If you’re trying to decide between these two Apple slates, they primarily differ on performance and supported accessories. MORE: Our Favorite Tablets for Work and Play The biggest reason to pick the Pro over the Air is if you intend to use it for creativity apps that require a stylus to draw. Apple’s Pencil accessory only works with its Pro tablets, and is the best stylus for the slate. The Pro is also the only one to support Apple’s Smart Keyboard, but there are plenty of well-regarded keyboard cases for the Air 2, so that’s no deal-breaker. If you find yourself using demanding apps, the iPad Pro’s A9X and M9 will likely be right for you, as it scored a 5,151 on the Geekbench 3 general performance test, which beats the Air 2 (4,547). That difference isn’t huge, so those who use the iPad primarily for browsing and email will probably be satisfied by the less expensive Air 2. Lastly, that extra $200 gets you more battery life, but probably not enough to make it worth the increase on its own. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro’s time of 10 hours and 53 minutes on the Laptop Mag Battery Test is great, but the Air 2 (9:20) isn’t shabby either.
iPad Pro Tips and Tricks
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Multitask on the iPad ProEvery iPad Pro Keyboard Shortcut You’ll Ever NeedUse the iOS Keyboard as a TouchpadDisplay Two Safari Tabs Simultaneously on the iPad ProHow to Use the Apple Pencil with iPad Pro’s Notes AppEdit Multiple Streams of 4K Video on the iPad ProUse Your iPad Pro as a Secondary DisplayCheck the Apple Pencil’s Battery LifeUse Your iPhone as a Hotspot for the iPad Pro
