iPad Pro Reviews Roundup: Blazingly Fast With a More Balanced Design, But Some Face ID and USB-C Quirks

[DNichter]

Who is making this argument?

A ton of people on this site. They throw out so many specific tasks or use cases and say "it doesn't work for me, it can't be a pc replacement". Even from your statement "if Apple can market the iPad as a pc replacement for some, it can be judged as... a pc replacement" - it sort of implies like it should be judged against all PC's and all situations. I certainly get your argument, and I think it's fair (honestly not trying to argue). I just find that people on here tend to lean towards "if it doesn't work for me, it can't be a pc replacement". In the end, it all comes down to the individual and the tasks at hand. For some it works, for some it doesn't. That's all.

 

[Ericus Macabeus]

Remember when the latest and greatest iPad started at $499?

In my opinion that is not a fair comparison. The comparison world be the 9.7” iPad for LESS money. $329 gets you a powerful device with 32gb of storage. If you go to 128gb you are still under your $499 memory at $429. If you are an educator or student you actually get a discount to get the 128gb ipad ($409) and Apple Pencil ($89) for $498. That is actually $1 less than when the best iPad cost $499 to start.

The difference now is this new device is a Pro and has the hardware to back it up.

It’s just another tier of the product more so than the products price going through the roof.

 

[Astra92]

In my opinion that is not a fair comparison. The comparison world be the 9.7” iPad for LESS money. $329 gets you a powerful device with 32gb of storage. If you go to 128gb you are still under your $499 memory at $429. If you are an educator or student you actually get a discount to get the 128gb ipad ($409) and Apple Pencil ($89) for $498. That is actually $1 less than when the best iPad cost $499 to start.

The difference now is this new device is a Pro and has the hardware to back it up.

It’s just another tier of the product more so than the products price going through the roof.

It has the hardware, but not the software. The 9.7" iPad is far closer to Apple's reality of the next-generation of computing than its claims with the new iPad Pros. What would bring the 9.7" in line with the new Pros on the hardware side of things would be to have a cut-down version of a AXX chip based off the 7nm process, similar to how Qualcomm creates cut-down versions of their chipsets for lower-cost devices.

 

[bnmcj1]

For me the big issue is that e.g. the Surface line is proof that a 2-1 is possible and therefore I do not want to own a phone, laptop and tablet. If you need another device, it is obsolete.

 

[xristy]

First time I am not sure I will keep this one. I order the newest one with every release, and USB-C and thinner bezels make me wonder if I will like it. I have my most used spots in the house set up with chargers for my phone and iPad... having to add USB-C chargers in those spots is expensive.

And I am bitching about the iPad Pro bezels now. I can’t imagine any slimmer bezels making me happier.

Just get some USB-A to USB-C cables - Amazon basics are $6 for 6 ft.

 

[DoubleFlyaway]

Who is making this argument?

Exactly.

 

[69Mustang]

A ton of people on this site. They throw out so many specific tasks or use cases and say "it doesn't work for me, it can't be a pc replacement". Even from your statement "if Apple can market the iPad as a pc replacement for some, it can be judged as... a pc replacement" - it sort of implies like it should be judged against all PC's and all situations. I certainly get your argument, and I think it's fair (honestly not trying to argue). I just find that people on here tend to lean towards "if it doesn't work for me, it can't be a pc replacement". In the end, it all comes down to the individual and the tasks at hand. For some it works, for some it doesn't. That's all.

Apple says it can be a replacement for some. Apple doesn't define what PC(s) the iPad possibly replaces. So absent examples, people provide anecdotes that support their beliefs. Those anecdotes aren't meant to be all encompassing.

The problem occurs when you parse words and ignore context. The example of my quote highlights that. No one reading that quote in context could come away with an interpretation that it implies all PC's in all situations. It makes no sense. Especially considering our ongoing discourse.

 

[netdudeuk]

I see Nilay Patel continues to be a useless human being.

