Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Hurley82989

macrumors member
Oct 22, 2012
71
7
My thought is wait for the new iPad Pros to come out and then decide. If rumors hold true we may be seeing reduced physical size and weight with no compromise in screen size or even the release of something in between the current 10.5 and 12.9. Either way, new ipad Pro designs could ease some of your concerns.

Yeah but right now both the 10.5 and 12.9 are $200 off. I can’t justify paying full price for these devices, especially when they are secondary reading devices for me and the 2018 iPad is $299. I’m sure the new ones may be better but if anything they will be at least priced at $650/$800, maybe even more.
 

fathergll

macrumors 68000
Sep 3, 2014
1,788
1,487
Yeah but right now both the 10.5 and 12.9 are $200 off. I can’t justify paying full price for these devices, especially when they are secondary reading devices for me and the 2018 iPad is $299. I’m sure the new ones may be better but if anything they will be at least priced at $650/$800, maybe even more.


Logically speaking they will still be discounted after the new ones are released. Unless you need one right now I don't see why you wouldn't wait a month.
[doublepost=1537830477][/doublepost]
Got a 12.9 for lots of pdf reading a year ago. Looking forward HARD to the release of a X style iPad in 10-11 inches. 12.9 is great for opening two windows at once. But it is way too big for reading anything. It's just a massive wall of text that weighs so much you can't read in a comfortable position.

Have you tried it with something like this on your lap or have this on a pillow?

81l6hyFDt%2BL._SX679_.jpg
 

Hurley82989

macrumors member
Oct 22, 2012
71
7
Logically speaking they will still be discounted after the new ones are released. Unless you need one right now I don't see why you wouldn't wait a month.

Possibly, but not necessarily.

When the new iPhone XS was announced, I looked pretty closely for deals on the discontinued iPhone X. As far as I could tell, the iPhone X was simply discontinued and not significantly discounted at any retailer I could find.

So I think it depends if they just discontinue the current iPad Pros or not.
 

fathergll

macrumors 68000
Sep 3, 2014
1,788
1,487
Possibly, but not necessarily.

When the new iPhone XS was announced, I looked pretty closely for deals on the discontinued iPhone X. As far as I could tell, the iPhone X was simply discontinued and not significantly discounted at any retailer I could find.

So I think it depends if they just discontinue the current iPad Pros or not.


iPhone is an entirely different beast in retail over products like laptops and iPads. Apple tells some carrier stores to stop selling them and return the stock immediately which isn't the case for other items. You can still purchase 2017 Macbooks easily and there are even some 2016 units left.

But all of this simply comes down to if you are comfortable with buying now given any type of announcement. Heck I just bought a Mini 4 a few weeks ago(only because I needed it)
 
Last edited:

Hurley82989

macrumors member
Oct 22, 2012
71
7
iPhone is an entirely different beast in retail over products like laptops and iPads. Apple tells some carrier stores to stop selling them and return the stock immediately which isn't the case for other items. You can still purchase 2017 Macbooks easily and there are even some 2016 units left.

But all of this simply comes down to if you are comfortable with buying now given any type of announcement. Heck I just bought a Mini 4 a few weeks ago(only because I needed it)


A quick search online and I found a few places still selling new 2017 MacBook Pros, however not at a very significant discount. Maybe $100-200 less, which as a percentage of total price is significantly less given laptops are double the price of iPads.

Maybe $200 off will be easy to find after the new announcement, maybe even more but I don’t think that’s a certainty by any stretch. Were there larger discounts on the 9.7 pro after the 10.5 was announced?
 

AppleHaterLover

macrumors 68020
Jun 15, 2018
2,048
2,051
Logically speaking they will still be discounted after the new ones are released. Unless you need one right now I don't see why you wouldn't wait a month.
[doublepost=1537830477][/doublepost]

Have you tried it with something like this on your lap or have this on a pillow?

81l6hyFDt%2BL._SX679_.jpg

Using a device to prop your iPad so the screen is vertical is called a keyboard and the device is called a MacBook.
 

Greenmeenie

macrumors 68020
Jan 14, 2013
2,060
3,180
Hey I'm in the market for a new iPad and am on the fence between the 2 sizes. It would be my travel laptop replacement as I have an iMac but I have a couple of questions.

I really like the extra HP the big pro has but for those who do have it how does it work as a reading device (books, comics, magazines)

Look forward to the responses. Thanks for reading.

