iPad Pro 12.9" 3rd Gen 2018 vs iPad Pro 12.9" 5th Gen 2021

Swappasaurus says...
Apple released the iPad Pro 12.9” (2018) in November 2018 and released the iPad Pro 12.9” (2021) in May 2021. The iPad Pro 12.9” (2018) serves as the 3rd generation model and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2021) serves as the 5th generation model in the 12.9” iPad Pro lineup.
Price Comparison
iPad Pro 12.9" 3rd Gen 2018
iPad Pro 12.9" 5th Gen 2021
iPad Pro 12.9" 3rd Gen 2018 vs iPad Pro 12.9" 5th Gen 2021 Pricing
Specs Comparison
The iPad Pro 12.9” (2018) features a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina display and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2021) features a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display. Both displays support a native resolution of 2732 x 2048 and feature True Tone and ProMotion technology. The iPad Pro 12.9” (2018) feature set includes an Apple A12X chip, up to 1TB of storage space, five microphones, WiFi 802.11ac, a 12MP wide-angle rear camera, and a 7MP TrueDepth front camera. The iPad Pro 12.9” (2021) feature set includes an Apple M1 chip, up to 2TB of storage space, five studio-quality microphones, WiFi 6 (802.11ax), a dual rear camera array with a 12MP wide-angle and a 10MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 12MP TrueDepth ultra-wide-angle front camera with Center Stage. A few common specs include four-speaker audio, Bluetooth 5.0, and Face ID for device security. Both models feature a USB-C connector for charging, but the iPad Pro 12.9” (2021) port also supports Thunderbolt / USB 4. Both models are also available in a WiF + Cellular configuration, but the 2018 model supports 4G LTE and the 2021 model supports 5G.
Size | iPad Pro 12.9" 3rd Gen 2018 | iPad Pro 12.9" 5th Gen 2021 |
---|---|---|
Width | 215 mm 8.5 inches | 215 mm 8.5 inches |
Height | 281 mm 11.1 inches | 281 mm 11.1 inches |
Depth | 8 mm 0.3 inches | 6 mm 0.3 inches |
Weight | 631 g 22.3 ounces | 682 g 24.1 ounces |
The iPad Pro 12.9” (2018) measures 11.04” (H) x 8.46” (W) x 0.23” (D) and the WiFi-only model weighs 1.39 pounds. The WiFi + Cellular iPad Pro 12.9” (2018) weighs 1.40 pounds. In comparison, the iPad Pro 12.9” (2021) measures 11.04” (H) x 8.46” (W) x 0.22” (D). The WiFi-only iPad Pro 12.9” (2021) weighs 1.50 pounds and the WiFi + Cellular model weighs 1.51 pounds. The iPad Pro 12.9” (2018) and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2021) feature a 12.9-inch display size.
Camera | iPad Pro 12.9" 3rd Gen 2018 | iPad Pro 12.9" 5th Gen 2021 |
---|---|---|
Primary | 12.0 MP | 12.0 MP |
Resolution | 4000x3000 | 4000x3000 |
The iPad Pro 12.9” (2018) features a 7MP TrueDepth front-facing camera and a 12MP wide-angle rear-facing camera. The iPad Pro 12.9” (2021) features an ultra-wide-angle 12MP TrueDepth front-facing camera and has a dual rear-facing camera array with a 12MP wide-angle and a 10MP ultra-wide angle lens.
Display | iPad Pro 12.9" 3rd Gen 2018 | iPad Pro 12.9" 5th Gen 2021 |
---|---|---|
Resolution | 2048x2732 | 2048x2732 |
Screen Size | 328 mm 12.9 in | 328 mm 12.9 in |
Pixels Per Inch | 265 ppi | 265 ppi |
The iPad Pro 12.9” (2018) features a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina display and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2021) features a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display. Aside from the Liquid Retina to Liquid Retina XDR difference, these two displays share many of the same specs, including a resolution of 2732 x 2048 at 264 pixels per inch, wide color (P3), True Tone, and ProMotion technology. These displays are fully laminated and have a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating and an anti-reflective coating. Otherwise, the iPad Pro 12.9” (2018) display supports an SDR max brightness of 600 nits, and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2021) supports an SDR max brightness of 600 nits, an XDR max brightness of 1000 nits, and an HDR max brightness of 1600 nits.
Battery | iPad Pro 12.9" 3rd Gen 2018 | iPad Pro 12.9" 5th Gen 2021 |
---|---|---|
Capacity | 9660 mAh | 10702 mAh |
Longevity | 10 hours | 10 hours |
USB | USB-C | USB-C |
The iPad Pro 12.9” (2018) is equipped with a 36.71-watt-hour battery and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2021) is equipped with a 40.88-watt-hour battery. These iPads charge via USB-C and both can provide up to 10 hours of battery life when using WiFi or up to 9 hours of battery life when using cellular.
Color Choices
iPad Pro 12.9" 3rd Gen 2018
Available in 2 colors:
-
Gray
-
Silver
iPad Pro 12.9" 5th Gen 2021
Available in 2 colors:
-
Gray
-
Silver
Which color iPad Pro 12.9" 5th Gen 2021 is the most popular?
iPad Pro 12.9" 3rd Gen 2018 vs iPad Pro 12.9" 5th Gen 2021 Colors

The iPad Pro 12.9” (2018) and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2021) are both available in the same two colors: Space Gray or Silver.
Storage Options
iPad Pro 12.9" 3rd Gen 2018
Choose from 4 storage options:
-
64GB
-
256GB
-
512GB
-
1TB
iPad Pro 12.9" 5th Gen 2021
Choose from 5 storage options:
-
128GB
-
256GB
-
512GB
-
1TB
-
2TB
Which storage iPad Pro 12.9" 5th Gen 2021 is the most popular?
iPad Pro 12.9" 3rd Gen 2018 vs iPad Pro 12.9" 5th Gen 2021 Storage

The iPad Pro 12.9” (2018) and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2021) are available with options to get 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage space. The iPad Pro 12.9” (2018) is also available in a 64GB storage configuration and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2021) is also available in 128GB and 2TB storage configurations.
Reviews
iPad Pro 12.9" 3rd Gen 2018 vs iPad Pro 12.9" 5th Gen 2021 Reviews
More Comparisons
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