10.5-inch iPad Pro vs 12.9-inch iPad Pro: What’s the difference?

10.5-inch iPad Pro vs 12.9-inch iPad Pro: what’s the difference between the newly launched 10.5-inch iPad Pro and the refreshed 12.9-inch model? We take a look.

As expected, WWDC has yielded a new iPad Pro. The 10.5-inch tablet arrives alongside a refresh of the 12.9-inch model, with Apple adding new processors and screen tech to its Pro tablets.

But apart from the obvious distinction in screen size, are the two models different in any other way? Here’s all you need to know:

10.5-inch iPad Pro vs 12.9-inch iPad Pro – Design and Hardware

The new iPad Pros come with a thinner bezel to the sides of the screen, resulting in sleeker-looking tablets. In the case of the smaller model, Apple has managed to squeeze a large screen onto a compact body, keeping the weight at 1 pound, or 0.45kg. The larger display means that Apple can now show a full-size keyboard on both the 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch screens – although the latter weighs a heftier 1.49 pounds, or 0.67kg. Both models are available in Space Gray, Rose Gold, Gold and Silver colour options.

On the hardware side, Apple has included the new A10X Fusion chip in both new iPad Pro models. This means you’re getting a six-core CPU that houses a 12-core GPU and results in 30% faster performance over the A9X chip, and 40% better graphical performance.

All that extra processing power should come in handy when powering the new ProMotion technology. The display tech gives the new iPad models double the maximum refresh rate of the previous versions, allowing for a whopping 120Hz. As a result, movement on-screen will look incredibly slick.

Related: iPhone 8

The ProMotion tech also means that the Apple Pencil – compatible with both models – is now more responsive, with latency down to an impressive 20ms, which Apple claims is an “industry best”. ProMotion will also dynamically adjust the refresh rate depending on what you’re looking at, so not only will you benefit by way of slick on-screen movements, you should see decent energy-saving, too. For instance, if you’re looking at a still image, the tablet will drop the refresh rate to save your charge.

Sticking with the display, both new models come with Apple’s brightest iPad display yet, alongside an anti-reflective coating, which makes content easier to see indoors and out. The iPad Pros also include True Tone tech to dynamically adjust the white balance of the display, plus a wide colour gamut too. The 10.5-inch version has a 2224 x 1668 resolution at 264 pixels per inch (ppi), while the 12.9-inch model comes with a 2732 x 2048 resolution at 264ppi.

Battery life on the 10.5-inch model and the 12.9-inch version is around 10 hours, and both models come with 64GB of internal storage – although 256GB and 512GB are also available.

Both new iPad Pro models pack the same 12-megapixel OIS-enabled camera as the iPhone 7. You can capture and edit 4K video, too, and the front-facing camera has been upgraded to a 7-megapixel sensor with 1080p HD video recording.

In terms of software, both devices will arrive with iOS 10, but iOS 11 will be available as a free update later in the year when it launches.

Here’s a comparison of the two tablets’ specs:

	10.5-inch iPad Pro	12.9-inch iPad Pro
Screen	10.5-inch Retina	12.9-inch Retina
Display Resolution	2224 x 1668 (264ppi)	2732 x 2048 (264ppi)
Aspect Ratio	16:9	16:9
Primary Camera	12MP	12MP
Secondary Camera	7MP	7MP
Chipset	Apple A10X	Apple A10X
RAM	N/A	N/A
Storage	64/256/512GB	64/256/512GB
Battery	10 hours	10 hours
Fingerprint Scanner?	Yes	Yes
Headphone Jack?	Yes	Yes
Primary Port	Lightning	Lightning
Iris Scanner?	No	No
Wireless Charging?	No	No
Dimensions	250.6 x 174.1 x 6.1mm	305.7 x 220.6 x 6.9mm
Weight	477g	692g
Software	iOS 10	iOS 10

Related: iOS 11 – What to expect

10.5-inch iPad Pro vs 12.9-inch iPad Pro – Release date and Price

The new iPad Pro models are available to buy now, and will ship next week. Prices for the 10.5-inch model start at $649/£619, while the larger 12.9-inch version starts at $799/£769.

10.5-inch iPad Pro vs 12.9-inch iPad Pro – Summary

There’s very little difference between the two tablets. The main one is, of course, the screen size – and which you prefer will depend on the kind of work you’ll be doing with the tablet.

Beyond that, both come with the same processor, storage, camera and software additions, including the ProMotion tech. We’ll have more once we’ve reviewed both tablets.

What do you think of the new iPad Pros? Let us know in the comments.