iPad 2018 or 9.7 Pro

[Patriks7]

I tried to search, but couldn't really find a great deal of info regarding this.

I recently lost my iPad mini 2. I loved the size and am still half considering of going for a mini 4, but currently I am more thinking about a bigger iPad for my usage. Most of my usage will be taking and annotating notes, web browsing, Netflix and Spotify.

I can get both of them for pretty much the same price. As far as I can tell, the only thing that the 2018 model has going for it is the slightly faster processor. The Pro has all the extras, like better screen and speakers. Do these make up for it being a 2 year old model? Or should I go for it instead of the current basic model?

 

[AppleHaterLover]

The 2018 iPad should be marginally faster - but only marginally. It a lós might go a little bit over the 10 hours the battery is rated with the low power cores in the A10 Fusion and whatnot.

The 9.7 iPad Pro should have about the same performance but it comes with the laminated screen with True Tone, and the speakers are WAAAAAYY better (quad speakers vs. one single speaker), which for me really helps create a “this is a computer” impression.

Plus it supports the Smart Keyboard, and since it has been discontinued you may find it for very cheap.

Go Pro. (Heh)

 

[javisan]

The 2018 iPad should be marginally faster - but only marginally. It a lós might go a little bit over the 10 hours the battery is rated with the low power cores in the A10 Fusion and whatnot.

The 9.7 iPad Pro should have about the same performance but it comes with the laminated screen with True Tone, and the speakers are WAAAAAYY better (quad speakers vs. one single speaker), which for me really helps create a “this is a computer” impression.

Plus it supports the Smart Keyboard, and since it has been discontinued you may find it for very cheap.

Go Pro. (Heh)

Buy the iPad Pro when it goes on sale. All WiFi Pros were $200 off at Micro Center this week. I paid $450 for the 64gb version, only $120 more than the 32gb 2018 model.

 

[Patriks7]

Buy the iPad Pro when it goes on sale. All WiFi Pros were $200 off at Micro Center this week. I paid $450 for the 64gb version, only $120 more than the 32gb 2018 model.

Thanks for the tip, unfortunately I live in Europe and have never seen such sales like this over here.

 

[johnothy]

I recently bought an iPad Pro 9.7 Refurbished from Apple. The speakers are great and things are fast with iOS 12 on it. I don't know why I waited so long to get one of these. I plan on getting the keyboard next.

 

[s2mikey]

I was in the same boat about 4-5 months ago and decided that the newer model was the better call. I love my 2018 iPad "base" model. The speakers IMO is the only real upgrade with the Pro since TruTone is a subjective thing. They both have the same amount of RAM which is the key takeaway here. The iPad 6th gen is plenty fast, the screen is fine and it gets the job done.

 

[Patriks7]

Thanks for the info guys.

I actually found out I have a friend travelling to the US soon and he would be willing to buy me a discounted iPad Pro while over there. How often do such discounts happen? Is there a website where to follow this info?

 

[javisan]

Thanks for the info guys.

I actually found out I have a friend travelling to the US soon and he would be willing to buy me a discounted iPad Pro while over there. How often do such discounts happen? Is there a website where to follow this info?

I recommend that you track prices in Best Buy and Micro Center on a weekly basis, those two I know discount the iPad from time to time. Also, a competitor website whom I wont name but its name includes "insider", has a "Price Guide" section and it tracks the prices on several vendors.
[doublepost=1537831783][/doublepost]

I was in the same boat about 4-5 months ago and decided that the newer model was the better call. I love my 2018 iPad "base" model. The speakers IMO is the only real upgrade with the Pro since TruTone is a subjective thing. They both have the same amount of RAM which is the key takeaway here. The iPad 6th gen is plenty fast, the screen is fine and it gets the job done.

Not true. The 2018 base iPad has 2gb of RAM vs 4gb on the Pro.

 

[mofunk]

The iPad Mini 4 is a little bit faster than the Mini 2. However it lags a bit with wifi compared to the iPad Pro 10.5 especially when playing games. I would think the 2018 iPad to be slightly faster than the Mini 4.

The sound on the 10.5 Pro is better than the 2018 iPad even when sync'd to a bluetooth speaker.


Finding a good deal, you could just check authorized Apple dealers like Best Buy, B&H Photo in NY, Target, and Mirco Center. They will have the best deals.

 

[AppleHaterLover]

[/doublepost]

Not true. The 2018 base iPad has 2gb of RAM vs 4gb on the Pro.

Only the 12.9 and 10.5 models.

 

[wwooden]

I was in the same situation, deciding between the 9.7 Pro and the 2018 iPad. I find a great deal on the Pro, was cheaper than buying an equivalent 2018, so it was a no-brainer for me. But even without the deal, the Pro is overall better. I immediately noticed the improved color spectrum when comparing to my iPad Mini 4. The speakers are awesome and unmatched with any of the regular iPads. The A9x is still a beast, it will be supported for at least a few more iOS versions.

 

[venom600]

I was also in the same situation two weeks ago. I chose the 9.7 iPad pro over the 10.5 (which was on sale for $449) and the 2018. Why? Because I got a deal on ebay for a flawless 128GB pro for $300 and the storage at that price outweighed a slightly faster processor and more RAM. I love it so far, no problems to speak of.

 

[ColdShadow]

the Pro 9.7 is better than 2018 iPad.
display is laminated and higher quality.
speakers are much better.
the 2018 model has a marginally faster processor, but the display and sound are noticeably inferior.
get the Pro if you can get it for a good price.

 

[Greenmeenie]

I’d wait a few weeks until the new ipad pros are announced. Then you could pick up one of the current 10.5” pros at a discount. Even better than the 9.7” pro. Just a thought.

 

[secretk]

I am new to Apple and iOS as a whole and 2018 iPad (6th generation) was my first purchase. Have in mind that my first impressions that I will post here are not just first impressions for the device but also for the OS itself.

I bought this iPad with one main purpose in mind - taking handwritten notes during work meetings. I have no complaints there. That is unless you use the native Notes app. That app freezes quite often. Killing it and restarting it does not help. I have to restart the iPad itself and if I do this I need to pair the pencil again. Needless to say it gets on my nerves so I just don't do it.

I have some issues with using Bluetooth keyboard and browser (Chrome) as well. Quite often the cursor cannot catch up to my typing speed. There is noticeable lag and as a result I cannot be efficient in typing with this device.

Most probably the issues I have are a result of the just 2 GB RAM. I am only mentioning those issues because some Youtube reviews claimed that this iPad is still good and all and it's not like that. I notice lag in some app almost every day. Luckily I can use it for what I planned to use it anyway. However IMO if you want to do something more that that then this iPad might not be the one for you. Especially if you want to use it as a laptop replacement (hooking it up to a Bluetooth keyboard).

Interestingly the display and the speakers are the least of my worries. I don't even notice those. I am however a person that tends to open at least 20 tabs in a browser. I also use split screen quite often so yeah I am all about the multitasking and this is where this iPad fails.

 

[Tapiture]

I’m selling my iPad Pro 9.7 with AppleCare+ so I can buy the new model. I love the 9.7” Pro, it’s a fantastic device. Still very speedy and the screen obliterates the 9.7 base model screen anyday.