Difference Ipad From Ipad Pro

Review and testing Apple iPad 4

Difference Ipad From Ipad Pro

Let’s start with the terminology. Apple hasn’t given the new iPad its original name. It’s just iPad (with Retina display). Unofficially, it was called the iPad 4, since it is the fourth generation of the iPad. However, as we remember, the previous generation also did not have a number in the name. At the presentation, it was called The New iPad, and although later information appeared that The New iPad is not a proper name, but just a new iPad, the third generation of Apple tablets began to be called that way.

Now, the company’s marketers have completely confused buyers and the press. Calling the new iPad of the previous generation is somehow strange, and most importantly it is not clear how to call the fourth generation iPad. Without the previous The New iPad, one could call new every next generation. But over the past months, the word new has become very stuck to the iPad of the third generation.

Why this leapfrog? Why was it impossible to leave the numbering, as is the case with the iPhone? Apparently, Apple’s marketers decided to follow the same path as with laptops. As we know, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air also do not have numbers, and generations are designated by phrases like Late 2011 or Mid 2012. Well, let’s see how this affects sales. For the sake of simplicity and to avoid confusion, in the article we will still call our new product iPad 4, and the previous model iPad 3.

So let’s take a look at the specs of the iPad 4 versus the iPad 3 and major competitors.

4th generation iPad 3rd generation iPad ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1
Screen 9.7″, IPS, 2048×1536 (264 ppi) 9.7″, IPS, 2048×1536 (264 ppi) 10.1″, Super IPS, 1920×1200 (224 ppi) 10.1″, PLS, 1280×800 (149 ppi)
SoC (processor) Apple A6X @ 1.4 GHz (2 cores of Apple’s own architecture based on ARMv7s) Apple A5X @ 1 GHz (2 cores, ARM Cortex-A9) NVIDIA Tegra 3 T33 @ 1.6 GHz (4 cores 1 auxiliary, ARM Cortex-A9) or Qualcomm MSM 8960 Snapdragon S4 Plus @ 1.5 GHz (2 Krait cores, ARMv7 ISA) Samsung Exynos 4412 @ 1.4 GHz (4 cores, ARM Cortex-A9)
GPU PowerVR SGX 554MP4 @ 300 MHz PowerVR SGX 543MP4 @ 250 MHz GeForce ULP @ 520 MHz or Adreno 225 @ 400 MHz ARM Mali-400 MP4
Flash memory from 16 to 64 GB from 16 to 64 GB from 16 to 64 GB 8 GB cloud storage from 16 to 64 GB
Connectors Lightning dock connector, 3.5mm headphone jack dock connector, 3.5 mm headphone jack Micro-HDMI 1.4а, 2 docking connectors (one at the docking station), 3.5 mm headphone jack, USB 2.0 (at the docking station) dock connector, 3.5 mm headphone jack
Memory card support not not microSD (up to 64 GB), SD / SDHC (up to 64 GB, on docking station) microSD (up to 64 GB)
RAM 1 GB 1 GB 1 GB 2 GB
Cameras rear (5 megapixel; shooting 1920×1080), front (photo 1.2 Mp, 720p by FaceTime) rear (5 megapixel; shooting 1920×1080), front (0.3 MP) rear (8 Mp) and front (2 Mp) rear (5 MP; shooting 1280×720) and front (1.9 Mp)
the Internet Wi-Fi (optional 3G, as well as 4G LTE without support for Russian networks) Wi-Fi (optional 3G, as well as 4G LTE without support for Russian networks) Wi-Fi (optional 3G and 4G) Wi-Fi 3G
operating system Apple iOS 6.0.1 Apple iOS 5.1 (update to version 6.0.1 available) Google Android 4.0 (update to version 4.1.1 available) Google Android 4.0
Dimensions (mm) 241.2×185.7×9.4 241.2×185.7×9.4 263×180.8×8.5 262×180×8.9
Weight (g) 652 652 597 600
Price 699 N / A (0) 406 (2) 452 (2)

According to the manufacturer’s information; in the case of iPad, the weight of models without a cellular module is indicated; in the case of Infinity, the weight is indicated for a tablet without a docking station.
For all tablets, the price is indicated for a configuration with 64 GB of flash memory and without a cellular module (if possible); 4th generation iPad is US official price (excluding state tax), 3 other tablets are average price, while ASUS price is based on docking station.

As for the characteristics, then, as we can see, the changes compared to the iPad 3 relate exclusively to the internal components: a new SoC, a new front camera. But a comparison with competitors is hardly possible based on this table alone. At least, there are no such characteristics on which the iPad 3 would be inferior to competitors, and the iPad 4 would surpass them, so it is difficult to draw any preliminary conclusions here. Let’s instead move on to face-to-face introduction and testing.

