakers?
2019 10.5-Inch iPad Air vs. 2017 10.5-Inch iPad Pro
The new iPad Air also has dedicated hardware called the “Neural Engine” that handles artificial intelligence and machine learning tasks, while the 10.5-inch iPad Pro does not. The front FaceTime HD cameras are the same 7-megapixel sensors with Live Photos, Retina Flash, and other identical features on both iPads.
The new iPad Air starts at $150 less than the 10.5-inch iPad Pro and thus has some tradeoffs: two speakers versus four, no ProMotion display, and a lower-end 8-megapixel rear camera with no LED flash or optical image stabilization.
Both iPads have a 10.5-inch Retina display with 264 PPI, headphone jack, Touch ID, Lightning connector, 7-megapixel front camera, up to 10 hours of battery life, and 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
iPad Air 3 vs 10.5-inch iPad Pro: Which should you buy?
Not a Pro tablet, but the best one for most people nonetheless since it features Apple’s newest processor and co-processor at a great price. The 2017 iPad Pro is still super powerful, with Apple’s speedy A10X Fusion chip as well as a 12MP camera, four-speaker array, Touch ID, and that beautiful 10.5-inch Retina display with ProMotion, True Tone, and wide color.
Even though Apple no longer sells the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, it’s still available from third-party sellers and still a relevant tablet in today’s market.
iPad Air 3 10.5-inch iPad Pro Screen Size 10.5-inch Retina 10.5-inch Retina Resolution 2224-by-1668 resolution at 264 pixels per inch (ppi) 2224-by-1668 resolution at 264 pixels per inch (ppi) Storage sizes 64GB, 256GB 64GB, 256GB, 512GB Colors Silver, Space Gray, Gold Silver, Space Gray, Rose Gold, Gold Weight 1 pound 1.03 pounds Dimensions 9.8 × 6.8 × 0.24 in 9.8 × 6.8 × 0.24 in Touch ID Yes Yes Apple Pencil support First gen First gen Chip A12 Bionic chip A10X Fusion chip Neural Engine Yes No Coprocessor Embedded M12 coprocessor Embedded M10 coprocessor Camera 8-megapixel camera w/ƒ/2.4 aperture 12-megapixel camera w/ƒ/1.8 aperture Max videorecording 1080p HD video recording 4K video recording at 30 fps SIM card Nano‑SIM (supports Apple SIM, eSIM) Nano‑SIM (supports Apple SIM, eSIM) FaceTime HD camera 7-megapixel w/ƒ/2.2 aperture 7-megapixel w/ƒ/2.2 aperture Connector Lightning Lightning Speaker Dual speakers four speakers Battery Life up to 10 hours up to 10 hours RAM TBD 4GB Until the newer model is released to the public, the RAM count is unknown as is the metal (GPU) scores. Alas, the two iPads noted here only support the first generation model (opens in new tab).
A laminated display, which reduces glare from bright lights and works better with outdoor settings True Tone, which shifts the white balance of the screen depending on where you are to avoid overly blue displays
The Pro model is the only one, however, to include ProMotion technology, which can dynamically adjust the screen from 120Hz to as little as 24Hz. With that being said, iPad cameras are useful for some things including scouting shots, scanning documents, getting reference material, and FaceTime chats.
The 10.5-inch iPad Pro’s 12-megapixel camera features digital zoom up to 5x, optical image stabilization, six-element lens, and a quad-LED True Tone flash. The iPad Air 3 doesn’t include a quad-LED True Tone flash and Panoramas are only available for up to 43 megapixels.
Apple’s Pro tablets continue to offer a four-speaker setup while others, like the new iPad Air, include dual speakers that reside next to the Lightning port. If you decide to buy AppleCare+ after your purchase date but within the first 60 days, you can visit checkcoverage.apple.com; you’ll have to verify your serial number and run a remote diagnostic. Unless you’re buying a tablet almost exclusively to shoot photos and video, I’d recommend the 2017 iPad Air over the 2017 10.5-inch Pro.
Buy one to experience Apple’s latest tablet internals for much less than the iPad Pro models.
iPad Pro 10.5 review: overkill
In that year, guess how many companies came within a million miles of matching the speed, power, convenience, and app selection of the old iPad Pro. And yet, despite the fact that the meaningful tablet market has dwindled down to some Windows 10 devices and the iPad – and despite the fact that the iPad itself has seen slowing sales – the company’s engineers are still moving full speed ahead and putting the most advanced technical hardware features it can come up with into this device. It was designed to work with a new version of iOS coming later this fall that will change how people interact with and use this device. So for now, the iPad Pro is a hot rod sitting at the starting line, gunning its engines, waiting for permission to hit the gas.
Those differences include a murderer’s row of specs that don’t seem very necessary for what most people do with iPads. I was all set to complain that increasing the size from 9.7 to 10.5 was not a big enough jump to justify requiring people to buy new keyboards and accessories. The usual things you expect from Pro iPad screens are all here: high-resolution display, True Tone for matching the screen’s color to the ambient light in the room, a wide color gamut, a fully-laminated LCD so the pixels feel like they’re right on the glass, fingerprint resistance, and a coating to make it slightly less reflective in the sun. If you’re just looking at some static text on an ebook, the iPad will slow the refresh rate down even further to save battery life. The rear camera is the same as what you’ll find on the iPhone 7, a 12-megapixel sensor with optical image stabilization. It’s fast, easy to understand, and the ability to split screen apps is convenient, though not as powerful as a full windowing system. With iOS 11, the core UI of how iPad multitasking works is going to completely change. I don’t think iOS 11 is going to turn the iPad into something like a Mac or a Windows PC, with all their customization options and apps that plug deep into the system.
