iPad Pro 4GB of ram in 12.9" Pro is probably equal to iPad Air 2

[Shirtin]

I saw that the screen increase in size is 78% larger than the iPad Air 2. Would that make the extra ram almost a moot point? Would like to know more...

[UPDATE] Won't the iPad Pro 12.9" be obsolete as fast as a iPad Air 2 because of only 4GB of ram?

 

[Ghost31]

Moot ish. The pro 12.9 is pushing more pixels, but the hope was when the iPad Pro was first introduced, since it has so much ram that would allow for professional grade applications to be developed and that right there would up the iPad's capability as a pc replacement type device. With the smaller pro, that would have further pushed production of pro quality apps further. Now we find out its clocked lower and has less ram....

I don't know what to say. I just hope iOS 10 will be a mega update for iPad

 

[AliMacs]

Moot ish. The pro 12.9 is pushing more pixels, but the hope was when the iPad Pro was first introduced, since it has so much ram that would allow for professional grade applications to be developed and that right there would up the iPad's capability as a pc replacement type device. With the smaller pro, that would have further pushed production of pro quality apps further. Now we find out its clocked lower and has less ram....

I don't know what to say. I just hope iOS 10 will be a mega update for iPad

Biggest crock of crap is the UI for the iPad Pro. Come on seriously? In 2016 I get a scaled up smartphone UI. All that real estate wasted on some stupid grid of icons. I can't even customize anything.

As for the functionality they have done a good job with multi-tasking/split-view. I find it very very good and it has a bit of a learning curve - you will have to adapt this new way of doing work on your iPad in contrast to a traditional laptop. I find I can do things better on the iPad than on my laptop. The interaction of the pencil, the finger, and the external keyboard just makes it all work great in my workflow. Of course I still can't FaceTime more than one person. Photo editing apps are still not as good. I mean most likely the APIs haven't been that great for devs to maximize their app potential. Or the devs are just lazy and not as good.

You can pretty much do a lot of work on the iPad Pro with split view. I love it. Best of all it's instant on, you can leave it there on your table for hours on end and come back to it. I can manage all my files via wifi/NAS setup at home. I can use my paid iCloud to access files. I use documents, PDF expert, Goodreader, and FileBrowser business to manage all the files I need. I even have Syncovery on my server to manage automatic backups to online servers- I just use my iPad to dump whatever I need backed up in the directories/folders setup for autonomous backup.

Overall the next revision of iOS 10 really needs a seperate UI for the iPads. Seperate them fromthe smartphone because it's an awful UI and a waste of space. If they allowed me to customize it more then they will have a huge improvement.

 

[gadget123]

I saw that the screen increase in size is 78% larger than the iPad Air 2. Would that make the extra ram almost a moot point? Would like to know more...

Keep telling yourself that to justify the upgrade but 3gb and 4gb of ram will be on the iPad 9.7 eventually wheather it be 2016, 2017 or 2018 it will happen. 1gb stuck around long enough.

 

[Eric5273]

Right now I doubt anyone would know the difference between 2gb and 4gb on an iOS device. However, if you are the type of person who plans to keep your iPad for 3-4 years, I'm sure when you are upgrading a first gen iPad Pro to iOS 12 or iOS 13, then you would probably notice the difference just like you can tell the difference between 1gb and 2gb with iOS 9.

If you keep your iPad for 2 years and then upgrade, then I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[dumastudetto]

Right now I doubt anyone would know the difference between 2gb and 4gb on an iOS device. However, if you are the type of person who plans to keep your iPad for 3-4 years, I'm sure when you are upgrading a first gen iPad Pro to iOS 12 or iOS 13, then you would probably notice the difference just like you can tell the difference between 1gb and 2gb with iOS 9.

If you keep your iPad for 2 years and then upgrade, then I wouldn't worry about it.

Exactly right on all points.

 

[rambler358]

Right now I doubt anyone would know the difference between 2gb and 4gb on an iOS device.

Open up a bunch (10 or so) of Safari tabs and switch between them. You'll see a lot less refreshing going on with 4gb vs 2gb RAM.

 

[Kal-037]

The RAM is perfectly enough, I run multiple Apps at the same time, and usually with 10+ Safari tabs, Facebook, Phonto Procreate, Repix, Photos, Mail, and Notes, all without a problem, (no lagging, no glitches, no slowdown.) IMO for iOS, 4GB is great. I am able to get real work done on this guy. I have no computer right now and haven't since September so this guy has in fact become my main computer and he handles perfectly.


Kal.

 

[Traverse]

I can't base my purchases based on what might happen in the future. In iOS 4 to iOS 9 this is the first time the iPad got any consideration. I'm highly doubtful they will totally reinvent the experience now.

Now, that doesn't mean I'd buy something that is completely outdated. For instance, if the iPad Pro had 1GB of RAM that would be unacceptable because it can't keep up, but the Air 2 was considered the next longevity model because it doubled the RAM and was a "night and day difference." Now a Pro with 2x the speed somehow is not?