Camera

The rear camera in iPad 4 is identical in resolution and aperture to the third generation iPad: 5MP and f / 2.4. But the front camera on the iPad 4 has a resolution of 1.2 megapixels, which is higher than that of the iPad 3. In addition, the front camera supports 720p for FaceTime calls. Overall, the iPad 4 is identical to the iPad mini in terms of cameras. This is, of course, very strange, since the iPad 4 is a top device, and one could expect from it the same camera as the iPhone 5. On the other hand, hardly anyone will use a 10-inch tablet for taking photos often, but for occasional shooting, the rear camera is very good.

Let’s start with a 100% fragment of a shot from a building window on a cloudy day. Hereinafter, there will be a frame of the iPad 4 on top, below the iPad 3.

As you can see, the pictures are almost indistinguishable, the only slight difference is in the white balance. Recall that almost all shooting parameters (including white balance) are set automatically by the cameras of iOS devices, and the user does not have the ability to manually adjust them.

Next pair of night shots.

Here, too, the results are very similar in terms of the picture and the same shooting parameters, both tablets set ISO 800 and shutter speed 1/15 s. But the result, oddly enough, the iPad 3 turned out even slightly better (the noise is more noticeable, but there are more details).

The last photo test, both devices were able to capture text without problems.

This test shot leaves no doubt that the slight difference in the picture is due to the differently set white balance, and not due to shooting conditions (which might have changed slightly over the time between shots). It’s a shame that you can’t adjust the white balance of the iPad camera, but the color distortion is by no means catastrophic.

In terms of shooting, we still have no complaints about the iPad. The rear cameras of both tablets shoot in Full HD, with very good clarity and color reproduction. But here’s what’s interesting: the iPad 3 has a higher bitrate! Examples: iPad 4 (66.7 MB, 31 seconds), iPad 3 (77.9 MB, 30 seconds).

In general, the iPad 4 camera left a good impression, but it is embarrassing that the cameras in the Apple tablets of the 3rd and 4th generations, while the known characteristics are identical, still behave slightly differently. In particular, with the iPad 4 the bit rate is lower, and the color rendition when shooting a photo is slightly different.

Design

As a matter of fact, the Lightning connector is the only external difference between iPad 4 and iPad 3. Therefore, if you buy a new product from your hands, pay attention to the small oval connector (Lightning), as in the photo below, and not long and narrow (traditional 30- pin connector).

As we remember, iPad 3 also did not differ very much from iPad 2. However, there were still some design changes. And the most important of them is an increase (albeit small) in mass and thickness. In the case of the iPad 4, there is no change in size and weight, or any other external nuances. We repeat that the only difference between iPad 4 and iPad 3 is Lightning instead of a 30-pin dock connector.

It would be strange (for obvious reasons) to draw any conclusions regarding the iPad’s design. But note that since the release of the iPad 3, this design has not become outdated at all and still looks relevant (though not much time has passed).

Packaging and equipment

The packaging of the iPad 4 is practically the same as the packaging of the tablet of the previous generation.

As for the package bundle, everything is predictable here too (the set of plugs for charging depends on the region in which the device was purchased, so you shouldn’t pay attention to this). The only difference is the Lightning cable instead of the traditional one. As you can see, not only the iPhone and iPad mini, but also the adult iPad got a new connector.

Screen and software

Like the iPad 3, iPad 4 features a remarkable Retina display. Resolution 2048×1536 at the time of the release of iPad 4 was not surpassed by competitors, and in other respects, the iPad 4 screen is great. True, in mid-November, a 10-inch Google Nexus 10 tablet with a resolution of 2560×1600 (and a pixel density of 300 ppi) appeared on sale in some Western countries, which is more than that of the iPad 3 and 4. But we have not yet been able to evaluate the Nexus 10 screen (but we will definitely do it!).

As for the iPad 4, we didn’t notice any differences compared to the iPad 3 screen. Apparently, this is the same display. But this is good, because, we repeat, at the moment this is almost the best display in 10-inch tablets.

Here is a detailed examination of the Retina screen, carried out earlier by the editor of the Monitors and Projectors and TV sections Alexei Kudryavtsev.

