iPad Pro 10.5-Inch and 12.9-Inch 2017 Models Come With 4GB of RAM
Apple launched its new iPad Pro tablets with 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch
display at WWDC 2017 last week. Now, it has been revealed that both new
tablets from the company pack 4GB of RAM. Notably, both 10.5-inch and
12.9-inch variants of the new iPad Pro were spotted performing similarly
in the benchmark tests as well. Geekbench listings of the Apple iPad
Pro (10.5inch) and iPad Pro (12.9-inch) 2017 has revealed that both new
tablets come with 4GB of RAM. While the 12.9-inch model of the original
iPad Pro also featured 4GB of RAM, the smaller-sized 9.7-inch variant
came with 2GB of RAM. Now, Apple seems to have introduced more memory to
the smaller 10.5-inch iPad Pro model as well.
In terms of benchmark scores, both new 12.9-inch and 10.5-inch models performed
almost equally, with the 10.5-inch model narrowly edging out the larger
variant on Geekbench 4 in both single-core and multi-core tests with
their A10X Fusion processor
Separately, iFixit also confirmed in its teardown
of the 10.5-inch Apple iPad Pro that the tablet indeed comes with 4GB
of RAM. In its teardown, iFixit found that Apple has used the same
internal design as the original 12.9-inch iPad Pro on the new 10.5-inch
variant of the tablet. Regarding the placement of the display cables in
the middle of the device, iFixit said, "We've seen this arrangement in
an iPad only once before [in the original 12.9-inch model], and it
appears Apple finally managed to unify the Pro line around this somewhat
more symmetrical design.
Further, the teardown revealed that in
order to achieve the unprecedented refresh rate of 120Hz, Apple had to
incorporate four connecting cables to the display, compared with two
cables on the original 12.9-inch iPad Pro. In its teardown, iFixit also
found that fused front panel increases the cost of screen repair and
that there is a risk of damaging the LCD when opening. Considering these
factors, unsurprisingly for a device by Apple, iFixit gave the
10.5-inch variant of the Apple iPad Pro a reparability rating of just 2
out of 10.
Last year I reviewed Apple's new iPad Pro and found that it was not quite the laptop replacement that we had hoped for. But with the new tablet that Apple announced last week, the company is closer than ever, especially once iOS 11 comes better.I tested out the device for several days, on the road and at home. Apple lent me a 10.5-inch iPad Pro,
which is the newest size - up from 9.7 inches, which has been the basic
screen size for the iPad since it was first introduced. Apple also has a
refreshed 12.9-inch iPad Pro. But the smaller iPad Pro, the company said, has become a customer favorite.
The
bulk of the iPad's upgrade comes from the improvements of the screen.
The display's size bump is noticeable, particularly when watching video,
but it hasn't really added much to the device's weight (It's still
pretty light at about a pound).
The larger screen makes typing on it easier, though for serious work
you will still want to use the keyboard cover or another external
keyboard. In fact, as with the previous generation of the iPad Pro, the
tablet is best when you add on its accessories. That likely means
Apple's $160 (roughly Rs. 10,320) smart keyboard case and also the $99
(roughly Rs. 6,400) Pencil, if you're looking to sketch. Those are costs
you should consider on top of the iPad Pro's own $650 starting price tag.
The
screen is the key component of the tablet, of course. Apple's improved
the iPad's screen with something it calls ProMotion, which essentially
optimizes your iPad's screen to display whatever you're looking at. Text
is sharper. Video playback is smoother. Scrolling through a page feels
less floaty, with a less noticeable blur in text as you race by and a
more immediate clarity when you stop.
These are all small things -
if you didn't know that the iPad Pro had a more responsive screen, you
may not pick up on it yourself. I'm not sure I would have sensed that
without being told to look for it. Still, it's a change worth noting
because it improves your experience looking at the screen, particularly
if you're doing a lot of online reading on the tablet.
With the addition of an Apple Pencil,
the screen's improvements get a little more noticeable. As a person who
still takes a lot of notes with paper and ink, I'm always interested
when companies claim their tech can replace my ever-growing pile of
notebooks. With this iPad Pro, Apple comes closer than ever to
simulating that experience. It's more than adequate for jotting down
notes during a meeting or for writing down a reminder.The new size is certainly a plus if you're considering using the iPad
Pro as a laptop replacement. For creative work and digital note-taking,
you'll notice even less latency than before, which is saying something.
But,
in one big way, reviewing the iPad Pro, now as a device for real work
would only be telling half the story. The real changes to the iPad Pro,
and all of Apple's iOS 11-compatible iPads, will come with the release
of iOS 11 in the fall.Based on the demonstrations Apple has
shared, the software update will make the iPad much more like a laptop,
using Apple's familiar file structure plus a number of multi-tasking
features that will make it feel more robust. Once iOS 11 hits, it will
be possible to run up to four apps on the screen at a time - two
side-by-side, one floating and video in picture-in-picture. When the new
operating system comes out, the combination of the slightly larger
size, faster processing power and new software could make the new iPad
Pro stand out against the rest of the line.
This may make the
proposition more confusing if you've been considering something light
like an MacBook Air (which hasn't been updated in years) against the
tablet. If you're looking for something portable that you can watch
videos on or use to write documents and emails, then it comes down to
whether you want to be able to use a touchscreen or not.Overall,
if you have a first-generation iPad Pro and are happy with it, you may
not find a compelling reason to upgrade to a new one. But if your laptop
is getting up there and you're looking for a light device to replace
it? The iPad Pro will soon be able to fill that gap with fewer
compromises than ever
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