Is the iPad Pro 9.7" worth the upgrade from Air 2?

[Cakefish]

I have the 128GB Air 2 which I love. I use it all the time for web browsing and watching videos.

Is it worth the upgrade to the new iPad Pro? It's £619 here in UK for the 128GB edition. 32GB isn't enough for my needs. I'm not interested in Apple Pencil or Keyboard. I do like the sound of the vastly better speakers, much improved display and the considerably faster A9X SOC.

Do you think it's worth the jump to the Pro 9.7" or do you think the Air 2 still has a lot of life left in it? Would be good to hear your opinions!

 

[mrklaw]

Air 2 has lots of life left in it.

I am disappointed with the price jump but will get a pro. I want the pencil and will be happy to say goodbye to the vibrating screen due to the speaker

 

[ACG12]

If you don't care for the pencil or keyboard, I dont see the point in upgrading. The Air 2 for being 16 months old is still one of the best tablets you can buy.

 

[mobywv]

I'm not seeing it. Air 2 has more than enough power to handle games and other apps, while the resolution is the SAME on both devices. With the Pro, you're basically just paying for a better processor and camera.

 

[joeblow7777]

I have the 128GB Air 2 which I love. I use it all the time for web browsing and watching videos.

Is it worth the upgrade to the new iPad Pro? It's £619 here in UK for the 128GB edition. 32GB isn't enough for my needs. I'm not interested in Apple Pencil or Keyboard. I do like the sound of the vastly better speakers, much improved display and the considerably faster A9X SOC.

Do you think it's worth the jump to the Pro 9.7" or do you think the Air 2 still has a lot of life left in it? Would be good to hear your opinions!

I don't see how anyone can answer that question for you. Are you satisfied with your Air 2? Does the new Pro offer anything that you feel your current iPad is lacking?

 

[Commy1]

If you want the Apple Pencil support and feel like the 4 speaker design and better camera are worth it then yes. If I were in your shoes I'd stick to the iPad Air 2, despite the upgrades but I'd be asking the same question.

 

[stevemiller]

i desperately want the pencil support and i'm really struggling to justify the expense, even coming all the way from an iPad 3.

doesn't help that i'm in canada, where the starting price increase for this new 9.7 iPad is a whopping $250 more than all previous 9.7 models were at launch.

 

[Commy1]

i desperately want the pencil support and i'm really struggling to justify the expense, even coming all the way from an iPad 3.

doesn't help that i'm in canada, where the starting price increase for this new 9.7 iPad is a whopping $250 more than all previous 9.7 models were at launch.

I hear you..

 

[Benjamin Frost]

Good Lord, no.

The battery life of iPads this year and last year is still worse than that of both the original 2010 iPad and the 2011 iPad 2, despite advertising them as 10 hours. I find it a shame that there has been a worsening of battery life in the six-year history of the iPad.

Apple is in a mess with their iPhones and iPads.

 

[mcdj]

...say goodbye to the vibrating screen due to the speaker

Do you know the vibration will be gone for a fact?
[doublepost=1458596860][/doublepost]

Good Lord, no.

The battery life of iPads this year and last year is still worse than that of both the original 2010 iPad and the 2011 iPad 2, despite advertising them as 10 hours. I find it a shame that there has been a worsening of battery life in the six-year history of the iPad.

Apple is in a mess with their iPhones and iPads.

Yeah, those retina screens and faster chips sucking up all that juice is a mess.

Gimme a faster, sharper iPad with less battery any day.

 

[Icaras]

For me, the 256GB storage option and stereo speaker system are really big temptations for me.

Does anyone think there's a chance Apple might add these two features to the iPad Air 3 (assuming it lives on this Fall)?

If so, I'll stick with the Air product line. If not, it looks like Apple may nudge me to the Pro...

 

[MacModMachine]

i desperately want the pencil support and i'm really struggling to justify the expense, even coming all the way from an iPad 3.

doesn't help that i'm in canada, where the starting price increase for this new 9.7 iPad is a whopping $250 more than all previous 9.7 models were at launch.

same issue , i just bought the ipad air 2 128gb. the pro is just not worth the money. i really wanted the pen too.

but i cannot justify that cost.

 

[urkel]

I have the 128GB Air 2 which I love. I use it all the time for web browsing and watching videos.

...

Do you think it's worth the jump to the Pro 9.7" or do you think the Air 2 still has a lot of life left in it? Would be good to hear your opinions!

I wasn't annoyed by the price increase at first, but the more I think about it the more it sounds ridiculous.

Everything 'new' we see would've been in an Air3 if Apple didn't decide to change the name. Smart Connector ($149 Keyboards) and Pencil Support ($100 Pencil) are not "new features" for us, they're new revenue streams for Apple. And everything else, (Camera, Chip, Speakers, Display) are improvements that come with every next gen product.

So what exactly makes this a "Pro" and not an Air3? Nothing. Apple just found a way to make money on a natural upgrade cycle.


Now, should you upgrade? The new iPad Pro is a VERY good iPad... But yesterday your 128GB iPad was pretty darn good as well.

