Sections
- Page 1 iPad 9.7-inch (2017) Review
- Page 2 Software, performance and camera Review
- Page 3 Battery life and verdict Review
New iPad 9.7-inch – Battery life
Even though the iPad 9.7-inch has a bigger 32.9w battery, Apple still states it’ll last the same 10 hours of video watching per charge as both iPad Air 2 and iPad Pro 9.7-inch. Apple’s claims seem to match my own results, as I was able to kill the battery in just shy of 11 hours by playing a downloaded film.
In reality though, the times when you spend 11 straight hours watching something on the iPad will be limited, and in realistic day-to-day use that iPad 9.7-inch can go the distance. Over the course of a week of testing the iPad lasted being used a few hours each day without any issues, and it lasted until the end of the week before I needed to juice it up again.
Like previous iPads, the standby time is particularly impressive, which is important for a device you only use intermittently. I found it only dropped 1-2% a day, meaning you won’t come back to it after a few days to find it dead.
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Like the other iPads it’s a slow-charger, and will take a about three to four hours to full charge if you’re using the supplied brick.
Should I buy the iPad 9.7-inch?
The iPad 9.7-inch is the perfect mix of features and price. It doesn’t offer up anything new, and I think the iPad Air 2 is still the better tablet, but for everyone else looking for a reliable device then this ticks all the boxes.
It’s perfect for movies and games, and of course you’ve got so much choice in the App Store. I would have liked a laminated display to eliminate glare and more storage options, but Apple clearly had to make some sacrifices to reach the fairly ‘affordable’ £339/$329 price.
It’s a great choice if you want to spend less and don’t need some of the fancier features like Apple Pencil support you get with the iPad Pro, or can’t find the iPad Air 2.
Verdict
Exciting? Nah. A really good, reliable tablet that’ll suit most people’s needs? Certainly.
How we test tablets
We test every tablet we review thoroughly. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly and we use the tablet as our main device over the review period. We’ll always tell you what we find and we never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Trusted Score
Score in detail
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Performance 9
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Value 8
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Design 8
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Software & Apps 10
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Sound Quality 7
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Screen Quality 8
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Battery Life 9
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Build Quality 9
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.