Just picked up a new 12.9“ iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard this morning to replace my aging 1st Gen 12.9” iPad Pro, which has served me well.
I know this has been discussed almost ad-nauseum on this board, but wanted to give my opinion - all I can say is “wow”. The iPad itself is, of course, a major upgrade from the 5 year old iPad it replaced. The screen is much better and smoother, the iPad is much faster, the FaceID is a nice change, etc...but this magic keyboard is an absolute game-changer. It completely changes the iPad usability experience for the better. This really does feel like a laptop replacement for most use cases. There are a few business-related web applications I use that unfortunately require a desktop/laptop so I cannot scrap those completely, but this closes the gap in a big way. For the first time with an iPad, I now feel comfortable working with Word, Excel, and other applications that aren’t conducive to touch input (sorry, Steve!)
Some of the complains from reviewers have been that it’s a bit top-heavy, but it’s less top-heavy than any of the other iPad/keyboard combos I’ve used. The trackpad is fantastic, and the keyboard itself feels great to type on. When sitting on the couch, it sits on the lap very comfortably (writing this from my couch).
The only, and I mean only, places where Apple fell short on this is 1) the lack of a function key row to manipulate brightness, volume, etc, and 2) some added viewing angles would be nice, but the viewing angles that the keyboard allows for are perfectly acceptable for most types of usage. If you have the newer models of the iPad Pro, this falls into the “must buy” category for me, even at the slightly extravagant price point. It’s that good.
I hope this helps some of you who may be on the fence.
I know this has been discussed almost ad-nauseum on this board, but wanted to give my opinion - all I can say is “wow”. The iPad itself is, of course, a major upgrade from the 5 year old iPad it replaced. The screen is much better and smoother, the iPad is much faster, the FaceID is a nice change, etc...but this magic keyboard is an absolute game-changer. It completely changes the iPad usability experience for the better. This really does feel like a laptop replacement for most use cases. There are a few business-related web applications I use that unfortunately require a desktop/laptop so I cannot scrap those completely, but this closes the gap in a big way. For the first time with an iPad, I now feel comfortable working with Word, Excel, and other applications that aren’t conducive to touch input (sorry, Steve!)
Some of the complains from reviewers have been that it’s a bit top-heavy, but it’s less top-heavy than any of the other iPad/keyboard combos I’ve used. The trackpad is fantastic, and the keyboard itself feels great to type on. When sitting on the couch, it sits on the lap very comfortably (writing this from my couch).
The only, and I mean only, places where Apple fell short on this is 1) the lack of a function key row to manipulate brightness, volume, etc, and 2) some added viewing angles would be nice, but the viewing angles that the keyboard allows for are perfectly acceptable for most types of usage. If you have the newer models of the iPad Pro, this falls into the “must buy” category for me, even at the slightly extravagant price point. It’s that good.
I hope this helps some of you who may be on the fence.
