Due to go on sale this coming Friday, Apple‘s new tablet the memorably named iPad is the next step in its revamp of that devices lineup. However, it’s not seen as a significant step forward, offering little in the way of improvements. Instead, it’s a more price focussed entry level tablet, aimed at what will inevitably be the smallest on offer sometime soon. So without further ado here’s how the 9.7-inch new iPad and it’s direct predecessor the 9.7-inch iPad Pro compare.
New iPad Vs iPad Pro
The design is the first thing you notice when purchasing a new product. As such you would expect a New iPad to feature a new design. However, Apple has decided to use its iPhone approach and make literally no changes at all in this department.
Seriously, if you were to place the new tablet next to the Pro 9.7-inch, you would not be able to tell which was which. Both devices feature the same display size, and the all-metal rear and glossy front are identical too. As for size, there is one minor difference; the new iPad is slightly thicker than its predecessor at 7.5mm compared to 6.1mm. Additionally, there’s a difference in weight, and again the new model comes out worse off being heavier at 469 grams versus 437 grams,
As for color options, the Pro came in Silver, Space Gray, Gold, and Rose Gold. However, for unknown reasons (probably to keep the price down) Rose Gold is not available for the new device.
Display
The display featured on the new iPad is identical to that of the Pro. In that’s they’re both 9.7-inches in size and come with the same resolution of 2048×1536 pixels. Which means sharp images and clear color production are once again available, even if a new iPad should sport something different.
In a few ways it has, but it’s certainly not something that will be seen as a positive by possible buyers. Apple has not included the likes of True Tone, wide color range, or anti-reflective coating technologies. All of which means, while the Pro benefits from more precise visuals, and comfortable on the eye viewing. Owners of this new iPad will not.
Storage
Beginning with Storage options, the older of the two models comes with three: 32GB, 128GB, and 256GB. However, yet again for the new iPad model, Apple has decided to lessen its options. It sports two variations, 32GB, and 128GB, which doesn’t make much sense, considering 256GB the top end offering is missing. However, this means, if you have movies, music, images, and more to save maybe you should give the 32GB a miss.
WiFi and Cellualr
Were you hoping for e-SIM tech support from this new iPad? If so, you will be disappointed to discover it hasn’t. For that, the Pro is still the model for you. However, where it comes to connectivity (Data) both devices offer the same WiFi only, and WiFi plus Cellular data connections. Additionally, and as you would probably expect, the inclusion of Touch ID is also found on both devices.
Chipset
Regarding performance, the Pro still has the upper hand over the new model thanks to its A9X chipset. Having said that the A9 featured in the latest iPad will do a much better job all around compared to the older A8 chip. Just don’t expect it to be anywhere near comparable to the A10 Fusion if you’re an iPhone 7 owner.
Camera
So, far this comparison clear, the new iPad is a lesser model in comparison to the Pro. And that theme continues with camera technology. Directly comparing the front and rear sensors here’s what we found. The new model has an older 8MP rear offering compared to the 12.4MP of the older device. Additionally, there are differences in video recording quality, the iPad maxes out at 1080p and the iPad Pro at 4K.
However, that’s not where the disappointment ends, the lack of parity between the two continues with the front sensors too. On the new iPad, there’s a 1.2MP sensor, on the Pro, there’s a 5MP offering with Retina Flash and FaceTime.
Price
Apple has looked to create a more affordable tablet with its latest release. In fact, it has reduced the price of what is clearly an entry model by $70 while making the display larger for its price point.
As for how much it costs, the new iPad will set you back $329 for the basic 32GB WiFi model, while the Pro starts at $599. After that, the prices increase (WiFi Only) by $100 for each extra storage option. Meaning a top price of $429 for the latest and $799 for the Pro is reached.
Moving onto WiFi and Cellular options for the new iPad, it starts at $459 and ends at $559. In comparison the price of the Pro is much higher, starting at $729, and ending at $929.
Specs Compared
So, there you have it a complete picture of how the two Apple tablets compare, as mentioned earlier its clear that they are very different. Yes, superficially, and at first glance, you could not tell them apart. However, when you dig a little deeper, it’s obvious that the new iPad is a budget model.
Is it worth buying? That would depend on what you need it to do. However, we think it would easily be capable of any day to day tasks you may require of it.
Check out the full specification comparison below; it will provide you with a quick snapshot of the two devices similarities and differences.