I'm not trying to defend Apple here, they should have put 4GB in there, but I don't think it will really make or break you. And what Pro apps have been developed in 6 months that take advantage of the 4GB? None really.
[doublepost=1458693500][/doublepost]

Open up a bunch (10 or so) of Safari tabs and switch between them. You'll see a lot less refreshing going on with 4gb vs 2gb RAM.

I've done that with my Air 2 *and* used other apps and haven't had any refreshing.

 

[Shirtin]

Keep telling yourself that to justify the upgrade but 3gb and 4gb of ram will be on the iPad 9.7 eventually wheather it be 2016, 2017 or 2018 it will happen. 1gb stuck around long enough.

I'm not gonna buy the iPad 9.7" because of 2GB of ram. Guess I need to update my post....

What I meant was that the iPad Pro 12.9" is gonna be obsolete as fast as a iPad Air 2 because of only 4GB of ram?

 

[dumastudetto]

I can't base my purchases based on what might happen in the future. In iOS 4 to iOS 9 this is the first time the iPad got any consideration. I'm highly doubtful they will totally reinvent the experience now.

I'm not trying to defend Apple here, they should have put 4GB in there, but I don't think it will really make or break you. And what Pro apps have been developed in 6 months that take advantage of the 4GB? None really.
[doublepost=1458693500][/doublepost]

It's not really a question of might, it's a question of how soon does Apple transition it's biggest mainstream device to more than 2GB - the iPhone. You know it will happen.

If you think they should have put 4GB in there, then you can surely understand why some people are concerned that it is not.

I still think this new iPad Pro will be an incredible device, but I can absolutely appreciate some of the concern around here regarding longevity. Especially with the price bump.

 

[dingclancy23]

I'm not gonna buy the iPad 9.7" because of 2GB of ram. Guess I need to update my post....

What I meant was that the iPad Pro 12.9" is gonna be obsolete as fast as a iPad Air 2 because of only 4GB of ram?

No it won't. 2x ram is 2x ram.

If it is any consolation, Apple is known for keeping their old product working well for years to come, and both the iPad Air 2 and iPad Pro 9.7 will probably be useful 4-5 years down the road.

What just bugs me is how will they advance iOS development. At least for the iPP 12.9 with 4gb ram you can find ways to push that memory to advance the OS with better multi tasking, support for more inputs, possible windowing. But that 2gb in the iPad Pro 9.7 now becomes a crutch because succeeding versions of iOS will have to support 2gb ram for a long time.

 

[dumastudetto]

What just bugs me is how will they advance iOS development. At least for the iPP 12.9 with 4gb ram you can find ways to push that memory to advance the OS with better multi tasking, support for more inputs, possible windowing. But that 2gb in the iPad Pro 9.7 now becomes a crutch because succeeding versions of iOS will have to support 2gb ram for a long time.

iOS devices will support it yes, but Apple always optimises the OS to the latest devices. As soon as the new iPhones have the extra RAM, both Apple and iOS developers will start building apps that make use of it. Until the iPhone has it, the extra RAM in the big a-s iPad will be largely ignored.

 

[jamesrick80]

3.89 GB of ram is usable on the iPad pro...definitely not equal....while having a faster processor, a 12 core gpu and the standard 264 ppi. ..nothing equal about it

 

[Traverse]

It's not really a question of might, it's a question of how soon does Apple transition it's biggest mainstream device to more than 2GB - the iPhone. You know it will happen.

If you think they should have put 4GB in there, then you can surely understand why some people are concerned that it is not.

I still think this new iPad Pro will be an incredible device, but I can absolutely appreciate some of the concern around here regarding longevity. Especially with the price bump.

Please don't misunderstand, I understand the concern, I just think it's a bit overblown. I don't think you'll see the iPhone go beyond 2GB any time soon. I think that 4GB will be an iPad Pro 13" exclusive for a while and maybe even a 9.7" feature in a year or two, but developers wont fully take advantage of it for many years as they still scramble to support 2GB and even 1GB devices.

I know iOS will outgrow 2GB, but I don't think it will be anytime soon. Just look at their product line:
iPad Mini - 1GB
Air 2 and Mini 4 - 2GB
iPad Pro 9.7 - 2GB
iPad Pro 13" - 4GB.

2GB seems to be their sweet spot and I don't see it being phased out any time soon.

 

[dumastudetto]

Please don't misunderstand, I understand the concern, I just think it's a bit overblown. I don't think you'll see the iPhone go beyond 2GB any time soon. I think that 4GB will be an iPad Pro 13" exclusive for a while and maybe even a 9.7" feature in a year or two, but developers wont fully take advantage of it for many years as they still scramble to support 2GB and even 1GB devices.

I know iOS will outgrow 2GB, but I don't think it will be anytime soon. Just look at their product line:
iPad Mini - 1GB
Air 2 and Mini 4 - 2GB
iPad Pro 9.7 - 2GB
iPad Pro 13" - 4GB.

2GB seems to be their sweet spot and I don't see it being phased out any time soon.

Yeah I generally agree. As I said in another thread, further thinking from me lead me to check OS X minimum requirements and sure enough it *can* still technically run on a 2GB machine. So that just shows how much headroom an iOS device still has equipped with 2GB RAM. It should be good for many years to come!

