I've only seen the big pro a couple times and laughed about how large it is. I for one wouldn't be caught dragging that around at all, it's too big. That's only my preference though. I do love my 9.7 iPad Pro a lot though.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
The Big Pro or Little Pro
- Thread starter ghsDUDE
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I am curious though, how well does the full version of MS Office 2016 for Windows work with touch? I was pleasantly surprised by how well optimized iOS Excel was for tablet usage. Meanwhile, I've always felt that I needed a mouse and keyboard when using Excel on Windows-based tablets and convertibles. Sure it's the full version but if I'm gonna need a keyboard and mouse anyway, I might as well just use my 15" laptop with built-in numpad.
For me the bigger screen is the real game changer.
Forget anything else, all of that screen real estate makes things like split screen actually useful. Jotting down notes, drawing and even just media consumption, it's all better on the bigger screen.
It was the the single deciding factor for me getting a Pro, I'll never use a smaller iPad again. Or at least as long as they make the 12.9".
I don't buy into the whole, it's not portable, argument. Really? I used to cart about a 17" laptop 5 times thicker, much, much bigger and heavier. I think I'll cope with the comparatively tiny iPad Pro.
Forget anything else, all of that screen real estate makes things like split screen actually useful. Jotting down notes, drawing and even just media consumption, it's all better on the bigger screen.
It was the the single deciding factor for me getting a Pro, I'll never use a smaller iPad again. Or at least as long as they make the 12.9".
I don't buy into the whole, it's not portable, argument. Really? I used to cart about a 17" laptop 5 times thicker, much, much bigger and heavier. I think I'll cope with the comparatively tiny iPad Pro.
It is highly subjective, but IMO full MS Office 2016 for Windows works poorly with touch. A great side-by-side example to try the difference is to use the Modern UI version of OneNote and compare it to the desktop version.
Totally probable guys. People saying different are not being honest. It's 1.5 lbs so half pound or 33% more than 9.7 inch. I bring it with me daily no issues and I'm 5"6'
There is a reason why Microsoft charges a subscription fee for Office on tablets larger than 10". On the smaller iPad, Office works fine, but there's not enough screen real estate to be comfortable using it. So in the end, it's good for quick edits or viewing of documents, but not for working for any length of time.
On the 12.9" Pro, working in Office is just fine, and not much different than working on a 13" laptop. So that is why they charge a subscription fee. In my case, I already had an Office 365 subscription, so there was no additional cost.
If all you need Office for is an occasional small edit or viewing of documents, then the 9.7" would be fine (for that purpose). If you intend to do any real work, I'd suggest the larger screen.
On the 12.9" Pro, working in Office is just fine, and not much different than working on a 13" laptop. So that is why they charge a subscription fee. In my case, I already had an Office 365 subscription, so there was no additional cost.
If all you need Office for is an occasional small edit or viewing of documents, then the 9.7" would be fine (for that purpose). If you intend to do any real work, I'd suggest the larger screen.
I've always had and loved the original iPad's size, and now I wouldn't trade my 12" iPad Pro.
I think the size makes it overall better as a bedtime device, a desktop writing thing with Ulysses, a Wacom tablet replacement, and a second screen beside the desktop.
(I also eventually decided it was okay to get a discounted iPad mini 3, though, which is better than both larger iPads as the one you take with you when you're away from home, and anytime as a reading tablet for iBooks and Safari Reader.)
I think the size makes it overall better as a bedtime device, a desktop writing thing with Ulysses, a Wacom tablet replacement, and a second screen beside the desktop.
(I also eventually decided it was okay to get a discounted iPad mini 3, though, which is better than both larger iPads as the one you take with you when you're away from home, and anytime as a reading tablet for iBooks and Safari Reader.)
People with the larger one will always defend it...
For me, the size is an issue, it just doesn't feel right in my hand and its too heavy to be comfortable. The so called advantages it brings like side by side, notes, or arty things are workflows i just wouldn't ever ever use.. 9.7 just works better for me and with the better camera and new features, the 12.9 has more memory and a very very margin performance gain, but other than that the 9.7 is a better device..
For me, the size is an issue, it just doesn't feel right in my hand and its too heavy to be comfortable. The so called advantages it brings like side by side, notes, or arty things are workflows i just wouldn't ever ever use.. 9.7 just works better for me and with the better camera and new features, the 12.9 has more memory and a very very margin performance gain, but other than that the 9.7 is a better device..
...and people with the smaller one will always defend it.
See how that works?
"Other than those things that make the 12.9 better than the 9.7 model, the 9.7 is the better device".
Uh yeah, people with the larger one will always defend it, because they prefer a larger screen. It might be too heavy for you, but everyone has different tolerances. Speaking of not feeling right, most people don't feel right taking video or stills with ANY iPad because it makes you look like a total doofus. The majority of the "improvements" on the 9.7" over the 12.9" are fluff that not many people will use. I use side by side apps constantly now that the Youtube app has been updated to work with it. The 9.7" is most definitely NOT a better device if you're looking for a 12.9" screen.
And people with both of them...
...they just don't care.
...they just don't care.
I dont have the pro... I'm not defending it... Other than to say its a better device if i was to get one..
i'd take the true tone, better colour display (which are very visible) camera for the odd time i needed to use it as well as the 4k video. Where as side by side is pointless for me and id never use it. I'm autistic more than artistic, so the pencil is out... as for looking a doofus, i leave that to those with the larger one and pencils.. Id wager those fluff features will be heavily used...