I've just watched the whole video and it seems like a very balanced review. Pros and cons.

 

[DNichter]

Apple says it can be a replacement for some. Apple doesn't define what PC(s) the iPad possibly replaces. So absent examples, people provide anecdotes that support their beliefs. Those anecdotes aren't meant to be all encompassing.

The problem occurs when you parse words and ignore context. The example of my quote highlights that. No one reading that quote in context could come away with an interpretation that it implies all PC's in all situations. It makes no sense. Especially considering our ongoing discourse.

That’s my bad then, I think am just used to someone typically taking a hard stance one way or another instead of finding a middle ground in a discussion.

I think you made a good point that I hadn’t really considered before though. If Apple says the iPad can be a PC replacement, it’s definitely fair to judge it as one, giving examples of what works and what doesn’t. As long as people can accept (and I think this is where I get hung up) that an iPad can be a PC replacement for some people, then I have no issue with people pointing out it’s shortcomings as well. It certainly has them and there is a ton of potential for improvement.

 

[kultschar]

I dont expect it to be the definitive lap top replacement.

But I frustratingly know it could stop me carrying a laptop on my travels with some little tweaks without going full MacOS. At the moment I carry both iPad and Macbook 12” on my travels. Long flights the iPad is superb but need the Macbook for office work.

Wish list:

Allow mouse / trackpad support when required so I can use Office better (Excel)

Allow us to drop files on and off from external storage

Allows us to open 2 versions of the same app side by side

App Tabs sounds like a great idea

I think this would be a great compromise and satisfy most with iPad quirks.

I loved the iPad Pro and want it to work for me and its agonisingly close!

Hope iOS13 really does focus on these things and Apple suprise us. The hardware is too good now and kind of wasted as a consumption device.

I have a gut feeling Apple will deliver on this. The time is right - otherwise where else does iOS go?

Multi Login would be a dream but I think that is a step to far for Apple and wont happen anytime soon.

Fingers crossed!

 

[notabadname]

Remember when the latest and greatest iPad started at $499?

And our home we bought for $75,000 sold for $280,000. And our first Honda Civic cost $2,500 (yes, really), and a dozen eggs cost .69¢. . . . . and so on . . . .

Didn’t anyone take economics?

 

[Astra92]

Why's that? It's a different product, with a different OS. It's an alternative to a typical computer. I don't want macOS, I don't want Windows, I don't want a traditional PC experience and all the baggage that comes with it. I want something different, I want iOS, I want an iPad. Apple is giving choices for people who want a general consumption tablet ($329) or people who view the iPad as a viable computer alternative ($799). I don't see why people 1. can't see the distinction between being a PC replacement for some, but not all and 2. have such a problem with it being able to replace PC's for some people.
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Yes, but it's a Pro iPad, it's not a Pro MacBook. There is a difference.

No, what you're saying is why I can't seem to understand those two differences.

I just see the labeling of this capability-light, revenue-rich tablet as something that is clearly aimed at competing with Surface Pro and Surface Book-type devices, but it's not quite there yet. Critically, the iPad Pro was not designed in a vacuum. They inherently must be compared to and understood within a market shaped largely by the success of Surface products. I do believe the $329 iPad is more of a consumption device (even though Apple insists upon marketing it as a content-creation device for education uses). The $799 iPad, and its higher-specced/priced kin, do not provide a similar fusion of content creation capability as what Microsoft has accomplished, but they seem to be pricing the iPad as if it did.

To me, none of these devices should be priced over $1000 (the lowest-specced MBA); instead of replicating MBA software experience and flexibility, they're minimizing as much as possible the possibility that the iPad cannibalizes higher-priced computing machines.

Apple is attempting to redefine what a computer should look like, but takes their Pro iPads, and only achieves to create an over-priced consumption device that is an excellent fashion accessory to folks with minimal computing needs. This is a fair use case, but this is not 2011. The iPad (marketed as a pc-replacement) and within a market swimming with Surface devices, must stay competitive on value as much as it does on design and performance. I don't see that being the case.

