Upgrading from Ipad Air 1 to Ipad Pro 10.5

[sgadher]

Hi All,

I was previously saving up for a new Macbook Pro but I was fortunate to be one of those few who had battery issues with my previous Macbook Pro and got it swapped out for a 2017tb.
With that over and done with I'm looking to move on my Ipad Air 1 to the new Ipad Pro 10.5. The new iPad will be used primarily as a media consumption device (I download high quality movie/tv show files for on the go usage) so am looking at the 512gb wifi model.

My question may sound silly but I'm hoping someone can quantify just how much of a jump in performance and real-life usage I can expect from the upgrade. For example I know the new Ipad Pro has 4gb ram compared to 1gb in the ipad air 1.

Screen brightness/glare reflection feedback would also be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[pkagel]

I went from an Air1 to a 10.5 also. It's a serious jump in speed and you will notice it. The screen is very nice but seems to get dirty faster. The new fingerprint reader is way better than my iphone 6 which i really enjoy. No regrets at all.

 

[throAU]

Hi All,

I was previously saving up for a new Macbook Pro but I was fortunate to be one of those few who had battery issues with my previous Macbook Pro and got it swapped out for a 2017tb.
With that over and done with I'm looking to move on my Ipad Air 1 to the new Ipad Pro 10.5. The new iPad will be used primarily as a media consumption device (I download high quality movie/tv show files for on the go usage) so am looking at the 512gb wifi model.

My question may sound silly but I'm hoping someone can quantify just how much of a jump in performance and real-life usage I can expect from the upgrade. For example I know the new Ipad Pro has 4gb ram compared to 1gb in the ipad air 1.

Screen brightness/glare reflection feedback would also be appreciated.

Thanks

I went ipad 4 to ipad pro 10.5 and the difference is absolutely massive.

This thing is as fast or faster in general use than my 2015 13" Retina Macbook Pro.

I'm not even joking. I saw a review the other day where a guy was comparing it for video processing against his 2010 imac. The 10.5 was way faster using LumaFusion vs. iMovie (i think) on his 2010 iMac.

edit: 6-7x (yes, times. 600-700% improvement) faster than this guy's 2010 iMac for 4k video export for example. sure a lot of that is probably storage related, but still...

 

[iF34R]

I came from the Air 2 and it's a great improvement for me. I'll grab my Air 2 to do some updates, games with a different ID, and the differences are easily seen.

 

[throAU]

The biggest instantly noticeable difference for me is the speakers.

ipad audio for me has been garbage in the past. the Pros are most certainly not garbage. Better than any laptop i've personally used.

 

[iF34R]

speakers, speed, screen, size, colors...

 

[aakshey]

Night and day. I did the same upgrade.

 

[44267547]

The biggest instantly noticeable difference for me is the speakers.

ipad audio for me has been garbage in the past. the Pros are most certainly not garbage. Better than any laptop i've personally used.

I would agree. Mainly because with the speakers with the previous iPads had one directional speakers that fired from one side of the iPad, which created vibration through the iPad and it sounded uneven, even though it was loud.

The new iPad Pro speakers are much more well balanced and have better sound travel. And depending how you are holding the iPad, the sound will shift based on the orientation of the iPad.

This is an interesting description of how the iPad Pro speakers operate.

"The iPad Pro includes four stereo speakers. Bass and higher frequencies adjust according to the position in which the device is held. All four speakers pump out bass, but only the top two – depending on how you hold it – produce mid and high."

 

[Newtons Apple]

You will not regret the upgrade.

 

[jgo78]

I did, huge diff for the better

 

[ymarker]

Just did the same upgrade. Agree with others with speed being much faster. The screen is slightly bigger and wider. The biggest change for me was storage space. I went from 8gb on my ipad air 1 to 256 gb on the 10.5 pro. Now I can have most of my stuff on there that I need without waiting for it to come down from the cloud. Now the ipad air 1 is still runs great so I do feel somewhat guilty spending the $750. I would classify the purchase as a want rather than a need. I also have a microsoft surface pro 4.

EDIT: It is nice having touch id now on the ipad pro.

