If you are looking for a replacement for your iPad which had served you well for years, there are two models worth checking out. These are the new iPad (2017) and the iPad Pro 9.7. Both are very promising gadgets with differences in features and prices. However, either one can be a good choice depending on your expectations. Let’s make a comparison between these devices from Apple to make it easier for you.
Body & Design
In terms of design, the two contenders are similar, albeit the iPad Pro has an advantage over the iPad in thickness and weight, at 9.40 x 6.60 x 0.24 inches in size and 437 or 444 grams in weight. Conversely, iPad is slightly thicker at 9.40 x 6.60 x 0,29 inches and weighs 469 or 478 grams. Both come with a high-quality aluminum build with round corners and edges, Touch ID Home button, Lighting port at the bottom part, ports along the sides but with the Pro having Smart Connector ports on one side. Colors available for the new iPad are silver, gold and space grey but iPad Pro has an extra color option of rose gold.
Features
For display, both iPad models boast of 9.7-inch Retina features, LED-backlit LCD screens with 2048 x 1536 resolutions and pixel densities of 264 ppi. Other similarities include oleophobic coating and a 10-hour battery life. The new iPad 2017 does not have the laminated display with anti-reflective coating the iPad Pro has. It also does not have the iOS Night Shift feature and the P3 wide color gamut as well as Apple’s True Tone technology which adjusts the white balance depending on ambient lighting conditions.
In terms of camera features, iPad 2017 has a flat 8-megapixel rear camera at the left side with 1080- video recording capabilities and an aperture of f/24. Its front-facing camera is at 1.2-megapixels. Conversely, iPad Pro’s raised 12-megapixel rear camera is 4K video recording capable with f/2.2 aperture and offers Live Photos, True Tone flash, and wide color photo capture. The front camera has Retina Flash and has 5-megapixels. However, both are capable of face detection, photo geo-tagging, and Auto HDR photos.
Hardware
The iPad 2017 is powered by an A9 chip and an embedded M9 coprocessor while its counterpart is faster, with a more advanced A9X chip as well as the embedded M9 coprocessor. Another edge of the iPad Pro over iPad 2017 is its Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil compatibility. The four-speaker audio feature on the iPad Pro is also better than the two-speaker audio on the new iPad.
Storage and Software
Both iPad models offer 32GB and 128GB storage choices but buyers of the iPad Pro can opt for 256GB storage if they prefer. For software, both run on iOS 10 but as expected, the iPad Pro offers a bit more. These are iMessages, Home app compatible with any HomeKit-enabled device, App Store ecosystem and a split-screen multitasking feature.
Pricing
The new iPad 2017 is more affordable. The WiFi-only model with 32GB will have an asking price of $329 and will cost more if you will go for the model with WiFi and Cellular options. For the iPad Pro, starting price is $599 for the WiFi model with 32GB and over $800 for the WiFi and Cellular model with 256GB.
While the iPad Pro offers better and more features, the new iPad 2017 does not fall behind its counterpart, not to forget that it is also cheaper. You might also want to read about the iPad 2017 vs. iPad Air 2 and see which one emerges as the winner in the battle of the iPads.