I am 110% someone who was looking towards the new iPad Pros with great hope for the future of computing and capabilities. I cannot possibly buy any of these new models now and would discourage others from doing so if you're hope is that iOS 13 delivers some magical experience. If all you need to do is "basic" computing tasks (content consumption, web-browsing, connecting with family and friends, light games, and Microsoft-office type productivity), the 9.7" iPad is the best value.

 

[DNichter]

No, what you're saying is why I can't seem to understand those two differences.

I just see the labeling of this capability-light, revenue-rich tablet as something that is clearly aimed at competing with Surface Pro and Surface Book-type devices, but it's not quite there yet. Critically, the iPad Pro was not designed in a vacuum. They inherently must be compared to and understood within a market shaped largely by the success of Surface products. I do believe the $329 iPad is more of a consumption device (even though Apple insists upon marketing it as a content-creation device for education uses). The $799 iPad, and its higher-specced/priced kin, do not provide a similar fusion of content creation capability as what Microsoft has accomplished, but they seem to be pricing the iPad as if it did.

To me, none of these devices should be priced over $1000 (the lowest-specced MBA); instead of replicating MBA software experience and flexibility, they're minimizing as much as possible the possibility that the iPad cannibalizes higher-priced computing machines.

Apple is attempting to redefine what a computer should look like, but takes their Pro iPads, and only achieves to create an over-priced consumption device that is an excellent fashion accessory to folks with minimal computing needs. This is a fair use case, but this is not 2011. The iPad (marketed as a pc-replacement) and within a market swimming with Surface devices, must stay competitive on value as much as it does on design and performance. I don't see that being the case.

I am 110% someone who was looking towards the new iPad Pros with great hope for the future of computing and capabilities. I cannot possibly buy any of these new models now and would discourage others from doing so if you're hope is that iOS 13 delivers some magical experience. If all you need to do is "basic" computing tasks (content consumption, web-browsing, connecting with family and friends, light games, and Microsoft-office type productivity), the 9.7" iPad is the best value.

We ultimately disagree, but that’s okay. I don’t consider the Pro an overpriced consumption device, mainly because I use one for both productivity and consumption. I don’t see much of a comparison between the Surface and the iPad. Ones a laptop and ones a tablet, with very different approaches to how it is used. I used one for a business trip once and I didn’t like the experience. I agree with your last statement though. The $329 iPad is great for those things and definitely a good value, but the features, improvements, and power the Pro has brings value also, especially to those who use it as their primary computer.

 

[Astra92]

We ultimately disagree, but that’s okay. I don’t consider the Pro an overpriced consumption device, mainly because I use one for both productivity and consumption. I don’t see much of a comparison between the Surface and the iPad. Ones a laptop and ones a tablet, with very different approaches to how it is used. I used one for a business trip once and I didn’t like the experience. I agree with your last statement though. The $329 iPad is great for those things and definitely a good value, but the features, improvements, and power the Pro has brings value also, especially to those who use it as their primary computer.

The performance increases with the iPad Pro, but the functionality is still hamstrung by iOS 12. The operating system is common across both devices.

Just as an aside, how I define these sorts of things is like this: I think a touchscreen device that accepts keyboard AND mouse input is both a tablet and laptop. The iPad is a tablet with acceptable keyboard input, but lacks the granularity and versatility of mouse input. I would consider the iPad Pro as it is now a professional-grade device IF it accepted mouse input. Maybe iOS 13 will enable that, maybe not.

 

[DNichter]

The performance increases with the iPad Pro, but the functionality is still hamstrung by iOS 12. The operating system is common across both devices.

Just as an aside, how I define these sorts of things is like this: I think a touchscreen device that accepts keyboard AND mouse input is both a tablet and laptop. The iPad is a tablet with acceptable keyboard input, but lacks the granularity and versatility of mouse input. I would consider the iPad Pro as it is now a professional-grade device IF it accepted mouse input. Maybe iOS 13 will enable that, maybe not.

