Ars Technica iPad Pro review

[Krevnik]

The issue is that a 2GB RAM device will need to be upgraded sooner than one using 4GB. Although iOS is designed to run at lower RAM levels -- not all apps that run on iOS do. Less RAM eventually means less value.

While this is technically true, as a developer myself, I have a hard time abandoning older hardware. If I support iOS 8 and 9, then I have to support the iPad 2, 3, 4, the Air (most RAM constrained outside the 2), and the Air 2. The users of those devices all outnumber iPad Pro users. Do I just say "no Pro, no play"? Of course not. Just like I won't exclude users on a MacBook Air, just because the MacBook Pros ship with more RAM and more CPU power. But I can do things like what Procreate does, and place reasonable limits based on what the user has if it makes sense to do so.

And as I've pointed out in other threads, a chunk of that RAM is there to feed the larger display. And the impact is bigger than people think. Since each piece of an app's UI has a pixel buffer, and now some of those buffers are all bigger (except maybe icons), or more numerous (more visible table rows). And those buffers are cached for performance reeasons.

 

[TrueBlou]

While this is technically true, as a developer myself, I have a hard time abandoning older hardware. If I support iOS 8 and 9, then I have to support the iPad 2, 3, 4, the Air (most RAM constrained outside the 2), and the Air 2. The users of those devices all outnumber iPad Pro users. Do I just say "no Pro, no play"? Of course not. Just like I won't exclude users on a MacBook Air, just because the MacBook Pros ship with more RAM and more CPU power. But I can do things like what Procreate does, and place reasonable limits based on what the user has if it makes sense to do so.

And as I've pointed out in other threads, a chunk of that RAM is there to feed the larger display. And the impact is bigger than people think. Since each piece of an app's UI has a pixel buffer, and now some of those buffers are all bigger (except maybe icons), or more numerous (more visible table rows). And those buffers are cached for performance reeasons.

I completely agree with this. I much prefer to optimise as much as possible to provide as close to the same experience for people running the oldest supported devices. In fact, if anything, I find that the CPU is far more limiting than the RAM situation the majority of the time.

People complaining about 2GB just don't really comprehend how efficient iOS is. While from a technical standpoint, yes of course you'll have to upgrade sooner than you will with a 4GB device, but that upgrade time isn't going to be soon.

 

[Krevnik]

I completely agree with this. I much prefer to optimise as much as possible to provide as close to the same experience for people running the oldest supported devices. In fact, if anything, I find that the CPU is far more limiting than the RAM situation the majority of the time.

It's actually similar for us too. In general, the hardest to work with is the iPad 2 (RAM), and the iPad 3 (GPU). Anything newer than that is actually quite nice to work with.

 

[TrueBlou]

It's actually similar for us too. In general, the hardest to work with is the iPad 2 (RAM), and the iPad 3 (GPU). Anything newer than that is actually quite nice to work with.

Oh definitely, other than the sometimes limiting (or making us work harder ) aspect of the older devices, I absolutely love programming for iOS, it's become an obsession more than a job I think

 

[dumastudetto]

Oh I agree. The RAM complainers, for people who haven't even use the device yet while trying to predict 2-3 years from now, are baffling at best. It's just getting really old now.

Ars basically nailed it with their paragraphs on the issue. It's not an issue today, it might be in the future, and the past does indicate it will be a problem eventually (how long it takes to get to being a problem, nobody here knows), and in an ideal world it would have shipped with the 4GB to take the issue out of the equation completely.

I can understand why people are complaining or disappointed. John Siracusa on the latest ATP basically did the same, while also admitting he'd still buy it.

I've thought about it a lot and decided to cancel my pre-order. I'm very sure the next 9.7" will have 4GB, and it probably won't take us more than a year to get there. In the meantime, I'm very happy with my Air 2 and 12.9" IPP combination.

 

[asleep]

Pretty good review.

I'm really interested to see real world improvements over my Mini 4, other than size.

 

[JohnnyGo]

I've thought about it a lot and decided to cancel my pre-order. I'm very sure the next 9.7" will have 4GB, and it probably won't take us more than a year to get there. In the meantime, I'm very happy with my Air 2 and 12.9" IPP combination.

You have all the goodies already !!! May as well cancel the 9.7" Pro and wait for the new release. Over the last 18 months you already bought yourself 2 iPads !

For other people, however, its already been a waiting game (iPad Air owners = 30 months, iPad 3 owners = 4 years !!!). At one point, they have to upgrade. For most users, the iPad Air 2 at a lower price is probably the answer. For other users, particularly those that have use the iPad in a combination of home/leisure/work/travel, the iPad Pro 9.7" is a great option.