 

[Kiimora]

i desperately want the pencil support and i'm really struggling to justify the expense, even coming all the way from an iPad 3.

doesn't help that i'm in canada, where the starting price increase for this new 9.7 iPad is a whopping $250 more than all previous 9.7 models were at launch.

You def need an upgrade , I can turn a blind eye to the Pro but 'am struggling; I got my Air 2 64GB from launch. The price bump is'nt helping but 'am mad about the Pencil

 

[stevemiller]

You def need an upgrade , I can turn a blind eye to the Pro but 'am struggling; I got my Air 2 64GB from launch. The price bump is'nt helping but 'am mad about the Pencil

considering they made the air 2 cheaper, and the 9.7 pro more expensive, i'd have settled for a 3rd option at the original price that was identical to the air 2 with added pencil support. i have ZERO interest in any of the other upgrades.

iPads are turning into a car trim upsells. one thing you want with a bunch of stuff you don't. i don't buy an iPad for its speaker or camera. and the ones it already had were plenty decent.

 

[UBS28]

Why would you buy an iPad Pro for web browsing and watching videos?

Totally not worth the upgrade given your usage.

 

[joeblow7777]

For me, the 256GB storage option and stereo speaker system are really big temptations for me.

Does anyone think there's a chance Apple might add these two features to the iPad Air 3 (assuming it lives on this Fall)?

If so, I'll stick with the Air product line. If not, it looks like Apple may nudge me to the Pro...

I really doubt that there's going to be 2 lines of 9.7" iPad. I'm willing to bet just about anything that there won't be another iPad of that size released in 2016. The new iPad Pro is the one and only successor to the Air 2.

 

[06Honda]

I watched the event today and am feeling my Ipad 1st gen upgrade should be an Air 2. I do alot of photography already with a DSLR and several lenses.; can't do art at all (no pencil needed), speakers are nice but not a biggie. Unless you live on your iPAD the auto diming is not a deal breaker.Just checked the Apple Canada website and the released ver today shows for $799 32GB. Will pickup an iPAD Air 2 16GB local for $549.99 unless then go lower to clear them out.

 

[Kiimora]

Completely lost track of s iPad release cycle ; who knows for those holding on to their Air 2 you might be pleasantly surprised in the Autumn

 

[Jeff R]

Completely lost track of s iPad release cycle ; who knows for those holding on to their Air 2 you might be pleasantly surprised in the Autumn

I think Apple is getting rid of all the "Airs" in their line up. MacBook Air & iPad Air in particular.

They are gonna keep it simple with iPad & iPad Pro on the tablets and MacBook & MacBook Pro for laptops.

 

[Kiimora]

I think Apple is getting rid of all the "Airs" in their line up. MacBook Air & iPad Air in particular.

They are gonna keep it simple with iPad & iPad Pro on the tablets and MacBook & MacBook Pro for laptops.

So it seems ...

 

[Jeff R]

I'm keeping my iPad Air 2 64GB with Apple leather smart case. I can't justify spending $599 for 32GB or $749 for 128GB plus another $149 for the smart keyboard/case.

The specs on both devices are pretty close. The iPad Air 2 is the best buy right now in my opinion. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Icaras]

I really doubt that there's going to be 2 lines of 9.7" iPad. I'm willing to bet just about anything that there won't be another iPad of that size released in 2016. The new iPad Pro is the one and only successor to the Air 2.

You may be right but I can't help but feel that the entire iPad product line is now out of whack if the 9.7" ends up being "Pro" exclusive. It just wouldn't seem balanced with two size options for the iPad Pro line and only one size option for the iPad mini line.

That said, if however Apple did decide to continue the iPad Air, I wonder if they would group it with the iPad mini under simply the name "iPad" while dropping both the Air and mini from their names. You'd have the iPad and iPad Pro product lines, sub categorized by two sizes each.

Oh, and I read from another thread someone pointing out that Apple also silently dropped the 128GB option from the iPad Air 2, which makes this situation even more bizarre considering the option is still available for the iPad mini 4. If Apple does want to keep a cheaper, more consumer oriented 9.7" iPad model, then it looks like Apple might start reserving the highest tiered storage plans only for the Pro products, which would answer my question as to whether or a future iPad Air 3 (or simply an iPad 9.7") would have 256GB storage.

And last but certainly not least, the price was dropped on the Air 2, bringing it down to the same price as the mini 4. Totally makes no sense to me. I think this is just a transition for Apple, albeit a messy one. So I'm really curious to see this fall whether or not Apple will axe the iPad Air line and what it will mean for the non-pro model(s).

 

[R3k]

I have a first generation Air. Do you think the upgrade it worth it for me?

I'm not that happy with the responsiveness of it, but I'm not sure whether or not a new model will help in that regard.

 

[jamesrick80]

same issue , i just bought the ipad air 2 128gb. the pro is just not worth the money. i really wanted the pen too.

but i cannot justify that cost.

Really thought I would use the pencil on my iPad pro but I definitely use the keyboard more.....