Why did Apple not give 4GB RAM on the 9.7" iPad Pro ?

[Count Blah]

Because the 9.7 verison is apple's 2nd choice tablet flagship. They won't have all the same specs as the 12.9 version.

It didn't have to have the same specs as the 12.9. But it did have to have to have better specs(and only 1 spec really matters in iOS) than the old Air2 - And that is RAM. 3Gigs of RAM would have put it above the Air 2, and legitimized the label "Pro".

It didnt have to be all or nothing. Now the "pro" is on the same level as the 18 month old Air2, with a shorter lifespan than the Air2, with respect to handling more demanding apps, and taking advantage of multitasking. You know, since the Air2 already has 18 months under it's belt already.

 

[jlczl]

As an owner of a 12.9 ipp it makes me happy to know that the configuration of my device will be powerful enough for a very long time whereas that is not necessarily so (at least not as long) if I would have waited for the 9.7.

 

[rui no onna]

It didn't have to have the same specs as the 12.9. But it did have to have to have better specs(and only 1 spec really matters in iOS) than the old Air2 - And that is RAM. 3Gigs of RAM would have put it above the Air 2, and legitimized the label "Pro".

It didnt have to be all or nothing. Now the "pro" is on the same level as the 18 month old Air2, with a shorter lifespan than the Air2, with respect to handling more demanding apps, and taking advantage of multitasking. You know, since the Air2 already has 18 months under it's belt already.

RAM tends to be in powers of 2. To get 3GB, you'd likely need to use 2 modules (2GB + 1GB) and dual channel performance wouldn't be as optimal. Quite likely, you're not saving much on the cost compared to a single 4GB module or 2x 2GB. Do any Apple products use 1GB LPDDR4? If not, then Apple can probably negotiate better contract pricing for *a lot* of 2GB modules rather than getting both 2GB and 1GB (that's if Apple is using 2 modules).

 

[chickenwingfly]

Well to this day I use Audiobus, Auria, Cubasic, et. al. on the old iPad 3, iOS 9, no problems, except the slowness introduced since iOS 8. I think Safari and Angry Birds will continue to run a-ok.

There is no future-proofing of mobile devices. As iOS continues to expand and use new features, as more power-efficient and bigger batteries are introduced to the mix... as better performance processors continue to be unveiled, iOS will continue to become a headache for old devices, as every version that comes out is optimised for current hardware, whether optimised means really optimised or simply "runs better -wink wink-".

I'm not justifying overpriced apple hardware or their marketing, aggressive profit, strategies, just saying that this whole 4GB debate has gotten way out of proportion.
Reminds me of the old megapixel wars (still going, but largely forgotten in favor of other holy wars) where the dummies thought more megapixels means "better".

Like others mentioned, it's also not only about RAM but also the CPU and other components. If it was that easy then we could just double the RAM on that old Mac or PC and voila, instant speed boost.

Now the "pro" is on the same level as the 18 month old Air2

While I'm not a big fan of benchmarks, because they usually portrait ideal scenarios, I fail to see how the A8X is on par with the A9X or the GXA6850 is on par with the 7XT or LPDDR3 is on par with LPDDR4.
It's not groundbreaking, it's not a game changer, it won't split history in two, but the new Pro is not simply a rebranded Air 2 which sells for way more (and I didn't even mention the pencil, smart connector, 4 speakers, improved rear camera or 4k video).

As an owner of a 12.9 ipp it makes me happy to know that the configuration of my device will be powerful enough for a very long time whereas that is not necessarily so (at least not as long) if I would have waited for the 9.7.

As an owner of a 12.9 IPP it makes you happy that you are drinking the whole Kool-aid of "4 GB RAM = Will last till 2022 no problems, 2 GB RAM = Will last 2 months tops".
Maybe try to read a little bit more to understand why RAM is not the only variable of the equation and why on september 2016 both IPP will be "obsolete" and hopefully by iOS 12 on 2018 is when they'll start to show their age and not before.

 

[ManicMarc]

Any thoughts on why Apple didn't give 4GB RAM in the 9.7" iPad Pro when the 12" incher iPad Pro has it !

My bet is it needs less - RAM is also used as video RAM, and the 9.7 inch has significantly fewer pixels than the 12 inch variant. More RAM is always better for performance, but it takes it toll on battery life as it need to be powered all the time (unlike say, flash memory or the WiFi radio). the 9.7 also has less space for a battery than the 12 inch.

