Apple iPad tablets. Apple iPad tablets New iPad 9.7

1. Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard sold separately.
2. Game controllers are not compatible with all games and are sold separately. Availability varies by country.
3. Cost 199 rub. per month after the trial period ends. Subscription renews automatically until cancelled. You can cancel your subscription at any time.
4. Requires a Wi‑Fi or cellular connection; Cellular data charges may apply.
5. The cost is 199 rubles per month after the trial period ends. Single subscription to an iCloud Family Sharing group. Offer valid for 3 months after activation of eligible device. Subscription renews automatically until cancelled. There are certain restrictions and other conditions.
6. Data plan required. 4G LTE networks are not available in all regions or with all carriers. Speeds are based on theoretical throughput and may vary depending on local conditions. For more information about LTE support, contact your carrier or visit.
7. Battery life varies depending on device settings and usage. More details on the page.

• The featured third-party applications are available in the App Store. Products and applications shown are not guaranteed to be available.
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To be honest, I was quite skeptical about the older iPad Pro: too big, different resolution, high price, heavy weight. Therefore, I did not expect much from using the iPad Pro 9.7, given that I am not a designer and the product is clearly not designed for me. Whether my fears were justified or not, you will find out in this review.

Characteristics

Equipment

• Tablet
• Charger
• PC cable (also part of the charger)

Appearance, materials, control elements, assembly

Apple has always been able to make beautiful things, just remember... anything: MacBook Pro, iPod Classic, iPhone 4/4s, etc. Of course, this statement is also true for the company’s tablets. The first Air featured a major redesign of the iPad, but now the new versions only get cosmetic changes. However, this does not make them any worse. The new iPad Pro 9.7 looks about the same as the same Air/Air 2, but with a number of caveats.

In this review, I decided not to once again list the location of the connectors and control elements; fortunately, there is a wonderful and visual picture dedicated to them on the Apple website, so let’s focus on the differences between the Pro 9.7 and the Air.

Firstly, of course, color. A “rose gold” version appeared, and that’s what I tested. What can I say, it looks beautiful, but not tacky, however, it is clear that such a color is still more suitable for girls.

The back part with the antennas is no longer plastic, but also aluminum, only the white rim remains. To be honest, I liked the previous version better.

An additional pair of stereo speakers has appeared, now there are not two, but four. And this seriously affects the sound quality. I'm not an audiophile, but even I can hear a significant difference in sound between Pro 9.7 and the same Air/Air 2. In Pro, the sound is deeper, the volume range is better, and the separation of low and high frequencies is heard in more detail. This tablet can perfectly replace your small portable speaker.

And on the right are the same volume rocker and nanoSIM tray.

As for Touch ID, Pro 9.7 did not receive a new version of the technology, however, in my impressions, even the first generation of the sensor works great.

This is where the external differences, in general, end, but the matter, naturally, is not limited to them.

Dimensions

As you can see, the dimensions of the Pro 9.7 are completely the same as the Air 2, but it’s still worth talking about them in a little more detail. When I first picked up the iPad Air, I was surprised by how light it was. Back then you couldn’t even believe that in your hand you had a functional tablet computer, and not an ordinary “tablet” on which you attach paper. I chose the comparison not by chance, because in my hand, both the Air 2 and the Pro 9.7 feel about the same as that very “tablet”. However, let's not forget that competitors are also not lagging behind in this parameter; pay attention to the dimensions of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 in the table, they are even a little smaller than those of the Pro 9.7.

Compared to iPad mini 4

Screen

Speaking from the point of view of the average person, you are unlikely to notice much of a difference between the screens of the Air 2 and Pro 9.7, unless you put them next to each other. But this does not change the fact that the display in this tablet is wonderful: a high level of maximum brightness, natural color reproduction, no air gap, ultra-high resolution and many applications optimized for this screen.

