{"id":84268,"date":"2018-12-04T11:09:13","date_gmt":"2018-12-04T19:09:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intego.com\/mac-security-blog\/?p=84268"},"modified":"2019-01-09T23:11:02","modified_gmt":"2019-01-10T07:11:02","slug":"review-2018s-ipad-pro-is-apples-best-tablet-to-date-but-it-comes-at-a-price","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intego.com\/mac-security-blog\/review-2018s-ipad-pro-is-apples-best-tablet-to-date-but-it-comes-at-a-price\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: 2018\u2019s iPad Pro is Apple\u2019s best tablet to date, but it comes at a price"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The original pitch for iPad was a device to occupy the space \u2018between\u2019 smartphones and laptops. It was\u00a0a super-portable, flexible, very<\/em> personal computer designed for web browsing, email, photos, music, games and reading \u2013\u00a0perhaps while lounging on the sofa.<\/p>\n

As iPad evolved, people started using it for work and play. Ambitious apps enabled you to paint, compose music, mark-up PDFs, fine-tune photos, write novels and so on. In 2015, Apple acknowledged such users with iPad Pro \u2013 a larger, more powerful tablet. But this year\u2019s iPad Pro is something more \u2013\u00a0a reimagining of what iPad can be.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s got curves: all-screen design<\/h3>\n

This iPad ditches the Home button (new gestures exist for navigation<\/a>), and therefore no longer needs\u00a0a \u2018chin\u2019. This enables an even bezel to surround the screen which has beautifully rounded corners to match the frame\u2019s curves. Said frame is flat-edged \u2013 an industrial strip of metal that brings to mind the iPhone 5.<\/p>\n

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Last year\u2019s iPad Pro 10.5 compared to this year’s 11<\/p><\/div>\n

It looks far more\u00a0balanced and this sense of balance extends to your\u00a0hand\u00a0\u2013\u00a0at least when using\u00a0the smaller model. The one-pound 11-inch device is suitable for hours of handheld use, but its larger 12.9-inch sibling\u2019s footprint and 1.4-pound weight feels a bit unwieldily when away from a table, stand or keyboard dock. Get to an Apple Store if unsure and spend plenty of time with the devices in your hands.<\/p>\n

New to iPad: Face ID and USB-C<\/h3>\n

With the Home button gone, Touch ID is replaced by Face ID. The TrueDepth camera (also for selfies) is within the bezel and barely noticeable (unlike the notch on modern iPhones). It works at various angles in landscape and at a greater distance than on iPhone. Your iPad will even point an arrow at an offending thumb covering the camera when you\u2019re trying to use Face ID.<\/p>\n

USB-C is also new to iPad Pro and replaces the Lightning port. This is annoying if you have existing Lightning kit and cables, but it brings potential to the iPad ecosystem. For example, you can now connect your iPad Pro to a 4K display via USB-C \u2013\u00a0although very few apps currently fully utilize\u00a0dual-display set-ups, so you merely end up mirroring the iPad\u2019s screen.<\/p>\n

Raw power: performance and apps<\/h3>\n

This is the fastest iPad ever. Apple benchmarks show it rivals most laptops in terms of raw power. During testing, it ably dealt with anything I threw at it. Importantly, general day-to-day tasks are seamless too. This iPad won\u2019t suddenly stutter or flake out on you.<\/p>\n

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The app ecosystem for iPad is rich and diverse, ranging from creative fare to capable office products. There\u2019s not always a direct equivalent to PC or Mac software, but most tasks are covered, and some unique apps can boost productivity. For example, if you review documents and\/or need to make connections between them, LiquidText<\/a> betters anything you\u2019ll find on Mac or PC.<\/p>\n

Apple\u2019s iOS 12 offers some iPad-specific niceties as well: a macOS Finder-like Dock; keyboard shortcuts; Split View for displaying two apps side-by-side. But it could be more \u2018pro\u2019 for this device<\/a>. The inability to browse files on a connected USB-C drive\u00a0is a missed opportunity, and a lack of two-up document display within apps can prove irksome such as when attempting to compare drafts.<\/p>\n

Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard Folio<\/h3>\n

The Apple Pencil<\/a> ($129) and Smart Keyboard Folio ($179 for 11-inch; $199 for 12.9-inch) have been revamped and are only compatible with the latest iPad Pro models. Existing Pencil owners might be irked about an \u2018enforced\u2019 upgrade, but the redesign improves on the original in every way.<\/p>\n

You no longer shove the Pencil into the iPad\u2019s port to charge it \u2013\u00a0it now snaps to the iPad\u2019s case to pair and charge. The Pencil\u2019s flat edge also affords better grip and there\u2019s a double-tap feature for switching tools. Although the Pencil isn\u2019t a requirement<\/em> for iPad Pro, it often proves beneficial. That\u2019s not only the case with art\/design apps but also when you need fast precision input, like when marking up text documents.<\/p>\n

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The Smart Keyboard Folio gives your iPad a kind of laptop form factor. It certainly beats typing on glass, but the feel of the keys is stodgy and there\u2019s noticeable wobble when you tap the screen. The keys also become the back of the case when it\u2019s folded flat, which is bizarre. Still, it\u2019s absurdly\u00a0easy to set up, connects instantly and nicely protects your iPad when it\u2019s slung in a bag.<\/p>\n

Price and verdict<\/h3>\n

There\u2019s no getting away from the iPad Pro being expensive. The standard iPad starts at $329 with 32GB of storage; but the 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $799 and the 12.9-inch at $999 \u2013 both with 64GB. But if you\u2019re doing pro tasks, you\u2019ll want at least 256GB of storage which ups the price to $949\/$1149. (If you\u2019ve a sufficiently healthy bank balance, you can go all the way up to 1TB.)\u00a0If you need LTE, that\u2019s another $150. Factor in a keyboard and you\u2019re in MacBook Air territory, which might give you pause for thought.<\/p>\n

But then the iPad Pro is<\/em> Apple\u2019s tablet flagship\u00a0and is priced accordingly. Making direct comparisons with laptops isn\u2019t necessarily helpful anyway and this device certainly shouldn\u2019t be considered inferior (and therefore provide the expectation it should be much cheaper). After all, it\u2019s hugely powerful, has a fantastic screen, and in many circumstances offers more<\/em> utility. Also, it makes good on Apple\u2019s desire to make computing \u2018invisible\u2019. This iPad\u2019s revamped\u00a0design means it really doesn\u2019t care how you hold it \u2013 something cemented by its abundant speakers and mics (four and five, respectfully).<\/p>\n

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But should you buy this iPad? If you only want something for those things the iPad was originally designed for, probably not. The standard iPad is sufficient and the iPad Pro is overkill \u2013\u00a0albeit, sleek, shiny, rather lovely overkill. If your needs are more demanding though or you have creative or office-oriented ambition that needs sating, this is currently the best tablet money can buy.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss our related articles:<\/em><\/p>\n

Everything You Can Do with the Apple Pencil<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n