With manual brightness control, its maximum value was 330 cd / m2² (iPad 2 has 280 cd / m2²), minimum 2.8 cd / m2² (25.2 cd / m2²). As a result, at maximum brightness in bright daylight, it will be possible to see something on the screen, and in complete darkness, the brightness can be lowered to a comfortable level. Automatic brightness control works in the style of Apple, which is thoughtlessly copied by other manufacturers (it does not apply to Samsung): in Auto mode, when the ambient light level increases, the brightness rises, but when the ambient light level is reduced, it remains unchanged, and we did not wait for a corresponding decrease in the screen brightness. However, if you put the tablet into sleep mode and turn it on again, the brightness will be set in accordance with the ambient light level. The minimum and maximum levels in Auto mode depend on the position of the brightness adjustment slider. So, when the slider is set to maximum, the automatic adjustment in bright light sets the brightness to a maximum of 330 cd / m2², in the dark at 300 cd / m2² (which is a lot). If the slider is located approximately in the middle, then in bright light it will be about 250 cd / m2² (optimal), in the dark 4.5 (which, of course, is too little). In general, the creators of the iPad need to discard their dogmas, allow the brightness not only to increase, but also to decrease automatically, and at the same time, to bring the matter to the end, let the user himself and explicitly set the limits of automatic brightness adjustment. The brightness control is apparently carried out by adjusting the voltage on the backlight LEDs. Most likely, it was not without pulse-width modulation (with its help it is more economical to regulate the voltage), but it has a high frequency and there is a smoothing filter in front of the LEDs. As a result, the backlight, regardless of its intensity, has a barely pronounced modulation with a frequency of slightly less than 16 kHz. For example, this is how the brightness versus time graph looks like in a 2 ms window (along the vertical axis the brightness in arbitrary units):

Most manufacturers in their devices with LED backlight (tablets, laptops, monitors) adjust the brightness using pulse width modulation (PWM) with a change in amplitude from 0 to 100% rectangular pulses. And although the negative effect of PWM backlighting with a sufficiently high frequency (from 180 Hz and above) still needs to be confirmed, Apple still needs to be given credit for its devices (at least, those who have visited us on testing iMac, Apple LED Cinema Display, Apple Thunderbolt Display, MacBook Air and iPad), the backlight does not flicker. The old iPad also lacks PWM brightness, and automatic brightness adjustment works in much the same way.

The New iPad uses an IPS-type matrix, so the screen has very good viewing angles without inverting shades and without significant color shift, even with large gaze deviations from the perpendicular to the screen. True, which is typical for any IPS matrix, the black field is lightened when deviated diagonally: the left corners (when the Home button is oriented downward) remain close to neutral gray when deviated to the right, but the right corners when deviated to the left acquire a pronounced purple tint. With a perpendicular view, the uniformity of the black field, with the exception of a couple of local areas on the border of the screen, is good (the first i Pads also have an IPS matrix, but with a more pronounced purple tint when the gaze deviates to the corners). Black-white-black response time is 14.4 ms (7.8 ms on 6.6 ms off). The transition between 25% and 75% halftones (by numerical color value) takes 25.1 ms in total. The matrix is ​​significantly faster than typical IPS solutions used in tablets (we did not measure the response time of the first two iPads.) For the 32-point gamma curve, the exponent of the approximating power function turned out to be 2.19, which corresponds to the standard value in 2.2, while the real gamma curve practically coincides with the power dependence.

The first two iPads have a similarly good gamma curve.

The contrast is quite high at 830: 1 (the old 740: 1). The color gamut is exactly sRGB:

The iPad 2 is getting worse: like the vast majority of tablet IPS screens, the color gamut is noticeably narrower than sRGB:

The Sony Tablet P is also close to sRGB coverage, but perhaps this dual-screen tablet uses VA matrices, and not IPS, as we suggested in the article. While this question remains open.

The spectra of the new iPad confirm what was said about color gamut:

For comparison, the screen spectra of iPad 1 and 2:

It can be seen that in old iPads, the matrix light filters mix the components together. This technique allows you to increase the brightness of the screen with the same energy consumption for the backlight. In the new iPad, blending is exactly what should result in standard coverage.

Color temperature balance good shades of gray have a color temperature of about 7000 K, but the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (delta E) is relatively large (due to some excess of the green component), although below 10, which is considered acceptable for a non-professional device.

The screen of iPad 1 and 2 is at least somewhat better than the new one, albeit in small details: the color temperature is a little closer to the standard 6500 K, the delta E changes less and less when going from white to shades of gray.

In total, the screen of The New iPad is distinguished not only by its high resolution, but also by excellent color reproduction, in particular, by an almost ideal gamma curve and standard color gamut. As a result, the photos on this tablet will look exactly as they should be displayed on a consumer device. Those who are paranoid about PWM in the backlight will be glad that in this device Apple has not changed its tradition, the backlight flicker is not detected even by a hardware test. Well, with the peculiarity of the algorithm for automatically adjusting the brightness of the screen, the owners of this gadget will have to put up with it, or, even easier and more pleasant, convince themselves that this is how everything should work 🙂

Exact screen dimensions: 24.6 cm (9.68 inches) diagonal, 19.8 cm wide, 14.9 cm narrow.

