Apple has recently introduced the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, which is the downsized sibling of the iPad Pro 12.9, and shares the same screen size with the iPad Air 2.
In this review roundup, let’s check out what experts in the industry have to say about this new hot thing from Apple.
Exterior Design
The iPad Pro 9.7 rocks the same look as the iPad Air 2. The two tablets bear the same materials and thickness.
In fact, according to Darren Murph of TechRadar, one could grab the 9.7-inch iPad Pro and he would assume that he’d just picked up the iPad Air 2.
Good Battery Life
In terms of its battery life, the 9.7-inch Pro significantly outshone the larger Pro and the iPad Air 2 based on battery tests that Ars Technica carried out.
Similar to older iPads, Apple also gave the new tablet a battery that can last up to nine hours of cellular Web browsing and 10 hours of Wi-Fi Internet browsing.
“I’m inclined to attribute the improvement to the A9X’s newer manufacturing process,” says Ars Technica’s Andrew Cunningham. He also says that this device charges way faster than the big iPad Pro using its included charger.
Portability
“For creative professionals who use the Pencil a lot, a 9.7-inch tablet fits much more easily into a hand or the crook of an arm,” says Sascha Segan of PCMag. “It's more portable.”
Beefed Up Screen
This brand new tablet features a less reflective, brighter screen than the iPad Air 2.
Murph thinks that the tablet's True Tone display is gorgeous.
David Phelan of Independent says that the tablet's screen “certainly looks great.”
Apple says that as opposed to earlier iPads, the new tablet’s screen features 25 percent more saturation so as everything on it appears more vibrant.
Performance
Murph thinks that the tablet’s performance is not a problem. He also adds that its speed was in line with what the bigger iPad Pro offers.
“Performance simply wasn't an issue as we whisked through apps, loaded up Procreate for iPad, and proceeded to get our doodle on," says Murph.
Price
Some experts, including Segan, believe that the tablet’s price tag is “still a lot.”
This new iPad Pro is priced from $599 to $1,029, depending on its storage and cellular capability. It is available in 32 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB variants, with or without LTE.
It already went on sale last March 24, while delivery is expected to begin on March 31.
Quad Speakers
For Segan, the tablet’s quad speakers seem an added value for the device.
“Apple told me the Pro was twice as loud as the Air 2, and I believe it,” she says, adding that when she was holding her finger next to one of the tablet’s speakers, she could really feel it pushing air.
Works Well With Apple Pencil
Segan says that the $99 Apple Pencil worked perfectly with the tablet.
“I plugged a Pencil into the bottom of the tablet, it paired quickly, and then it worked in Procreate with all of the pressure and tilt sensitivity I remember from the iPad Pro,” she says.
Phelan says that the Pencil is flawlessly crafted and feels great in the hand.
“More than anything, it’s the Pencil which makes the Pro iPads feel like the most creative tablets Apple has made,” says Phelan.
Smart Keyboard Case
Segan says that while the size of its keys felt smaller than the 12.2-inch iPad’s case, she says that “they had the same texture and clickiness.”
Phelan says that he was able to type fast and accurately, even if the keyboard has less room than what is on the bigger model.
"There's plenty of travel in the keys and the gently scooped surfaces make it easy to hit the key you want," he says.
Experts' Verdicts
Segan appears to be impressed with the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. In her hands-on review with the tablet, Segan says that she likes it “a lot.”
Murph believes that the 9.7-inch iPad Pro is a “premium machine, through and through.”
"The 9.7-inch iPad Pro is probably a look at the future of iPad - it's a manageable size, has an industry-leading display, and is a joy to create art on," says Murph in his hands-on review.
Phelan, in the meantime, calls this new tablet "the best iPad yet built" as it comes with a spectacular display, stonking audio along with great processing power.
Meanwhile, Lance Ulanoff of Mashable believes that what makes this 9.7-inch iPad Pro good is that it looks akin to an iPad Air 2, has an incredible power, touts a wonderful screen, rocks excellent snappers with 4K recording and features enhanced speakers. However, he says that the bad things about this iPad is that it is pricier than the iPad Air 2, and that its Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil cost extra.
Can It Replace Your Laptop?
During the announcement of this new product a few days ago, Apple highly touted this new slate. It even went as far as saying that this is the “ultimate PC replacement.”
"It is the ultimate upgrade for existing iPad users and replacement for PC users," said Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing.
"It's the ultimate PC replacement for all those old PCs in the world," Schiller added.
Moreover, Schiller underscored that most of the new users of Apple’s iPad are coming from Windows PCs.
So, is the iPad Pro, particularly this 9.7-inch new model, an “ultimate” replacement for PC? A Tech Times report says “hardly so.” Moreover, even Microsoft posted a tweet as a response to this Apple’s claim.
#Surface checks every box. pic.twitter.com/8iWfWj0OBS
— Surface (@surface) Marso 21, 2016
While the 9.7-inch iPad Pro boasts impressive features, this tablet still does not run OS X.
Walt Mossberg of Re/code and The Verge raises a good point about Apple's proposition.
"I wouldn't think of the new iPad Pro as a full and complete laptop replacement - yet. But it's certainly much more than a way to watch Netflix. Even more than previous standard-sized iPads, it's a way to handle many common tasks once only possible on a heavier, bulkier laptop," Mossberg said.
"Honestly, with a keyboard I like better and just a few key improved apps, I could ditch my laptop for this," he added.
