Quick take video review: Apple's 2017 9.7-inch iPad

AppleInsider

Apple recently unified its iPad product line with the release of the 2017 9.7-inch iPad, a replacement for the outgoing iPad Air 2. Starting at $329, the new iPad skips some high-end features like quad speakers and a laminated, wide color gamut display, but brings entry level users up to speed with an A9 SoC and 802.11ac Wi-Fi.

For more reviews, news, tips, features and more, subscribe to AppleInsider on YouTube.

Make sure to read our full review of Apple's 2017 iPad.

We're also interested in your questions! If you want to know anything about the iPad lineup, chime in on our forums and we'll address it.

Where to buy

The new 2017 iPad is priced starting at $329 for the entry-level 32-gigabyte Wi-Fi-only model, and $100 more for 128 gigabytes. Cellular-capable models are also available starting at $459.

Readers can also save money with instant savings at AppleInsider partner Adorama. The Apple authorized reseller is also throwing in free shipping, and sales tax will not be collected on orders shipped outside NY and NJ.

$10 off 9.7-inch iPad pre-orders
32GB Silver (Wi-Fi Only, MP2G2LL/A) for $319.00 ($10 off + no tax outside NY & NJ)
32GB Space Gray (Wi-Fi Only, MP2F2LL/A) for $319.00 ($10 off + no tax outside NY & NJ)
32GB Gold (Wi-Fi Only, MPGT2LL/A) for $319.00 ($10 off + no tax outside NY & NJ)
32GB Silver (Wi-Fi + Cellular, MP252LL/A) for $449.00 ($10 off + no tax outside NY & NJ)
32GB Space Gray (Wi-Fi + Cellular, MP242LL/A) for $449.00 ($10 off + no tax outside NY & NJ)
32GB Gold (Wi-Fi + Cellular, MPGA2LL/A) for $449.00 ($10 off + no tax outside NY & NJ)
128GB Silver (Wi-Fi Only, MP2J2LL/A) for $419.00 ($10 off + no tax outside NY & NJ)
128GB Space Gray (Wi-Fi Only, MP2H2LL/A) for $419.00 ($10 off + no tax outside NY & NJ)
128GB Gold (Wi-Fi Only, MPGW2LL/A) for $419.00 ($10 off + no tax outside NY & NJ)
128GB Silver (Wi-Fi + Cellular, MP2E2LL/A) for $549.00 ($10 off + no tax outside NY & NJ)
128GB Space Gray (Wi-Fi + Cellular, MP2D2LL/A) for 549.00 ($10 off + no tax outside NY & NJ)
128GB Gold (Wi-Fi + Cellular, MPGC2LL/A) for $549.00 ($10 off + no tax outside NY & NJ)
Adorama will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside NY & NJ.

Add AppleCare
You can easily tack on an AppleCare extended protection plan to these iPads for $99 by selecting the AppleCare option immediately after you press the "Pre-order" button on Adorama's website.

Finally, AppleInsider partner B&H also has two models in stock and ready to ship with free expedited delivery. Like Adorama, B&H will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside NY and NJ.

9.7-inch iPads in stock and ready to ship
32GB Space Gray (Wi-Fi Only, MP2F2LL/A) for $329.00 @B&H
(Free expedited shipping + no tax outside NY & NJ)
128GB Gold (Wi-Fi Only, MPGW2LL/A) for $429.00 @B&H
(Free expedited shipping + no tax outside NY & NJ)
B&H will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside NY & NJ.

ddawson100

OK, imma let you finish but that Pro is really gorgeous and has a nice price drop, too. There have been reviews, articles and even a roundup of cases for the iPad but from AI and Amazon, it's like the Pro wasn't even released.

edited April 2017

sflagel

OK. So the new iPad is thicker, heavier and has a worse screen than the Air 2. You can now get the Air 2 for about £ 20 more than the new iPad on Amazon. I think there is no contest.

edited April 2017

georgebmac

This is a nice addition to the IPad line.   But then, there's this:

"J.D. Power released its 2017 U.S. Tablet Satisfaction Study on Thursday and noted that customers are more satisfied with Microsoft's Surface tablets than they are with Apple's iPad..."

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/06/microsoft-surface-tops-apple-ipad-in-jd-power-survey.html

Microsoft tablets top Apple's in Customer Satisfaction?   Microsoft?    That's like a high school football team beating the Patriots...

mike wuerthele

JD Power judged on things like "Mouse compatibility" and a few other factors that they never used before to judge the tablet market.

strangedays

sflagel said:

OK. So the new iPad is thicker, heavier and has a worse screen than the Air 2. You can now get the Air 2 for about £ 20 more than the new iPad on Amazon. I think there is no contest.