Pro 9.7 has a new TrueTone feature; it analyzes the lighting around the tablet and, based on it, changes the white balance in the screen itself. A FaceTime camera is used for analysis. I saw a lot of enthusiastic reviews about this technology on the Internet, but it immediately began to irritate me because of the screen turning yellow. It’s interesting that when you turn it off, you immediately notice how cold the display’s white color rendering is.

But you can't see the difference in the screenshots

The NightShift setting automatically turns on a warm color scheme in the late afternoon, so that when viewing information from it at night your eyes won’t get so tired.

Another advantage of the new display is support for the extended DCI color spectrum standard instead of the traditional sRGB. In theory, the number of colors displayed increases by as much as 25%, but in practice you don't really notice it. An interesting article about the difference between sRGB and DCI was given to me by a Mac maker I know, I recommend reading it (it’s in English).

By the way, this tablet does not have 3D Touch, which is a little surprising.

operating system

The tablet runs iOS 9.3. We had a separate material dedicated to all the features of version 9.x, if you haven’t read it, I recommend that you read it.

Performance

Traditionally for Apple, all of their new tablets and smartphones work just fine and very quickly in the first year, and Pro 9.7 was no exception. Some may, of course, be upset by the lack of 4 GB of RAM, but for most even design tasks they are simply not needed. If you upgrade from the first Air or earlier versions to Pro 9.7, you will definitely notice a difference in speed.

During productive tasks, the right central part of the back cover begins to heat up, but this has virtually no effect on the comfort of use.

Autonomous operation

The battery capacity is 7306 mAh, it is almost the same as the Air 2, but the Pro 9.7 still lasts a little longer, I would estimate this difference at 10%. I suspect that this is due to a more energy-efficient processor. If we talk about everyday use, then you can safely charge the tablet once a week with an average screen activity of one and a half to two hours. Charging time is about four hours.

Camera

To be honest, I don’t understand people who shoot on tablets at all, it looks terribly stupid from the outside, and it’s just inconvenient, but since there is such a trend, then let’s talk about the camera in Pro 9.7 in a little more detail.

It uses the same camera module as the iPhone 6S, only without optical stabilization. In fact, you can take pictures of similar quality to the 6s with one “but”. Instead of the small display of the 6s, the Pro 9.7 has a huge high-resolution screen that acts as a viewfinder, so when shooting in artificial light, all the flaws in the picture will be immediately noticeable, especially grain or any blurriness.

The Pro 9.7 takes great photos in natural light, but it doesn't perform as well indoors, so keep that in mind. I didn’t have an iPhone 6s at hand, so the comparison involved the usual “six”.

iPad Pro 9.7	iPhone 6

The resolution of the front camera has increased to 5 MP; if we talk about selfies, their quality did not particularly impress me.

However, I cannot help but note that on any iPad, including this one, the quality of video calls in Skype is simply wonderful. I don’t know whether to praise only Apple or the more optimized Skype for iOS, but the fact remains that making Skype video calls from the iPad is much more pleasant than from other devices.

Video recording is carried out in a maximum resolution of 4k, it is possible to record slow-mo at a frequency of 120 fps FHD or 240 fps HD.

Wireless interfaces

There are no special changes in the wireless interfaces - a full set, but with NFC cut off.

Apple Pencil

The iPad Pro 9.7 came to me for testing along with the Apple Pencil. We already had a review of this “pencil” from Eldar Murtazin, be sure to read it if you want to learn more about the accessory.

I tried the pencil out of pure curiosity; I became really curious as to why some reviewers praise it so much. When you first take Pencil in your hand, you immediately want to draw something with it, honestly, I, for example, have never been an artist, so I wasn’t lazy, bought the Procreate application and started “creating.”

Any art begins with imitation, so as a test, I took two photographs of cats and began making sketches. I used a “gel pen” for the first time, and it didn’t turn out very well, to put it mildly.

And this was the original picture

For the second sketch I decided to use a pencil, and guess what? In pencil, even beginning artists will do much better, I don’t know why this is connected, to be honest.