Low RAM iOS devices faired so much worse over time in the past because 256MB and 512MB was so far removed from the memory in traditional computing devices. Now we are much closer the ill-effects of having less RAM will be far less dramatic.

 

[Traverse]

Yeah I generally agree. As I said in another thread, further thinking from me lead me to check OS X minimum requirements and sure enough it *can* still technically run on a 2GB machine. So that just shows how much headroom an iOS device still has equipped with 2GB RAM. It should be good for many years to come!

Low RAM iOS devices faired so much worse over time in the past because 256MB and 512MB was so far removed from the memory in traditional computing devices. Now we are much closer the ill-effects of having less RAM will be far less dramatic.

I agree completely and I even mentioned the OS X argument in another thread. If OS X can function on 2GB of RAM, iOS should have no issues even through at least iOS 11 and probably 12. I love my RAM! I wish the Pro had 4GB, but I just don't think people should write off this Pro because it has only 2GB.

 

[stevemiller]

what bugs me is that apple is trying to have it both ways. they rebranded and upped the price of their latest 9.7 tablet, signalling that its part of this new 'pro' class of tablet. but then they left out an important hardware upgrade included on the other 'pro'. one that i would consider highly linked to both longevity as well as the more intensive tasks this 'pro' seems marketed towards.

the gpu handles the pixels of the larger screen. the underlying content, which resides in ram, is the same. so the difference is not on account of the screens, its purely that one pro has been build to handle a heavier workload, whether it be layers in drawing software or filters applied to videos.

i'd be ok with ram matching their 18 month old air 2 if they priced it like that class of device. instead they're hanging a $100 price increase on including the same camera, the same amount of ram, and a similar processor that are also included in the cheapest iPhone they've ever released. or maybe its for the pencil and keyboard capability, but then you're looking at a $300+ price increase. i guess those 4 speakers better be damned good...

 

[oldmacs]

Right now I doubt anyone would know the difference between 2gb and 4gb on an iOS device. However, if you are the type of person who plans to keep your iPad for 3-4 years, I'm sure when you are upgrading a first gen iPad Pro to iOS 12 or iOS 13, then you would probably notice the difference just like you can tell the difference between 1gb and 2gb with iOS 9.

If you keep your iPad for 2 years and then upgrade, then I wouldn't worry about it.

This hits the nail on the head. I am in the keep my iPad for as long as possible group, which means choosing the 'longevity models' which there have so far been two of - the iPad 2 and the Air 2. My iPad 2 is 5 years old now, and the reason its still useful is that Apple doubled the ram over the iPad 1 along with the performance increases. Had it had 256MB of ram it would have been done for in 2012/2013. In 2021, when the iPad Pro 9.7 is 5 years old, having 4GB of ram would have been far preferable to having 2GB of ram.

Thus sadly I won't be buying this one. With the price increase in Australia, I can't justify shelling out $1350 for something that will not last as long as it should. $1350 is $150 more than I paid for my Macbook Pro, something which I expect to last at least 7 years, and there is no way this iPad will last that long.

 

[dumastudetto]

I agree completely and I even mentioned the OS X argument in another thread. If OS X can function on 2GB of RAM, iOS should have no issues even though at least iOS 11 and probably 12. I love my RAM! I wish the Pro had 2GB, but I just don't think people should write off this Pro because it has only 2GB.

Well these conversations on here tonite have ultimately convinced me the 2GB is far less of a problem than first feared. We're basically in total agreement now.

 

[Traverse]

Well these conversations on here tonite have ultimately convinced me the 2GB is far less of a problem than first feared. We're basically in total agreement now.

I'm glad (I'm not usually good at proposing "arguments")! I'm not trying to make a sales pitch for the Pro or defend Apple, I just couldn't believe the outcry over something that isn't a huge issue.

I can't wait to get mine, but that price is gonna hurt!

 

[Shirtin]

I agree completely and I even mentioned the OS X argument in another thread. If OS X can function on 2GB of RAM, iOS should have no issues even through at least iOS 11 and probably 12. I love my RAM! I wish the Pro had 4GB, but I just don't think people should write off this Pro because it has only 2GB.

Well these conversations on here tonite have ultimately convinced me the 2GB is far less of a problem than first feared. We're basically in total agreement now.

Well not to burst your bubble... BUTT (heh) multitasking is only available on iOS devices with 2GB of ram not anything lower. Also I dare anyone to run OS X on a machine with 2GB of ram (Note: Only have iPads).

 

[Traverse]

Well not to burst your bubble... BUTT (heh) multitasking is only available on iOS devices with 2GB of ram not anything lower. Also I dare anyone to run OS X on a machine with 2GB of ram (Note: Only have iPads).

The 2009 white MacBooks and 2010 (2011?) MBAs have only 2GB of RAM. It's not a dream, but doable. And if a large 16 year old desktop OS can run good enough on 2GB, shouldn't a lightweight mobile OS just fly?

And what's your point about multitasking? It's for 2GB only. These devices have 2GB? I don't they'll up it to a 4GB minimum.