Having used the 12 inch a few times in an Apple store, it didn't actually seem that fast to me. Maybe it's the demo software, but it felt underpowered compared to my Air 2.

 

[Capt T]

It's not a question whether it works fine today, because it certainly does. But what about 2 years from now? Or 4 years?

Oh sorry, I forgot. Everyone here is buying a new toy every year, so not a big deal, right? There're very few things more miserable than techie fanboys defending or justifying their purchases on forums.

Bet it still works the same 2 years from now. Maybe you won't have the latest OS on it...but it will still work. Tech moves on. Why would any company release a product based on 2 years from now...they don't, they release a product based on today's usage. As a consumer we buy what we need/want for today. If you need 4gb of ram there is an option from Apple as well as others.

 

[aevan]

My thoughts:

Is 4Gb better than 2Gb? Yes.
Is 2Gb enough for the next few years? Very likely.
Why didn't Apple put 4Gb on the 9.7"? Probably price, battery requirements and I'm guessing the 12.9" requires more memory to store larger image buffers (not sure how more, but it could be a reason).

In the end: Both awesome, choose based on size preference. Do you want the bigger big one, or the smaller big one?

P.S. People who say "I'm glad I waited" are usually wrong and are just being mean towards the people who bought the previous product.

 

[pat500000]

Ummm....Not convincing!

Apple would want to know why you would care about having more than 2 gb ram.

 

[rui no onna]

Probably price, battery requirements

Unless Apple needs to go with 2 modules to implement 4GB (ergo more PCB space and an extra module needing to be powered), this is likely purely a cost savings decision. Power usage increase due to upgrading from a single 2GB RAM module to a single 4GB RAM module is pretty negligible.

 

[aevan]

Unless Apple needs to go with 2 modules to implement 4GB (ergo more PCB space and an extra module needing to be powered), this is likely purely a cost savings decision. Power usage increase due to upgrading from a single 2GB RAM module to a single 4GB RAM module is pretty negligible.

Thanks for the info. Then it's cost savings and maybe space savings as well. My point is - Apple will always cut costs without diminishing the user experience. I highly doubt they would put 2Gb to save costs if it wasn't enough for everyday use. Since it is, why not save a buck or two?

 

[navaira]

Do I remember correctly that the original iPad had space for a camera, but it was not included so that people would buy iPad 2? (I can't find a source for that quickly, so I might be wrong.)

 

[rui no onna]

Thanks for the info. Then it's cost savings and maybe space savings as well. My point is - Apple will always cut costs without diminishing the user experience. I highly doubt they would put 2Gb to save costs if it wasn't enough for everyday use. Since it is, why not save a buck or two?

If by a buck or two, you mean $17 x 10 million iPads, sure (Apple sells 50 million iPads a year, let's go on the conservative side and assume only 20% of that is the latest model).

 

[bufffilm]

Thanks for the info. Then it's cost savings and maybe space savings as well. My point is - Apple will always cut costs without diminishing the user experience. I highly doubt they would put 2Gb to save costs if it wasn't enough for everyday use. Since it is, why not save a buck or two?

It costs Apple for than $1-2 to go to 4gb.

The cynical answer why no 4gb on the pro 9.7 was because they didn't need to.

Stupid thread topic anyway.

 

[617aircav]

Because they are saving it for the next one to tempt you to upgrade.

 

[KarmaRocket]

Why don't we wait for actual user reviews on the performance of the iPad Pro 9.7 before we start assuming that just because it has 2GB of RAM it's inferior and in the same class as the iPad Air 2.

From initial benchmarks it seems the 9.7 pro is just slightly less powerful than the 12.9 pro. I have no problem with that.

Sure 4GB RAM would have been nice. It's obvious Apple is trying to save money here. but I think the 9.7 pro isn't necessarily being marketed as an iPad that measures up to the 12.9 pro. It's an unfair comparison. The smaller size limits it's abilities. It's a pro device that can use the pencil and keyboard for people who want to do those things but not at the same capacity as the 12.9 pro.