Normally i’d say go for the current 10.5” for a travel ipad over the 12.9”. But I’d wait for next months ipad event if you can. Cause the next 12.9” ipad pro will shrink the bezels but keep the same size screen. They will also increase the 10.5” ipad screen to 11”. I am really curious how much more travel friendly the 12.9” will be with smaller bezels. The same big screen but in a smaller package sounds really cool. But so does the 10.5” screen increasing to 11”.

Will be curious to see which feels & looks better for traveling. Could be a toss up.
 

fathergll

macrumors 68000
Sep 3, 2014
1,788
1,487
A quick search online and I found a few places still selling new 2017 MacBook Pros, however not at a very significant discount. Maybe $100-200 less, which as a percentage of total price is significantly less given laptops are double the price of iPads.


A quick search online shows the following;
$600 discount 2017 https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1433463-REG/apple_macbook_pro_i7_2_8ghz.html
$500 discount 2017 https://www.adorama.com/acmptt2lla.html?emailprice=t&utm_source=rflaid91004
$300 discount 2016 https://www.adorama.com/acmnqg2lla4.html?utm_source=rflaid91004



Maybe $200 off will be easy to find after the new announcement, maybe even more but I don’t think that’s a certainty by any stretch. Were there larger discounts on the 9.7 pro after the 10.5 was announced?


The only certainty is that you will be able to make a more informed decision once an official announcement of the new iPad Pro is made. Now whether or not that occurs in the next 4 weeks is a different story(it's rather likely but not a given).

I don't know for a fact if there was a discount or previous models after an announcement. I'm sure with enough research it could be determined.
 
Last edited:

fathergll

macrumors 68000
Sep 3, 2014
1,788
1,487
Using a device to prop your iPad so the screen is vertical is called a keyboard and the device is called a MacBook.

Trust me I get thats the advantage of laptops as it's essentially built in but using props for devices is still superior to holding it for extended times.
 

AppleHaterLover

macrumors 68020
Jun 15, 2018
2,048
2,051
Trust me I get thats the advantage of laptops as it's essentially built in but using props for devices is still superior to holding it for extended times.

I feel you. I recently bought an iPad and I still haven't bought a case or cover, and it gets to my nerves that I have to hold it up, or use a pillow, or fold my legs. Sometimes I'll give up and use my Mac instead.

If only the Smart Keyboard wasn't so expensive...
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,414
12,421
I feel you. I recently bought an iPad and I still haven't bought a case or cover, and it gets to my nerves that I have to hold it up, or use a pillow, or fold my legs. Sometimes I'll give up and use my Mac instead.

If only the Smart Keyboard wasn't so expensive...
I use $10 Slim Case clones on my iPad that can be used as stand in landscape mode.

That said, I actually do prefer propping with pillows/legs over the clamshell form factor. I've never found laptops particularly ergonomic for couch/bed surfing/reading. Always gave me a neck ache and I hated being stuck in one position in order to use the laptop.

Personally, I bought the iPad because I wanted a slate form factor for reading. Prior to the original iPad's announcement I actually did buy ($$$) Windows tablets/slates but those were quite bad - short battery life, overheats, heavy, etc.

I still own several laptops but I only use them for on-the-go file management, ebook management or server-type functions.
 

kazmac

macrumors G4
Mar 24, 2010
10,086
8,627
Any place but here or there....
While you have more screen real estate with the 12.9, the 10.5 or 11 (new version rumored soon) size would be just as capable for a reading and all around device.

My 2018 iPad is fine for reading and markup so it depends on if you’ll travel with it or not.

Trying both at the store is your best bet.
 

RudySnow

Suspended
Aug 27, 2016
486
892
Tyler, TX
For me, I love reading magazines on the 12.9. For books that are straight text, however, I wish I had the 10.5, but I still find my iPad 2 to be a great size for that. I’m blind in one eye and have low vision in the other, so magazines like Wired that have moved to 8-point type for most of their sidebar articles is wonderful when enlarging on the bigger iPad.
 

Hildegerd

macrumors regular
May 12, 2013
208
26
Norway
Logically speaking they will still be discounted after the new ones are released. Unless you need one right now I don't see why you wouldn't wait a month.
[doublepost=1537830477][/doublepost]

Have you tried it with something like this on your lap or have this on a pillow?

81l6hyFDt%2BL._SX679_.jpg
What is that and where do I get it?
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.