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(Pocket-lint) - There whitethorn not beryllium arsenic overmuch prime arsenic smartphones erstwhile it comes to tablets, but determination are inactive a fig of decisions to beryllium made. If you are speechmaking this, it's apt you person already decided connected Apple, and you are present trying to fig retired what size iPad is the close 1 for you and which 1 fits into however overmuch you privation to spend.
Apple offers a fig of iPad options ranging from 7.9-inch displays to 12.9-inches successful size. There are besides immoderate older models, which though discontinued by Apple, are inactive disposable elsewhere, usually astatine bully prices.
Here we are comparing each the 5 iPads offered by Apple, but you tin head to our Apple hub to work our separate, much successful extent features connected however the latest iPads comparison to their predecessors if you weighing up a determination betwixt aged and new.
Quick summary
iPad (9th generation) offers overmuch the aforesaid plan arsenic its predecessor. It has enactment for Apple Pencil, Apple's Smart Keyboard and it is importantly cheaper than the iPad Pro models, arsenic good arsenic cheaper than the iPad Air.
iPad mini (2021) has an each caller plan - fundamentally a mini mentation of the iPad Air (2020) - whilst besides adding a fig of upgrades erstwhile it comes to hardware, including processor and beforehand camera. It is compatible with the 2nd procreation of Apple Pencil, similar the iPad Air (2020).
iPad Air (2020) opts for Touch ID implicit Face ID like the iPad 9th procreation and iPad mini but it moves the fingerprint sensor to the top, reducing the bezels and offering a plan much successful enactment with the much costly Pro models. It is compatible with the 2nd procreation Apple Pencil, similar the iPad Pro models too.
iPad Pro 11 (2021) is 1 of the astir almighty iPads available. It comes with super-slim bezels, Face ID and fantabulous specs including Apple's M1 processor and 5G. It offers enactment for the second-gen Apple Pencil and it offers each the latest features successful a much compact format than the 12.9 model.
iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) is the astir costly iPad available, arsenic good arsenic the astir almighty alongside the 11-inch model. Launched successful April 2021, these are for those that privation to dainty their tablet much similar a computer. It offers the aforesaid hardware arsenic the 11-inch exemplary but successful a larger size and with a higher terms tag.
Apple
Apple iPad mini (2021)
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- Dimensions: 195.4 x 134.8 x 6.3mm, 293g
- Display: 8.3-inches, 2266 x 1488 (326ppi), True Tone
- Storage: 64GB, 256GB (Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi & Cellular)
- Battery: Up to 10 hours
- Colours: Space Grey, Pink, Purple, Starlight
The Apple iPad mini 6 features a implicit redesign compared to its predecessor, matching that of the iPad Air (2020) - a small further down this database - with azygous bezels astir the display, level edges and Touch ID placed successful the powerfulness fastener astatine the top.
There are galore hardware upgrades implicit the iPad mini 5 too, with the iPad mini 6 moving connected the A15 Bionic chip, which is simply a measurement up from the iPad Air and the iPad (9th gen) with the Air moving connected the A14 and the iPad connected the A13.
Like the iPad Air, the iPad mini 6 offers True Tone technology and it besides offers Apple Pencil compatibility - and dissimilar the iPad mini 5 it's 2nd gen similar the Air alternatively archetypal gen. It besides has the sharpest show of each the iPads disposable with a 326ppi pixel density.
Compared to the older iPad mini 5, the iPad mini 6 has an upgraded beforehand camera, moving from 7-megapixels to 12-megapixels, which is the aforesaid arsenic the iPad Pro (2021) and delivers the Center Stage feature. It has up to 256GB of retention similar the iPad 9th gen, but it is charged via USB Type-C alternatively of Lightning. There are besides 5G capabilities.
Apple
Apple iPad (9th generation)
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- Dimensions: 250.6 x 174.1 x 7.5mm, 487g
- Display: 10.2 inches, 2160 x 1620 (264ppi), True Tone
- Storage: 64GB, 256GB (Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi & Cellular)
- Battery: Up to 10 hours
- Colours: Silver, Space Grey
The 2021 modular iPad sticks to overmuch the aforesaid plan arsenic its predecessor with a larger show 10.2-inch show compared to the iPad 9.7. Touch ID is connected board, arsenic it was connected the 2020 model, and determination is nary afloat laminated show oregon anti-reflective coating arsenic determination is connected the iPad Air - further down this database - though it does adhd True Tone technology.
The processor sees a bump to the A13 Bionic spot compared to the A12 successful the 2020 model, and determination is enactment for Apple's Smart Keyboard, similar the iPad Air. It is compatible with the archetypal procreation of Apple Pencil too, arsenic the older exemplary was, though colour options person reduced to lone Silver and Space Grey, ditching the gold.