 

[unibility]

Hi All,

I was previously saving up for a new Macbook Pro but I was fortunate to be one of those few who had battery issues with my previous Macbook Pro and got it swapped out for a 2017tb.
With that over and done with I'm looking to move on my Ipad Air 1 to the new Ipad Pro 10.5. The new iPad will be used primarily as a media consumption device (I download high quality movie/tv show files for on the go usage) so am looking at the 512gb wifi model.

My question may sound silly but I'm hoping someone can quantify just how much of a jump in performance and real-life usage I can expect from the upgrade. For example I know the new Ipad Pro has 4gb ram compared to 1gb in the ipad air 1.

Screen brightness/glare reflection feedback would also be appreciated.

Thanks

Hello. What year was your MacBook Pro? And how did you get it swapped out for a new TB MacBook Pro? Can you if possible send a link too. That would be great. Thank you.

 

[sgadher]

Hello. What year was your MacBook Pro? And how did you get it swapped out for a new TB MacBook Pro? Can you if possible send a link too. That would be great. Thank you.

In short my battery was playing up so took it into the Apple Store who advised that the battery part was constrained. I was offered the following options:

1 - wait till the part is available in mid-Sept and get the battery replaced for free
2 - receive a replacement Macbook Pro with equivilent specs for the price of the battery replacement

Turnaround time was approx 3 weeks and I received a 2017 tb Macbook Pro.

Loads of links on reddit (not sure if I'm allowed to post the link on this forum) however the following should help:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mid-2012-mbp-retina-obsolete.2050201/page-11#post-24811213
[doublepost=1500452647][/doublepost]Thanks all for the responses, looks like a no brainer, I guess the final issue is whether to get 256gb or 512gb. I download a lot of tv shows and movies in high quality (4-5gb per tv episode, 10gb movies) but its a big step up in terms of price. Anyone with a 256gb having regrets not getting the max or alternatively any 512gb users thinking its overkill?

 

[AFEPPL]

You don't really see the prerformance difference in everyday use, you do see the scroll difference with the refresh rate. Sound is better, but I don't really use the internal speakers anyway. Screen doesn't seem any difference but I don't use it outside.

Lack of cases is a problem
Overall it's very subject as to if it has a value over the A1, I'd say to you before buying try the 2017 too.

I'd be snatching their hands off for a replacement rMBP for the cost of a battery.

 

[Darkashnet]

I have Air 2 and if-ing and am-ing about upgrading. Wouldn't be so bad if the prices haven't be jacked up so much, that's without factoring in keyboard/pencil. From an Air 1 I would upgrade for sure. Going from that non-laminated screen to the 10.5" will be a huge jump.

 

[Act3]

I have Air 2 and if-ing and am-ing about upgrading. Wouldn't be so bad if the prices haven't be jacked up so much, that's without factoring in keyboard/pencil. From an Air 1 I would upgrade for sure. Going from that non-laminated screen to the 10.5" will be a huge jump.

similar situation here, my air 2 works fine and has plenty of storage... I'd take the 2017 9.7 if it had laminated screen and the extra speakers. I don't need pencil support for my usage but would like the 4 speakers.

 

[sgadher]

Thanks all for the responses. Quick question if I may - what is the fastest way to transfer large size (10gb or more) media files onto the ipad pro? Using my current iPad air 1, i use wifi transfer with avplayer hd which does the trick. I'm intending to transfer over bluray copies (30gb or more) (which I hope the iPad Pro will be able to play). I just want to avoid having to wait overnight in order to transfer files. For ref, I have a 2017 15inch tb MBP, so would I need an official Apple lightning to usbc cable?

 

[Darkashnet]

similar situation here, my air 2 works fine and has plenty of storage... I'd take the 2017 9.7 if it had laminated screen and the extra speakers. I don't need pencil support for my usage but would like the 4 speakers.

Lol yeah, we need one in-between the 2017 iPad and the iPad Pro's. What a niche.

 

[NightWingz]

Lol yeah, we need one in-between the 2017 iPad and the iPad Pro's. What a niche.

You would think it's a niche, but that's exactly how Apple upsells consumers to the Pro models.

 

[Darkashnet]

You would think it's a niche, but that's exactly how Apple upsells consumers to the Pro models.

Absolutely! But there probably are people in the middle ground, if there was such an iPad I'd have just bought it, not potentially holding off altogether.

