9.7-inch iPad Pro and iPhone SE Both Have 2GB RAM

[Osty]

Just a quick question... I know everyone is kicking up a fuss over the 2GB RAM... can anyone quickly explain in simple terms the massive difference that the iPad will have now that it's with 2GB rather than 4GB?

I agree, so much fuss really. We all know Apple's business model now - this forum is full of similar posts. If you don't like it, don't buy into it. Apple will either respond accordingly to the market or they'll go into decline (again). I won't lose sleep either way.

This nerd rage is getting annoying. If you want to buy hardware based on specs then Android and Windows is where you should be. Android already has mouse support and is getting multiple window management in 7.0. Windows gives you a full OS on a tablet with specs at every price point.

Newsflash. Apple is not going to turn iOS into a desktop class productivity operating system because it would severely crimp Mac sales. They will keep teasing, promising big but delivering only enough to keep people in the fold hoping those people will also buy the phone, mac, TV, watch...

 

[stulaw11]

Fair enough. I would not buy the Pro for a passive toy, but I have sorely wanted to get into digital drawing and take a lot of notes/annotations on PDFs. The Pencil will be huge for me, thus I can justify it. I just don't see a device this powerful become glitchy/unresponsive as a result of 2GB of RAM. If anything, it will face refresh problems, but judging Apple's history, 2GB is here to stay for a while aside from the 13" Pro, but they need something to give it an edge.
[doublepost=1458702623][/doublepost]

I agree, but those instance where jumps from 256 MB to 512 MB and to 1GB.

All devices below 1GB have displayed problems will multitasking. 2GB of RAM in the Air 2 was considered the "longevity" model just a few months ago due to a night and day difference. OS X can function on 2GB of RAM too. I think 2GB is the sweat spot for iOS for some time.

4GB would be great, but I don't think 2GB undermines the 9.7" Pros ability. The iPhone just got 2GB of RAM and won't be chaining any time soon. The Mini 4, Air 2, and now Pro all have 2 GB of RAM with 4GB being only for the niche 13" Pro. I do not see Apple shifting all of these devices over to 4GB any time soon and developers and iOS will cater to these devices especially since that is where the iPhone is.

There would have been no downside to having 4GB (aside from battery which could have been mitigated). I'm not arguing that Apple was right, they weren't, but I don't think the 9.7" loses a tremendous amount of usefulness because of it.

Well said. The other part of the 4gb is likely the insane number of pixels on the 12.9. Pushing that massive # of pixels plus multitasking probably pushes 2gb too close for comfort.

By no means does 2gb mean the 9.7 Pro is "bad" though or underpowered. It doesnt have a pixel issue as the resolution didnt change.

Im in the market for my first iPad and is the Pro worth the extra money than the Air 2? That is a tougher choice for me as i have zero plans to use the pencil functionality. Nor any desire to buy a $130 keyboard.

And a 64gb refurb Air 2 is only $419; which is $180 cheaper. The A8X is no slouch by any means either and I dont watch a ton of media, it's more of a device for work. So $419 is very very appealing right now.

The 9.7 Pro is less "futureproof" than I hoped to pick one up as a no-brainer for the small extra cost.

 

[Traverse]

Well said. The other part of the 4gb is likely the insane number of pixels on the 12.9. Pushing that massive # of pixels plus multitasking probably pushes 2gb too close for comfort.

This. To cache large images in Safari, massive layers in art apps, etc. the iPad Pro will need more RAM to function. It didn't not need 4GB to be adequate, but I think 2GB would have been a squeeze (or at least a loss in performance) so Apple added more RAM. Why they chose 4GB and not 3GB? Well, now recent Mac every had 3GB and Apple seems to like those even numbers. Plus, why not give the "Pro" and extra kick for the price.

