Review of the Apple iPad 9.7 tablet (2018)

Against the background of modern mobile gadgets and devices, tablets are perhaps the least in demand, as many users question their functionality. At the same time, people still need such devices: they can “climb” on social networks, regardless of the location of the stationary electrical wiring, read a book, watch a movie and play, and also turn on cartoons for a child on the road or, if desired, even work. Therefore, one of the most popular manufacturers of "smart" technology Apple seeks to renew interest in tablet computers, regularly releasing budget new items. The most recent one is Apple iPad 9.7 (2018).

Device package

When buying an Apple iPad 9.7 (2018), the user receives a tablet packed in a compact cardboard box designed in the manufacturer's corporate style. It comes with:

• network adapter;
• lightning cable;
• user manual and warranty card.

Also, if you purchase an LTE version of the device, the package will include a special clip designed to remove the SIM patch.

Device design

Despite the fact that the new Apple in the form of a 9.7-inch tablet, released in 2018, has a number of significant advantages over previous versions, its design has been kept in the same familiar form for the user. The device is available in three colors: gold, silver and gray, and its appearance includes:

• dimensions: length - 240 mm, width - 169.5 mm and thickness - 7.5 mm;
• metal case with bevelled edges;
• volume control and SIM card tray on the side;
• power button and 3.5 mm headphone or headset jack on top of the device;
• touch button "Home" with an integrated scanner Touch ID at the base of the device;
• two speakers on the bottom end, between which there is a Lightning connector.

Please note that this model is not equipped with a Smart Connector for connecting a docking station, keyboard, and other accessories. The 9.7 inch Pro version has this feature.

Tablet Specifications

Screen

Speaking about the screen of the iPad model, it is already clear from the name that its diagonal is 9.7 inches, which is ideal for comfortable watching videos, reading books and playing games, both at home and on the road. The manufacturer endowed the display of the device with a modern IPS-matrix with a resolution of 2038 by 1536 pixels, LED backlighting and a low density of 264 ppi.Most importantly, such average characteristics do not have a significant impact on the quality of the displayed pictures.

The screen of the Apple iPad 9.7 (2018) provides for the presence of an oleophobic coating, but it is not able to fully cope with its protective function and allows fingerprints to be left on the display. Not significant, but a minus can also be called the presence of an air gap between the matrix and the display glass, which creates the effect of the lack of a sense of the screen at the time of using the sensor.

Unlike the PRO version, the 6th generation Apple iPad 9.7 does not have special sensors that allow you to adjust the colors of the picture to the current lighting (TrueTone function). Nevertheless, the image on the screen is always bright and clear, although it fades a little in the sun, but this does not interfere with watching cartoons, movies, photos, as well as reading books and visiting sites on the Internet.

Camera features

As a rule, tablet manufacturers pay the least attention to the quality of the cameras, especially if they are inexpensive devices, which include the Apple iPad 9.7 (2018). The fact is that for a photo shoot, users actively use their phones and smartphones, which are more compact than a tablet computer and are equipped with a large number of special functions.

This model of the device is equipped with two modules:

1. The rear (main) camera is 8 MP, with a resolution of 3264 by 2448 pixels, with a pixel size of 1.12 microns and an aperture of f/2.4. Functionality: autofocus, continuous shooting, digital zoom, geotagging, HDR and panoramic shooting, face/smile detection, touch focus, exposure compensation and self-timer.
2. 1.2MP front camera with 31mm focal length and f/2.2 aperture.Works only in normal mode, does not have face recognition and LED flash.

It is enough to evaluate the characteristics of the tablet's cameras in order to understand how poorly it takes pictures, that is, the level of pictures taken on the device is very low, especially when taking selfies. Nevertheless, during the day in good weather and in normal natural light, you can get quite decent photos, no worse than on a smartphone, it is only important to set the appropriate brightness and sharpness in advance.

The highest camera performance of the Apple iPad 9.7 (2018) is realized in the process of communication through the Skype, Viber, WhatsApp and Facetime applications.

Also, the main camera of the tablet is capable of shooting good videos with a resolution of 1080p at 30 FPS, which are much better than photos. In this mode, the only drawback is the lack of continuous focusing and changing the shooting resolution only through the settings window.

Interface and functionality

When deciding which company is better to buy a tablet, first of all, you should take a closer look at the Apple iPad, especially if the tablet software is the main selection criteria. So, in the 9.7-inch device of 2018, the latest version of iOS 11.3 is provided, thanks to which it is equipped with a huge number of functional and entertainment applications. In turn, they are optimized for both the large screen and landscape mode. In addition, this tablet model supports splitting the display between two applications.

Hardware platform

Apple iPad 9.7 (2018) is powered by a modern 4-core A10 Fusion processor, clocked at 2.3 GHz. For comparison, the iPhone 7 runs on a similar platform. Thanks to the powerful processor, the tablet always works without delays and freezes, maintains a smooth frame rate and allows the user to quickly navigate through applications and web browsers, which is especially convenient for active games. In terms of speed, the nimble 6th generation iPad is almost in no way inferior to the Pro version, with the exception of performing some resource-intensive tasks, for example, photo processing, which is a significant advantage for a budget price. The device is also equipped with a good graphics processor in the form of a 6-core PowerVR Series7XT Plus.

Memory status

Today, two versions of the 9.7-inch iPad of 2018 are being released on the market, these are tablets with built-in memory of 32 GB or 128 GB. When deciding how to choose the right device, you should decide in advance for what purpose it will be used - for browsing the Internet or downloading applications and working with them. In addition, the 2018 budget device has 2 GB of RAM.