 

[44267547]

similar situation here, my air 2 works fine and has plenty of storage... I'd take the 2017 9.7 if it had laminated screen and the extra speakers. I don't need pencil support for my usage but would like the 4 speakers.

The issue would be if the 2017 9.7 iPad had a laminated screen an extra speakers, number one, it would increase the price point away from $329.00, which is why Apple created a budget iPad for to attract users to the iPad line who were not interested in the Pro capabilities and their ecosystem.

Secondly, Apple would want a distinct separation between both the iPad Pro and the 2017 9.7 iPad, otherwise if they had similar hardware characteristics, it would be confusing and a poor business for Apple.

 

[throAU]

Thanks all for the responses. Quick question if I may - what is the fastest way to transfer large size (10gb or more) media files onto the ipad pro? Using my current iPad air 1, i use wifi transfer with avplayer hd which does the trick. I'm intending to transfer over bluray copies (30gb or more) (which I hope the iPad Pro will be able to play). I just want to avoid having to wait overnight in order to transfer files. For ref, I have a 2017 15inch tb MBP, so would I need an official Apple lightning to usbc cable?

haven't tried it, but maybe airdrop will work?

 

[Broadus]

I have Air 2 and if-ing and am-ing about upgrading. Wouldn't be so bad if the prices haven't be jacked up so much, that's without factoring in keyboard/pencil. From an Air 1 I would upgrade for sure. Going from that non-laminated screen to the 10.5" will be a huge jump.

similar situation here, my air 2 works fine and has plenty of storage... I'd take the 2017 9.7 if it had laminated screen and the extra speakers. I don't need pencil support for my usage but would like the 4 speakers.

Lol yeah, we need one in-between the 2017 iPad and the iPad Pro's. What a niche.

You would think it's a niche, but that's exactly how Apple upsells consumers to the Pro models.

Absolutely! But there probably are people in the middle ground, if there was such an iPad I'd have just bought it, not potentially holding off altogether.

Which is why I ordered a 128GB 9.7 Pro from Best Buy for $499.99 yesterday, because it's like that "in-betweener" relative to the 2017 iPad and the 10.5 Pro. Moving up from an Air 1, the 9.7 Pro provides the laminated screen, which I really wanted, and the Pro amenities that I may or may not use.

To the OP, I would have loved moving from my Air 1 to the 10.5 but couldn't justify the additional expense for my usage. You can, and I think you're going to really like it.

 

[throAU]

I have Air 2 and if-ing and am-ing about upgrading. Wouldn't be so bad if the prices haven't be jacked up so much, that's without factoring in keyboard/pencil. From an Air 1 I would upgrade for sure. Going from that non-laminated screen to the 10.5" will be a huge jump.

the prices are "jacked up" because it's not really an air replacement. it is truly a much higher spec device, and not just due to the progress associated with time.

i'm not kidding when i say that this 10.5 smokes the performance on my retina macbook pro 13" in the stuff it runs.

yes, it's an expensive ipad. yes, the applications aren't quite there yet to totally replace a laptop.

but hardware wise it is there. the screen is superior to anything in a macbook (including any of the pros due to the refresh rate and colour accuracy). the speakers are better. the cpu and graphics horsepower is better than anything below a 15" retina.

that's what you're paying for.



but yeah. god damn. it is expensive for a tablet. if you bother to go for the pro you may as well get the keyboard and pencil to make full use of it and the included charger sucks. so factor a few hundred on top of the cost of the ipad.

factor in all that, and you're talking mid range non gaming PC laptop price...

 

[Darkashnet]

For the sake of about £150 I'd rather just pay up and get the 10.5 over last years 9.7 model, just for the sake of future proofing. £569 for 9.7 pro 128gb vs £709 for 10.5 256gb. Don't think we really get discounted old models here as we don't have a Best Buy, closest thing is currys and they're an awful company.

My main issue with iOS in general is moving between apps. I don't often like to have apps open side by side but moving between them in iOS feels so cumbersome. iOS 11 will improve that a bit by being able to just swipe up and get the dock.

You're totally right it's not an air replacement, but the 2017 9.7 in overall a downgrade. I can see where Apple is taking its iPad lines but it kind of puts prosumers like myself in a odd position.