Apple's Beats brand in April unveiled the Powerbeats Pro, a redesigned wire-free version of its popular fitness-oriented Powerbeats earbuds.
New Sixth-Generation iPad vs. 10.5-Inch iPad Pro
Support for the Apple Pencil was one of the major differentiating factors between the fifth-generation iPad and the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, with Apple Pencil connectivity limited to Apple's more expensive flagship tablets.
Now that Apple Pencil support has been built into the sixth-generation iPad, which costs just $329, the Apple Pencil is far more accessible and there's less separating Apple's cheapest tablet from its priciest models. In the video and post below, we go over all of the differences between the new iPad and the existing iPad Pro.
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The iPad Pro and the sixth-generation iPad may seem similar at first glance due to the shared Apple Pencil support, but the iPad Pro continues to offer a faster processor, better cameras, and a better display to justify its high price tag.
Apple's iPad Pro, for example, uses ProMotion technology with a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes all motion on the screen smoother, crisper, and more responsive.
It's dramatically different than other iPad displays with smoother text, better gameplay, and enhanced videos. True Tone technology, which adjusts the white balance of the display to match the ambient lighting is also an iPad Pro-only feature, as is wide color, for brighter, more vivid colors.
The sixth-generation iPad, meanwhile, uses the same non-laminated display that was first used in the iPad Air, albeit with improvements to make it brighter and a new touch sensor to allow for Apple Pencil support. It's Retina, but otherwise unremarkable.
The iPad Pro is also using an A10X Fusion chip, new in 2017, while the iPad is equipped with the A10 Fusion from the 2016 iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Major improvements have been made in processor and GPU speed in recent iterations, so the iPad Pro is going to be a good bit faster than the iPad, though you're not going to notice in everyday tasks.
If camera quality is of importance, the iPad Pro has the latest 12-megapixel f/1.8 camera that is leagues better than the 8-megapixel f2.4 camera in the iPad. The iPad Pro's camera supports a laundry list of features not available in the iPad, like True Tone Flash, stabilization for live photos, wide color capture, 4K video recording, and more.
The iPad Pro's front-facing camera is also 7-megapixels, a big upgrade over the 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera in the iPad. To make it easy to compare the two tablets at a glance, we've made a handy chart that also includes the fifth-generation iPad:
So which one should you buy? If you want an impressively fast but affordable tablet that works with Apple Pencil and is going to play the most recent games and apps for several years to come, go with the iPad.
If you want the fastest, thinnest device you can get with the absolute best display available on the market, go with the iPad Pro, but don't buy right now if you can hold out for a refresh. We're expecting to see updated iPad Pro models either in June or September with slimmer bezels, no Home button, and support for the Face ID facial recognition system first introduced in the iPhone X.
Now that Apple Pencil support has been built into the sixth-generation iPad, which costs just $329, the Apple Pencil is far more accessible and there's less separating Apple's cheapest tablet from its priciest models. In the video and post below, we go over all of the differences between the new iPad and the existing iPad Pro.
The iPad Pro and the sixth-generation iPad may seem similar at first glance due to the shared Apple Pencil support, but the iPad Pro continues to offer a faster processor, better cameras, and a better display to justify its high price tag.
Apple's iPad Pro, for example, uses ProMotion technology with a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes all motion on the screen smoother, crisper, and more responsive.
It's dramatically different than other iPad displays with smoother text, better gameplay, and enhanced videos. True Tone technology, which adjusts the white balance of the display to match the ambient lighting is also an iPad Pro-only feature, as is wide color, for brighter, more vivid colors.
The sixth-generation iPad, meanwhile, uses the same non-laminated display that was first used in the iPad Air, albeit with improvements to make it brighter and a new touch sensor to allow for Apple Pencil support. It's Retina, but otherwise unremarkable.
The iPad Pro is also using an A10X Fusion chip, new in 2017, while the iPad is equipped with the A10 Fusion from the 2016 iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Major improvements have been made in processor and GPU speed in recent iterations, so the iPad Pro is going to be a good bit faster than the iPad, though you're not going to notice in everyday tasks.
