Apple's iPad Pro has ultra-fast storage thanks to new controller

Posted:
in iPad edited September 2015
The iPad Pro uses a new storage controller that improves read and write speeds, with performance more comparable to desktop PCs, according to marketing on Apple's website.




The controller was specifically chosen to match the speeds of the tablet's new A9X processor, Apple notes in the Technology section of the Pro's webpage. The company isn't offering any more details, such as whether or not the part was custom-designed.

Apple does claim that its memory architecture lets people "quickly open even in the largest files," such as RAW photos or 4K videos. In demonstrations on Wednesday, the company showed the Pro editing three 4K sources simultaneously, something laptops often struggle with.

Much of Apple's marketing for the tablet has involved comparing it to desktop and laptop computers. It claims for example that the A9X is 1.5 times faster than a similar desktop processor, and that any task possible on a PC should be possible on the Pro as well.

The product is also believed to have 4 gigabytes of RAM. While many computers now have 8 or 16 gigabytes, 4 is still the same amount in base configurations of the MacBook Air, and twice the memory present in the iPad Air 2.

The Pro is due to ship sometime in November. A $799 model will include just 32 gigabytes of storage, but higher-end options will have 128 gigabytes.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 45
    its interesting that they kept comparing it to a desktop. perhaps this is a foreshadowing of the switch to arm across the entire line of macs ;)
  • Reply 2 of 45
    chadbagchadbag Posts: 1,999member
    Didn't Apple buy one or more companies that deal with this sort of storage controller technology, a few years ago? Maybe based in Israel? I am betting a custom part.
  • Reply 3 of 45
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by chadbag View Post



    Didn't Apple buy one or more companies that deal with this sort of storage controller technology, a few years ago? Maybe based in Israel? I am betting a custom part.

     

    Yes they did. Anobit.

  • Reply 4 of 45
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    4GB RAM in iOS = 8GB RAM in MacOS.
  • Reply 5 of 45
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mrfish View Post



    its interesting that they kept comparing it to a desktop. perhaps this is a foreshadowing of the switch to arm across the entire line of macs image



    I (still) don't see Apple switching to ARM for their Macintosh line. The main reason being Windows compatibility that helps them sell more Macs into the Enterprise. It's really not a question of could, but a question of should...

  • Reply 6 of 45
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by fallenjt View Post



    4GB RAM in iOS = 8GB RAM in MacOS.



    There's a germ of truth to that statement, because you don't have a slew of background tasks and applications using up system memory. iOS uses memory to cache applications and data in RAM but is quick to eject things as needed by the current application. That said, as iOS moves more and more to the desktop model, you'll find that changing. If things continue down the iPad Pro line, eventually you'll find little difference in memory usage.

  • Reply 7 of 45
    appexappex Posts: 687member
    Apple should make a Mac tablet. iOS is a jailed limited toy.
  • Reply 8 of 45
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppeX View Post



    Apple should make a Mac tablet. iOS is a jailed limited toy.



    Oh ffs. :rolleyes:

  • Reply 9 of 45
    It's pretty clear that Apple is never going to make a Mac tablet. They're clearly aimed at adding features to iOS until it would add nothing to use OS X instead.
  • Reply 10 of 45
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppeX View Post



    Apple should make a Mac tablet. iOS is a jailed limited toy.



    Will people ever tire of reiterating the 'jailed' and 'walled off' tripe?

  • Reply 11 of 45
    Does the iPad Pro still interact with the Mac mainly via ***AY TOONS***, that ongoing disaster of a program which makes Microsoft Word look lean, mean and functional?
  • Reply 12 of 45

    Honestly was not expecting this many features packed into the ipad pro. I bought the ipad air 2 a couple months ago and will be giving it to my mom and getting the ipad pro for myself :)

  • Reply 13 of 45
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mrfish View Post

    its interesting that they kept comparing it to a desktop...

    Not the entire desktop...just the surface.

  • Reply 14 of 45
    auxioauxio Posts: 2,717member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ralphbu View Post



    Does the iPad Pro still interact with the Mac mainly via ***AY TOONS***, that ongoing disaster of a program which makes Microsoft Word look lean, mean and functional?



    Given that you can install updates over-the-air, sync calendar/contacts/photos/music/playlists/documents through iCloud, and get apps/music/movies/TV shows through the online store, there's not really much you need iTunes for anymore.  The only thing I use it for is local backups to avoid having to pay extra for iCloud storage.  But now that you can get 50GB for $1/month, I'll probably start using iCloud backups too.

  • Reply 15 of 45
    @karmadave
    well they could have windows emulators like they did in the days of motorola. not as elegant but workable.
    @boredumb
    they also made mention that cpu was as fast as 80% of laptops in current production and that graphics are as fast as 90% of laptops in current production.
    weak clues i know but I would not put anything past apple. who really thought they would switch to intel?!
  • Reply 16 of 45
    3 4k video streams? That's some going!

    This A9X is a beast of a cpu/gpu. What an enormous leap in power! At this rate of improvement things are going to get real interesting. A10? A11? The mind boggles.

    Faster than 80% of PCs shipped last year? That's some stat. And one worth repeating inside one's mind. Apple clearly meant for that stat to resonate.

    It foreshadows an intriguing future for iOS, iOS devices and ARM.

    I so want an iPad Pro...WITH 'Pencil.'

    Lemon Bon Bon.
  • Reply 17 of 45
    Quote:


     they also made mention that cpu was as fast as 80% of laptops in current production and that graphics are as fast as 90% of laptops in current production.


     

    That's the one.  An ominous stat for the opposition.  On current performance trajectory, the A chip line looks like a juggernaut coming down the track...

     

    Lemon Bon Bon.

  • Reply 18 of 45

    Ultra fast storage for big files.  'Pro.'  They weren't kidding.

     

    Lemon Bon Bon.

  • Reply 19 of 45
    cnocbuicnocbui Posts: 3,613member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Lemon Bon Bon. View Post

     

     

    That's the one.  An ominous stat for the opposition.  On current performance trajectory, the A chip line looks like a juggernaut coming down the track...

     

    Lemon Bon Bon.




    This claim must be based on 80% of laptops having very low spec Intel and AMD processors like Celerons and Pentiums.  I was recently shopping for a laptop for my daughter and was astonished that a laptop with even an i3 processor seemed like a high end speed demon compared to the majority of what was on offer.

     

    Samsung put a new fast memory controller and DDR4 memory in their S6 phones which is why they didn't include a memory expansion option as it would have negated the performance advantage of the new memory architecture.

     

    It will be interesting to see Anandtech benchmark the iPad Pro so we can see just which laptop CPUs the A9X has surpassed.

  • Reply 20 of 45
    tyler82tyler82 Posts: 1,100member
    Seeing 3D Touch on the new iPhone and knowing that the new iPad doesn't have it makes the iPad look incredibly outdated, and it's not even in stores yet.
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