iPad Pro 12.9" 2nd Gen 2017 vs iPad Pro 12.9" 4th Gen 2020

Swappasaurus says...
Apple released the iPad Pro 12.9” (2017) in June 2017 and released the iPad Pro 12.9” (2020) in March 2020. The 12.9” iPad Pro (2017) is the 2nd generation model and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2020) is the 4th generation model in the 12.9” iPad Pro lineup.
Price Comparison
iPad Pro 12.9" 2nd Gen 2017
iPad Pro 12.9" 4th Gen 2020
iPad Pro 12.9" 2nd Gen 2017 vs iPad Pro 12.9" 4th Gen 2020 Pricing
Specs Comparison
The iPad Pro 12.9” (2017) features a 12.9-inch Retina display and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2020) features a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina display. The 2017 model is the 2nd generation and the 2020 model is the 4th generation, and in addition to sharing a display size, both of these displays support True Tone and ProMotion. The iPad Pro 12.9” (2017) features set includes an Apple A10X Fusion chip, up to 512GB of storage, a Lightning connector, Touch ID in the home button, two microphones, WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, a 7MP FaceTime HD front camera, and a 12MP wide-angle rear camera. The accessory support for the 2017 iPad Pro 12.9” includes the Apple Smart Keyboard and the 1st generation Apple Pencil. In comparison, the iPad Pro 12.9” (2020) key specs include an Apple A12Z Bionic chip with Neural Engine, up to 1TB of storage, USB-C, Face ID, five studio-quality microphones, WiFi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0, a 7MP TrueDepth front camera system, and a dual rear camera system with a 12MP wide-angle lens and a 10MP ultra-wide-angle lens. The accessory support for the 2020 iPad Pro 12.9” includes the Apple Magic Keyboard, Apple Smart Keyboard Folio, and the 2nd generation Apple Pencil. Both of these iPads feature four-speaker audio, and the cellular-equipped models support 4G LTE connectivity.
Size | iPad Pro 12.9" 2nd Gen 2017 | iPad Pro 12.9" 4th Gen 2020 |
---|---|---|
Width | 221 mm 8.7 inches | 215 mm 8.5 inches |
Height | 306 mm 12.0 inches | 281 mm 11.1 inches |
Depth | 7 mm 0.3 inches | 8 mm 0.3 inches |
Weight | 692 g 24.4 ounces | 641 g 22.6 ounces |
The iPad Pro 12.9” (2017) and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2020) feature a 12.9-inch display size. The iPad Pro 12.9” (2017) measures 12” (H) x 8.68” (W) x 0.27” (D), and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2020) measures 11.04” (H) x 8.46” (W) x 0.23” (D). The WiFi-only 2017 model weighs 1.49 pounds and the WiFi + Cellular model weighs 1.53 pounds. The WiFi-only 2020 model weighs 1.41 pounds and the WiFi + Cellular model weighs 1.42 pounds.
Camera | iPad Pro 12.9" 2nd Gen 2017 | iPad Pro 12.9" 4th Gen 2020 |
---|---|---|
Primary | 12.0 MP | 12.0 MP |
Resolution | 4000x3000 | 4000x3000 |
The iPad Pro 12.9” (2017) features a 7MP FaceTime HD front camera and a 12MP wide-angle rear camera. In comparison, the iPad Pro 12.9” (2020) features 7MP TrueDepth front camera and a dual rear camera setup with a 12MP wide-angle and a 10MP ultra-wide-angle lens.
Display | iPad Pro 12.9" 2nd Gen 2017 | iPad Pro 12.9" 4th Gen 2020 |
---|---|---|
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” (2017) features a Retina display, and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2020) features a Liquid Retina display. Aside from the Retina and Liquid Retina difference, these two displays share many of the same features. They both support a native resolution of 2732 x 2048 at 264 pixels per inch and feature wide color (P3), an SDR max brightness of 600 nits, True Tone, and ProMotion technology. Both displays are also fully laminated and have an anti-reflective coating and a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating.
Battery | iPad Pro 12.9" 2nd Gen 2017 | iPad Pro 12.9" 4th Gen 2020 |
---|---|---|
Capacity | 10870 mAh | 9660 mAh |
Longevity | 10 hours | 10 hours |
USB | Lightning | USB-C |
The iPad Pro 12.9” (2017) is powered by a 41-watt-hour battery and charges via the Lightning connector, and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2020) is powered by a 36.71-watt-hour battery and charges via USB-C. The battery capacities of the iPad Pro 12.9” (2017) and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2020) allow for up to 10 hours of battery life when on WiFi or up to 9 hours of battery life when on cellular.
Color Choices
iPad Pro 12.9" 2nd Gen 2017
Available in 3 colors:
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Gold
-
Gray
-
Silver
iPad Pro 12.9" 4th Gen 2020
Available in 2 colors:
-
Gray
-
Silver
Which color iPad Pro 12.9" 4th Gen 2020 is the most popular?
iPad Pro 12.9" 2nd Gen 2017 vs iPad Pro 12.9" 4th Gen 2020 Colors

The iPad Pro 12.9” (2017) is available in Space Gray, Silver, and Gold. The Space Gray model features a black bezel on the front and the Silver and Gold models feature a white bezel on the front. The iPad Pro 12.9” (2020) is available in Space Gray and Silver. Both color options for the iPad Pro 12.9” (2020) feature a black bezel on the front.
Storage Options
iPad Pro 12.9" 2nd Gen 2017
Choose from 5 storage options:
-
32GB
-
64GB
-
128GB
-
256GB
-
512GB
iPad Pro 12.9" 4th Gen 2020
Choose from 4 storage options:
-
128GB
-
256GB
-
512GB
-
1TB
Which storage iPad Pro 12.9" 4th Gen 2020 is the most popular?
iPad Pro 12.9" 2nd Gen 2017 vs iPad Pro 12.9" 4th Gen 2020 Storage

The iPad Pro 12.9” (2017) is available in three storage configurations and the iPad Pro 12.9” (2020) is available in four storage configurations. The storage options for the iPad Pro 12.9” (2017) are 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB, and the storage options for the iPad Pro 12.9” (2020) are 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.
Reviews
iPad Pro 12.9" 2nd Gen 2017 vs iPad Pro 12.9" 4th Gen 2020 Reviews
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