All things considered, the 13" Pro reaps more of a benefit from 4GB of RAM even with the larger screen than the 9.7" Pro dose with it's lower res screen and only 2GB, but I don't think it's a testament to a major shortcoming or short usage life for the 9.7" Pro

 

[AxoNeuron]

Customer service stability and updates

I get literally ALL these things with my Nexus 5X, with a MUCH better performance to cost ratio. Seriously, it cost me less than $300 and it has the same amount of RAM as that ripoff 'Pro' tablet Apple vomitted out. It also has 32GB sptrage....go figure.
[doublepost=1458704985][/doublepost]

That's nice. Anything else, or are you done trying to troll by intentionally sitting in the middle of an Apple thread on an Apple forum, slating Apple products and bumming up Samsung, and expecting to be backed up?

Umm....I guess you think the only lists here should be the ones that agree with your opinion...?

And really, a lot of people on this forum agree with me. We want to be able to buy an Apple device that is actually competitive with what the Android companies are putting out. As it stands the iPad pro is gonna be miserably slow in a year or two.

 

[Osty]

It's not very cool for "professional" tablet that is supposed to replace PC's to have the same amount of RAM as the cheapest entry level iPhone.

The problem is the 'professional' moniker; it's such a loaded and far-reaching term which most people here seem to equate with graphics/CAD, 3D or bloated Office suites.

I'm a professional writer; I can do my job on 15 year-old hardware or a Raspberry Pi if I had to. I've read plenty of inspiring posts and articles from other writers, teachers, artists, designer, facilitators and presentors, doctors, engineers, musicians etc who have managed to find a place for the existing iPad line in their professional work.

Right tool for the right job. If you are developing for the Occulus Rift or you do CG for Hollywood blockbusters then I doubt even the recent Mac Pro is the right pro tool for you.

 

[Michael Goff]

I get literally ALL these things with my Nexus 5X, with a MUCH better performance to cost ratio. Seriously, it cost me less than $300 and it has the same amount of RAM as that ripoff 'Pro' tablet Apple vomitted out. It also has 32GB sptrage....go figure.
[doublepost=1458704985][/doublepost]
Umm....I guess you think the only lists here should be the ones that agree with your opinion...?

And really, a lot of people on this forum agree with me. We want to be able to buy an Apple device that is actually competitive with what the Android companies are putting out. As it stands the iPad pro is gonna be miserably slow in a year or two.

And Android with 2gb of RAM doesn't run as well as the iPad with 2gb. So keep on pretending numbers are the most important thing.

 

[Burger Thing]

Thank you, Phil, for completely taking over the various product lines. I think it is an awesome decision to release the iPad Air 3 with these specs and price point - at least for me. Because I have absolutely no use for a camera on a tablet and won't be paying a premium for the other additional 'upgrades'.

And releasing this device with the same amount of RAM as the entry level phone means, that my current iOS devices will be supported for a little while longer. Therefore I have absolutely no intentions anymore to replace (it wouldn't be much of an upgrade anyway) my current iPad anytime soon and I can save my money.

And by the looks of it 2016 will be another year in which I will be skipping a Mac upgrade. Again. So thanks for that, too. And no, I am not bitter about it as I have accepted the current mediocrity state of affairs with Apple. Disappointed, yes, bitter, no. I will simple vote with my wallet and use what I have.

 

[Michael Goff]

Thank you, Phil, for completely taking over the various product lines. I think it is an awesome decision to release the iPad Air 3 overpriced with these specs - at least for me. Because I have absolutely no use for a camera on a tablet and releasing this device with the same amount of RAM as the entry level phone means, that my current iOS devices will be supported for a little while longer. Therefore I have absolutely no intentions anymore to replace (it wouldn't be much of an upgrade anyway) my current iPad anytime soon and I can save my money.

And by the looks of it 2016 will be another year in which I will be skipping a Mac upgrade. Again. So thanks for that, too. And no, I am not bitter about it as I have accepted the current mediocrity state of affairs with Apple. Disappointed, yes, bitter, no. I will simple vote with my wallet and use what I have.

Protip: They make these devices with more than just your use case in mind.

 

[maxsix]

This is a shameful moneygrab by Apple.

I disagree.

Actually this is Apple's normal profit taking practice. The only difference is some people are making an extra effort to expose Apple's deliberate practice of milking customers for every last cent.

