Apple iPad 2018 just launched, But is it really better than the iPad Pro?

Apple iPad 2018 is different than the previous iPad(s) in various ways and is an approach that Apple should have taken long ago.
First of all the screen size of the new Apple iPad, 2018 is 9.7 inch and its release date is 27th March 2018. Which means you can get one right now, see the bottom of the page for prices and product links from Apple’s official Amazon page.

In the year 2018 Apple actually would only release 2 iPads (as far as the rumors go). The updated iPad Pro and this new 9.7-inch tablet.
iPad revealed the 9.7-inch Apple tablet at the First ever Apple event of 2018. They are calling it a cheaper and more compact iPad. Whether it is really cheaper to buy from the customer’s perspective is a whole another story, but Apple is calling it cheaper as compared to other Apple products (specifically iPads).

But Since the iPad is actually always a little lighter in the specs as compared to iPad Pro. The cheaper price does make sense, also speaking of lighter, The iPad 2018 is indeed a little lighter than the iPad Pro. Here are some of the specifications for the new Apple iPad 2018.

Apple iPad 2018 Specs

It comes in 2GB of ram and PowerVR Series7XT Plus (six core) GPU. This year the processor which Apple chose for iPad is the same processor which is found in the iPhone 7 ( “the A10” ). Because people already admire the performance of this processor so it was the right call made from Apple. It is only a little bit slower than the A10X which is inside the iPad Pro.

Apple is saying that this is an iPad for education, but overall it’s really not a bad choice as a daily usage tablet for anyone. And also it comes with the Apple pencil support which is great to have if you are into drawing or sketching.

Apple iPad 2018

The new Apple iPad 2018 price starts at just $319 and is the most affordable Apple tablet till date. And if you are a student you can even get a discount and get your hands on this new tablet at just $299. You have the option to customize your iPad’s specs (memory to 128GB, 4G connectivity, etc ) but that adds up to the price and makes a total of around $550.

In just $90 more you can actually get a 10.5-inch iPad Pro, so choosing these options really doesn’t make much sense. Without these options, you can actually buy 2 iPads in the Price of one iPad Pro.

Design wise the new iPad for 2018 differs a lot from the previous iPad from Apple, and one can easily differentiate between the too. But it does have the same large bezels and round corners as the previous iPad. And like always there is a 3.5mm headphone jack on the iPad. The only real reason as Apple says to have no headphone jack on the iPhone is the lack of place or space saving. And on a tablet (iPad) there is a lot of room for a separate headphone jack so we wouldn’t be amazed to see it included in future models too.

Although the iPad is kind of a cheaper substitute for the iPad Pro, it generally does all the task that you would expect to do on an iPad Pro. Which makes it great for students on a budget, and that is the market Apple is striking with this new iPad. Although cheaper, the new Apple iPad 2018 still feels premium to the touch as does all the other Apple products.

What the iPad does lack in features as compared to iPad Pro are two main things; Screen size and the speakers.

As on the iPad Pro, you have yourself four amazing Speakers which produce very decent and loud sound. The new iPad, on the other hand, has only dual speakers at the bottom which might make it difficult to hear sound in loud places. Even in a quite place the speaker on the iPad is just not that powerful and only fires sound in one direction.

The Screen, on the other hand, is not a major issue, as the screen on iPad Pro is 10.5 and on the ordinary iPad is 9.7 inch. That is generally not that much of a difference and really less than one inch, larger screen size doesn’t help anyone.

Conclusion

The comparison between two Apple products of nearly same capabilities was fun. We have previously done a comparison between iPhone X and Google Pixel 2, which was straight to the end more of an Android vs IOS scenario.

This iPad Pro vs iPad comparison, on the other hand, is somewhat detailed and keeps you within the Apple realm. Here we had to focus on the little things and details which set both the devices apart and had to present the pros and cons of both.

In the end, if you have enough cash to go for the iPad Pro, or even if you want an iPad for major day to day tasks then its probably better to choose the iPad Pro.
For a little lighter budget if you want some tablet to do your homework on and play some games in the spare time.
Then the new Apple iPad 2018 might be the best choice for you.