In terms of software, the iPad 4 is also nothing new. Except for the fact that the iPad 4 comes with iOS 6 preinstalled, whereas the previous model ships out of the factories with iOS 5. But it can be upgraded to iOS 6.

Performance

Here we come to the main difference between iPad 3 and iPad 4. This is performance. The previous model ran on the Apple A5X SoC, which contained two ARM Cortex-A9 CPU cores at 1 GHz, as well as a PowerVR SGX 543MP4 quad-core GPU at 250 MHz. In the new SoC, the frequency of processor cores has increased to 1.4 GHz, while the frequency of the GPU to 300 MHz. The number of cores in both cases remained unchanged. However, if in the case of the Apple A5X, Cortex-A9 CPU cores were used, now (starting with the Apple A6) Apple itself has created CPU cores based on the ARMv7s architecture.

Let’s take a look at how the SoC change affected the iPad 4’s performance as the rest of the specs (RAM, screen resolution) remained unchanged.

Let’s start with the synthetic Linpack benchmark, which reflects CPU performance. It will allow us to understand how effective the new architecture of CPU cores is.

Well, we see that the difference is gigantic. Obviously, this cannot be explained solely by the increased CPU frequency. Apparently the updated architecture is really highly efficient.

Next we will have the SunSpider 0.9.1 browser benchmark. It tests the speed of the JavaScript engine in the browser and can be useful both for testing the CPU and for determining how comfortable it will be to view Internet pages on a given device. Note that we tested the iPad 3 with the current version of iOS 6, so the operating system itself and the browser were the same on both devices. On each device (previously cleared of cookies and loaded pages, as well as rebooted), the test was run three times. The table shows the best results.

Apple iPad fourth generation
(Apple A6X)
Apple iPad 3rd generation
(Apple A5X)
SunSpider 0.9.1
(less is better)
867.0 ms 1794.6 ms

So the iPad 4 is more than twice as fast as the iPad 3. Note that this is pretty close to the iPhone 5, but even better. Thus, at the moment, iPad 4 is the absolute record holder among ARM devices in this test. For comparison, here are the results of the main Android competitors.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (Samsung Exynos 4412) ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity (NVIDIA Tegra 3 T33) ASUS Padfone (Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus)
SunSpider 0.9.1
(less is better)
2292.0 ms 1926.0 ms 1568.7 ms

In the GeekBench 2.3.6 multiplatform test, the iPad 4 also completely defeated its predecessor, but the competitors from the Android camp were generally no worse.

Apple iPad fourth generation
(Apple A6X)
ASUS Padfone (Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus) ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity (NVIDIA Tegra 3 T33) Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (Samsung Exynos 4412) Apple iPad 3rd generation
(Apple A5X)
Geekbench 2
(more is better)
1766 1561 1957 1809 758

Perhaps this is because Geekbench is sensitive to the number of CPU cores. And in this parameter, both NVIDIA Tegra 3 and Samsung Exynos 4412 overtake Apple A6X. However, do not forget that this is a benchmark, but real applications, as a rule, do not use all four cores. Therefore, the victory of ASUS and Samsung tablets in this benchmark does not mean that it will be more comfortable to perform any operations on them.

Let’s say more: at the moment there are not even such areas of application of tablets in which a large computing power of the CPU is regularly required. Compilation, 3D modeling, rendering, archiving, professional graphics and the like, which we usually test processors for PCs, no one does on tablets. Yes, from time to time there is a need for computing power, for example, for indexing a new dictionary or a database of a cartographic program, but these are one-time needs and are almost always not critical to the speed of execution. At the same time, games for mobile devices are generally written in such a way as not to overstrain the processor, and when playing, the GPU is much more important (provided that the player can use hardware acceleration). Perhaps that is why Apple in its SoCs does not increase the number of CPU cores, as competitors do, but focuses on GPU performance. Ipad 4 is another proof of this.

To answer the question of how much GPU performance has increased, we used GLBenchmark 2.5.1, which simulates scenes from 3D games (Egypt HD and Egypt Classic). In the first table you will see the results of the iPad 3 and iPad 4, and in the second the results of the competitors. Recall that since the screen resolution of Android tablets differs from that of the iPad, it makes sense to look first of all at the graphs with the word Offscreen in them showing the performance when starting a game scene at a fixed resolution of 720p. As for the rest of the graphs, they show the performance at the maximum display resolution and therefore both iPads with a resolution of 2048×1536 find themselves in worse conditions than Android devices since 1280×800.