Previously either customers were too mesmerized by Steve Jobs, they didn't care how much money it cost to belong to the Apple elite, or they didn't realize how much sheer profit Apple makes. My preference is to ignore being fleeced and buy anyway. Apple taking advantage of customers is simply a reflection of their self centered values. It's always been that way.

 

[Burger Thing]

Protip: They make these devices with more than just your use case in mind.

Absolutely.

But exactly which part of: "at least for me" you didn't understand?

 

[ThisBougieLife]

Man, the let-downs just don't stop with Apple, do they?

Now they've officially made it so that neither Pro device appeals to me: I really want that improved screen (don't care about the camera), but I also would really like 4 GB of RAM and a "clocked" processor.

 

[bluespark]

At this point, we can safely say the defining attribute of the Tim Cook administration is nickel-and-diming Apple's customers to improve the bottom line. Previously, there were several data points that indicated that the so-called "Apple Tax" was mythical -- I will never forget how the price of the first generation iPad utterly destroyed rumors that had put it in the $1000+ range. By contrast, under Tim, even a modest upgrade like this one gets a price increase to go along with its new moniker. At a certain point, we are foolish to keep buying this stuff.

 

[mlo0its]

They do and yet they don't. Everything they said yesterday about the iPad Pro was true. It is several times faster than the previous one and has better graphics than before. Just because it doesn't compare to the one that costs several hundred more it's junk now in your mind?

Did people honestly believe that a company (not just Apple buy any smart company) was going to release a product that was cheaper than their flagship by a couple hundred dollars and let it cannibalize their flagship model? You really, honestly believed that?

1.8x the CPU performance of the Air 2. Double the graphics performance of the Air 2. Love how you're all about specs specs specs until it comes time to look at actual performance and then it turns to "I'm not convinced." What you're saying is that you just want to brag about specs all day and don't care about how something actually performs in day to day life. You're the guy that buys a car based on specs but won't race because you know that people with slower cars can smoke you all day long.

Totally agree with you. There just seems to be people who ONLY focus on specs and there are others who look at how well something works.

It's similar to how there are car owners who ONLY focus on horsepower and torque compared to others who look at driving experience. Sure you could buy the latest Dodge Charger with 700+ horsepower and yes it will beat a 155 horsepower Mazda miata in a straight line drag race. However the experience and allure of driving a lightweight nimble car like the Miata is a whole other side of driving that you most likely miss out on driving a muscle car.

Apple has never been known to use the fastest or most current hardware in its products whether it is the iPhone, iPad, Mac line, etc. yet they remain successful in who they strive to be.

 

[normanfox]

Honestly the new iPad Pro is a PERFECT example of why iPad sales have been so awful. They're just not competitive with the Android tablets. Not even close.

People are sick of getting screwed over by Apple. Apple has had this coming for a long time now. I hope iPad sales continue to get worse and worse until Apple finally decided to catch up to where Samsung was a few years ago (expandable storage, AMOLED display, more RAM, etc)
[doublepost=1458698702][/doublepost]
Honestly NONE of your criticisms are even close to being valid

far from perfect. ipad sale is down because of simply market saturation. Households today are saturated with all kinds of device: laptop, smart phone, ipod, PC. ipad is just another addition, and it is every where these days. you can't expect ipad saie to go up forever.

do you think regular mom, dad, or Bobby would care if his new ipad has only 2GB of RAM? and decide not to buy because it does not have 4GB of RAM nor expandable storage? 2GB of RAM is your deal breaker but it is not a deal breaker for majority of people.

every households I have been to. they have multiple ipad. rarely I see Galaxy. ipad is like a standard at school.

 

[Serban]

Really? My iPad Mini 2 Retina is doing great on iOS 9.3 has not slowed at all.

Yea but your mini works flawlessly with pip slide over and split view?

 

[magbarn]

Totally agree with you. There just seems to be people who ONLY focus on specs and there are others who look at how well something works.