There is an 8-megapixel rear camera and 12-megapixel ultra wide-angle beforehand snapper connected this iPad, with the second allowing for the Center Stage feature archetypal introduced connected the iPad Pro (2021). Despite offering Center Stage and a True Tone show though, a fewer features from the iPad Pro models are inactive lacking (as you would expect), specified arsenic ProMotion and the velocity summation you'll get from the Pro models and the iPad Air, but the iPad 2021 is simply a batch cheaper than the Pro models and the Air.
Apple
Apple iPad Air
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- Dimensions: 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm, 458g
- Display: 10.9-inches, 2360 x 1640 (264ppi), True Tone
- Storage: 64GB, 256GB (Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi & Cellular)
- Battery: Up to 10 hours
- Colours: Silver, Space Grey, Rose Gold, Green, Sky Blue
The Apple iPad Air sits successful betwixt the iPad Pro 11 and the cheaper iPad (9th generation). The plan is much successful enactment with the iPad Pro scope than its predecessor however, with Touch ID moving to the top, allowing for slimmer bezels astir the show - similar the iPad mini (2021).
There's an A14 Bionic spot nether the hood, which is simply a powerfulness boost implicit the iPad (9th generation) and the iPad Air comes with some Apple Pencil (second gen) and Apple Smart Keyboard enactment too. The iPad Air's show besides sees improvements implicit the iPad (9th generation), with an anti-reflective coating and a wider colour gamut, arsenic good arsenic a larger show successful a slimmer and lighter build, though it misses retired connected the ProMotion exertion recovered successful the Pro models, arsenic good immoderate different features similar 5G connectivity.
There is simply a 12-megapixel rear camera similar the iPad Pro, which is simply a bump up from the older iPad (8th gen), though it doesn't person the secondary Ultra-Wide lens that the Pro has. You'll find a 7-megapixel beforehand camera, which doesn't enactment immoderate of the newer features offered by the Pro models, iPad (9th gen) and iPad mini (2021), similar Centre Stage.
There are 2 speakers similar the iPad (9th gen) alternatively than 4 similar the iPad Pro models, and the iPad Air (2020) has USB Type-C for charging similar the iPad mini 6, alternatively than Thunderbolt/USB 4 similar the iPad Pro 11.
Apple
Apple iPad Pro 11 (2021)
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- Dimensions: 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9mm, 466g
- Display: 11-inches, 2388 x 1668 (264ppi), True Tone, ProMotion
- Storage: 64GB (2018), 128GB (2020), 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB (Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi & Cellular)
- Battery: Up to 10 hours
- Colours: Silver, Space Grey
The iPad Pro 11 succeeded the iPad Pro 10.5 with a wholly caller plan successful 2018 and was refreshed successful 2020 and astir recently, 2021. It ditches Touch ID for Face ID and squares disconnected the aluminium edges for a much refined design, similar the iPad Air and iPad mini.
Apple included the M1 processor successful the iPad Pro 11, which is the aforesaid arsenic what you'll find successful the caller Macs, truthful it's beauteous powerful. It besides comes successful a prime of 8GB oregon 16GB of RAM and a 2TB retention enactment and the Wi-Fi and Cellular models person 5G connectivity. There's besides a beefed-up beforehand camera compared to its predecessor, with the Center Stage that sees the camera way and travel you astir the room, among different things.
This tablet is besides compatible with the second-generation of the Apple Pencil, which attaches magnetically and charges wirelessly. The USB-C connector has been replaced with Thunderbolt/USB 4 for the caller iPad Pro, allowing for faster information transfer.
Apple
Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2021)
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- Dimensions: 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4mm, 682g
- Display: 12.9-inches, 2732 x 2048 (264ppi), True Tone
- Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB (Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi & Cellular)
- Battery: Up to 10 hours
- Colours: Silver, Space Grey
In 2018, the iPad Pro 12.9 delivered a implicit plan overhaul with slimmer bezels, nary Touch ID location fastener and flatter edges. This caller plan allowed the 12.9 exemplary to trim successful size compared to the aged 12.9 model, contempt offering the aforesaid size show and the 2021 continues with this design, though it adds an XDR display.
The latest exemplary offers a M1 processor - similar the 11-inch exemplary and the latest Macs - and an upgraded beforehand camera with a fig of other features. There's besides up to 2TB of storage, a prime of 8GB oregon 16GB of RAM, Thunderbolt/USB 4 for charging successful and out, and 5G capabilities successful the Wi-Fi and Cellular models. The rear camera remains the aforesaid arsenic the 2020 exemplary and Face ID is connected committee again too.
The iPad Pro 12.9 is compatible with the second-generation Apple Pencil which attaches magnetically to the iPad Pro 12.9 and charges wirelessly erstwhile attached. Like the Magic Keyboard, it's inactive sold separately though, making this 1 pricey tablet.
Writing by Britta O'Boyle. Originally published connected 13 October 2015.
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