Communication and connections

As for the criterion for the availability of connections, here the manufacturers of iPad 9.7 (2018) decided to give the user the right to choose and release the tablet in two versions:

• secured only Wi-Fi;
• with a complete package of wireless communications: Wi-Fi, GPS and mobile communications.

In both cases, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11, a / b / g / n (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) operates. Also, the device is equipped with Bluetooth 4.2. For comparison, the more expensive version - Pro provides a tray for installing a SIM card, but not for the purpose of connecting voice communications, but only for operating the mobile Internet.

Apple iPad 9.7 (2018) provides for the use of the Apple Pay application, but most often this feature remains unclaimed.This is explained by the fact that it is quite uncomfortable to carry a tablet with you all the time and pay for goods and services with it, a compact smartphone is much better suited for this purpose.

Sound and multimedia

Apple's new 2018 9.7-inch iPad is a high-quality and multifunctional media device, which undoubtedly makes it popular among tablet computer users. The device is equipped with a 3.5 mm jack for connecting headphones without using additional adapters. The two speakers of the tablet are capable of producing clear sound without additional interference at any volume level. In general, the sound quality of the new iPad is no worse than that of modern iPone models.

Just like audio, video files are produced on the tablet without delay and with good sound. But, given the aspect ratio of the display 3:2, when watching videos and movies in full screen mode, black bars appear at the top and bottom of the display, allowing you not to make the image stretched or stretched.

The 2018 Apple iPad does not have a built-in radio, so if you want to listen to your favorite radio station, you will have to use special Internet services. But the tablet has a lot of applications for multimedia exploitation. One of them is Apple Music - a convenient service that allows you to listen to a large number of songs, as well as choose your favorite artist or album. The application is ready to offer not only audio, but also clips. If for some reason the user is not satisfied with the service, you can use similar programs with music streaming, optimized for working with tablet devices.

Autonomy of work

One of the strengths of Apple tablets is undoubtedly powerful batteries, which explains the popularity of these devices among similar models from the best manufacturers of mobile equipment. The non-removable Li-lon 8827 mAh battery is responsible for battery life in the iPad 9.7 (2018). Due to the large capacity, the tablet holds a charge for a long time even when performing resource-intensive tasks at the maximum display brightness level. The autonomy of work in this position without recharging reaches 4.5 hours, which is a high indicator for devices with such a diagonal and screen resolution. With daily use of the tablet for viewing photos, videos and surfing the web, the battery will last for 8-10 hours without a network. It is worth noting that the version with a SIM card “eats” the battery charge a little more actively.

Against the background of a powerful battery that allows the device to work offline for a long time, the duration of the tablet charging process itself is negative. So in order for the Apple iPad 9.7 6th generation to boot up to 100%, you need to connect it to a stationary power outlet for 4-4.5 hours.

Apple Pencil

A novelty in the Apple iPad 9.7 (2018) model, which distinguishes it from all previous tablets in this series, including the similar iPad of 2017, is the creation of a special sensor and support for the Apple Pensil branded stylus. Previously, such an application was installed by the manufacturer only on the Pro version. This is a voluminous service that provides, in addition to the pen itself for drawing on the screen, the function of multi-level pressure sensitivity and pen accounting.

With the help of a stylus, you can draw digital pictures, make various notes and notes, as well as sign electronic documents.The only thing is that the electronic pen itself is not included in the delivery package and, if desired, it will have to be purchased separately.

The Apple Pencil is charged in two ways:

• Using the included adapter with Lightning connectors on both ends.
• By directly connecting peripherals directly to the Lightning port on the iPad.

Those who wish to purchase a digital pen with the tablet should also take into account that it may be difficult to use it constantly due to the lack of a special mount on the device. Therefore, in order to move the Apple Pencil always with you, you will have to buy an additional accessory for storing it.

Cost of Apple iPad 9.7 (2018)

First of all, speaking about the cost of the new iPad, it is worth noting that it is adequate and acceptable for budget users. However, there is one caveat - it depends on the version of the tablet, if you choose one that is equipped with mobile communications and has more memory, then, accordingly, it will cost 1.5 times more than a device with only Wi-Fi. As of September 2018, the average price for the Apple iPad 9.7 (2018) is:

• iPad 2018 Wi-Fi: 32GB - 25,000 rubles, 128 GB - 32,000 rubles;
• iPad 2018 Wi-Fi + Cellular: 32GB - 35,000 rubles, 128GB - 42,000 rubles.

In addition, do not forget about the stylus, which is taken into account separately from the tablet. Today, its cost varies between 6000-8000 rubles.

Pros and cons of the model

• adequate price corresponding to the quality of the device;
• high performance provided by the installation of a modern 4-core A10 Fusion processor;
• durable case;
• powerful battery;
• support for Apple Pencil;
• extensive software, thanks to the latest version of iOS3;
• the presence of a fingerprint scanner;
• the ability to choose the option for the amount of internal memory and the availability of mobile communications (32 GB or 128 GB, with Wi-Fi, GPS and mobile communications or only Wi-Fi).

• poor camera performance depending on lighting conditions;
• high (not budget) price for a tablet, taking into account the presence of a SIM, maximum RAM and a stylus;
• long battery charging time;
• poor-quality ophleobic coating of the display and the presence of an air gap between the matrix and glass;
• no radio.

Results

If we talk about tablets, then you should definitely look at the Apple iPads. For users who are choosing which model to buy, we can safely recommend the iPad 9.7 (2018), as it has many advantages that are so necessary for modern devices. True, the cost of the tablet cannot be called budgetary in the generally accepted sense of 25,000-42,000 rubles (depending on the amount of built-in memory and the availability of mobile communications). Nevertheless, for such a device with extensive functionality, high autonomy, good sound, modern hardware platform and the latest processor, like the iPhone 7, the price is acceptable and real.