It's similar to how there are car owners who ONLY focus on horsepower and torque compared to others who look at driving experience. Sure you could buy the latest Dodge Charger with 700+ horsepower and yes it will beat a 155 horsepower Mazda miata in a straight line drag race. However the experience and allure of driving a lightweight nimble car like the Miata is a whole other side of driving that you most likely miss out on driving a muscle car.

Apple has never been known to use the fastest or most current hardware in its products whether it is the iPhone, iPad, Mac line, etc. yet they remain successful in who they strive to be.

We are focusing on how things work. My worst upgrade was going from my fast 32-bit iPhone 5 to a my craptastic iPhone 6 plus that was laggy as hell. I ended up upgrading a year early (I usually avoid S releases) to go a 6S plus with a proper 2gb of ram. My 6+ had to reload pages much more frequently than my old 5. My iPad mini 2 is relegated to toddler duty as it's way too slow for me now due to it's gimped 1 gb of ram with iOS 9.

I get your analogy of a lower hp car being fun as I used to drive a S2000. But there's no joy in the 'feel' of an outdated computing device vs a raw car like the S2000/Miata.

Really? My iPad Mini 2 Retina is doing great on iOS 9.3 has not slowed at all.

You know some people think a Prius is fast after all....

 

[sracer]

This. To cache large images in Safari, massive layers in art apps, etc. the iPad Pro will need more RAM to function. It didn't not need 4GB to be adequate, but I think 2GB would have been a squeeze (or at least a loss in performance) so Apple added more RAM. Why they chose 4GB and not 3GB? Well, now recent Mac every had 3GB and Apple seems to like those even numbers. Plus, why not give the "Pro" and extra kick for the price.

All things considered, the 13" Pro reaps more of a benefit from 4GB of RAM even with the larger screen than the 9.7" Pro dose with it's lower res screen and only 2GB, but I don't think it's a testament to a major shortcoming or short usage life for the 9.7" Pro

I have been following your comments on the subject and you have me seriously rethinking my decision to skip the 9.7 Pro.

 

[loopmein]

I get literally ALL these things with my Nexus 5X, with a MUCH better performance to cost ratio. Seriously, it cost me less than $300 and it has the same amount of RAM as that ripoff 'Pro' tablet Apple vomitted out. It also has 32GB sptrage....go figure.
[doublepost=1458704985][/doublepost]
Umm....I guess you think the only lists here should be the ones that agree with your opinion...?

And really, a lot of people on this forum agree with me. We want to be able to buy an Apple device that is actually competitive with what the Android companies are putting out. As it stands the iPad pro is gonna be miserably slow in a year or two.

Here's the appropriate section for Android:

https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/alternatives-to-ios-and-ios-devices.157/

Please keep it in there.
[doublepost=1458712242][/doublepost]

And Android with 2gb of RAM doesn't run as well as the iPad with 2gb. So keep on pretending numbers are the most important thing.

Well when they have ZERO UX or consistency to enjoy, I suppose they've got to get excited about something

With Apple, specs (apart from storage, obv) are not drawn attention to, as they don't matter so much; Apple customers know their experience is going to be good. When you're in a luxurious hotel and the climate feels not too hot, not too cold, just perfect, you don't need to ask the manager for the humidity and temperature levels - it's set perfectly. Objective-C and all Apple's "core" frameworks draw on many, many decades of C expertise and extremely refined, extremely well tested and proven code and libraries, not some made-up bodged version of a translated, messy language, variants of which are unpredictably mixed up all over the place and mixed together with unpredictable, inconsistent and unknown hardware combos from 100 different vendors, as they are with UghDroid.

 

[Osty]

And Android with 2gb of RAM doesn't run as well as the iPad with 2gb. So keep on pretending numbers are the most important thing.

My Nexus 5 begs to differ.

ipad sale is down because of simply market saturation.

This. The sheer amount of iOS devices out there is staggering and I bet the majority are still in use. My kids continue to use my wife's old iPad 2 and my first gen iPod touch. Not all of us have the inclination or budget to replace/throw out perfectly good tech every year just to prop up Apple's share price.

