The iPad is a device that fills the gap between a Mac (MacBook Pro / iMac / Mac Pro) and an iPhone. While almost identical to the iPhone in terms of specifications the iPad's large screen and Apple Pencil support opens the window to a great many possibilities including multi tasking, productivity, photo/video editing and drawing with the help of the Apple Pencil.

I have been in Android Land for all my life. I bought my first Apple product, a iMac 2019 with a Core i9 configuration from Abans Apple Store. I am thinking of getting an iPad and an iPhone within the next few months. Here is where my research got me about buying an iPad in Sri Lanka.

Options

Apple iPads come with various configurations. The iPad 7th Generation is the latest in the budget lineup. The Apple iPad Air 3 is the latest in kind of the mid-tier. Then there is the iPad Pro lineup that packs some serious punch if you don't mind the price.

Minimum Configuration

I personally don't like the WiFi only version. The reason is, the iPad is a device that gives you mobility which a MacBook Pro / laptop wouldn't. WiFi iPad is not that different for me than an obtaining internet through an Ethernet cable. Also since it doesn't sell much in Sri Lanka, many stores don't have them on stock. So lets not talk about it.

Then there is the storage option. The iPad comes with the 32GB base configuration. 32GB in my opinion is very limiting. Especially when you install the operating system, add some photos, music, videos and games you will quickly run out of space. Making things worst there is no SD card support. The iPad Air 3 and the iPad Pro both start at 64GB. That is too quite low, but manageable. Ideally you would have a 128GB internal storage with the ability to easily plug in a USB SSD which only the latest iPad Pro can without using any dongles.

The screen size should be around 10" or 11" for portability sake. Who wants a tablet in the table?

Whats available in the market?

Lahiru Maduranga, a sales executive from Abans Apple Store should receive the thanks for the following. Its through him that I got my iMac 2019 and the -mail thread is huge. Thanks for the patience men.

• The iPad Air 3 - 64GB Cellular - Rs. 133,000 /= @Abans
• The iPad Pro 11 - 64GB Cellular - Rs. 198,000/= @Abans
• The iPad 7 - 128 GB Cellular - 117,000/= @Abans which is out of stock as per today
• Apple Pencil 1 - LKR 22,000/=
• Apple Pencil 2 - LKR 28,000/=

The iPad 7th Generation at Abans, I am not sure if the price is for WiFi only or Cellular. I believe it is for Cellular. But the price will change with the new stock.

FutureWorld in a phone call told me...

• No iPad Air 3
• The iPad 7 128GB - 120,000/=

I forgot to ask for the iPad Pro. Will update it a little while later

I also noticed smaller, less popular stores in Ikman. They are namely Unique Store / A-Tech next at Liberty Plaza and LuxuryX. The A-Tech store next to Majestic City. You might find low prices for even iPad Pros. But if you check the specifications they are either used or older models. The current generation iPad Pro are uses a A12X processor with 4GB of RAM. Many of the advertised are older generation A10X processors.

The lowest I'd got for the Apple Pencil 1 is around LKR 19,000/= in stores other than Abans.

Comparison

Out of the box it seems the iPad 7 is the best option. It can do quite a lot of what the iPad Pro can do today. How ever lets do some price comparisons including the Apple Pencil which I think is a must own.

• iPad 7th Gen ~ LKR 140,000
• iPad Air - LKR 155,000 (about 10% more for 64GB less)
• iPad Pro ~ 225k (about 60% more for for 64GB less - but with USB C (3rd generation) port

The difference between the iPad 7 and the iPad Air 3 are marginal. For 10% more you can get a processor almost 50% faster and energy efficient. You can use an USB-C SSD with the Apple Lightning to USB3 connector that will come around LKR 10,000. But its a hassle to carry dongles. That is why I love USB-C.For about 165,000/= you can have a decent setup.

The iPad Air 3 and the iPad Pro offers a laminated screen. This is a plus and a minus. The plus would be that you almost don't feel the gap between the screen surface and the display. This comes really handy when you are in to precision drawing as when there is a gap it can be hard to pin point where to place the pencil. The downside is, if you crack the glass, you are replacing the entire screen assembly as its laminated with the glass.

Also the iPad Air 3 and iPad Pro comes with True Tone screens. This technology adjusts the screen brightness and white point based on ambient light so that the colors will show as true as possible to real life. This is important if you are drawing. You don't want your colors to look cooler or warmer than natural after a couple hours drawing session.

The iPad Pro comes with a A12X processor and 4GB of RAM where as the other 2 comes with A10 and A12 processors. Both the A12 and A12X processors are very new. The A10 is the processor that came with the iPhone 7 and is quite old at launch. How ever it is expected that Apple will support this processor for another 2 years at least with iOS updates. The iPad pro also come with a n extra GB of RAM. While iOS is very efficient w.r.t. memory this can come really handy if you are using an app like Procreate which will give you almost twice the number of layers as the iPad 7.

Conclusion

Are you having a very tight budget? The Apple iPad 7th Gen is for you. But make sure to get the 128GB version or you are going to regret being alive. If you can afford 10% more, you should seriously consider the iPad Air 3 with the newer A12 processor. Its more powerful and will receive support for longer. If you can easily afford the 7th Gen iPad 10.2 and still have some extra LKR 5000.00 notes (or a fat CC) hanging around then the iPad Pro 11in is for you.

If you are considering to buy the iPad Pro 11in, be warned, Apple might imminently update it with a newer 4th Gen iPad Pro with a A13X processor and possibly starting with 128GB storage for the base model. It is expected to be announced in end of March and be available some where in April (but might take a month or two to come to SL).

If you made up your mind to go for an iPad Pro 11" and you use it as a laptop replacement, extensive video and photo editing, drawing and spending many hours a day just doing and portability isn't a concern then I would recommend the iPad Pro 12.9... If you ask any one, that extra 2" matters and it is not that expensive than the iPad Pro 11 inch version. How ever it will be uncomfortable to hold it on air and would have to rest it in a desk.

What should I do? I don't know... Part of me wants to wait for the iPad Pro 4th Gen. Part of me wants to settle for the iPad Air 3 and then sell it and upgrade to the iPad Pro 4th gen when it becomes available as its at least 4 months away from coming to Sri Lanka through Abans. Then rational part of me says, "You idiot, the 3rd Generation iPad Pro 11 would do you enough for many years to come, you are an App Developer who will occasionally draw a logo using Procreate that might only take 2 or 3 layers and can use an external SSD".