For my needs, the iPad Pro 9.7 is the perfect device. I want a device I can carry around easily that has a nice keyboard so I can write my screenplays and blog articles. The pencil is a bonus so I can dabble in some drawing. I'll use the 4K camera on the 9.7 pro as a B camera for my youtube channel. Not to mention using it as a consumption device to watch movies, read comics and books, as well as play games. I'm not going to use the 9.7 pro as replacement for my photoshop, video editing needs. To be honest, I don't even think the 12.9 pro could do that.

I don't mean to be rude, but I think some people here just try to find a negative aspect about any apple device and whine about why they couldn't add this or that. Buy whatever fits your needs the best. Every apple device won't fit everyone's needs.

 

[rui no onna]

It costs Apple for than $1-2 to go to 4gb.

Not quite $1-2. Apparently, 2GB mobile LPDDR4 is $17 (per IHS).

 

[maratus]

Do I remember correctly that the original iPad had space for a camera, but it was not included so that people would buy iPad 2? (I can't find a source for that quickly, so I might be wrong.)

Not sure about that, but the iPad 2 had such a useless 0.7mp camera ..... that it's fair to say it didn't have any either

 

[Count Blah]

but I think the 9.7 pro isn't necessarily being marketed as an iPad that measures up to the 12.9 pro. It's an unfair comparison. The smaller size limits it's abilities. It's a pro device that can use the pencil and keyboard for people who want to do those things but not at the same capacity as the 12.9 pro.

Naming it a "pro", their nice 2-5 minute video, showing the dood doing all kinds of 12.9 pro tasks in the bar, and Phil SPECIFICALLY saying that it's a replacement for a PC, all point to your assessment being wrong.

Increase the price, push the "pro" marketing on this 9.7, all point to the disappointment being expressed here, and elsewhere.

If you Are not disappointed, then great. But those of us who are disappointed, are not going to be swayed by your argument.

I was all ready to buy, until the 2Gigs of RAM was revealed. Instead, I will vote with my wallet, and not buy. I'll not reward apple's continued games, with respect to RAM.

Fool me once, shame on you ...
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Not quite $1-2. Apparently, 2GB mobile LPDDR4 is $17 (per IHS).

For me and you, yes. For Apple, when they buy units in the tens of million? Hahahahaaha

 

[rui no onna]

For me and you, yes. For Apple, when they buy units in the tens of million? Hahahahaaha

RAM is already a fairly low margin commodity. Manufacturers aren't going to discount these things by 90% unless they're willing to bankrupt themselves.

 

[Max(IT)]

Two reasons mainly.
To differentiate the 12.9" model and because iOS doesn't really need more than 2 Gb as of today (and in the near future).

TBH I would have preferred a 4 Gb solution, considering the price they set.
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Actually, the people whinging about it generally have no idea as to it's impact on performance, now or later. We aren't Apple engineers and have no idea as to how RAM is managed in iOS.

However, it is a number that people latch on to, and it is superficially easy to immediately say that 4 is better than 2, no matter what. No thoughts to energy consumption, battery life, pixel differences. The 9.7 IPP has a twelve core graphics chip and performance benchmarks second only to the 12.9 iPP, and reviews say that the device is fast and smooth.

None of that matters, we have to find some thing thst everyone "just knows" is a ripoff.

Mine will be in hand on the 31st, bet it runs just fine, no matter how much RAM it has (the number comes from one source btw, we really don't know for sure), and will continue to do so for the next half decade.

And all of you who will complain about safari tabs? Get an ad blocker, you will be amazed.

The funny thing is I'm still waiting for someone to link me an app that actually require 2 Gb to run, not to speak about 4 Gb.
All of the apps as of today are targeted to 1 Gb (actually most runs on 512 Mb models !).
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By this logic then all current PCs and Macs should just come with 128gb of RAM and stuff 32gb RAM in an iPad just because right? Forget that more RAM needs more battery to keep it powered and and other technical aspects of running more RAM.

You put in what is needed now; at some point in the future you will need more. Cost/benefit. There is little benefit compared to the cost to stuff specs in where the current aren't being maxed out now. Then everyone will b*tch and whine the price goes up even more when they get the specs they want because they think Apple should charge them at cost for the upgraded parts; just like the why are they charging more for more memory as if Apple owes them better parts for equal cost.

And everyone forgets the 12.9" is pushing around a LOT more pixels so it may need 4gb of RAM not to hit the 2gb cap (well whatever amount is usable RAM)

This has only been going on 20 years with computing in general that new devices come out with better specs. Apple has no duty to make a device so that you can use it 5 years from now for your financial benefit, lets be real. They're a company who runs on profits.

