The iPad Pro, iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 4 sport notable difference in terms of specs, features and pricing, catering to different needs and budgets.
As expected, Apple's Sept. 9 event brought several announcements, including the unveiling of the latest tablet lineup. Apple officially took the wraps off a new iPad Pro with advanced specifications and a large 12.9-inch display, as well as a new-generation iPad Mini 4 that replaces the iPad Mini 3.
While the iPad Pro is clearly the most powerful tablet in the iPad lineup, not everyone needs that extra oomph, especially since it comes at a premium price. With the latest additions, iPad fans now have three main options to choose from - the iPad Pro, iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 4 - so let's take a look at what each of them has to offer.
Display
The iPad Pro comes with a large 12.9-inch LED-backlit, multi-touch display with a resolution of 2732 x 2048 and a pixel density of 264 ppi, the iPad Air 2 has a 9.7-inch LED-backlit, multi-touch display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536 at 264 ppi, while the iPad Mini 4 has a 7.9-inch LED-backlit multi-touch display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536 at 326 ppi. All three tablets have fingerprint resistant oleophobic coating, fully laminated displays and antireflective coating.
Under the Hood
The iPad Pro draws power from an Apple A9X third-generation chip with 64-bit architecture, which provides a 2.5x faster CPU performance and 5x faster graphics performance than the A7 chip.
The iPad Air 2 packs an A8X second-generation chip with 64-bit architecture, providing 1.4 faster CPU performance and 2.5x faster graphics performance than the A7 chip.
The iPad Mini 4 has an A8 second-generation chip with 64-bit architecture, providing 1.3x faster CPU performance and 1.6x faster graphics performance compared to the A7 chip.
Cameras
In the camera department, the iPad Pro, iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 4 are all at the same level. All three tablets come with 1.2-megapixel FaceTime HD cameras with 720p video, FaceTime video calling over Wi-Fi or Cellular, face detection and burst mode. When it comes to the rear shooter, all three tablets feature 8-megapixel iSight cameras with auto focus, face detection, backside illumination, five-element lens, Hybrid IR filter, f/2.4 aperture, HDR, Panorama and burst mode. All three can shoot 1080p HD video, allow users to tap to focus while recording, and feature video stabilization, face detection, backside illumination, 3x video zoom, time-lapse video and slow-motion video.
Connectivity
All three tablets come in Wi-Fi-only and Wi-Fi + Cellular versions and all feature Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-channel 2.4GHz and 5GHz, MIMO, Bluetooth 4.2, GSM/EDGE, CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B, UMTS/ HSPA/ HSPA+ / DC-HSDPA and LTE.
Battery
All three iPads last up to 10 hours of web surfing on Wi-Fi, video playback or listening to music and up to 9 hours of web surfing on cellular data. All three charge either via the power adapter or via USB.
Storage
The new iPad Pro ditches the 16GB tier and comes in 32GB or 128GB variants for the Wi-Fi-only model and a single 128GB version for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.
The iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 4, meanwhile, come in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB variants for both Wi-Fi-only and Wi-Fi + Cellular models.
Pricing
The iPad Pro costs $799 for the base model with 32GB of storage and goes up to $949 for the 128GB version with Wi-Fi-only connectivity, while the 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model costs $1,079.
The iPad Air 2 comes in at $499, $599 and $699 for the 32GB, 64GB and 128GB Wi-Fi-only models, respectively, and $629, $729 and $829 for the same storage tiers, respectively, on the Wi-Fi + Cellular models.
The iPad Mini 4 comes in Wi-Fi-only models with 16GB, 64GB and 128GB at $399, $499 and $599, respectively, and Wi-Fi + Cellular in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB versions at $529, $629 and $729, respectively.
Other
All three iPads feature Touch ID fingerprint sensors embedded into the Home button, have Nano-SIM and support Apple SIM, and come with Lightning connectors, as well as the usual array of sensors such as accelerometer, ambient light, three-axis gyroscope and barometer.
Conclusion
The iPad Pro, iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 may have a number of things in common such as cameras, battery life, connectivity and others, but when it comes to processing power, display and pricing things are significantly different. Those looking for a powerful tablet with a large display and more horsepower under the hood may find the new iPad Pro to be the best choice, but should be prepared to pay for that extra oomph. Those who prefer the middle ground could be satisfied with the iPad Air 2, which is smaller and weaker than the iPad Pro but larger and more powerful than the iPad Mini 4, and also comes between the iPad Pro and the iPad Mini 4 price-wise. Lastly, those looking for a smaller tablet slightly less powerful than the iPad Air, but $100 cheaper, could find the iPad Mini 4 to be the best choice.
If neither of these three iPads suits your taste and budget, you can also go for an older-generation model such as the original iPad Air or the iPad Mini 2. The launch of the iPad Mini 4 replaced the iPad Mini 3, which is no longer on sale, but the iPad Mini 2 is still available and it got a price cut that places the base model at a $269 price point.
