iPad Pro 11" vs 12.9" and the need for 6Gb ram (1TB Model)

[MCube74]

There has been a lot of posts about people trying out the 12.9" model iPad Pro and then returning it for the smaller 11" model and some people returning their iPad Pro for the 1TB storage model.

I think all the discussion is kind of confusing people even more. To me it all comes down to personal choice and personal need.

My main need for the iPad Pro is to use it as a tablet first at home and then using it at the office as a notebook. I know both the 11" and 12.9" model will suit my needs but whenever I see both models side by side I feel the 11" is small.

Yes, the 11" model is so much easier to hold one handed but it is not like the 12.9" model can't be held one handed. I am actually very particular about my expensive devices and I am very careful with my gadgets. I will probably make myself hold the iPad with 2 hands to be safe. So when holding the ipad Pro with 2 hands I feel the bigger one is more comfortable for viewing. Yes, the 11" model is still lighter but then if I wanted something to carry around everywhere I can just use my iPhone Xs Max for that.

I know there are people who carry their iPad pro for work and take it with them everywhere. For those people the 11" model seems more practical but then have you thought it this way? What if Apple only released the 12.9" model only this year and we know the 12.9" model is smaller than the previous 12.9" models, then wouldn't you go ahead and buy it? It didn't stop people from getting the 12.9" models before.
I also find typing with the 12.9" keyboard more comforting. It is not so cramped up as with the 11" model. This is the main reason for me to not use the 9.7" model before. I bought it and then ended up giving it to my wife and daughter to use at home for their personal entertainment.

Anyway, it still comes down to personal choice.
I think the best way to use either of the iPads is without the Smart Folio case. The smart folio case adds a lot of bulk and weight.

I got the 12.9" iPad Pro 256gb Cellular last week and on the same day I bought a Gel Case to protect the back and sides. I have also ordered a back skin from dBrand which is on pre-order. Not sure when I will receive it. My plan is to use the Gel case all the time but when using the Smart Folio Keyboard case, I will remove the gel case. This way I don't have to carry the extra weight of the Smart Folio Keyboard every time. I also got a nice carrying pouch which I believe is for 12” notebooks. The iPad Pro 12.9 fits in the carrying pouch nicely. Check these pictures.

Now lets talk about storage.

I have noticed that many people use their iPads for web surfing and some light work. For such people the 64gb storage could be sufficient.

However for me since I use it at the office mainly to prepare documents and excel sheets, the 256gb seems perfect as I also have plenty of personal videos and song collection. I transferred everything to my iPad already and I now have 168gb storage still available. This should be plenty for my documents and excel sheets and some light video editing for personal family videos.

I feel that the iPad storage should be about half the storage of what I use for my iPhone Xs Max. This is because I will not use my iPad Pro to take videos and photos everyday. I will be using my iPhone Xs Max for that and that is why my iPhone Xs Max has 512gb storage. Whatever I want to transfer and use on my iPad Pro, I will just share it in my iCloud so that I can also access the photos and videos with my iPad Pro.

I hope I am right that the 256gb storage is more than enough for my needs.

Now coming to the big question about getting the 1TB model just for the extra 2GB ram.

I was on my way to the office today and the Apple store is very near my office. I went to the store and ask about the extra ram in the 1TB model. Surprising they had no clue about it. They were actually checking their website for info. He He.

I personally feel the extra ram is there mainly to manage the 1TB storage. I remember I read earlier that the iPhone Xs 512gb model has 1gb more ram than the 256gb and 64gb models but that news never got confirmed and noone is talking about it.
But for the iPad Pro I think the only way we can see the benefit with the extra ram is when apps are built to require the extra memory. Photoshop is one of the apps I believe which will take advantage of the extra ram but that will be released next year and I personally don't use photoshop on desktop so why would I use it on iPad. So it is not my concern.

It would be a concern to get the extra ram if there is a speed improvement in all apps. Like say 15% increase or so. The benchmarks show no speed improvements and in some cases the performance is actually lower.

Now is it worth for me to spend an extra $600 to get the 1TB model just to have the extra ram??? Yes, if there is proof of speed improvement. So far its not the case.

 

[UltimateSyn]

The extra RAM isn’t going to make anything faster right now, but it will keep more applications and Safari tabs cached without the need for reloading. It’s been estimated on here before that only about ~512MB of the extra 2GB is needed to manage the extra storage, and the rest is available for system use.

The biggest benefit of the extra RAM will presumably come with subsequent iOS updates, which will (presumably, again) add in more features and capability that will be more trying on the RAM. Really, it’s just a question of longevity. If you’re going to upgrade your iPad next year, definitely don’t pay the extra $600. If it’s a device you plan on keeping for 3-4 years, I would personally (and I did) spend the extra money to ensure that the device’s performance is not hindered by the next few major updates. iOS 13 is rumored to be heavily iPad-centric and include lots of new capabilities.

