The key difference between iPad Air 2 and iPad pro is the larger display, enhancement done on the processor as well as the additional features that come with the iPad Pro like the pencil stylus and quad speakers.
iPad Pro Review – Features and Specifications
The iPad Pro can be named the largest iPad yet to be released. The year 2013 was a significant year for Apple iPad with the notable upgrades on the hardware and a new name to go with it. Apple CEO Tim Cook mentioned how the iPad has changed the way of learning, work and tablets in the past.
Display
The Display of the iPad Pro is a staggering 12.9 inches, and the resolution that is supported by the display stands at 2732×2048 and is able to support 5.6 million pixels. This screen is supporting more pixels than the MacBook pro. This display will be able to deliver more detailed pictures, documents, and games. Another feature is that the pixels have timing control. The display has been made using oxide TFT materials. There is also a variable refresh rate that consumes less power from the battery.
OS
In all iOS devices, this is the largest screen produced so far. This will be able to run the same OS as in the Apple iPhone, iPad Mini, and iPad Air.
Processor
The 3rd generation 64 bit A9X has been claimed by Apple to be able to increase the performance by 1.8 times than the A8X. The graphics have also has seen a significant improvement according to Apple. Apple also claimed the iPad Pro is 80% faster compared to other portable PCs in the market. The iPad Air Pro is said to be able to handle intense graphics and is even capable of video editing.
Audio
iPad Pro comes with four speakers. The volume is automatically balanced according to the way the iPad pro is held; this will let the user listen to the same audio intensity all the time. The volume of the iPad pro is 3 times the volume of iPad Air, which is a noteworthy feature.
Dimensions
The thickness of the iPad Pro stands at 6.1mm and weighs 1.56 pounds inclusive of the bigger screen.
Connectivity
The connectivity is supported via 802.11 ac standard and includes Wi-Fi radio and MIMO. The 4G LTE, which is an optional feature, can support speed of up to 150Mbps
Keyboard
Like Microsoft Surface pro 3, the iPad Pro also comes with a hardware keyboard which has smart features. The built-in keyboard on the iPad is also able to dynamically change according to the app that is being used. There are plugs called PUGO which transfer power and data and the keyboard is able to magnetically connect with the keyboard. When the hardware keyboard is plugged in, the software keyboard turns off automatically to release screen space.
Pencil for iPad
iPad Pro also comes with a digital stylus which is able to support the multi-touch screen. The stroke thickness will be decided upon according to the angle of the pencil on the screen. The lightning tip of the pencil can be plugged into the iPad Pro’s port for a quick recharge. The Apple Pencil is said to be compatible with native apps and has a low latency rate which means there is less delay in between. The pressure sensitivity of the digitizer has not been specified by Apple as yet. The pencil can also be used for creative and productive workloads with suitable apps. Multi-tasking apps like Microsoft Office mobile and graphics intensive apps like Adobe Photoshop fix show how the A9X processor is able to handle the workload on it effectively.
Additional features
The 3D4Medical app helps doctors and medical students in visualizing the human anatomy in an effective way. The processor works seamlessly with graphic intensive applications.
Battery Life
The battery capacity of the iPad pro can last for 10 hours.
iPad Air 2 Review – Features and Specifications
The iPad Air was already excellent, but here comes even better configured iPad Air 2. So there is a lot to look forward to in the iPad Air 2. The iPad Air can be categorized as one of the finest tablets ever produced. The iPad Air 2 is a masterpiece in itself and engineered to near perfection.
Display
The iPad Air 2 has been made even thinner than the iPad Air, and this has produced an even better screen as a result. The backlight, touch digitizer, and the LCD have moved even closer as Apple claims it to have zero air between them. The display is more colorful and bright, and the reflections have also decreased as a result. The resolution of the screen is 2048X1536 pixels. The screen is an IPS LCD display which uses retina technology. The screen has also seen improvements in contrast, colors, and brightness. Apple claims that the reflectivity on the screen has been reduced by 56% by the addition of an anti-reflective coating and due to the bonding of the screen. This is especially a useful feature when using the device in a sunny environment.
The colors are vibrant, high contrast, more detailed, and deeper blacks mean there is a significant improvement over the iPad Air. The only downside when compared to iPad Air, is that the whites take a pinkish color. Due to the bonding that has taken place on the screen, the display is more real, and it can only be eclipsed by the Samsung Super AMOLED displays.
Price
The price is on the high side for the iPad Air 2, but tablets made by Samsung and Sony are also high priced.
Dimensions
The iPad Air 2 is a light tablet. It is also super slim at the same time. The weight of the device stands at 437g. The weight has reduced by 32g from last year’s model. Although the iPad Air 2 is thin, it is also strong. There are also grains on the body of the device to grip it properly.
Design
The thickness of the iPad Air 3 stands at 6.1mm. The iPad Air has a thickness of 7.5mm where the iPad Air has seen a thickness reduction of 18 percent. This is also the slimmest tablet you could get your hands on. Compared with the iPad Air, the iPad Air 2 is thinner, but we have come to a stage where the differences in millimeters really does matter. Making a device thin also has its disadvantages as well. Sometimes features like battery life will see a drop at the expense of the thin structure. As with its predecessor the iPad Air 2 also features an aluminum build with chamfered edges. Apple has done a creative job by improving the specs of the device while reducing the device size at the same time.
The lightning ports which support data transfer and charging have been placed at the bottom of the device with the speakers.