4th generation iPad 3rd generation iPad
GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD (C24Z16) 41 fps 22 fps
GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD (C24Z16 Offscreen) 48 fps 27 fps
GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD (C24Z24MS4) 34 fps 21 fps
GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD (C24Z24MS4 Offscreen) Offscreen MSAA not supported Offscreen MSAA not supported
GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD (C24Z16 Fixed time) 35 fps 18 fps
GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD (C24Z16 Fixed time Offscreen) 39 fps 22 fps
GLBenchmark 2.1 Egypt Classic (C16Z16) 59 fps 53 fps
GLBenchmark 2.1 Egypt Classic (C16Z16 Offscreen) 122 fps 87 fps

So, we see that PowerVR SGX 554MP4 (iPad 4) outperforms PowerVR SGX 543MP4 (iPad 3) by an average of 1.5 times. As for Android rivals, they don’t even reach the iPad 3 yet.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime ASUS Padfone (in tablet module)
GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD (C24Z16) 16 fps 16 fps 18 fps
GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD (C24Z16 Offscreen) 15 fps 11 fps 11 fps
GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD (C24Z24MS4) 16 fps 12 fps
GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD (C24Z24MS4 Offscreen)
GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD (C24Z16 Fixed time) 11 fps 14 fps 16 fps
GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD (C24Z16 Fixed time Offscreen) 11 fps 9.3 fps 9.8 fps
GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt Classic (C16Z16) 58 fps 54 fps 44 fps
GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt Classic (C16Z16 Offscreen) 58 fps 33 fps 23 fps

What does this mean in practice? First of all, iPad games can be more beautiful than Android tablets. True, the key word here can. And it is not at all a fact that they really will. First, most of the major publishers are now looking to create multi-platform projects. And they are unlikely to draw significantly more beautiful graphics for the iPad than for top-end Android tablets. Most likely, Android tablets will be the benchmark. Consequently, the potential of the iPad 4 GPU will remain (at least for the first time) undisclosed. Secondly, even if you look at the situation within the framework of one platform (iOS), it is unlikely that in the next year and a half, developers will create games that require the performance of iPad 4 and for which the performance of iPad 3 is not enough. Of course, in two years, when the iPad 5 and iPad 6 are released, the system requirements will be written: iPad 4 and newer. But that will be in a couple of years. And today, most likely, with all the desire, you will not be able to feel the difference in real applications between the iPad 3 and iPad 4, even despite the impressive difference in benchmarks.

Difference between iPad 2018, 2017, Air 2 and iPad Pro

In recent years, Apple has stopped numbering and naming its tablets. As a result, the new iPad 2018 officially announced yesterday is called the iPad. This can definitely be confusing for an ordinary user, so in this text we will explain the differences between the iPad 2017 and iPad 2018, clarify their characteristics, and at the same time clarify some other points.

We’ll clarify one of them right away: Apple is now applying all its innovations in tablet hardware to the iPad Pro. But ordinary iPads, including the novelty under consideration, are not remarkable in terms of hardware filling. They always get older and weaker hardware than the current iPad Pros have at the same time, but simple iPads are much cheaper.

Differences between iPad 2018 and iPad Air 2

The most interesting thing is that the newest iPad 2018 does not look particularly advantageous even against the background of the old iPad Air 2, released in 2014. The differences between them are not so significant. By the way, just a year after Air 2 in 2015, there was a division into budget iPads and premium iPad Pros.

Released in 2014, the Air 2 is equipped with the most powerful at that time A8X processor, which in terms of performance is not very far behind the younger version of the A10, which was used in the iPad 2018.

over, the Air 2 even retains some advantages over the iPad 2017 and 2018. In particular:

  • Its thickness is only 6.1 mm versus 7.5 mm for current iPads;
  • Air 2 is lighter (437g vs 469g)
  • Air 2 features an additional anti-glare screen coating that Apple has dropped in today’s budget iPads.

In terms of software, Air 2 is also still relevant. The upcoming iOS 12, as yet unannounced at the time of this writing, should be compatible with the 2014 tablet.

Thus, the only serious advantages of the presented iPad 2018 over the model, which has already entered its fifth year, is the support of the Apple Pencil stylus and fast data transfer in LTE networks for tablet versions with their support.

Differences between iPad 2018 and iPad 2017

As you could understand from the previous paragraph: no innovations from a regular iPad, even a sample of 2018, should be expected. If you need the most advanced hardware, then you better check out the current iPad Pro or wait for the new iPad Pro this summer or fall. But what is so remarkable then iPad 2018 and what are its characteristics?

