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Comment by ogre_codes | Hacker News Reader

It is quite odd for the iPad Air to have the A14 based CPU while the iPad Pro has the A12(Z?) CPU. I know the SOC in the Pro has more RAM and likely a better GPU than he base A12, but it's a really odd mix of processors.

This and the fact that the processor on the iPad Pro only did a half-upgrade earlier this year makes it seem like the Pro is in some weird between state. Certainly if you were on the fence between the Pro and the Air, the case for buying the Pro became a lot tougher.

Aside from the additional RAM, what are the big advantages of the Pro?

* Marginally bigger display. * 120 Hz refresh rate (ProMotion)/ Faster GPU * (Likely) More RAM * Bigger base memory (128GB vs 64GB) * Better cameras/ LIDAR. * FaceID

I guess it's still a pretty decent bump up for the $200 price difference?

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>>* Marginally bigger display. * 120 Hz refresh rate (ProMotion)

These 2 things are huge for some people, including me. I had been using a 2019 MacBook Pro 13 until I picked up the latest iPad Pro 12.9, mainly for the pencil support (I draw things sometimes). The difference in screens is (to me) ridiculous! The aspect ratio, brightness and 120Hz make the iPad display the best 13" laptop I have ever used. The MacBook Pro looks kinds of sickly & squashed by comparison. It makes me wonder if Apple actually cares about the Mac laptops anymore.

Also, the processor in the iPad Pro is so fast, I honestly don't need any more speed for now[1].

[1] yes, yes, on an infinite timeline...etc...

I have the 1st gen 12.9" iPad Pro and love it. For the bigger size, there is obviously no option with the Air. I can believe the Pro display makes a big difference, I suspect this is one of the most under-appreciated advantages of the Pro.

I still find it a bit of a weird time for the Pro though. I'm hoping we'll see a new pro in the spring? Or maybe they'll release it before the end of the year when they put out the new Macs.

It's pretty clear, to me anyway, that the Pro is yet to be updated - Apple seems to be segmenting the Pro updates from the non-Pro updates. So now would NOT be a good time to get a Pro if that's what you are leaning more towards.

If you don't need the Pro features, now is the perfect time to get an iPad :)

Pro was last updated in March, so it's probably still a neutrally OK time to buy one... but not for too much longer.

That update basically wasn't one. The A12Z is a binned A12X from the 2018 model and the Lidar sensor is the single other change. It's basically a 2018 Pro.

No way would I be buying one right now - unless I absolutely had to. As others pointed out the last update wasn't really much of one. It feels like the tock of the tick/tock upgrade cycle. I vastly prefer to buy on tick (but now that I think about it, usually bought on tock with the iPhone - ha!).

This doesn't seem odd or unusual to me. New products will have the newest generation of chips. I seem to remember this happening several times with iPhone releases, where new low-end models have newer (and potentially faster) chips than old high-end models.

The Air vs. small Pro choice might be a little difficult right now, since the Pro is presumably near the end of its form factor lifespan while the Air has just inherited most of that form factor from its more expensive sibling. I suspect that ProMotion and bigger storage options would be the key deciding factor for most people, and LiDAR might be a factor for some niche workloads.

Just the fact that in the spring they updated the iPad Pro to an A12 based CPU this spring was odd in itself. If they'd bumped the Pro to an A13 based CPU in the fall, then it would only be 1 generation behind.

I just bought the 12.9 Pro, and of course my heart sank a little bit when I saw the announcement. But you've laid out the Pro's advantages nicely, and I feel like the features are justified for the price difference.

I like taking notes with the Pencil 2 on the 12.9 inch screen because it's essentially identical in size to the spiral notebooks I used to use.

The 12.9 is kind-of a class of it's own.

For 64GB which isn’t enough if your doing pro type tasks like videos or photo editing. To up it, it cost $150 and puts it into the pro range. I was going to update my current air but can’t justify spend $750 and will just wait for the pro refresh.

If you draw with a pencil, 120Hz is worth any money. The lack of input delay is a dealbreaker.

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