iPad Pro 9.7 to 10.5: worth the upgrade ?

[Analog Kid]

i really love my iPad Pro 9.7 (with brydge keyboard) but the screen size has always been the one glaring limitation for me. The 12 inch iPad is really too big for my needs but the 9.7 has felt small too me. Has anyone made this switch? Is it silly too even contemplate?

I updated, despite my intentions not to. I have exactly the same issue with the 9.7 that you did-- not quite enough screen real estate but the 12.9 is just too big. I absolutely love the 10.5, and it does go some of the way toward alleviating the cramped space of the 9.7".

Just remember that it's less than in inch in the diagonal, which really isn't that much more space in width or height. I think part of the reason it feels better isn't the actual size of the display, but the perceived size of it. I don't know if it's the narrower bezels or a change to the display stack but I feel like the pencil is much closer to the pixels, and the parallax it un-noticable.

There is no perfect answer to the screen size vs. portability problem though. Apple bought some ground by shrinking the bezel but mostly portable and light means less screen. Just how it is.

So I'm really happy with mine, it's better in ways I can't really articulate, but I also had the advantage that I had someone to pass my 9.7 too, so there wasn't really a loss on the upgrade.

 

[malikkamran]

I get 6 hours on iPad Pro 10.5

 

[alecgold]

I get 6 hours on iPad Pro 10.5

Me too:
iOS 11
Brightness in 100%
Moving about 100Gb of data and then indexing it.

But before I Installed iOS 11 and just did the normal things, it lasted the same as my 9.7. Perhaps even a little bit longer.
[doublepost=1499208558][/doublepost]

The two big things the 10.5 brings is three-app multi tasking and promotion. If you need those, upgrade. The screen size is 18% bigger or so, while the footprint grew about 8%. For me, the screen size upgrade is too small to achieve productivity, and I prefer the smaller screen for bed and couch usage where the device is a foot away from my eyes. You may use your device differently.

iPad 12.9 will show you two iPad minis in horizontal mode, while 10.5 is showing you 18% more than 9.7... it’s more but I doubt it is a fundamentally different experience with two apps open.

there are a few reasons to keep your 9.7 over 10.5 Pro.

- 9.7 has the most common iPad resolution, so you get the best 3rd party app experience
- smaller foot print makes it more portable
- bezels make vertical typing easier (Apple arguably shrunk the wrong bezels)

I bought the 10.5 because I wanted to pass my 9.7 to my father.
I wasn’t expecting any benefit. 120Hz, 10.5” better display. All incremental, not a big thing when you’re used to an 9.7.
Only benefit I saw was an (almost) full size keyboard. The 9.7 always felt cramped and just a tad too small to be useful.

But I was wrong. All the improvements together are more than the sum of the individual parts.
I write a lot on the screen and on the 9.7 in portrait I always had a bit of word at the end of my line that didn’t fit.
It’s considerable less with the 10.5. The screen is smoother. Serious smoother when compared to my 12.9 (1st gen). Every time I switch I see it.
The screen is a little bit less fingerprint-magnet.
The friction between pen and screen is a tiny bit different, better.
Pencil writing is better, my writing looks a bit more like ballpoint on paper then it did before. I like the feeling of fountain pen on paper a lot, it’s smooth, but also has a distinct directional feeling. The Pencil is still missing that feeling, but it’s getting much closer to a good bold (fat-ink-spilling) ballpoint (think BIC).

The end result is that I use my 10.5 about 40-60% of the time. Before it was more 20-80 with the 12.9 winning big time.
So on paper you’re absolutely right, your arguments for keeping the 9.7 are valid. But in MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE/USE it makes a big different.
YMMV, as they say.

 

[ragingfighter1]

With all the posts on this topic it really can be summarized to preference and the individual's use set. If you are a person that has made an ipad more of your daily driver and it is the computer you go to for most of your work and entertainment and studies then you may find it worth the upgrade. If you are a person that takes pictures with their tablet and that's fine people do that I don't see what the big deal is then it is a worth upgrade. Most other things the base model at 329.00 can do quite well. If you own an ipad pro 9.7 definitely take a trip to the apple store test it out side by side. Remember you can buy it and try it in most places for 14 days and get your money back. That is the real test an extended side by side. If you have a pencil already it helps the back end expense. Keyboard well there are options. As long as you can look at your purchase as a smart one you get a pro money worth out of it that's fine. If not well Choose wisely

 

[jbachandouris]

I upgraded from the 9.7 to the 10.5 as I was able to secure one from AT&T. I had assumed selling my 9.7 would be easy. It is still unsold (128GB LTE).

As for if it's worth it, as it stands right now, no. When iOS 11 is released? Maybe. I just don't notice that big of a difference at this point, so if you don't need it, I would wait.

 

[44267547]

I upgraded from the 9.7 to the 10.5 as I was able to secure one from AT&T. I had assumed selling my 9.7 would be easy. It is still unsold (128GB LTE).

As for if it's worth it, as it stands right now, no. When iOS 11 is released? Maybe. I just don't notice that big of a difference at this point, so if you don't need it, I would wait.

Valid advice. I think the biggest advantage with a 10.5 iPad is obviously the Promotion display and the reduced bezels gives it a much more refined look. But you are correct, iOS 11 will boost the capabilities more when it's released.

 

[Booji]

Me too:
iOS 11
Brightness in 100%
Moving about 100Gb of data and then indexing it.

But before I Installed iOS 11 and just did the normal things, it lasted the same as my 9.7. Perhaps even a little bit longer.
[doublepost=1499208558][/doublepost]
I bought the 10.5 because I wanted to pass my 9.7 to my father.
I wasn’t expecting any benefit. 120Hz, 10.5” better display. All incremental, not a big thing when you’re used to an 9.7.
Only benefit I saw was an (almost) full size keyboard. The 9.7 always felt cramped and just a tad too small to be useful.

But I was wrong. All the improvements together are more than the sum of the individual parts.
I write a lot on the screen and on the 9.7 in portrait I always had a bit of word at the end of my line that didn’t fit.
It’s considerable less with the 10.5. The screen is smoother. Serious smoother when compared to my 12.9 (1st gen). Every time I switch I see it.
The screen is a little bit less fingerprint-magnet.
The friction between pen and screen is a tiny bit different, better.
Pencil writing is better, my writing looks a bit more like ballpoint on paper then it did before. I like the feeling of fountain pen on paper a lot, it’s smooth, but also has a distinct directional feeling. The Pencil is still missing that feeling, but it’s getting much closer to a good bold (fat-ink-spilling) ballpoint (think BIC).

The end result is that I use my 10.5 about 40-60% of the time. Before it was more 20-80 with the 12.9 winning big time.
So on paper you’re absolutely right, your arguments for keeping the 9.7 are valid. But in MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE/USE it makes a big different.
YMMV, as they say.

Exactly my sentiments. If you just go the Apple Store and spend 10 minutes on it, you won't really feel much difference. However, once you test drive it full time for a few days, going back to 9.7 you will really feel the difference.

My recommendation - DO NOT take the 10.5 on an extended test drive unless you are willing to fork out the money, because you will!