The fundamental differences between iPad 2018 and iPad 2017 consist of only two points:

  1. A10 processor (iPhone 7 debut in 2016) instead of A9 (from iPhone 6S)
  2. Supports Apple Pencil, previously used only by iPad Pro.

All. There are no other major differences. The following characteristics do not differ:

  • Design;
  • Display and its resolution (9.7 inches, 20481536 pixels, 264 PPI);
  • Steodynamics;
  • Dimensions (240-169.57.5 mm) and weight 469 g;
  • Cameras. Main module with 8 MPx resolution and front one with 1.2 MPx. Other characteristics of the cameras also remain the same;
  • A set of sensors;
  • The amount of RAM and permanent memory (2 GB and 32/128, respectively);
  • Battery and claimed battery life (10 hours).

Since the list of innovations turned out to be so meager, and all other characteristics do not differ in absolutely nothing, then let’s pay a little more attention to the Apple A10 Fusion processor.

It debuted in the iPhone 7 back in 2016 and today is clearly not a novelty, however, its differences from the A9 are as follows:

  • 3.3 billion transistors versus

2 in A9;

  • The two main CPU cores run at 2.34 GHz instead of 1.85 in the A9;
  • Added two auxiliary Zephyr cores, which were not in the A9;
  • Slightly more powerful graphics cores PowerVR GT7600 Plus are used instead of the basic version of PowerVR GT7600 Plus (250 GFlops versus 230);
  • Important: the updated processor also provides the iPad 2018 with LTE support faster theoretical data transfer rates on these networks (300 MB / s versus the previous 150 MB / s).

Note that the A10 should not be confused with the A10X that comes with the iPad Pro. A10X is much more powerful: there are six cores instead of four (3 main and three auxiliary).

Differences between iPad 2018 and iPad 2017 in performance benchmarks

As for the Apple Pencil, it debuted on the iPad Pro in 2015 and is now finally making its way to the regular iPad three years later. Actually, according to the idea of ​​Apple, from Pro various features like this will gradually move to a simple iPad.

See also: our big roundup of differences between the new 2018 and 2017 MacBook Pros.

Differences between iPad Pro and iPad 2018

Despite the fact that the new generation iPad Pro 2018 has not even been introduced yet, last year’s iPad Pro also quite confidently bypasses the iPad 2018 in terms of features and capabilities. The main differences between iPad Pro and iPad 2018 are as follows (and all of them are not in favor of a simple iPad):

  • A10X processor with six main cores;
  • Double the RAM (4 GB instead of 2)
  • Built-in storage capacities up to 256 and 512 GB (in a regular iPad, the limit is 128 GB);
  • Larger displays with 120Hz refresh rate (60Hz in a simple iPad)
  • Truetone technology that adjusts the screen tint to the environment;
  • Smart Connector, providing Smart Keyboard connection;
  • Supports LTE 450 MB / s speed;
  • Main camera 12 MPx with f / 1.8 aperture instead of 8 MPx f / 2.4;
  • Front camera 7 MPx vs 1.2 MPx in iPad 2018;
  • 4 speakers instead of two.

Ipad Pro 10.5 ” (left) and iPad 2017/2018

However, some of these points can hardly be considered too weighty, and the price difference between a simple iPad and the most affordable of the Pro is almost twofold (25 and 47 thousand rubles, respectively).

What types and generations of iPad are relevant today?

So, Apple currently has an affordable iPad with a 9.7 ” display, which the company updated yesterday. There are also two iPad Pros with 10.5 ” and 12.9 ” diagonals. The company uses the most advanced hardware in the Pro models, so the for them are strikingly higher than the regular iPad. Apple’s new iPad Pro should be expected in summer or even fall.

Current Apple iPad lineup

Finally, there’s the 7.9 ” iPad Mini. But if the company updates other tablets annually now, the Mini has not been updated since 2015, when its fourth version was shown (then Apple still numbered the releases).

over, according to rumors, updates for it are not worth waiting for, and the Mini themselves will soon disappear completely from sale. The reason is that at the end of this year a new expensive iPhone with a huge screen comes out and Cupertino does not want the relatively cheap Mini to compete with it in any way.

Successive design

The increase in the physical size of the display naturally affected the weight of the tablet computer. So, the 13-inch iPad Pro weighs about 712 grams, while the weight of the second iPad Air is 444 grams. But this did not affect the thickness of the device, because the new tablet has grown only 0.8 millimeters thick. 6.9mm Pro tablet lasts 10 hours on a single charge.

