Apple iPad 9.7” 2017 Review: A Return To Basic Luxuries

Apple’s evergreen line of tablets continues to grow, with a new model ready to mark the new year. This year’s Apple iPad is 9.7 inches, and it offers the dependability the line’s reputation is known for at a reasonable cost.

APPLE IPAD REVIEW

While tablets aren’t quite the cultural landmark they once were, the newest iPad looks to recapture what made the brand so compelling.

The 9.7-inch screen offers a resolution of 2,048 by 1,536 pixels. However, while its resolution is identical to the Air 2’s, there’s a key difference between them: the younger iPad lacks an antireflective coating the Air 2 had. This makes its screen brighter, but at the cost of worse reflections on it. However, for those of you who like to enjoy the portability of a Netflix-capable device, the image quality is still strong for its price point.

Depending on how much you wish to spend, the iPad will come with 32 GB or 128 GB of internal storage. Furthermore, there are three colorations: space gray, silver and gold. iOS 10.3, as expected, serves as the operating system, and a 1.65 GHz None processor powers the device. Plus, per CNET’s review, the iPad’s battery lasts for the 12 hours Apple claimed it would.

The latest iPad starts at $329, although more expensive iterations are available for those who require more memory. Incidentally, the cheapest price is about $70 less than the iPad Air 2 it’s succeeding, making this the most accessible entry point for a newcomer into the iPad ecosystem. However, while the difference is marginal, this new iPad is larger and heavier than the Air 2.

While the added luxurious of the iPad Pro models are unaccounted for, Apple’s newest iPad is an immaculately designed device for the purest of iPad functions, such as streaming videos, playing games and browsing the internet. If you don’t mind losing out on the more elaborate features of the Pros, the 9.7-inch Apple iPad is a dependable choice.