There's a new iPad

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. There's a new iPad

On October 30th, Apple announced the new iPad Pro, and it has a bunch of exciting new features. Apple has two main models of the iPad: the iPad and the iPad Pro. Today, we will be going over the new iPad Pro: the bigger and more expensive of the two. Its price starts at $799, and it is available in two sizes: 11 and 12.9 inches. That is $470 more than the standard iPad, but Apple has added some great new features that make it worth the additional cost.

The most notable improvement with the new iPad Pro is its screen. Apple has made the screen larger, without significantly changing the size of the actual iPad.  Further, this is the thinnest iPad ever to exist, making it more portable and comfortable to hold. Since the new screen takes up so much space, there isn’t any room for a home button or fingerprint sensor. FaceID is now used to unlock your iPad Pro - just look at the iPad, and it will recognize your face and unlock for you.

The iPad Pro also has a new Apple Pencil. The Apple Pencil is a stylus that can be used to take notes, draw or perform any number of functions on your iPad. This new updated Apple Pencil magnetically attaches to the side of your iPad when you aren’t using it and charges wirelessly.

In addition to redesigning how the Apple Pencil charges, the company has also changed the port the iPad uses to charge. It now uses a USB-C port which is capable of so much more than the old Lightning port that was used on previous models. USB-C makes it easier to connect your iPad to a variety of other devices like your camera, TV, or even used to charge your phone.

The last main improvement to the iPad Pro is its performance. This iPad comes with Apple’s new A12X Bionic chip which runs faster than most laptops.

Below is a chart comparing the new iPad Pro with last year’s iPad Pro and the standard iPad.

iPad Pro (2018)

iPad Pro (2017)

iPad (2018)

Screen Size

11 or 12.9 inches

10.5 or 12.9 inches

9.7 inches

Screen Quality

Best (A high-resolution, sharp display that covers most of the iPad)

Better (The same display as the 2018 iPad Pro but with a wider border around the display)

Good (Has less color accuracy than the iPad Pro)

Performance

A12x chip (35% faster than the A10X and as powerful as most laptops)

A10x chip (35% faster than the standard 2018 iPad)

A10 chip

Ports

USB-C and no audio jack (USB-C is more versatile than lightning)

Lightning and audio jack

Lightning and audio jack

Apple Pencil

Supports the new Apple Pencil (which can be magnetically attached to the iPad and wirelessly charged)

Supports the old Apple Pencil

Supports the old Apple Pencil

Security

FaceID

TouchID

TouchID

Battery Life

Up to 10 hours

Up to 10 hours

Up to 10 hours

Price

Starting at $799

Starting at $649

Starting at $329

Learn more about the iPad with one of our step-by-step guides 

Basic Setup for Your Apple iPad Tablet

How to Update Your Apple iPad Tablet

Transfer Photos from an iOS Device to PC