If camera quality is of importance, the iPad Pro has the latest 12-megapixel f/1.8 camera that is leagues better than the 8-megapixel f2.4 camera in the iPad. The iPad Pro's camera supports a laundry list of features not available in the iPad, like True Tone Flash, stabilization for live photos, wide color capture, 4K video recording, and more.
The iPad Pro's front-facing camera is also 7-megapixels, a big upgrade over the 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera in the iPad. To make it easy to compare the two tablets at a glance, we've made a handy chart that also includes the fifth-generation iPad:
So which one should you buy? If you want an impressively fast but affordable tablet that works with Apple Pencil and is going to play the most recent games and apps for several years to come, go with the iPad.
If you want the fastest, thinnest device you can get with the absolute best display available on the market, go with the iPad Pro, but don't buy right now if you can hold out for a refresh. We're expecting to see updated iPad Pro models either in June or September with slimmer bezels, no Home button, and support for the Face ID facial recognition system first introduced in the iPhone X.
Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Caution)
202 comments
Top Rated Comments
(View all)
16 months ago
You forgot about the Smart Connector on iPad Pro which is not present on the 9.7" iPad...
16 months ago
What a naming nightmare. 5th gen ipad, new ipad, new new ipad, new new new ipad, new 10" ipad, new new 9.7" ipad. WTF. Please name it iPad 1, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad 5, iPad 6, ... iPad 9,...
16 months ago
Need to update the Pro to help justify that price difference. New iPad is pretty close for half the price.
16 months ago
Only 2GB DRAM with no future proofing and that has to be upgraded in a year? 2GB is what's standard on $40 Android devices.
The 4GB Acer ChromeOS pen tablet is making much more sense since it can be used in tablet mode for preschool and early elementary then with keyboard/mouse for higher elementary up to high school. No need to disrupt kids' education by switching ecosystem in the process.
The 4GB Acer ChromeOS pen tablet is making much more sense since it can be used in tablet mode for preschool and early elementary then with keyboard/mouse for higher elementary up to high school. No need to disrupt kids' education by switching ecosystem in the process.
16 months ago
Personally True Tone is the worst. First thing i disabled after force trying it a few days
16 months ago
I’d still take the Pro every time. ProMotion alone is worth it (would be better if iOS 11 wasn’t so crap). It also has; a laminated screen with superior colours, True Tone, better cameras same as iPhone 7, 4GB RAM compared to 2GB, Smart Connector, 4 speakers compared to 2, 2nd gen Touch ID compared to the slower 1st gen, A10X processor compared to the standard A10.
All of that adds up to me. All of the major factors of a tablet are better on the Pro: display, processor, speakers, RAM, design, Touch ID etc. It's worth the extra £300 for future proofing. The 4GB RAM alone will be better off in the long run, 2GB is already too little.
All of that adds up to me. All of the major factors of a tablet are better on the Pro: display, processor, speakers, RAM, design, Touch ID etc. It's worth the extra £300 for future proofing. The 4GB RAM alone will be better off in the long run, 2GB is already too little.
16 months ago
True tone doesn't change brightness just annoying yellow tint colour temp and even the 10.5 is just a big iphone nothing special about ipads
C’mon. If iPads aren’t your bag fair enough but this meme iPads are just big iPhone is really tired and worn. Anyone who says that is either trolling or talking out of their arse & never really attempted to use them as tools. But even if is similar in functionality to the iPhone so is a drill to a driver.
16 months ago
iPad Pro is marketed as a laptop replacement. Tell me its not????
Replacing a laptop and being a laptop are separate things.
16 months ago
True tone doesn't change brightness just annoying yellow tint colour temp and even the 10.5 is just a big iphone nothing special about ipads
Nothing special about iPads? Many would disagree with you on that. The iPad is a highly useful tool to me in many ways.
I personally like True Tone and it serves its purpose. Its a much easier transition on the Eyes when reading, which corrects the white point on the display based on the lighting in the room.
16 months ago
Just had my 5th Gen iPad a year and now it’s “discontinued” for a model that is practically identical other than a wee bit faster and you can use a pricey stylus with it. Er great. Good old “new” Apple. What a greedy, lazy lot they’ve now become.
They update their low cost iPad one year later and this is greedy? Trying to understand what you mean.[ Read All Comments ]
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