Any yes, everyone is different, but why be so aggressive? I used my "workflows".. chill, its not right or wrong. I bet you wouldnt react in that way in person! Size is simply a preference, not better.
i'd take the true tone, better colour display (which are very visible) camera for the odd time i needed to use it as well as the 4k video. Where as side by side is pointless for me and id never use it. I'm autistic more than artistic, so the pencil is out... as for looking a doofus, i leave that to those with the larger one and pencils.. Id wager those fluff features will be heavily used...
Any yes, everyone is different, but why be so aggressive? I used my "workflows".. chill, its not right or wrong. I bet you wouldnt react in that way in person! Size is simply a preference, not better.
Last edited:
You made a blanket judgment on all owners of the larger iPad. "People with the larger one will always defend it..." and then you went on to say, "but other than that the 9.7 is a better device".
Now you may not have meant those comments to come off as judgmental, but that is how they sounded and why you're getting a bit of (good-natured, IMO) static in response.
Judgemental, hmmmm. It's human nature i guess. People just love to defend "their case" and dismiss everything else. And before my post theres some very judgemental comments on which device, so maybe the reason for my static response
I dont have either pro, I'm simply being objective. I've played with both for around an 90mins side by side today and the screen tech on the smaller device does looks better. Video and pictures were better, so its certainly not fluff. in my job I've used the camera to take photos and it's not uncommon to be in meetings too where others take pics of white boards and alike too. I tried the pencil, i tried the side by side and as i openly said, I'm not in anyway artistic so that workflow doesn't click for me. So, you have to say "why", and there are IFs, but one device is certainly not the better device as it all depends. Was one faster, no. not for anything you can do on the demo devices. id expect not many people would be able to tell a difference speed wise between the 2.
Again other glib comments around weight, for some it does make a difference. "workflows".... not right or wrong.
This all sound very much like 6S vs 6S+ is all I'm going to say...
I dont have either pro, I'm simply being objective. I've played with both for around an 90mins side by side today and the screen tech on the smaller device does looks better. Video and pictures were better, so its certainly not fluff. in my job I've used the camera to take photos and it's not uncommon to be in meetings too where others take pics of white boards and alike too. I tried the pencil, i tried the side by side and as i openly said, I'm not in anyway artistic so that workflow doesn't click for me. So, you have to say "why", and there are IFs, but one device is certainly not the better device as it all depends. Was one faster, no. not for anything you can do on the demo devices. id expect not many people would be able to tell a difference speed wise between the 2.
Again other glib comments around weight, for some it does make a difference. "workflows".... not right or wrong.
This all sound very much like 6S vs 6S+ is all I'm going to say...
Last edited:
im not interested in the True Tone features, but does the smaller screen really look better?Judgemental, hmmmm. It's human nature i guess. People just love to defend "their case" and dismiss everything else. And before my post theres some very judgemental comments on which device, so maybe the reason for my static response
I dont have either pro, I'm simply being objective. I've played with both for around an 90mins side by side today and the screen tech on the smaller device does looks better. Video and pictures were better, so its certainly not fluff. in my job I've used the camera to take photos and it's not uncommon to be in meetings too where others take pics of white boards and alike too. I tried the pencil, i tried the side by side and as i openly said, I'm not in anyway artistic so that work flow doesn't click for me. So, you have to say "why", and their are IFs, but one device is certainly not the better device as it all depends. Was one faster, no. not for anything you can do on the demo devices. id expect not many people would be able to tell a difference speed wise between the 2.
Again other glib comments around weight, for some it does make a difference. "workflows".... not right or wrong.
This all sound very much like 6S vs 6S+ is all I'm going to say...
I think you need to do a little more research before spreading misinformation. The 12.9 is the better device (unless your main focus is taking photos). In fact the 9.7 is closer in performance to the Air2 than it is to the 12.9. See the following: http://barefeats.com/ipad_pros_shootout.html
Im sorry i dont accept that at all, comments are above. I'm not spending anything it based on PERSONAL experience - have you tried it, or are you basing your "mis-information" on someone else?
And lol, 4%, yeah, that would clearly be obvious side by side - which benchmark is correct, they all show different things
Last edited:
I don't understand this argument. The best model is the one I bought. Every other model is, by definition, inferior. Don't fight it. Resistance is futile.
Lol, you get it...! (both)
Maybe you could provide comment on performance comparison for normal apps and screen difference is it noticeable..!!
I agree. I like the 12.9, but I can see why other people would prefer the 9.7. There is no objective basis for saying one is better than the other. It comes down to personal usage and preference.
Graphics benchmarks are higher because they're testing for offscreen/raw performance. If you check graphics benchmarks for onscreen performance, FPS for the iPad Pro 9.7" 2048x1536 and iPad Pro 12.9" 2732x2048 are the same.
Memory benchmarks are higher for the 12.9" model because of the shared memory architecture. The faster memory subsystem is necessary in order to support the 2732x2048 resolution otherwise, onscreen performance/FPS for the 12.9" model will be worse than the 9.7". All in all, I reckon both are pretty balanced performance-wise given the hardware they need to support.
I have the Big one and use it often, and of course, like it. I was in an Apple store yesterday and was buying something. Standing there I noticed the new ones next to the !2", and noticed that the 9.7 has a rather nicer, brighter screen. It's pretty obvious. I said: "Look, this one is brighter", but the Apple guy was dubious. It is however, obvious
Not a big deal, just saying. Makes me want one. But really, they will need to update the 12"....me thinks
Not a big deal, just saying. Makes me want one. But really, they will need to update the 12"....me thinks