The original picture was found on the Internet

In general, I got great pleasure from the Pencil, but I would hardly buy it for 8,000 rubles.

Apple Keyboard

Another accessory addition to the iPad Pro. Firstly, allow me to be sincerely indignant at the lack of a Russian layout on the keyboard, I understand that this is due to the small supply of the cover in principle, but this does not make it any easier for me as an end user!

But I really liked the keyboard itself, despite the short travel, the buttons are very convenient to use, largely due to the large distance between the keys. Erroneous clicks are minimal (if you master the blind input method).

And everything would be great if in iOS 9.3 they had not changed the switching of languages ​​from the usual CMD+Spacebar to Control+Spacebar. Insanely inconvenient and completely unclear why this was done. To assign a Spotlight challenge to a previous combination? But personally, I switch languages ​​more often than I use Spotlight. In general, the accessory is very niche, in my opinion.

Hint, if you are used to the Windows layout, you can switch to it in the settings

Oh yes, I’ll also note that the angle of inclination in the case is not optimal for me, and unlike laptops, it’s also impossible to change it.

Conclusion

First, let's look at retail prices in the official Apple online store:

Looks invigorating, doesn't it? But before you get indignant, let's remember how much Apple is now asking for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro:

And compared to the older model, the iPad Pro 9.7 looks much more accessible. At the same time, in my opinion, this tablet is much more versatile than the huge Pro 12.9. It almost completely replicates the popular Air, has the same display resolution, so there will be no problems with compatibility, its small dimensions will make it easy to carry it with you anywhere, and with the 20,000 rubles saved you can either take an older version or buy the same Pencil and keyboard .

Key differences between Pro 9.7 and Air 2: improved processor, TrueTone screen mode and support for the DCI standard, four stereo speakers, a 10% increase in battery life and new, higher-quality cameras. But, to be honest, I would not recommend changing Air 2 to Pro 9.7, these are products of the same level, it is not worth spending money on a cosmetic upgrade.

For designers looking for a Pencil and tablet replacement, the Pro 9.7 is a good option. Everyone is now talking about what a good product this is for creative people, but let’s not forget that this is, in principle, a very good tablet. Yes, due to its professional features, it costs more, so it won’t have big sales, but that doesn’t make it bad, rather niche.

The mass consumer can always get an Apple iPad Air 2 or a Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 if they prefer Android tablets.

Speaking about me personally, after using the Pro 9.7 I was once again convinced that I prefer compact eight-inch tablets. I wonder if a Pro version will eventually appear for the iPad mini, and is it even needed?

Is the most affordable Apple tablet you can buy today. Let's see how it stacks up against the iPad Pro 9.7, which has several advantages over its lower-end counterpart.

Apple's latest iPad came out without the fanfare that usually accompanies the company's lineup updates, but that doesn't mean it's a completely unexpected tablet. While recently, Apple's new tablet, simply called iPad, displaces the 9.7-inch iPad Air 2 and positions itself as an affordable alternative.

Costing from 25,000 rubles for a 32 GB model, the new iPad is Apple. Its price is lower than the 7.9-inch, which was previously considered the most budget offering in the Apple tablet line. It also saves you about RUB 20,000 over the starting iPad Pro configuration, making it a better choice if you're on a budget. But before you rush to the store, there are some compromises that allowed Apple to knock down the price of the new tablet. Read on to see how the tablets compare.

NewiPad vsiPadPro 9.7: Design and display

From a design perspective, you're looking at two similar and very attractive tablets. Both feature high-quality aluminum in Apple's unibody construction, a Touch ID fingerprint scanner on the front, and a traditional array of buttons and ports on the sides. However, there is a difference in size. Measuring 240 x 169.5 x 7.5 mm (H x W x D) and weighing 469 grams, the new iPad is slightly thicker and heavier than its Pro counterpart (240 x 168 x 6.1 mm, 437 grams), but most people , probably won't notice the difference.