If anyone can name even 1 app the only can run on 4gb then this argument has an iota of merit; as every other iOS device currently sold is 2gb so no one is going to alienate the other device users.

There isn't even an app requiring 2 Gb of RAM....

 

[bufffilm]

Not sure about that, but the iPad 2 had such a useless 0.7mp camera ..... that it's fair to say it didn't have any either

Many a time that I've seen tourists holding the ipad2, ipad3, etc aloft when they wanted to snap a pic. So 'useless' is as 'useless' does.

Just sayin'.

I ride the SI Ferry daily...

 

[Max(IT)]

I agree but the Surcace is also under $400 on Amazon right now. People who like the luxury of what Apple offers might appreciate getting a little more than the bare minimum. Apple has a history of obsoleting hardware quickly with their software updates. The small incremental cost of slightly better hardware would go a long way toward generating good will with customers.

Apple obsoleting hardware ? Only in forums like this ...
Apple still support, in 2016, an iPhone from 2011 (!!) and an iPad from 2011 (!!!). Tell me about android powered smartphones or tablets (lol) from 2011.........
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Look to the Mac Mini - The quad i7, and the ability to upgrade the mini, was taking $$$ away from the iMac, MBP, and Mac Pro. So Apple took the SAME EXACT DESIGN, removed the quad core CPU, and glued in the innards. Problem solved, for Apple. Screw the customers, get more $$$ by pushing bigger ticket products.

The 2Gigs are in the 9.7 for the SOLE purpose, of pushing folks to it's big brother. Period, stop, end of story.

3Gigs of RAM, and slower clock speed, justified by the few pixels compared to the 12" IPP, and all this angst goes away. I KNEW there were not going to be 4Gigs of RAM, but I fully expected there to be 3. I was ready to pull the trigger, but no thanks.

And for all the apologists, saying you don't need that extra RAM, the answer is really simple - multitasking. Well, that and Safari.

So basically according to your logic Apple made an iPad they don't really want to sell (pushing folks to the big brother)
And, by the way, safari works very well with 2 Gb of ram....

 

[KarmaRocket]

Naming it a "pro", their nice 2-5 minute video, showing the dood doing all kinds of 12.9 pro tasks in the bar, and Phil SPECIFICALLY saying that it's a replacement for a PC, all point to your assessment being wrong.

Increase the price, push the "pro" marketing on this 9.7, all point to the disappointment being expressed here, and elsewhere.

If you Are not disappointed, then great. But those of us who are disappointed, are not going to be swayed by your argument.

I was all ready to buy, until the 2Gigs of RAM was revealed. Instead, I will vote with my wallet, and not buy. I'll not reward apple's continued games, with respect to RAM.

For you it might not be a PC replacement, but for me it is. I can easily carry the 9.7 pro with me for writing. I don't have to lug around my 15" macbook pro.

Plus a lot of artists will use the pencil for creative tasks and be able to bring the iPad 9.7 to places they couldn't with a macbook pro and wacom tablet. Or even the 12.9 pro.

It's all really relative to what you think a PC replacement is. I don't necessarily agree with what apple is doing in terms of only giving the 9.7 pro 2GB of RAM or using USB 2 instead of the faster USB 3. But do we really know that this device is inferior just because it has 2GB of RAM? That's why I'm saying, at least wait until some creative pros push it to its limits and then give it a fair assessment. It's not a device that should be compared to the 12.9 pro. It's a device that can do some things "pro" but with some compromises due to the size.

I can do a lot more with the 9.7 pro then I could with a regular iPad Air 2. In my mind the pro moniker is justified.

 

[Shanghaichica]

Because it doesn't need 4GB of ram. Apple don't just add things for the sake of it to sound good on a specs sheet.

 

[Max(IT)]

I think this is true... that the iPad air 2 will turn out to be one of the more longer lived products. Its still immensely powerful due to the three core design and was the first device with 2 GB RAM. Its a great buy right now because of the 100 dollar reduction too.

Yes. The iPad Air 2 was a little "too good", even better than the iPad 2.
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I agree, however it would have been better with 4gb or even 3gb!

Yep, and even better with 8 Gb... But it's pointless