iPad, iPad Air, iPad Pro or iPad mini – Which Apple tablet is best for you?

In September 2019, Apple presented the new entry-level tablet, simply called the iPad, with its 10.2-inch screen diagonal, together with the iPhone 11 (Pro) at its September launch event. Along with that, there is also the iPad Pro series with a choice of 11.0 and 12.9-inch displays. These two models have thin bezels and Face ID. The iPad Pro with 9.7 and 10.5 inches became history. Not only in terms of price but also in terms of technical specifications, iPad, iPad Air, iPad Pro, and iPad Mini are different from each other.

Display size – how portable is the new iPad?

The display size as an important factor in buying decisions. It makes sense because the more space a display has to display content, the more enjoyable it is to watch films, play games or surf the net.

On the other hand, large tablets such as the iPad Pro 12.9 cannot be held permanently in one hand and are difficult to carry. The 7.9-inch iPad Mini 5, on the other hand, is only really suitable for you if you want to use the Apple tablet regularly on the go, for example on the bus and train or a plane. Otherwise, a diagonal display of 7.9 inches (20.1 centimeters) is too small for a tablet. The best option according to screen size seems to be the iPad Pro 11.

Big differences in display technology

Every iPad has an LCD with an LED backlight. The newer touchscreens are called Liquid Retina-Display. The large iPad Pro 12.9 has 2,732 x 2,048 pixels and the iPad Pro 11.0 has a resolution of 2,388 x 1,668 pixels. Due to the smaller display, the iPad Mini 5 has the highest pixel density of 326 pixels per inch (PPI). You also have to do without an anti-reflective coating on the iPad 2019, which has not proven to be particularly effective anyway.

However, what completely convinces us is the so-called True Tone display. The content is automatically adjusted to the prevailing lighting conditions so that a white sheet of paper on the display always looks white. Such a True Tone display was initially reserved for the 9.7-inch iPad Pro alone, but now, Apple has been offering it as standard for the iPad Pro 12.9, the iPad Pro 11 and the new iPad Air. The two iPad Pro models also have a variable refresh rate (Pro Motion), which can rise to up to 120 Hertz and provide a very fluid picture impression. This is extremely good for gaming.

Cameras and Storage

The iPad’s built-in cameras are more like a fix. If you plan to video chat with the iPad frequently, you should consider an iPad Pro, an iPad Mini or an iPad Air. These Apple tablets are the only iPads to offer a FaceTime resolution of seven megapixels. The other iPads are content with the front camera with a meager 1.2 megapixels which are bad for chats and selfies.

With the exception of the iPad Mini and the new iPad Air (both with 64 or 264 GB), Apple offers the other iPad variants with differently sized flash memory between 32 and 1,000 gigabytes. With no iPad model, you can subsequently expand the memory using a memory card. You should, therefore, avoid the 32 GB version as space is simply too low for an adequate choice of apps and media.

CPU and Computing power: Good across the Board

Higher numbers of CPUs mean more speed and apparently more heat but no current iPad has any known performance problems. The Apple software and hardware are generally very well-coordinated and therefore run smoothly.

The A10 Fusion used in the iPad models is the same main processor as in the iPhone 7. Speed problems should therefore not arise in the foreseeable future. You only get the top processor A12X Bionic if you choose a model from Apple’s iPad Pro series.

Apple Pencil, Keyboards and Special Features of the iPad

All iPad models from 2019 support the Apple Pencil. All other tablets, including older iPads, do not support the pencil. The iPad Pro models launched in September 2018 are not compatible with the first-generation Apple Pencil. This is where the Apple Pencil 2, which has a virtual button, comes in.

The iPad Pro series, the new iPad Air and the entry-level iPad also feature the so-called Smart Connector. Both data and electricity flow through this magnetic interface. Apple and other accessory manufacturers offer special keyboards that do not have to be paired via Bluetooth.

Only in the iPad Pro series does Apple install four speakers that sound decent and do not necessarily require the use of good headphones.

iPad Air (2019) – 64GB- 44,900 -256GB- 58,900

iPad (2019) – 32GB-29,900 128GB- 37,900

iPad Mini (5th generation 2019) – 64GB Wifi 34,900 , 64GB Wifi + Cellular 45,900

iPad Pro Multiple Variants between 82,000 to 1,39,900