I suspect that all the power inside the iPad Pro will mean that it will work better with those new features, but since it’s not out yet, I can’t say for sure. If you’re trying to switch to a tablet as your main computer and are surveying the competition, here’s the only question that matters: can Windows 10 apps get better faster than Apple can build more utility into iOS?
Now that we know that the 10.5-inch iPad Pro is an impressive device and that we further know that iOS 11 is going to radically change how you use it, let’s get back to that value equation I mentioned earlier. The iPad Pro 10.5 presents a conundrum: it is a stupendous device that I firmly believe most people shouldn’t buy just yet.
And if you’re going to make the iPad Pro your main computer, you should probably get more than 64GB of storage and you should also probably get a keyboard to go with it (to say nothing of the Apple Pencil). There are people who are already doing that, but I don’t think the majority of computer users can be comfortable using an iPad as their main device.
iPad Air 2019 vs iPad Pro 2017
That being said, if you can find a 10.5 iPad Pro in the Apple Refurbished store then you’ll get a better all-round device for potentially a little less cash. We see how these two same-sized tablets compare, and whether you’d be better off looking for a second-hand Pro model or plumping for the shiny new Air. There are two different storage options on the iPad Air 2019, plus the usual Wi-Fi or added cellular configurations.
It’s still available to pick up from some third-party sellers who have stock left over, or you try Apple’s own refurbished store that repurposes products that have been returned for some reason or another.
The iPad Pro comes with an A10X Fusion processor, which was cock of the walk in 2017, but time waits for no iOS device and the new 2019 model has the superior A12 Bionic chip with its Neural Engine. Apple doesn’t officially state the amount of RAM in its devices, but through various diagnostic means it’s been discovered that the Pro has 4GB while the Air fares less well with 3GB. Storage options are the same for either model, with 64GB and 256GB available, but the Pro offers an additional 512GB tier if you’re willing to shell out the extra cash. As mentioned earlier, 10.5in panels are used for the Pro and the Air, with both boasting 2224×1668 resolutions at 264ppi, True Tone technology, Wide colour (P3), fully laminated screens, and support for the first generation Apple Pencil.
There are minor differences, with the Pro featuring Apple’s ProMotion technology for smoother scrolling, while the Air is able to emit up to 500 nits of brightness making it one of brightest displays in the range.
One of the areas where it’s more obvious that some things are held back for only the Pro devices is in the camera department. The new Air model comes with an 8Mp, f/2.4 lens that features HDR for photos, auto image stabilisation, 43Mp panoramas, and a top quality of 1080p for video capture. The unit Apple used for its favourite son is a 12Mp, f/1.8 lens with optical image stabilisation, sapphire lens cover, higher-grade 63Mp panoramas, auto HDR for photos, 4K video at 30fps, optical image stabilisation for video, and a few other goodies.
iPad Air 2019 iPad Pro 2017 Finish Silver, Gold, Space Grey Silver, Gold, Space Grey Processor A12 Bionic chip & Neural Engine, M12 coprocessor A10X Fusion chip, M10 coprocessor Storage 64GB/256GB 64GB/256GB/512GB Display 10.5-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Multi-Touch display, 2224×1668 resolution at 264 pixels per inch (ppi), Wide colour display (P3), True Tone display, Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, Fully laminated display, Anti-reflective coating, 1.8% reflectivity, 500 nits brightness 10.5-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Multi-Touch display, 2224×1668 resolution at 264 pixels per inch (ppi), ProMotion technology, Wide colour display (P3), True Tone display, Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, Fully laminated display, Anti-reflective coating Camera 8MP camera (main), ƒ/2.4 aperture, 1080p video, 7MP FaceTime HD camera (front), f/2.2, 1080p video 12MP camera (main), f/1.8, sapphire crystal lens cover, OIS, 4K video at 30fps, 7MP camera (front), f/2.2, 1080p HD video Ports Lightning, Smart Connector, 3.5mm headphone jack Lightning, Smart Connector, 3.5mm headphone jack Connectivity Wi‑Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac); simultaneous dual band (2.4GHz and 5GHz); HT80 with MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0 technology Wi‑Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac); dual channel (2.4GHz and 5GHz); HT80 with MIMO, Bluetooth 4.2 Security Touch ID Touch ID Apple Pencil Support 1st Generation 1st Generation Dimensions 250.6mm x 174.1mm x 6.1mm 250.6mm x 174.1mm x 6.1mm Weight 456g/464g (Wi-Fi/Cellular) 469g/477g (Wi-Fi/Cellular) Price £479/£599/£629/£749 £619/£709/£749/£839/£889/£1,019 While the iPad Pro 2017 was hardly cheap when it arrived, if you can pick one up in the Apple refurbished store you may find that it’s cheaper than the new Air.
Be First to Comment