What iPad to buy or give away? This is how the Apple tablet catalog has been

As we already told you last Monday afternoon, just a few months after the debut of the iPad Pro, Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), has added a new tablet to its catalog and, as the rumors pointed out, it was not an iPad Air 3 but a new model with which to expand the range that just opened: the iPad Pro 9.7. The arrival of this new tabletHowever, it has not been the only novelty that has been introduced in the catalog but, as is customary, has been accompanied by the disappearance of a model oldest (the first iPad Air) And price drop of another (The iPad Air 2). With all these changes, how has the catalog of the apple company and which of all the iPad is the one that may interest you? We will try to help you decide.

iPad Pro 12.9

We start with the jewel in the crown: the first iPad ProThat of 12.9 inches. The iPad Pro range is now the top of the range of the iPad family and this model is the one that occupies the top, and not only by size and price but also by technical specifications, especially in the section on performance, thanks to its 9 GHz A2,26X and 4 GB of RAM. It is well known that this tablet is Cupertino's answer to Microsoft's Surface range and, although reluctance to compare it with the Surface Pro 4 is inevitable, there is no doubt that it is the closest thing to it. offers the apple company.

The downside, of course, is the price: the most affordable model, with 32 GB, it costs us nothing less than $899 and we still run the risk of running out of storage space depending on the use we give it, but making the jump to 128 GB means getting already at 1079 euros. It must also be borne in mind that a tablet of this size makes sense especially if we are going to use it resting on a table frequently, which in most cases will mean that we use it to write and, therefore, the keyboard is a practically essential accessory. The smart keyboard de Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), is, of course, the ideal option, but it means adding other $179, making a total (even without the Apple Pencil, which we can do without much trouble if we do not dedicate ourselves to design) of $1079

iPad Pro 9.7

Should we opt for the iPad Pro 9.7 in case the budget is not enough for the 12.9-inch model? Of course, the price difference is substantial and must be taken into account ($899 against $679, that is, 220 euros), but it must be borne in mind that it is not only cheaper but also has some virtues of its own: its screen has a pixel density identical to the other, but it leaves us major improvements in reflections and brightness levels, on the one hand, and on the other, their cameras are more powerful, both the main (12 MP versus 8 MP) and the front (5 MP versus 1,2 MP). This without taking into account that the fact that being a smaller tablet is also a lot lighter  (437 grams vs. 713 grams). On the cons side, despite mounting the same processor, it is somewhat less powerful and it also has less RAM, although its performance is still spectacular for a tablet of its size.

As you can see, the attractiveness of iPad Pro 9.7 is to function much better as a conventional tablet that iPad Pro 12.9, with special emphasis on mobility: as it is smaller and weighs less, we can take it anywhere with much more comfort, and the better levels of reflections and brightness will make it adapt better to the outdoor useLike its great cameras, they will probably be much more useful if we take it out of the house with a certain frequency. The fact that it weighs less, anyway, not only makes it easier to transport, but it will make holding it in our hands for long periods of time much more bearable and therefore more inviting to use the touch screen. (In addition to using a keyboard, which costs only 10 euros less than the large one, much less necessary).

iPad Air 2

El iPad Air 2 has not disappeared from the catalog of Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), with the arrival of iPad Pro 9.7, but it has experienced a substantial price drop, which makes it worthwhile, and a lot, to consider it as an alternative to the new model if we have a more limited budget or if the recipient of the tablet is not a very user intensive: the model with 16 GB of storage capacity now costs us $429, which is a difference of nothing more and nothing less than 250 euros with respect to the new model (to get an idea, it is almost the price of the iPad mini 2).

What do we give up if we opt for the iPad Air 2 instead of iPad Pro 9.7? The main difference is going to be found in the section on performance and specifically in the processor: even despite being set to a lower clock in this model than in the 12.9-inch, the A9X is still far superior to the A8X. It must be said, however, that the fact that the A8X is inferior does not at all mean that it is deficient, but on the contrary, it is a chip that has given very good results. Here we have only two speakers (instead of four) and the cameras are one step behind also, but for most users it should not be a relevant difference, and in the rest there are very few changes: both have 2 GB of RAM, both have the same resolution (2048 x 1536), both have Touch ID and both weigh and measure the same.

iPad mini 4

The price difference between the iPad mini 4 and iPad Air 2 As for the price, it is quite small, with the model of 7.9 inches selling for $379, just 50 euros less than that of 9.7 inches. This makes it really not worth it too much to opt for it just with the aim of saving, and that it is more interesting to focus only on what each of them offers us. Interestingly, in terms of technical specifications, it is practically the same, with the only exception of processor, which in the larger model is an A8X and in the smaller one an A8, somewhat less powerful.

With this in mind, it becomes clear when choosing between the iPad mini 4 and iPad Air 2, we must do it thinking mainly about the size, since the first is not a really inferior tablet to the second, and it is not much cheaper either: it is only smaller. It is, therefore, to bet on enjoying a couple of inches more when we surf, play or watch a movie or to get a more compact device and, what is more important, lighter (299 grams vs. 437 grams).

iPad mini 2

With the iPad mini 2, on the other hand, we already find a substantial price difference, since we can get it from $289: If we want to get a cheap iPad and we are not willing to consider refurbished iPads (iPads that have been returned with a defect and are sold repaired and with all the guarantees), this model is undoubtedly our best option. If we add its price to its size, we have together what is probably the best option for a child (especially in the absence of an older iPad that you can inherit).

Now, if we could consider making a slightly larger investment to buy the iPad mini 4, but only on the assumption that it is worthwhile, do we have to appreciate the importance of the improvements that brings this latest model, and that include the touch ID, more powerful processor, double RAM and a best main camera (5 MP vs 8 MP), in addition to being finest (7,5mm vs. 6,1mm) and a little lighter (331 grams vs. 299 grams). The difference in thickness and weight may not be very relevant and for most, having a better camera will not make much difference either, so we must think above all how much we need or want to have the extra protection that the fingerprint reader supposes. and assess the type of use that we will make of the tablet, and more specifically of "heavy" games and applications.