Audio
The speaker on the side can get easily covered by hand when holding the device, so front facing speaker could have been a better choice. The speaker has been made louder than the previous model. Voices sound accurate, richer due to stereo separation.
Review
The iPad Air 2 is comfortable in the hand, and a can be used for hours without any discomfort. The weight of the iPad Air 2 is similar to the weight of the Samsung Tab S. A distinct difference between Samsung and Apple products is Apple comes in a nice smooth complete package, fine finish, whereas Samsung is an assemblage of different parts. The silence switch is no more on the iPad Air 2 due to the restricted size. But this option is available in the new control center according to Apple. The switch is better as the device can be put into a silent mode with just a click. Now applications can also be supported by Touch ID to secure sensitive data using biometrics.
Colors
Color available with this device include space gray, silver, and Gold. The gold color is like champagne gold which could be preferred over the other colors, but it all depends according to the taste of the user.
Touch ID
By securing the user’s fingerprint in the device, the Touch ID is able to lock the device from unauthorized access. By using the fingerprint, the device can be unlocked easily.
Performance
The processor powering the iPad Air 2 is the A8X tri-core processor which supports a clocking speed of 1.5 GHz. Graphics is also powered by a quad-core processor. The RAM comes with 2GB. Although the specs of the Apple devices may seem to be low, compared to devices by Samsung, the truth is iPad Air 2 is one of the most powerful tablets around. Combined with the iOS 8 and metal for graphics and swift programming language will make the iPad Air a powerful tool in the hands of any user. In some instances, the iPad Air is faster than a PC. There also is a co-processor called M8 which is responsible for the sensor data of the iPad Air 2. The existence of a co-processor uses less power which extends the life of the battery.
Connectivity
There is a 3.5mm headphone jack which is useful to listen to music, for charging and data transfer a lightening port, Bluetooth, Airplay, Airdrop and Wi-Fi have seen an increase in their performances. Wifi has seen an increase in speed by two-fold when compared with its previous models.
Storage
No micro SD card slot is available with this model. So it is very important to select the right storage when you buy the iPad Air itself. It Comes in 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB. It is worthy to note that the iOS will take up 5GB of space when installed.
OS
The messaging app has seen a redo supporting voice messages as well as third party keyboards. AirPlay and AirDrop are also supported by the iOS 8. AirDrop lets the user share files with other iOS devices, and AirPlay lets you stream video to Apple TV. Family sharing lets family member download each other’s iTunes, iBook and App. iCloud let information be backed up and accessed across other devices. Continuity lets the user start some work on one device and continue it on another.
Camera
The camera is an important part of the iPad Air. Due to the large screen it is able to operate as a large viewfinder. But from a photographic point of view, large devices are hard to photograph with. If in any instance it is necessary to take a photo, though, the iPad Air 2 comes with an 8MP iSight camera. The detail and color accuracy have seen an increase, and it is also able to perform well in low light conditions. The camera is also able to support burst mode and take continuous shots for fast moving shots. Slow motion video can also be shot at HD, and dual microphones mean the recorded audio will be better too.
The front facing face time camera has a resolution of 1.2 MP and apple claims the low light condition shots have been improved.
Battery
As expected due to the tin design the battery has seen a reduction in capacity from 8600mAh to 7340mAh. Due to the increase in the performance of the processor Apple claims that the battery life has not reduced due to the reduction in the capacity. It is estimated to last for 10 hours according to Apple.
What is the difference between iPad Pro and iPad Air 2?
Differences in Specifications of iPad Pro and iPad Air 2
Display
iPad Pro: The iPad Pro has a 12.9-inch display, resolution 2732X2048
iPad Air 2: The iPad Air 2 has a 9.7 inch display, resolution 2048X1536
Both have the same pixel density of 264 ppi, but the resolution of the iPad Pro is high as there are 5.6 million pixels which provide a sharper and more detailed image.
Dimensions
iPad Pro: The iPad Pro weighs 713 g and dimension are 306x221x6.9mm
iPad Air 2: The iPad Air 2 weighs 437 g and dimension are 240×196.5×6.1m
When it comes to portability, the iPad Air 2 has an upper hand with less weight and thickness compared with the iPad Pro.
Processor
iPad Pro: The iPad Pro is powered by an A9X processor
iPad Air 2: The iPad Air 2 is powered by an A8X processor
The A9X 64 bit processor is newer and is able to perform at 1.8 times the power of the A8X processor. The A9X comes with an M9 motion co-processor and has better performance and efficiency.
Storage
iPad Pro: The iPad Pro comes in 32GB and 128GB versions.
iPad Air 2: The iPad Air 2 comes in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB versions
The iPad Air 2 offers many storage options compared with the iPad Pro.
Additional features
iPad Pro: The iPad Pro comes with a pencil stylus, quad speakers, and smart keyboard.
iPad Air 2: The iPad Air 2 does not come with the above features.
The iPad Pro is more complete with the above additions which enhance creativity, productivity at work and entertainment.
Summary:
iPad Pro vs iPad Air 2
The iPad Air 2 is one of the best tablets around the screen has seen an improvement and the performance of the iPad Air 2 has also improved for fast and efficient processing. If we are to consider the difference between the above models they are both evenly matched, and it would not make sense to move from the iPad Air 2 to the iPad Pro. But in case the user wants to shift from a lower model, the iPad Pro would be the ideal choice with a better processor and additional features.