Quick comparison: iPad Pro 9.7-inch versus Android's best

Apple today took the wraps off its 9.7-inch iPad Pro, beefing up the mid-sized version of its tablet. As expected, it's got more power under the hood than the previous iPad Air 2, along with support for the Apple Pencil stylus — in essence, shrinking the features of the old iPad Pro down to a more manageable form factor.

The Android tablet space is in a bit of a weird place right now, as we wait for the arrival of Android N and the new multitasking features that'll bring slates like the Pixel C into their own. Nevertheless, it's worth seeing just how Apple's latest iPad compares to Android's best, so that's exactly what we've prepared for you down below.

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CategoryHTC Nexus 9Google Pixel CGalaxy Tab S2 9.7iPad Pro 9.7-inch
Operating SystemAndroid 6.0.1Android 6.0.1Android 5.1.1iOS 9.3
Display8.9-inch (2048x1536)10.2-inch (2560x1800)9.7-inch (2048x1536)9.7-inch (2048x1536)
ProcessorNVIDIA Tegra K1NVIDIA Tegra X1Samsung Exynos 7 OctaApple A9X
Storage16/32GB32/64GB32/64GB + microSD32/128/256 GB
RAM2GB3GB3GB4GB
Rear Camera8MP8MP8MP12MP
Front Camera1.6MP2MP2.1MP5MP
ConnectivityWi-Fi 802.11ac
Bluetooth v4.1 LE, USB 2.0, NFC
Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v4.2 LE, USB-CWi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v4.2 LE, NFCWi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth, Lightning port
ChargingmicroUSBUSB-C
Rapid charging
microUSBLightning port
Battery6700 mAh9243 mAh5870 mAh27.5‐watt‐hour
SecurityLock screen codeLock screen codeFingerprint scannerTouchID
Dimensions226 x 153.67 x 7.8 inches242 x 179 x 7 mm237.3 x 169 x 5.6 mm240 x 169.5 x 6.1 mm
Weight425g (Wifi) / 436g (LTE)517g389g (Wifi) / 392g (LTE)437 grams (Wifi) / 444 grams (LTE)
Starting price$299$349$295$599
Alex Dobie
Executive Editor

Alex was with Android Central for over a decade, producing written and video content for the site, and served as global Executive Editor from 2016 to 2022.