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The main compromise is the display. And while both tablets have a 9.7-inch Retina display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels at 264 pixels per inch, you'll notice that the iPad's display looks different. This is because it is not laminated, does not have an anti-reflective coating, and does not support an extended color gamut. There is also no True Tone technology, meaning the screen will not use a light sensor to dynamically adjust white balance to make text more readable.

What does this mean in practice? Compared to the iPad Pro's screen, the new iPad's display will perform poorly outdoors, likely to wash out in direct sunlight, and generally show less vibrant colors. If working outdoors is an important factor for you, you should choose Pro.

NewiPad vsiPadPro 9.7: Processor, battery and camera

Under the hood of the iPad is a 64-bit A9 processor and an integrated M9 coprocessor, making it faster than the A8 on the iPad Mini 4, but not as powerful as the A9X chipset on the Pro. From a practical point of view, the performance difference shouldn't be too big. The A9 offers quite passable performance, and this chipset powers the iPhone 6S smartphones. In our experience, it still works great with iOS 10, without any issues, stuttering, lag, or performance dips. However, if you are buying a tablet with an eye to the future, you should again choose the A9X iPad Pro 9.7.

The new iPad is expected to offer 10 hours of battery life when watching videos over Wi-Fi, but we're not ready to draw conclusions until the tablet is fully reviewed and tested. For reference, the iPad Pro lasts 5 hours and 38 minutes while streaming video over Wi-Fi at maximum brightness. The older iPad Air 2 could only offer 5 hours and 15 minutes. We expect the new iPad to offer times in this range.

The iPad is equipped with a main camera with an 8-megapixel sensor that can record video in 1080p resolution. The image it captures probably won't be as sharp or colorful as the Pro's 12MP camera, which also supports Live Photos, add True Tone flash, and 4K video recording. The Pro's front sensor is better too. The tablet boasts a 5-megapixel front-facing camera compared to the new iPad's 1.2-megapixel sensor, hence the Pro's better selfies and video chatting.

NewiPad vsiPadPro 9.7: Software

Both tablets run iOS 10, so you won't notice much of a difference. The difference comes with the additional accessories you can install on your iPad Pro, including and. The new iPad is not compatible with them, so if performance is your requirement, you should choose the iPad Pro. It has the best features available, but will cost you more. Of course, the iPad will work with any standard one, and at RUB 25,000, it's a significantly more affordable option, making it a great choice for the budget user.

The situation may change with the release.

Not long ago, the world saw the iPad Pro with a diagonal of 13 inches. Excellent capabilities were combined with a bulky size, which was unlikely to appeal to fans of mobility and compactness. Apple took this moment into account and pleased with the new iPad Pro 9.7, which, despite its powerful characteristics, has more familiar dimensions and no longer looks like a board in your hands, which, if desired, can be knocked out.

Features and benefits of iPad Pro 9.7

Externally, the iPad versions are similar to each other, but there are still minor differences. The camera on the iPad Pro 9.7 now protrudes like the sixth iPhone, a connector is installed to connect to the Smart Keyboard, an aluminum antenna cover (LTE version) matching the color of the case adds aesthetics, and there are now four speakers. There are well-known colors to choose from – Gold, Space Gray, Rose Gold, Silver.

The display outperforms the Air 2 and even its older 13-inch brother. The compact Pro has 40% less glare and features True Tone light sensors that automatically adjust color tone to match your surroundings and even out white balance. Other parameters remained the same as in Air 2. The iPad Pro 13 is an excellent device for designers and artists, but the 9.7 model also retains support for Apple Pencil. If size is not the biggest issue, you can draw on a compact tablet.

It’s hard to complain about the quality of photos and videos in iPad Pro 9.7. Slow motion shooting, recording in 4K format, and digital stabilization are available. The camera is far from being the decisive criterion when choosing a tablet, but it is fair to say that here it is one of the best not only among tablets, but also among mobile devices in general.