Weight and performance is the great impulse from iPad 3/4. While better battery, better screen, more LTE bands, better camera, latest performance tweaks (CPU, storage MVNE) is the impulse for iPad Air / Air 2 owners. Keep in mind battery life worsens as time passes (> battery cycles = diminishing capacity)

In my case, the iPad is my go to option to travel (for work or leisure) and I use for 2-3 hours daily (2nd screen, web browsing) so battery life and screen are keys. Facetime camera and speed are nice bonuses. The fact that my iPad Air can still be handed down a be a great machine for someone with an iPad 3/4 or someone w/o an iPad is a facilitator as well.

 

[rui no onna]

For other people, however, its already been a waiting game (iPad Air owners = 30 months, iPad 3 owners = 4 years !!!). At one point, they have to upgrade. For most users, the iPad Air 2 at a lower price is probably the answer. For other users, particularly those that have use the iPad in a combination of home/leisure/work/travel, the iPad Pro 9.7" is a great option.

Weight and performance is the great impulse from iPad 3/4. While better battery, better screen, more LTE bands, better camera, latest performance tweaks (CPU, storage MVNE) is the impulse for iPad Air / Air 2 owners. Keep in mind battery life worsens as time passes (> battery cycles = diminishing capacity)

+1. I knew I would benefit from the increased RAM on the Air 2 (multi-tab Safari) but the lack of 256GB option coupled with the missing rotation lock/mute switch and reported shorter battery life stopped my purchase (although I've been chomping at the bit to upgrade over the last 6 months). Now the Pro 9.7 includes 256GB which is my primary want. Longer battery life, less reflective screen and faster random read/write are all very nice bonuses. The CPU/GPU doesn't actually affect my usage given the most resource hungry app I use is Safari. For me, the iPad 4 and Air still seem sufficiently fast CPU/GPU-wise.

 

[rowspaxe]

Problem is I can see Pro Apps from Developers using 4GB RAM on the iPad Pro and somehow those Pro Apps won't run on the other iPad Pro

don't worry--there will be no prp apps forthcoming

 

[Aluminum213]

Pretty good review.

I'm really interested to see real world improvements over my Mini 4, other than size.

It will just be bigger? Unless you're going to use the Apple Pencil a lot you're not going to notice a big difference in day to day use

 

[StPatty33]

So disappointed the RAM isn't over 9000!

 

[DNichter]

Not likely. Most developers will develop for devices with even less than 2 GB of RAM.

Yea I was gonna say, I actually see the opposite happening. 12.9 iPads are just such a niche product, I don't see developers dedicating a ton of time to them. I had one for a couple days and I couldn't get over how many apps STILL haven't been even updated for the resolution, let alone focusing on taking advantage of the extra ram.

 

[Krevnik]

Yea I was gonna say, I actually see the opposite happening. 12.9 iPads are just such a niche product, I don't see developers dedicating a ton of time to them. I had one for a couple days and I couldn't get over how many apps STILL haven't been even updated for the resolution, let alone focusing on taking advantage of the extra ram.

I'll go get on that RAM bloat right away.

Seriously though, at least on my product, we don't want to be eating RAM if we can avoid it. And the limits we have placed in the product to cap our RAM use aren't the complaints we get (more missing features or other issues).

I do share the frustration about not being updated for the screen. Reminds me when the 5 came out, and a year later apps were still not updated.

 

[asleep]

It will just be bigger? Unless you're going to use the Apple Pencil a lot you're not going to notice a big difference in day to day use

AT reports >30% increase in battery life and at least 2x increase in CPU and GPU performance...

Those will impact my day-to-day user experience if true.

 

[Ries]

Your ego perhaps. Because it doesn't hurt anywhere else...

Most quality photo apps are restricted to 4K*4K images and how many layers you can have (And behold, the 12.7 with 4Gb RAM has more lax constraints). The lack of RAM hurts, it puts constraints what you can do... Image size/Layers/Undo/...

 

[stulaw11]

Most quality photo apps are restricted to 4K*4K images and how many layers you can have (And behold, the 12.7 with 4Gb RAM has more lax constraints). The lack of RAM hurts, it puts constraints what you can do... Image size/Layers/Undo/...

The consensus of most hardcore graphic designers (from their reviews about the 12.9 vs the 9.7 size generally on their old Air 2s on youtube and such) are they weren't going to sacrifice the screen size to begin with going back to 9.7, so it's a non-starter really.

But again, you're talking the 1% of 1% of purchasers overall out of the 50 million iPads this year. The vast vast majority of people simply do not care, and Apple targets the general masses where the sales are. Apple isnt that worried about appeasing those 10,000 hardcore guys generally, but rather the millions of others. And many of those hardcore guys are choosing the 12.9 to begin with.