 

[MCube74]

The extra RAM isn’t going to make anything faster right now, but it will keep more applications and Safari tabs cached without the need for reloading. It’s been estimated on here before that only about ~512MB of the extra 2GB is needed to manage the extra storage, and the rest is available for system use.

The biggest benefit of the extra RAM will presumably come with subsequent iOS updates, which will (presumably, again) add in more features and capability that will be more trying on the RAM. Really, it’s just a question of longevity. If you’re going to upgrade your iPad next year, definitely don’t pay the extra $600. If it’s a device you plan on keeping for 3-4 years, I would personally (and I did) spend the extra money to ensure that the device’s performance is not hindered by the next few major updates. iOS 13 is rumored to be heavily iPad-centric and include lots of new capabilities.

It is strange that Apple didn’t inform anything about this to users. If there will be benefit to customers, shouldn’t the customers be informed?

I am in HK and we are not allowed to return or exchange our devices once the box is opened.

Hehe. We don’t have any 14 days return policy like in the US. Why didn’t we get this info?

 

[kasakka]

It is strange that Apple didn’t inform anything about this to users. If there will be benefit to customers, shouldn’t the customers be informed?

Apple never states the RAM amount because it's a spec they like to nickle and dime on wherever they can. Most Android phones are already 6+ GB while Apple's latest are 3-4 GB. That's fine though, Android manufacturers have largely played the "looks better on paper" spec game and most of that RAM isn't utilized well.

I believe 4 GB will be just fine for several years to come. We are now at a point where the lack of RAM does not show in everyday use much, e.g. Safari tabs and apps no longer constantly reload. If the 1TB iPad Pro indeed has 6 GB then Apple seems to have had a good reason for it but you are unlikely to see a tangible benefit in real use.

Buy the 1TB model if you truly need that much local disk space, not because it has more RAM.

 

[MCube74]

I will surely not need the 1TB storage. It is hard to fill up 512gb with iPad. It is not like we will take it around to take photos and videos like we do with our phones.

It’s only the extra ram.

I can’t exchange at Apple but I have to sell to another and buy another. Troublesome but possible. Not sure if it is worth the effort though.

 

[MCube74]

I have further tested my device and I really like the screen of the new 12.9” model. Coming from the first generation of the 12.9” model, the new screen is crystal clear and super bright. I also love the smoothness of the interface.

Surfing the web is a joy with the 12.9” model.

If you use the 12.9” model without the smart folio case it will be a lot better. Get a nice light gel case which will be lighter than using the smart folio case. Then you will be able to handle one hand and 2 hands usage with the iPad.
Therefore, getting the smaller 11” model may not be necessary.

Honestly he 11” model is just slightly bigger than the 10.5”. If you want something light and portable then it may be better to get a second hand 10.5” model as many are selling them at eBay. You can save the money for a stronger iPad Pro for iOS 13.

I have a feeling next year’s model will have 6gb ram for all devices. He. You can save money agin by going for 256gb storage or the 512gb model.

For 12.9”model the new device is a benefit since it is smaller than previous 2 generations with the same screen size.

 

[MCube74]

I also highly recommend a nice glass screen protector. It will help maintain the crystal clear display which is amazing with the new iPad Pro.

 

[DNichter]

The extra RAM is a non factor in my opinion, go by the storage you need. The 12.9 feels like I am holding a TV in front of my face, better for desk use in my eyes.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

Does your gel case block the Pencil connector?

 

[macduke]

My 256GB iPhone XS has 4GB of RAM. 5GB RAM packages are not a thing. Therefore what you read about the 512GB XS is bunk.

Funny that your case has a cutout for the new smart connector. How exactly would something latch onto that? It's to be used by a case itself, lol. Oh well.

The RAM issue will be a bigger problem for people who need to use Photoshop with a ton of layers or in very high resolution. I've resigned myself to the fact that if I'm going to be merging panoramas made of multiple 42MP RAW files shot on my a7R III, I'm just going to use my Mac to do that because I have better software tools on there anyway for alignment and perspective correction. I also doubt I'll be maxing out Procreate's layer stack anytime soon. I usually draw 19" x 13" since that's what my printer can output and at 300dpi that gives me 20 layers which is enough for drawing. And in Affinity Photo, I could just keep adding layers and it didn't seem to care. I added 60 at the same resolution as Procreate and could draw on each one and it kept going so IDK what kind of black magic is going on there. By the time I upgrade again in ~3 years there will be a lot more RAM in the new model and this one will still be okay.