Compare the Apple iPad Pro (2018) to the iPad Pro (2017)

The Apple iPad Pro (2018) comes in 2 sizes: 12.9 and 11 inches. This brings me to the first difference: 11 inches is a new size and replaces the iPad Pro 10.5 inches. The screen may be bigger, but the size of the 10.5-inch model stays the same. The bezels have become thinner, which means you have more screen size. Don't be deterred by the inch size: you have the same size, but more screen at your disposal. The screen of the Apple iPad Pro 12.9 inches is just as large as that of its predecessor, but the size of the iPad is smaller thanks to the thin bezels. In short, Apple is making better use of its inches.

The Apple iPad Pro (2017) comes in 2 sizes: 12.9 and 10.5 inches. The bezels of the iPad Pro 2017 are much larger those of the iPad Pro 2018. This makes it much easier to hold your iPad without your fingers touching the screen. Thanks to these bezels, the iPad Pro 2017 is less compact compared to the new model. 25% less compact, to be exact. This is both due to the wider bezels and thickness. The Apple iPad Pro 2017 is 6.1 millimeters and the iPad Pro 2018 is 5.9 millimeters. A negligible difference, but a difference nonetheless.

The pixel density of the iPad Pro 2018 is identical to that of its predecessor. What's different is the home button, or the lack thereof. With its appearance that's very similar to the iPhone X, the Apple iPad Pro 2018 leaves the home button behind. The virtually bezel-less screen makes watching videos an extremely lifelike experience. These thin bezels are made possible by the Liquid Retina (LCD) screen instead of a Retina display. According to Apple, this is the most advanced LCD screen ever made. What are the advantages of Liquid Retina, you ask? A virtually bezel-less screen up to the very corners, a wide color gamut, more realistic colors, and tap-to-wake support (turning on your screen by tapping it).

The Apple iPad Pro 2017 and the iPad Pro 2018 have the same pixel density. The differences in this area are minimal. More striking is that the screen of the iPad Pro 2017 still has the familiar home button, unlike the 2018 model. Whereas the iPad Pro 2017 has a Retina display, the iPad Pro 2018 is equipped with an LCD screen. A Retina display has such a high pixel density that your eyes can no longer distinguish individual pixels. What does this mean, you ask? That you get to see the most razor-sharp images. Do you often use your iPad Pro for creative purposes? The iPad Pro 2017 supports the Apple Pencil. Do note that the Apple Pencil can only be used with the iPad Pro 2018.

The Apple iPad Pro 2018 has a brandnew design. The most striking are the thin bezels and the lack of a home button. You can no longer unlock the iPad with your finger. How do you do it? Simply type in your password? No, of course not: you can unlock the Apple iPad Pro (2018) with a single glance on your screen. The iPad is equipped with Face ID which unlocks your device, no matter whether the iPad is vertical or horizontal.

As mentioned before, the 2017 model still has the well-known home button. This means you can unlock your iPad Pro 2017 with your finger and the fingerprint sensor. Your fingerprint is your password, not only to unlock your iPad, but also to log into apps or to pay with Apple Pay.

I have to say, the iPad Pro 2017 was already a true powerhouse, but the iPad Pro 2018 with its A12X Bionic Chip adds even more power. This chip provides a double graphics performance and a 90% faster CPU. At first sight, I don't notice any drastic changes. Apps start even faster than before, but when playing graphically demanding games, such as Fortnite, I definitely notice a difference. The iPad Pro 2017 has a slight delay at times, but the iPad Pro 2018 doesn't at all. In addition, it gives me even more storage possibilities. Apart from 64, 256, and 512GB, I can choose for 1TB. This is the most storage ever on an iPad. The 1TB model also offers 6GB RAM.

The iPad Pro 2017 has an A10X Fusion Chip with 4GB RAM. It doesn't matter whether I'm playing a demanding game or using an augmented reality app, the iPad Pro works just fine. I can even play 3 to 4 apps on my screen at the same time. I also have more than enough storage options. I can choose from 64, 256, and 512GB. 512GB can come in really handy, especially for professional use.

Similar to the iPad Pro 2017, the Apple iPad Pro 2018 has a 12-megapixel camera with automatic image stabilization instead of optical image stabilization. You can record videos in 4K of 30 up to 60 frames per second. This is quite an improvement compared to the iPad Pro 2017. Especially the selfie camera has been improved: for the first time ever, the iPad Pro 2018 is equipped with a TrueDepth 7-megapixel camera. Thanks to this camera, the iPad Pro 2018 is equipped with Face ID, a portrait mode, portrait lighting, Animoji, and Memoji. This means you can use the iPad Pro 2018 to take the most amazing selfies.

The Apple iPad Pro (2017) has a 12-megapixel camera, the same as the iPad Pro 2018. The only difference is that the iPad Pro has optical image stabilization, whereas the iPad Pro 2018 has automatic image stabilization. On top of that, you can use the iPad 2018 to record videos in 4K up to 30 frames per second. The selfie camera is even more different. The iPad Pro 2017 is equipped with a 7-megapixel selfie camera, whereas the iPad Pro 2018 has a 7-megapixel TrueDepth camera. You will probably have seen it on the iPhone.

The Apple iPad Pro 2018 isn't equipped with the well-known Lightning port. How do you charge your iPad Pro, you may ask? Well, you simply use the USB-C port. The iPad Pro (2018) is the first iPad and even the first iOS device with a USB-C connector. USB-C has a number of advantages compared to Lightning. USB-C has a lot more power and a faster data transfer speed, which can come in handy when you want to transfer images from your digital camera to your iPad. Even better: with USB-C, you can use your iPad Pro to charge other devices, such as your iPhone. Lastly, the iPad Pro still lasts about 10 hours with 'regular' use.

Charge the iPad Pro 2017 via the Lightning port. Your battery will last around 10 hours, but it does depend on how intensively you use your iPad. A 10-hour battery life is for 'regular' use, such as browsing the internet, text processing, and playing videos or games every once in a while. If you use demanding graphic apps all day long, the battery won't last as long.