Correct, common operating systems, just like a base MacBook and a top end MacBook Pro. People can still see the differences and value between the two though.

I don’t define it as such, but I’d certainly welcome trackpad support. I don’t think Apple will just add traditional mouse support though like we know it, I think they’ll look for new ways to implement such utility.

 

[jacjustjac]

So the usual: great hardware, steadily improved (apart from taking away the headphone jack) but the experience is held back by its software unfortunately.

Reading through the Verge's review:

Quote:

The one thing iOS can do with external storage devices is import photos: if you plug in a camera or a memory card from a camera, iOS 12 will automatically pop open the camera import screen and let you import photos into your camera roll.


That’s it. That is the sole way iOS 12 can address external storage. And to make matters worse, you are required to import to the system camera roll — you can’t import photos directly into an app like Lightroom CC. Apple has to be in the middle.


I use Lightroom CC all the time and I would love to manage and edit all my photos on an iPad Pro, especially since editing with the Apple Pencil is so much fun on this display. But I have no desire to import hundreds of RAW files into my camera roll and iCloud photos account. When I brought this up, Apple very proudly pointed to a new Siri Shortcut from Adobe that imports photos from the camera roll into Lightroom and then automatically deletes them from the camera roll.


EITHER YOU UNDERSTAND IOS SO WELL YOU CAN GET AROUND ITS LIMITATIONS, OR YOU GIVE UP AND USE A REAL COMPUTER

I couldn’t test that Lightroom Siri Shortcut, since it’s not yet available. But I can tell you that macro-based hacks around the limitations of an operating system are not usually included in bold visions of the future of computing, and that Siri Shortcut is a pure hack around the limitations Apple has imposed on the iPad Pro.


Oh, but it gets worse. I shoot photos in JPG+RAW, and the iOS PhotoKit API only allows apps to grab one or the other from the camera roll. So I could only import my RAW images into Lightroom, leaving the JPGs behind to clutter up my camera roll and iCloud storage. That’s untenable, so I just gave up and imported everything directly into Lightroom using my Mac, because my Mac doesn’t insist on abstracting the filesystem away into nonsense.

----

As a hobby photographer I can totally relate to his fundings and share the same sentiments. The iPad. One thing pro about it are its Pro-Frankenstein worklflows. After so many years!

I wholeheartedly agree about the external storage issue. I feel like Apple could add it to iOS 13, so I can connect my Samsung T5 SSD and run Lightroom/Photoshop right from my iPad. That would be worth the price right there. Dealing with iCloud Photos is barely manageable on my phone... I wouldn’t want to deal with that and camera roll on an iPad I would buy exclusively for doing photo/video work.
I’m excitedly waiting for the Gnarbox 2.0. It fully supports transferring SD cards to external or internal storage, and you can import to Lightroom or even LumaFusion from the device. Those two devices together excite me... but it’s just too bad Apple can’t make it work with just the iPad, despite its incredible power. Makes me long for a MacBook Air with the iPad Pro’s power.

 

[Astra92]

Correct, common operating systems, just like a base MacBook and a top end MacBook Pro. People can still see the differences and value between the two though.

I don’t define it as such, but I’d certainly welcome trackpad support. I don’t think Apple will just add traditional mouse support though like we know it, I think they’ll look for new ways to implement such utility.

Probably not, in the same way they won't add a touchscreen to their Macbooks (famous last words lol). Not necessarily because there's no utility to it, but because doing that may cannibalize iPad sales. I think that's a horrendous design and UX choice equivalent to cutting off their own legs, but alas its in their hands.

