Apple iPad Pro - Your going to need bigger hands

[Anonymous]

As a self-confessed Apple fan, this is going to be a difficult review to write without being unbiased. With that being said, lets get right to it.

The Box

Firstly, the box. In typical Apple fashion, the box is very understated. Using as little packaging as possible allows them to promote their environmental credentials (I presume). As is typical, you have the USB/Lightening cable, plug adapter, the usual pamphlets and of course, the tablet. So far, nothing noteworthy.

Design

The first thing you’ll notice when taking the iPad Pro out of the box is the sheer size of the beast. I used/owned a lot of tablets but nothing compares to the size of this. This tablet is massive. The screen alone is 12.9 inches and that does not include the bezel surrounding it. The picture below shows it next to a pad of A4 paper. The second thing you’ll notice is how thin it is. I was surprised by this. I expected it to be thicker.

As you expect with all Apple products, the build quality is second to none. The iPad Pro has a strong aluminium build which immensely satisfies the eyes. Once again, I was surprised to find how light it felt considering its size. This is not to say that you could hold it all day and not notice. I found that long periods of time will result in aching arms.

First boot

There is nothing new here. It is atypical Apple.

Screen

The 12.9’ retina display produces a satisfying 2732x20148 ppi. It is a wonderful screen to behold. With the iOS9 split screen capabilities, you can have two apps open side by side with each producing the same resolution as the iPad Air.

Games also look epic on the tablet. The picture is crisp and detailed and fully immersive. The picture below is of The Room Three, the latest release by Fireproof Games and is arguably the standard bearer is game design at the moment.

Power

Here is where the iPad Pro really comes into its own. It is truly a powerhouse. Apple have thrown in a A9X CPU and coupled that with 4GB of RAM. I could not honestly slow it down. I opened numerous apps on the device at the same time and there was no hint of lag.

The battery will last all day if used conservatively. However, expect to charge this as often as your phone if it is used aggressively.

Sound

Apple have really stepped up with the speaker system on the iPad Pro. There are four speakers in the tablet and they produce a really crisp sound. Apple have also prided themselves on their support for music but in my opinion, this is their first device that truly excites me when listening to music without headphones.

Camera

The tablet comes equipped with a 8MP iSight rear camera and a 1.2MP FaceTime HD front camera.

The quality of the photos are the same as what you would find on a iPhone 6 in my opinion. However, I would argue that anyone who uses the rear camera on a device of this size needs to be physically restrained immediately.

Conclusion

So far so good then. I would have you believe my bias for Apple products has been un-waived. However, you would be wrong.

Don’t get me wrong, the iPad Pro is a fantastic tablet. The screen is wonderful, the build is amazing. But there is something missing. At the end of the day, it is still just an iPad and it still just runs iOS.

For the creatives among us, the Apple Pencil and the iPad Pro coupled together will make this a truly fantastic device. The Adobe suite will work flawlessly and hours of work will get done. But I am not one of them.

For the budding writers out there, the keyboard accessory will make add the extra element of portability some need. But I am not one of them.

For a start, the keyboard is a must if you are going to own this tablet. But as an expensive optional extra, I cant warrant the outlay when I have a perfectly capable laptop sitting beside it.

Also, the fact that it runs iOS really takes away what could be, in my opinion, a MacBook killer. I find no logic in this.

Therefore, the iPad Pro will be returned. It is a sad day as I really want to love this product. But I can’t. If I had to choose a tablet/hybrid at the moment, I would be making my way to the Microsoft Store.

Please let me know if you have any questions, I’ll be happy to try and answer them.

[Anonymous]

Great review.

I also have the iPad Pro and share many of your findings. I was in the Apple Store today. I spent around 45 minutes in there and saw four iPad Pro getting sold in that time and all were getting sold to gentlemen in their 70’s.

I’ve heard it mentioned a few times about the iPad Pro running iOS. But in my opinion, I think its better to keep Mac and iOS separate. The reason I say this is because, a lot of people prefer the ease and simplicity of a tablet, and I feel putting Mac OS onto it would make the device much more complicated for people who want the ease of use of a tablet.

The main draw for me with the iPad Pro was the large screen (which I find is excellent) and I expect a lot of other people will be drawn to the iPad Pro for its larger screen also. Yeah, its still an iPad, but an iPad with a larger screen isn’t a bad thing in my opinion. In the iPad range, we now have the Mini (for ultimate portability). The Air for someone who wants something in-between the two. And lastly the Pro for people who want a large screen and or the extra grunt the Pro has.

I think having Mac and iOS separate provides the best user experience for those respected devices in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I think having Mac and iOS separate provides the best user experience for those respected devices in my opinion.

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But much to the annoyance of many Apple diehards (I used to count myself as one), it seems that OS X is slowly becoming more like iOS anyway. 

I never thought I'd go back to Windows, but they seem to be leading the way at the moment, with developing one operating system across all their devices. 

[Anonymous]

I've just read this fantastic review! Well done @Anonymous !

[Anonymous]

How is it going with your new toy @Gavs3r ?

[viridis]

Ermm, he's returning it..

[Cleoriff]

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@viridis wrote:
Ermm, he's returning it..

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Nothing wrong with your memory....:smileywink:

[Anonymous]

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@Cleoriff wrote:

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@viridis wrote:
Ermm, he's returning it..

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Nothing wrong with your memory....:smileywink:

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Apparently there's something wrong with mine...

[viridis]

Lol

[jonsie]

Happens to the best of us. ...

[Anonymous]

You guys kill me 😂😂😂. It hasn't gone back yet. It will be soon as soon as I can get all the fingerprints off it!