Yea but your mini works flawlessly with pip slide over and split view?

Pip works very well on mine. Slide over is adequate. Doesn't do split view, but that feels cramped on my wife's Air 2, let alone what it would be like on my mini's screen.

 

[loopmein]

My Nexus 5 begs to differ.



This. The sheer amount of iOS devices out there is staggering and I bet the majority are still in use. My kids continue to use my wife's old iPad 2 and my first gen iPod touch. Not all of us have the inclination or budget to replace/throw out perfectly good tech every year just to prop up Apple's share price.



Pip works very well on mine. Slide over is adequate. Doesn't do split view, but that feels cramped on my wife's Air 2, let alone what it would be like on my mini's screen.

Is that... Apple Pip?

 

[Osty]

Well when they have ZERO UX or consistency to enjoy, I suppose they've got to get excited about something

With Apple, specs (apart from storage, obv) are not drawn attention to, as they don't matter so much; Apple customers know their experience is going to be good. When you're in a luxurious hotel and the climate feels not too hot, not too cold, just perfect, you don't need to ask the manager for the humidity and temperature levels - it's set perfectly. Objective-C and all Apple's "core" frameworks draw on many, many decades of C legacy code, not some made-up bodged version of a translated, messy language, variants of which are unpredictably mixed up all over the place and mixed together with unpredictable, inconsistent and unknown hardware combos from 100 different vendors, as they are with UghDroid.

Marshmallow seems pretty consistent to me and I have no beef with the UX either. I say this as a user of both systems.

As for your digs on Android's core and APIs - I wouldn't crow about Objective-C and all that C legacy code when Apple themselves are selling kegs of Swift Koolaid. The Linux kernel underneath Android is every bit as powerful as the BSD kernel Apple uses for iOS. Java is an easier language to learn and the Android APIs available are a feature rich as Cocoa.

Oh, and you can develop for Android on any platform you want. For iOS you are locked to Xcode and the Mac.
[doublepost=1458713353][/doublepost]

Is that... Apple Pip?

Tastes bitter and only good for spitting out

 

[Ixidor]

The reason why I love apple products is that Apple builds a very cohesive ecosystem with their products (e.g. iPad, IPhones, Macs, Apple TVs). It's hassle free to set up and it's really awesome to have your tech seamlessly integrated. This is their competitive advantage and competitors (Microsoft and Samsung for instance) are now doing a pretty good job catching up.

If I was in the market for a brand new phone or tablet for use as a single stand-alone device, I'd almost certainly pick the Surface Pro or a Galaxy S7 because the hardware is really impressive.

I use an SP4 for work and while it's an awesome laptop replacement, it's a pretty bad tablet (poor app selection and terrible battery life). The worst part though is that it doesn't fit into my home apple ecosystem at all. So while the SP4 is a very good productivity device, I don't actually enjoy using it for work at all. If I do work at home or anywhere else, I'd definitely pick my iPads or Macs (depending on the type of work load itself).

With all that said, even if hardware specs is not Apple's main competitive edge (as mentioned above, their edge is in software/hardware/ecosystem integration), the 2GB RAM for the new iPad Pro is really really sad... Even by Apple's standard.

 

[smacrumon]

No I will not be upgrading my iPhone 4s. As interesting as a more powerful internals is Apple basically has done nothing to improve the design and it could've because it's got the resources to do it so it should've. Rehashing an old design l--a--z--y. Happy to hang onto my 4S, still works great, looks beautiful with clean front and back lines. Will happily wait two or three years more until Apple brings out a flagship 4 inch phone at a decent price sans the antenna bands and protruding camera.
Apple needs to bring in its marketing department and start describing its products honestly as well. The Pro tag is nonsense and isn't being used consistently.

 

[bigjohn]

how does the iPad Air 2 handle 1080p MKV video? asking for a friend.

 

[wongja]

As a 12.9 owner I feel a lot better now about missing out on the better camera/screen of the 9.7.

yes it comforts me alot.