 

[Logiarius]

I agree. I want a desktop experience. I want connectivity and I/O and full peripherals. What I like about the Surface is how light it is and that with the keyboard angle and Surface Mouse it is ultra portable. I will say that I would not want to use it as a daily machine without displays. Working on that screen full time for productivity would be tough. I don’t have one but my wife does and she takes it a lot of places. Coming from a 7-8lb Dell it was a huge change. But she doesn’t use any of the touch/tablet stuff. Honestly if Apple were to integrate the two, I would want to see it run macOS with the ability to run iOS apps for things like Games and other apps that are designed for iOS. But I don’t believe that Microsoft Office or many other productivity software application translate as well to iOS.

I don’t understand. If you wanted a desktop exprience, why not just buy a desktop or a laptop? Expecially, there are many laptops that has better specs or better and sturdy keyboard

I mean, you said you use a mouse and a keyboard cover to use a surface. That is exactly a description of a laptop. So I guess you did not wanted a tablet at all. You just wanted a laptop.

 

[Astra92]

And our home we bought for $75,000 sold for $280,000. And our first Honda Civic cost $2,500 (yes, really), and a dozen eggs cost .69¢. . . . . and so on . . . .

Didn’t anyone take economics?

We're not talking cars or home, but we certainly aren't talking ONLY about a ~12% inflation as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index (between 2011 and 2018). The release prices of the iPad Pros are up ~ 20% over the 2017 models.
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I don’t understand. If you wanted a desktop exprience, why not just buy a desktop or a laptop? Expecially, there are many laptops that has better specs or better and sturdy keyboard

I mean, you said you use a mouse and a keyboard cover to use a surface. That is exactly a description of a laptop. So I guess you did not wanted a tablet at all. You just wanted a laptop.

I guess Apple shouldn't sell a keyboard and pencil for their tablet then.

 

[DNichter]

Probably not, in the same way they won't add a touchscreen to their Macbooks (famous last words lol). Not necessarily because there's no utility to it, but because doing that may cannibalize iPad sales. I think that's a horrendous design and UX choice equivalent to cutting off their own legs, but alas its in their hands.

I’m not sure how many people are craving a touchscreen Mac, more so an iPad with macOS functionality. Apple could kill off the Mac pretty easily if they wanted to, which is likely.

 

[Logiarius]

I’m not sure how many people are craving a touchscreen Mac, more so an iPad with macOS functionality. Apple could kill off the Mac pretty easily if they wanted to, which is likely.

Yeah, think about toaching that tiny red and green buttons with a gigantic finger. That will be freaking annoying.

I cannot understand why there is so much fantasy about touchscreen mac or macOS in an ipad. Window vendors already tried it and it did not end very well afterall

 

[oldmacs]

Don't want to forget the iPad they released last year. I think that was $329 starting and still is (even lower than the $499, isn't that cool). Awesome for Apple not to forget the lower end price point there. I have a buddy at work that has one, it runs great, he's totally happy with it.

I think the point is, Apple used to be able to deliver their best for a lot less than they can now.

 

[Jacoblee23]

I’m not sure how many people are craving a touchscreen Mac, more so an iPad with macOS functionality. Apple could kill off the Mac pretty easily if they wanted to, which is likely.

This.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

And our home we bought for $75,000 sold for $280,000. And our first Honda Civic cost $2,500 (yes, really), and a dozen eggs cost .69¢. . . . . and so on . . . .

Didn’t anyone take economics?

If this were true for computers, that 3,000 IBM PC from 1982 would cost how much today?

 

[roland.g]

I don’t understand. If you wanted a desktop exprience, why not just buy a desktop or a laptop? Expecially, there are many laptops that has better specs or better and sturdy keyboard

I mean, you said you use a mouse and a keyboard cover to use a surface. That is exactly a description of a laptop. So I guess you did not wanted a tablet at all. You just wanted a laptop.

You’re catching on. The appeal of the Surface is that it is a great 2lb laptop, type cover included. I believe phablet phones have almost eliminated the need for the iPad. I get the Pro a little but not really. And honestly, I think part of the reason is that Springboard is so outdated, that multitasking improvements alone don’t do it. The entire UI needs an innovative overhaul.