Apple has four different iPad lines: the iPad, the iPad Mini, the iPad Air, and the iPad Pro. They range from in 7.9-inch to 12.9-inch screen sizes and have a variety of resolutions, so figuring out the actual screen resolution of your iPad depends on the model.

All iPads have multi-touch IPS displays with a 4:3 aspect ratio. While the 16:9 aspect ratio is considered best for watching high definition video, the 4:3 aspect ratio is considered better for browsing the web and using apps. Later models of the iPad also include an anti-reflective coating that makes viewing easier in sunlight. The latest iPad Pro models have a “True Tone” display with a wider gamut of colors than what’s available on other iPads.

iPads With 1024x768 Resolution

  • iPad 1 (2010)iPad 2 (2011)iPad Mini 1 (2012)

The iPad’s original resolution lasted until the iPad 3 debuted with the Retina Display in 2012.

The 1024x768 resolution was also used with the original iPad Mini. The iPad 2 and the iPad Mini were the two best-selling iPad models, which makes this resolution still one of the most popular configurations.. All modern iPads have gone to the Retina Display at various resolutions based on their screen size. 

iPads With 2048x1536 Resolution

  • iPad 3 (2012)iPad 4 (2012)iPad 5 (2017)iPad Air (2013)iPad Air 2 (2014)iPad Mini 2 (2013)iPad Mini 3 (2014)iPad Mini 4 (2015)iPad Pro 9.7-inch (2016)

Both the 9.7-inch iPad models and the 7.9-inch iPad models share the same 2048x1536 Retina Display resolution. This gives the iPad Mini 2, iPad Mini 3, and iPad Mini 4 a pixels-per-inch (PPI) of 326 compared to the 264 PPI in the 9.7-inch models. Even the higher resolution 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad models work out to 264 PPI, which means the iPad Mini models with a Retina Display have the highest pixel concentration of any iPad.

iPads With 2160x1620 Resolution

  • iPad 7 (2019)iPad 8 (2020)iPad 9 (2021)

Every iPad since the seventh-generation has had an LED-backlit Multi-Touch display, which is larger than previous models. It supports the full size Smart Keyboard accessory, mice and trackpads, and the Apple Pencil.

iPads With 2224x1668 Resolution

  • iPad Air 3 (2019)iPad Pro 10.5-inch (2017)

These models have a casing that’s just a little bit bigger than an iPad Air or iPad Air 2, with a smaller bezel that allows it to fit a 10.5-inch display on the slightly larger iPad. This not only means the screen takes up more of the iPad, but it also allows a full-size keyboard to fit on the display. This layout helps users with the transition from typing on a physical keyboard to an on-screen keyboard.

iPads with 2360x1640 Resolution

  • iPad Air 4 (2020)iPad Air 5 (2022)

The iPad Air was once the “entry-level” tablet, but this line has overtaken the base iPad for features. These models have 10.9-inch screens, making them closer to an iPad Pro than the original version. 2022’s iPad Air 5 is also the first Air model to run on Apple’s M1 chip.

iPads With 2388x1668 Resolution

  • iPad Pro 11-inch (2018)iPad Pro 11-inch – 2nd generation (2020)iPad Pro 11-inch – 3rd generation (2021)

This model has a True Tone Liquid Retina display, enhanced augmented reality (AR) functionality. Its A12Z Bionic chip allows for 4K video editing, 3D design, and AR.

iPads With 2732x2048 Resolution

  • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2015)iPad Pro 12.9-inch – 2nd generation (2017)iPad Pro 12.9-inch – 3rd generation (2018)iPad Pro 12.9-inch – 4th generation (2020)iPad Pro 12.9-inch – 5th generation (2021)

The biggest iPad operates at the same screen resolution with a 264 PPI that matches the iPad Air models, but the newer versions supports the wide color gamut and has the same True Tone display properties as the 10.5-inch and 9.7-inch iPad Pro models.

What Is a Retina Display?

Apple invented the term Retina Display with the release of the iPhone 4, which bumped the screen resolution of the iPhone up to 960x640. A Retina Display, as defined by Apple, is a display in which the individual pixels are packed in with such density they can no longer be distinguished by the human eye when the device is held at normal viewing distance. “Held at normal viewing distance” is a key component of that statement. The normal viewing distance of the iPhone is considered to be around 10 inches, while the normal viewing distance of the iPad is considered by Apple to be around 15 inches, which allows a slightly lower PPI to still register as a Retina Display.

How Does a Retina Display Compare to a 4K Display?

The idea behind the Retina Display is to create a screen resolution that offers a display that’s as clear as possible to the human eye. This means packing more pixels into it would make little difference. A 9.7-inch tablet with a 4K 3840x2160 resolution would have 454 PPI, but the only way you could tell the difference between it and the resolution of an iPad Air is by holding the tablet right at your nose to get the closest view possible. The real difference would be in battery power, as the higher resolution would require faster graphics that suck down more power. 

What Is a True Tone Display?

The True Tone Display on the newest iPad Pro models supports a process of altering the whiteness of the screen based on the ambient light. While most screens keep the same shade of white regardless of ambient light, this is not true of real objects in the real world. A sheet of paper, for example, may look whiter with a little bit of shade and slightly more yellow when directly under the sun. The True Tone display mimics this effect by detecting ambient light and shading the white coloring on the display.

The True Tone display on the iPad Pro is capable of a wide color gamut that matches the wider range of colors captured by some of the best cameras.

What Is an IPS Display?

In-plane switching (IPS) gives the iPad a larger viewing angle. Some laptops have a reduced viewing angle—the screen becomes difficult to see when you stand to the side of the laptop. The IPS display means more people can crowd around the iPad and still have a clear look at the screen. IPS displays are popular among tablets and increasingly popular in televisions. 

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