Model specifications:

• Apple A9X processor with 2 cores and a clock frequency of 2.26 GHz;
• display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536, pixel density of 264 PPI and a diagonal of 9.7 inches;
• glass with oleophobic coating;
• memory options – 32, 128 and 256 GB;
• RAM – 2 GB;
• front camera – 5 MP, front – 12 MP;
• phase detection autofocus, push focus and dual LED flash;
• operating system – iOS 3;
• graphics chip – PowerVR GT7900;
• TRS connector for mini-jack plug (headphones), connector for smart keyboard, Lightning, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi;
• Touch ID, light and proximity sensors, accelerometer;
• battery – 7,306 mAh;
• size 140 x 169.5 x 6.1 mm and weight 444 g.

The performance of the device is, without exaggeration, very high. Since the specifications remain almost the same as in the large Pro (with the exception of 4 GB RAM in the 13-inch), and the display diagonal has become smaller, the tablet operates almost lightning fast. For the compact 9.7 model, 2 GB of RAM is more than enough. Even the famous tanks on maximum graphics run quickly and without problems, and compatibility is not satisfactory, unlike the iPad Pro 13, where not all games ran smoothly.

Model price comparison: who should buy the iPad Pro 9.7 tablet?

First of all, for those who have not yet acquired a tablet or are planning to change their old device to something more powerful. Model 9.7 is an excellent option in all respects. Need drawing support? Will do. Need a good camera on your tablet? Bull's-eye here too. Do you want to play powerful games? No problem.

The only thing that can compete with the Pro 9.7 is the Air 2, whose owners don’t make much sense to upgrade. Especially if they are not designers or artists. Since Apple makes tablets with the expectation that they will be relevant for several years, users who bought their devices in 2017 or 2018 have nothing to worry about. The Pro 9.7 was originally priced at around $600 with 32GB of memory, while the Air 2 was priced at $500 and had 64GB of storage. Nowadays both models are cheaper, but the difference, in essence, has not changed and the benefits are obvious. But for owners of the iPad Pro 13, who secretly dream of a more compact device with the same characteristics, the iPad Pro 9.7 is a fateful gift from Apple developers.

Comparative table with prices (rubles) for iPad Pro:

* Prices are current for 2018.

Model 9.7 is no longer classified as new and was presented back in 2015, but it still remains one of the best. This is evidenced not only by user reviews, but also by periodic purchases of covers and accessories for the tablet. This indicates that people continue to buy the presented version of the popular gadget.

Regular Wi-Fi or Cellular Wi-Fi?

Apple gadgets never cease to amaze users. iPads now have two options for connecting to the Internet - the familiar Wi-Fi, which was there before, and the mysterious at first glance Wi-Fi Cellular. Those who speak English can already guess what we're talking about. “Cellular” translated from English means cellular communication.

In other words, if this option is available, the tablet can be connected to the mobile Internet and use the same tariff as on the phone. It is much simpler, more convenient and more stable than using a phone with the Internet as a modem. As with its predecessor, this choice is available in iPad Pro 9.7. There are no differences in the designs and sizes of the models, except for the presence of a SIM card slot. All differences are hidden in the hardware.

Comparison table of devices with Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Cellular

A device exclusively with regular Wi-Fi is suitable for use in all places where there are access points - at home, at work, in some entertainment venues, recreation areas, etc. Cellular support makes it possible to connect to the Internet of a cellular operator while traveling or in other areas where there is simply no way to connect to Wi-Fi. Additional amenities affect the cost. Firstly, the presence of the option itself adds more than a hundred dollars to the price of the iPad, and secondly, no one can cancel the monthly payment for the tariff plan.

Who is Wi-Fi Cellular suitable for?

For those who are constantly on the go, business trips, traveling and do not sit still next to the router, but need stable and fast Internet on their tablet. The only limitation in use is the coverage area of ​​the cellular signal. There is no way to use the mobile Internet if the network is not accessible. Otherwise, a Cellular-enabled tablet is an ideal option for users who want to use an iPad and surf the Internet outside the home. If you can spend a little more on a tablet and pay a tariff, why deny yourself the convenience?