One is Pro, the other one isn't.

Do you need a better screen with the stylus? If yes, iPad Pro, else iPad.

I mean, this is kind of ridiculous. All beers, wines, sodas come from bottles that are exactly the same size, how do you know if you like Budweiser or Heineken.

I actually find that it's really hard to pick a beer when I'm confronted with all the options: it would be a lot easier if a store just carried a lager and IPA and a stout (provided that the said beers were actually good)

I think that's an instructive example of how different vendors cater to different markets.

A good restaurant or non beer-focused bar might have a curated selection of one or two examples of each style. Their customers just want something good to pair with their food.

But go to a good bottle shop or beer bar and you'll find sub-styles within sub-styles. Want an IPA? Will that be West Coast or New England? Double or single? Fruit adjuncts? OK, Which fruits? Beer geeks will seek out places with these choices.

Pubs are like that (they might carry 3-4 beers), but lots of times I drink stuff I don't like because I don't like any of the particular brands.

Choice is good, sometimes. :-)

Unfair comparison - beverages don't cost hundreds of dollars each, you can buy one of each and try them out to find your favorite(s).

I understand you. There was a time where there was one lineup for each need, and you knew what matched your situation. "Apple, give me a tablet", you pay 1 grand, you get the most awesome tablet. Now it's like in sport shops: "I need a sleeping bag to sleep outside" gets you a response like "What kind of 'sleep outside' do you mean?"...

The important difference is that “pro” supports the stylus, while “non-pro” does not.

Is that really the biggest difference? Sure, a stylus might be important, but they could just make all models work with the stylus.

There are several differences, which any given person might find more appealing.

Pro offers:

- Better processing power

- Better sound (more speakers)

- Better resolution cameras (about +4MP on both)

- Thinner (1.4 mm)

- Lighter (.04 lbs)

- Higher storage capacity

- Pencil & Keyboard (the ipad smart KB, bluetooth should work on both) support

And possibly the non-pro does not have P3 wide color gamut support?

If I was buying one for a family member I would buy the iPad, not the pro unless I specifically knew they needed one of these features—of which, the keyboard and pencil support seem most probable, cameras probably second.

Personally, I have the pro with the keyboard and pencil, and I love it for most day to day use. I have not yet tried to code on it, but I am dubious that I will ever be able to rely on it as my primary/only computing device. However, for meetings, classes or speaking engagements I find it highly versatile and fits a niche my laptop never would.