Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The standard iPad finally goes Pro, with full keyboard and Pencil support

Let the pre-orders begin! Apple's 9.7-inch iPad Pro is at Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T

If you thought that the iPad Pro was just too big for your needs, look again. The Cupertino-based company now has a smaller iPad Pro, and you can pre-order it now.

The downsized iPad Pro comes with the same 9.7-inch, 2,048 x 1,536 pixel screen found on the iPad Air 2. However, according to Apple, its screen is 40 percent less reflective and much brighter than the one found on its predecessor, which is good news for those who like to use their tablets outside. Because of this, Apple claims the new iPad Pro has the lowest reflectivity out of any tablet currently available.

The tablet also has a “True Tone Display.” In short, this means that the new iPad Pro’s display will measure the color temperature of ambient light and adjust itself to match. This, combined with the new Night Mode featured in iOS 9.3, should make the new iPad Pro a good tablet to use when there isn’t much light available.

Moving on to internals, the new iPad Pro has the same A9X processor and four-speaker system found in its larger sibling. It’s supposedly twice as loud as an iPad Air 2. If you like to take photos with your tablet, the new iPad Pro packs an identical camera system as found on the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. It has a 12-megapixel camera, with support for 4K video recording, Focus Pixels, dual-tone flash, and a lot more; it’s a nice step-up from the camera system found on the iPad Air 2.

Apple will also sell a smaller version of the Smart Keyboard, with the down-sized iPad Pro also supporting the Apple Pencil. Other accessories include a Lightning-powered SD card reader and a USB camera adapter.

How to get one

The new iPad Pro will be available in space grey, gold, and silver, with rose gold thrown in as a new color option. Prices start at $600 for the 32GB version, with Apple offering a 128GB version for $750 and the top-of-the-line 256GB configuration, a first for any iOS device, for $900. If you want LTE included for good measure, those options are about $130 more at each price level. Pre-orders began Thursday, March 24, with widespread availability in stores on March 31.

Here are pre-order options from carriers. At T-Mobile, you can get the 32GB iPad Pro for $0 down and $30.42 a month for 24 months, the 128GB one for $160 down and $30 a month for 24 months, or the 256GB model for $310 down and $30 a month for 24 months. You can get it on T-Mobile’s website here.

At AT&T, it’ll cost you $0 down and $36.50 a month for 20 months for the 32GB model, $44 a month for 20 months for the 128GB model,or $51.50 a month for 20 months for the 256GB model. You can get it on AT&T’s website.

Verizon offers the 32GB model for $30.41 a month for 24 months, the 128GB model for $36.66 a month for 24 months, or the 256GB model for $42.91 a month for 24 months. You can get it on Verizon’s website.

Finally, Sprint sells the 32GB iPad Pro for $0 and $32.42 a month for 24 months, the 128GB model for $100 down and $32.50 a month for 24 months, and the 256GB model for $200 down and $34.59 a month for 24 months. You can get it on Sprint’s website.

Updates: 

Updated on 03-24-2016 by Malarie Gokey: Added pre-order info and pricing at the four carriers.

Editors' Recommendations

Williams Pelegrin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…
Have an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch? You need to update it right now
iPhone 14 Pro Max against a red background.

If you own an Apple product — be in the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or a Mac — you should update it immediately. Why? Apple has begun rolling out updates to all of its devices with fixes for a serious security vulnerability.

The security vulnerability is known as CVE-2023-32434, and it has to do with the kernel privileges of Apple devices. Per Apple's website, the vulnerability allows third-party apps to "execute arbitrary code." In other words, if a bad actor knows how to exploit this vulnerability, they could potentially gain access to your Apple device and wreck havoc.

Read more
iPadOS 17 has a hidden surprise for fans of the original iPad
The original iPad wallpaper in iPadOS 17.

There were a lot of exciting announcements yesterday at WWDC 2023, Apple's yearly developer conference, especially with things coming to iPadOS 17. But one small Easter egg seems to have made its way in with the software update for longtime Apple fans.

Fans of the original iPad will remember the wallpaper that Apple's first tablet had by default that was used in all of the promotional ads and marketing. Now, with iPadOS 17, it seems to be making a comeback.

Read more
Here’s how iPadOS 17 is taking your iPad to the next level
Someone holding the 12.9-inch version of the iPad Pro (2022).

At its annual WWDC 2023 conference, Apple introduced the latest iteration of its tablet operating system.

Say hello to iPadOS 17, which is going to be out in the fall with some notable features updates in tow. For starters, a handful of iOS 17 tricks are also making their way to iPadOS 17.
The Health app comes to iPad

Read more