 

[ZBoater]

Most quality photo apps are restricted to 4K*4K images and how many layers you can have (And behold, the 12.7 with 4Gb RAM has more lax constraints). The lack of RAM hurts, it puts constraints what you can do... Image size/Layers/Undo/...

Yes. That is soooo painful.

 

[DNichter]

I'll go get on that RAM bloat right away.

Seriously though, at least on my product, we don't want to be eating RAM if we can avoid it. And the limits we have placed in the product to cap our RAM use aren't the complaints we get (more missing features or other issues).

I do share the frustration about not being updated for the screen. Reminds me when the 5 came out, and a year later apps were still not updated.

Haha exactly, you're a prime example of why this ram argument is just silly. Yea I couldn't deal with the apps not being updated and I feel like the 9.7 will have the focus of developers more than the 12.9 moving forward. I believe that will only change when iOS is updated to take advantage of the 12.9 screen as well.

 

[5684697]

Problem is I can see Pro Apps from Developers using 4GB RAM on the iPad Pro and somehow those Pro Apps won't run on the other iPad Pro

Why would these devs not adapt their apps? Why would they risk losing sales?

 

[mrklaw]

Ars basically nailed it with their paragraphs on the issue. It's not an issue today, it might be in the future, and the past does indicate it will be a problem eventually (how long it takes to get to being a problem, nobody here knows), and in an ideal world it would have shipped with the 4GB to take the issue out of the equation completely.

I can understand why people are complaining or disappointed. John Siracusa on the latest ATP basically did the same, while also admitting he'd still buy it.

I've thought about it a lot and decided to cancel my pre-order. I'm very sure the next 9.7" will have 4GB, and it probably won't take us more than a year to get there. In the meantime, I'm very happy with my Air 2 and 12.9" IPP combination.

if it had 4GB ram then it would have effectively more usable ram than the 12.9 version due to the larger ipad needing more to drive the higher resolution. So then would people be complaining that the 12.9 version would become obsolete more quickly?

all a bit silly really - and I was one of those disappointed not to get 4GB. It is a shame, but the vast majority of ios devices have 1GB, and the higher end have 2GB. The 12.9 pro is the anomaly and the rest of the range shouldn't be judged purely on that.

 

[ZBoater]

If it had 4GB of RAM it would have been the screen. Or it gets hot. Or it bends. Or some other reason to complain about it. It's like a national sport.

 

[TypeMRT]

+1. I knew I would benefit from the increased RAM on the Air 2 (multi-tab Safari) but the lack of 256GB option coupled with the missing rotation lock/mute switch and reported shorter battery life stopped my purchase (although I've been chomping at the bit to upgrade over the last 6 months). Now the Pro 9.7 includes 256GB which is my primary want. Longer battery life, less reflective screen and faster random read/write are all very nice bonuses. The CPU/GPU doesn't actually affect my usage given the most resource hungry app I use is Safari. For me, the iPad 4 and Air still seem sufficiently fast CPU/GPU-wise.

The no mute/lock switch was a big deal for me. Then I realized that it's NEVER coming back so I might as well start getting used to it. That switch is/was so handy when switching between apps where I preferred one orientation over the other. The Control Center swipe from the bottom is tricky in games or other apps that require 2 swipes (first to get the handle to peek, then the panel appears).

 

[rui no onna]

The no mute/lock switch was a big deal for me. Then I realized that it's NEVER coming back so I might as well start getting used to it. That switch is/was so handy when switching between apps where I preferred one orientation over the other. The Control Center swipe from the bottom is tricky in games or other apps that require 2 swipes (first to get the handle to peek, then the panel appears).

Yeah, same. I bought the iPad Air just for an international trip (universal LTE) and was originally planning on getting the Air 2 in 2014 so I cheaped out and only got 16GB storage. When the Air 2 was released however, I just couldn't decide whether to get a refurb 128GB Air or if I should buy a 128GB Air 2 and just deal with the changes. I ended up buying neither (ah, the paradox of choice). The Pro 9.7 doesn't have the mute/lock switch but at least with the 256GB capacity and longer battery life, it seems a worthy enough compromise.

 

[Serban]

So the only difference that the 12.9" has in front of the 9.7" is the a9x with dual channel vs single channel and 4 gb ram vs 2?

 

[magbarn]

So the only difference that the 12.9" has in front of the 9.7" is the a9x with dual channel vs single channel and 4 gb ram vs 2?

The cpu is clocked slower and the gpu is missing a few units compared to the A9X on the 12.9. In real life it won't make a difference as the 12.9's gpu has to work harder.