Apple iPad 2017: Specifications, Comparisons & Important Details

The Apple iPad 2017 is the latest standard iPad out of Cupertino. It‘s the successor to the original 9.7-inch iPad and the later iPad Air models. With its starting price of just 329$, it is the cheapest tablet from Apple. Even though it is not as powerful as an iPad Pro, it certainly is the one to get for most. While it‘s cheap, it packs impressive hardware at a low price. Let‘s take a closer look at the cheapest iPad that ever existed.

Highlights

• High-resolution 9.7-inch screen
• Full aluminum body
• Good performance
• Huge inventory of optimized apps

Apple iPad 2017: The Basics

The design of the Apple iPad 2017 is almost identical to all of its predecessors. As we are used to from Apple, the build quality is very high-end with a full aluminum body. You can get it in silver, gold and space grey. While it‘s not as thin as an iPad Air, it certainly is not much thicker than most competitors running Android with just 7.5-millimeters.

Again, as we are used to from Apple, there is no standard micro USB or USB Type C port. Instead, you charge the tablet via the so-called lightning connector. With this one, you can also connect the tablet to a computer to connect to iTunes or transfer pictures.

Next to the lightning connector are two speakers on each side. On the right side, there‘s a Nano-SIM tray for the cellular models. Above that are the volume controls. On the top, we‘re getting a power button and a standard 3.5-millimeter headphone jack.

Like with the last generations, there‘s a physical home button underneath the screen. It features an integrated fingerprint reader. Apple calls this feature Touch ID. Above the screen sits a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera. On the back, we‘re getting an 8-megapixel camera.

Display & Hardware

The iPad 2017 features a 9.7-inch screen with an aspect ratio of 4:3. It‘s an IPS panel with a resolution of 2048 x 1536. While this is the same resolution as the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, the screen is not fully laminated. Instead, there is a small gap between the touchscreen and IPS panel.

Inside runs an Apple A9 processor, which is a 64-bit chip. In addition to that, there‘s an embedded M9 coprocessor. Apple is not offering versions with 16GB internal storage any more. Now it starts at 32GB and you can choose a 128GB model as well.

As of September 2017, the tablet is running iOS 11. With this version of the mobile operating system, it is much easier to work with an iPad productively. New features include improved multitasking, a files app and improved drag and drop. Thanks to Apples App Store, it also offers a much wider variety of tablet-optimized apps than Googles Play Store.

Read now: Our full iPad 2017 review

Full Specifications

Direct Competitors

There are a lot of competitors out there. If you want something more powerful, you could check out the iPad Pro 10.5-inch or the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3. Another interesting alternative is the ASUS ZenPad 3S 10. This one is just a bit cheaper but offers similar features including a fingerprint sensor and a full metal body.

Availability & Price

As you might expect, the Apple iPad 2017 is available almost worldwide. Usually, prices start at around 329$ or the equivalent. In Europe, you often have to pay a bit more though.

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Apple iPad 2017

Read now: Our Apple iPad 2017 Review

The Apple iPad 2017 offers a great value for your money. Its performance and battery life are excellent and the selection of apps in iOS is great. Don't want to afford an iPad Pro? This is the iPad to get.

Positive

• Great build quality
• Very good battery life
• Excellent performance
• Outstanding selection of optimized apps

Negative

• Display not laminated like with iPad Air 2/Pro
• No microSD slot or USB Type C

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• Apple iPad 2017 Review: How good is the cheapest iPad?