As for the design of the tablet, it is generally similar to the appearance of the previous generation, except for one thing. The Pro version of iPad has 4 powerful stereo speakers combined into one speaker system. The color range of the case has not changed, tablets are still available in classic Space Gray, Silver and Gold colors.

Difference between Apple iPad Air 2 and iPad Pro

At a recent press conference in San Francisco, Apple unveiled a number of devices, some of which aroused intense interest from journalists attending the event. In particular, the Cupertino Apple company demonstrated updated sixth iPhones in versions 6S and 6S Plus with improved cameras, displays and processors, as well as a new Apple iPad Pro with a 12.9-inch display diagonal. With an enlarged Apple tablet, Apple will try to compete with Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 tablet on the market. True, unlike the new iOS device, the device from Microsoft runs on full-fledged Windows 8, which iOS is still far from in terms of functionality. As a result, the iPad lineup includes models with different display sizes: from 7.9 inches to 13.

  • Large tablet large display
  • Successive design
  • New hardware in the tablet
  • Mimicking Surface
  • Comparison table

Large tablet large display

Rumors of a huge iPad appeared immediately after the presentation of the second generation iPad Air. Fueled by various publications, interest in the new i-device turned into a storm of applause after Tim Cook’s words about the iPad Pro. Undoubtedly, the main difference between the Apple iPad Air 2 and the iPad Pro is the different display diagonal. While the second generation of the Air Tablet has an 8.9-inch display, the iPad Pro has a 4-inch larger screen.

The new ultra-clear 12.9-inch 2732 x 2048 Retina display at 264 pixels per inch. The large display for a tablet houses 5.6 million pixels. The resolution and size of the display, as well as the software, allow you to run two applications on the tablet at once and work with them simultaneously. Thus, for the first time in i-OS devices, full-fledged multitasking appeared, which has long been available on Windows tablets. On top of that, the screen is equipped with Force Touch technology, capable of sensing pressure. For example, with a strong press, you can activate the sorting of items, and with a long press, the context menu.

New hardware in the tablet

In terms of hardware, the nearly 13-inch tablet has got an A9X processor with a 64-bit architecture of the 3rd generation, which is 1.8 times more powerful than the A8X installed in the Air 2. Compared to the first generation iPad, the power of the apple tablet has increased 22 times. In addition, the amount of RAM in the iPad Pro has doubled. So, the freshly baked Apple novelty has 4 gigabytes of RAM against two in the iPad Air 2. The graphics component has also improved 2 times compared to the previous generation of tablets. The amount of internal memory has not changed, 32-, 64- and 128-GB versions are available.

Supported by Apple’s Metal technology, iPad Pro graphics can compete with console chips. The unique apple technology allows you to enhance the detail of the picture and increase the speed of its rendering several times.

Mimicking Surface

Introducing the first iPhone, the late Steve Jobs had no idea that his company would ever offer users the Apple Pencil, which he had abandoned at the time. The apple pencil looks like a pen, with which you can create images and control the tablet. Essentially, Apple has reinvented the wheel, as the Pencil is the digital pen that designers use on graphic tablets. However, unlike the Microsoft tablet, the iPad Pro does not have a slot for storing the Apple Pencil. A Lightning connector is used to charge the 99 e-pencil. A 15-second charge is enough for a 30-minute tablet, while a full charge will last 12 hours. GROAN is the manufacturer of the new tablet accessory.

In addition to the pencil-stylus, Apple also introduced the Smart Keyboard, without which it is very difficult to work on a huge tablet. The 169 data input device is connected via a magnetic connector located on the bottom of the Apple Pro.

As for everything else, the Pro version is completely similar to the Air 2 model: an 8-megapixel iSight camera, Touch ID, support for LTE modules and Wi-Fi 802.11ac with MIMO. But the difference between iPad Air 2 and iPad Pro in terms of price is more significant. So, for a 32 GB model, the buyer will have to shell out almost 800. For an additional 150, you can purchase an iPad Pro with 64GB of storage on board. The 128GB version will be available on September 26, 2015, priced at 1,079. As a result, the most expensive option with a full set of accessories will acquire an indecent price tag of 1,347.

Ipad 2018 and iPad Pro displays

The difference between the iPad and iPad Pro screen is obvious. The new iPad model has the usual Retina display with a diagonal of 9.7 inches and a resolution of 2048 × 1536 pixels. The 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro variants offer larger screens and higher resolutions. The display resolution of the 10.5-inch version is 2224 × 1668-pixel, 12.9-inch 2732 × 2048 pixels. Despite the difference in resolution and size, the pixel density in the screens of all three models is the same 264 ppi.