It's also faster. What, you wanted a better device for $170 less? How do you get something for nothing in your world?

sflagel

StrangeDays said:

sflagel said:

OK. So the new iPad is thicker, heavier and has a worse screen than the Air 2. You can now get the Air 2 for about £ 20 more than the new iPad on Amazon. I think there is no contest.

It's also faster. What, you wanted a better device for $170 less? How do you get something for nothing in your world?

It is not better, is it? It is barely faster, and for what this iPad is meant for, media consumption, that speed bump doesn't matter. What does matter are the screen, the size, and the weight and here it is worse.

As to the price difference: new iPad Air2 now sell on Amazon for £20 more than the equivalent new iPad. This is a short-term opportunity.

edited April 2017

ronald edwards

Apple made the new iPad cheaper and if you want a better model, then get the Pro. I think they are going to have 2 lines of every computer they make, regular or pro, for iMac, iPad, & MacBook

edited April 2017

strangedays

sflagel said:

StrangeDays said:

sflagel said:

OK. So the new iPad is thicker, heavier and has a worse screen than the Air 2. You can now get the Air 2 for about £ 20 more than the new iPad on Amazon. I think there is no contest.

It's also faster. What, you wanted a better device for $170 less? How do you get something for nothing in your world?

It is not better, is it? It is barely faster, and for what this iPad is meant for, media consumption, that speed bump doesn't matter. What does matter are the screen, the size, and the weight and here it is worse.

As to the price difference: new iPad Air2 now sell on Amazon for £20 more than the equivalent new iPad. This is a short-term opportunity.

The screen isn't "worse" -- the quality of the display is exactly the same, it's just not lamented to the glass. So what? If you read the review here there said that is a complete non issue. For anyone not on an Air2 or Pro, it's exactly the same. 

Barely faster? What data are you using to back that claim up?

Again -- how is it you feel entitled to dramatically increased specs for $170 less? This thing starts at $329, if you want better features get the pros. 

isalmanpak

I'm coming from an iPad 4. The new one is really fast and has better audio quality than the iPad 4. The screen is sharper, but you can definitely feel a hollowness when you tap on it. Not sure how much more expensive the iPad Air 2's display was, but it would have been nice if they had used it here. On the bright side, playing the drums in Garage Band has never felt more realistic.

magman1979

GeorgeBMac said:

This is a nice addition to the IPad line.   But then, there's this:

"J.D. Power released its 2017 U.S. Tablet Satisfaction Study on Thursday and noted that customers are more satisfied with Microsoft's Surface tablets than they are with Apple's iPad..."

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/06/microsoft-surface-tops-apple-ipad-in-jd-power-survey.html

Microsoft tablets top Apple's in Customer Satisfaction?   Microsoft?    That's like a high school football team beating the Patriots...

Have you actually read that trash from J.D. and what metrics points they used to actually "edge" out the garbage from Redmond in front of Apple? Metrics that are PC-based and have no presence on a real tablet, that's how they got the Surface to beat iPad, it's laughable!

lito_lupena

any tests on how the pencil works on the ipad versus the pro model? doesn't the pencil require some sort of screen technology under it to have features such as the tilt/smudge of writing materials, etc? thanks.

mike wuerthele

lito_lupena said:

any tests on how the pencil works on the ipad versus the pro model? doesn't the pencil require some sort of screen technology under it to have features such as the tilt/smudge of writing materials, etc? thanks.

The Pencil doesn't work on this iPad at all. Just on the Pro.

sflagel

StrangeDays said:

sflagel said:

StrangeDays said:

sflagel said:

OK. So the new iPad is thicker, heavier and has a worse screen than the Air 2. You can now get the Air 2 for about £ 20 more than the new iPad on Amazon. I think there is no contest.

It's also faster. What, you wanted a better device for $170 less? How do you get something for nothing in your world?

It is not better, is it? It is barely faster, and for what this iPad is meant for, media consumption, that speed bump doesn't matter. What does matter are the screen, the size, and the weight and here it is worse.

As to the price difference: new iPad Air2 now sell on Amazon for £20 more than the equivalent new iPad. This is a short-term opportunity.

The screen isn't "worse" -- the quality of the display is exactly the same, it's just not lamented to the glass. So what? If you read the review here there said that is a complete non issue. For anyone not on an Air2 or Pro, it's exactly the same. 

Barely faster? What data are you using to back that claim up?

Again -- how is it you feel entitled to dramatically increased specs for $170 less? This thing starts at $329, if you want better features get the pros. 

It's not $170 less. As of today, in the U.K. (and I suspect it's the same in the US) the iPad Air 2 is only $25 dollars more. For that, you get a thinner iPad, that weighs less, has a laminated screen, with less reflection. Granted, the chip is a bit slower, but if you are looking for an entry level iPad to watch movies, browse the web, read books, and some basic photo editing; you tell me what's more important.