Unlike the 2018 iPad, the iPad Pro lineup offers a number of additional features, such as ProMotion, which doubles the screen refresh rate from 60 to 120 frames per second, or True Tone technology, which adjusts display colors to ambient light. In addition, the iPad Pro display boasts an extended color gamut for brighter, more vibrant images, and an anti-reflective coating.

Storage capacity and price of iPad 2018 and iPad Pro

Both lines offer models with different internal storage capacities, but the iPad Pro series is still the leader in this aspect.

How the iPad 6 (2018) differs from the iPad Pro (2017): a detailed comparison

Display options

Any tablet from iPad will also differ in screen parameters. On the one hand, an excellent quality screen will always be installed on an apple device of any model. There is an excellent matrix and the number of pixels per inch is significantly higher than that of competitors. When you pick up your iPad, you’ll be fascinated by such a bright and sharp image. And if this is an iPad model with a Retina display, then there are no words here. Depending on the model, the iPad screen size ranges from 8 to 10 inches. The only but. This is the display resolution. Here it is inferior to many Android devices.

External appearance

Despite the fact that in general all tablets are similar, the iPad can be seen from afar. And this does not mean bright colors or unusual shapes. Not. These devices have a simple but recognizable design. The iPad has a reasonably thin silver aluminum body.

On the back is the famous Apple logo. All models of this PC are available in two versions, black and white. Other tablets can have interesting designs as well. But most of them are much cheaper than the iPad, so there is no need to talk about a durable aluminum case.

Operating system

And no matter what they say, the very heart of every computer, and even more so a tablet is the operating system. Currently, the following software can be found on tablets: Android, Windows 8 or RT, iOS. Each of these OS has its own characteristics.

But the most common platform is still Android. This operating system is installed on many devices from different manufacturers. It features extensive personalization options and a large number of supported applications. So, among the tablets on this platform, we can note the popular Samsung Galaxy Tab or ASUS MemoPad.

The Windows platform on tablets is quite a promising direction, but not yet widespread. Here we see interesting functionality and unusual design. The only but significant drawback is the very small number of applications and games to install.

You can describe all the nuances of different software for a long time. But it’s impossible to say with absolute certainty which of the three existing platforms is the best. Each of them has both pros and cons. To understand what exactly suits you, it is worth watching the device in operation.

The cost

No matter how trite, but the decisive moment in choosing between a tablet and an iPad is often the cost. For some, the price is an indicator of prestige, while for others it is important to save money without losing quality. Ordinary tablets based on Windows or Android cost from 2 thousand rubles. Naturally, the more options a device has, the higher the price. But the cost of the most inexpensive Aypad at the moment is 12 thousand and reaches almost forty. Here the price is determined by the amount of memory, parameters and size of the display, as well as the presence of a 3g module.

What is the difference between a tablet and an ipad. Five key positions

Surely everyone at least once in his life has heard of such a miracle of electronics as the Apple iPad. But if you are far from modern technology, then you hardly know much about this device. And, most likely, in this case, the following question could have been brewing for a long time: how is the tablet different from the iPad? After all, in fact, outwardly these devices resemble the same thing. And all because the iPad is a tablet.

Many are misled by the fact that the owners of this device in their speech never call the iPad a generic word tablet. Thus, they emphasize the status and high class of this device. Indeed, the iPad, produced by the American company Apple, is undeniably the best tablet device ever. Other companies are constantly trying to challenge this leadership, but so far to no avail. The first position for this device provides a number of fundamental differences from other tablets. And now we will figure out what exactly these differences are.

Functionality and performance

One of the main differences between a regular tablet and an iPad is performance and functionality. It should be noted right away that the advantage of any tablet PC over the iPad lies in the support of an external memory card. So, if a tablet PC running Windows or Android has too little built-in memory, it can be supplemented, for example, with an SD card. But on an apple device you will have to make do with what you have.

Also, you can’t just take and download files from your computer to any iPad. To do this, you will need to install a special iTunes program. Although, if you dig deeper, in this moment you can find some pros. The list of shortcomings includes the lack of USB support, as well as an external internet modem. That is, it will be difficult to connect peripheral devices. And finally, it is worth saying that Aipads are not friendly with a flash player. This means that online games and many films on the Internet played with flash technologies will not be available to you. over, most other tablets, even the cheapest ones, are equipped with all these functions.

Having finished listing the minuses, it is worth mentioning the amazing property of the iPad, or rather, the peculiarity of the operating system: there are no viruses here. They are simply not supported. This means that you can forget about the numerous problems of device protection. In addition, this PC plays applications much more stable than its competitors due to the good processor. OS updates are released quite often.