Review Roundup: 9.7" iPad Pro is a 'Powerful' Laptop Replacement for Casual Users

[rey249]

Sure, if all your work applications are web based. Many, many professionals need actual software running natively on their PC. It's quite a stretch most professions consist of email, web browsing, and light productivity app use. Not everyone is someone's admin assistant. There are people out there doing real work with real data using proprietary software to offer a unique product to the people they serve.

Who said the iPad Pro was a replacement for that? No one. It's an additional tool for professionals, or potentially a primary device for a casual user. It's a replacement for other tools for some people, for example, it's a great alternative to a Cintiq if you don't need a large canvas. The desktop/laptop computer is always your primary device if you're really into serious work, or have specific software/platform needs.

 

[jcmeyer5]

I'm not happy about Apple price policy in the last 5 years, but you are taking it backwards in this case. They raised the base model from 16 to 32 Gb.

The real problem is pricing OUTSIDE USA ....

Eh. They raised the base pricing and storage. Fact is you can't even get a 64GB iPad Pro because of these new storage/pricing tiers. Not an issue for me. I'm not in the market.

 

[AliMacs]

A lot of points here but basically I was responding to the claim that an iPad is ready to take on these tasks. As you point out, it is not.

I think you'll find that a Windows PC used in an industrial environment may cost thousands and isn't going to be replaced without good reason. Also, apps rebuilt from the ground up lose a lot of functionality and take years to get it back. This is the case right in the Apple ecosystem.

On the bright side, I do see iPads being leveraged more and more. Just look at what it has done to POS for small businesses.

On the not so bright side, it's a little depressing to hear people say the vast majority of the population is basically computer illiterate. The US is going to continue to get trounced if this is really true. People should be doing more and more with computers, finding better ways to do things and synthesizing new knowledge. I want to hear that the iPad can do more to meet people's needs, not people's needs are so minimal that an iPad will do just fine.

Enjoyed reading your thoughts.

You know the biggest problem with American education is the lack of emphasis on science and math. In other countries such as parts of China that can actually afford school, you have 2nd grader's doing math that's geared for 5th or 6th graders here in the states. I'm not saying this is a good thing for kids at this young age but it doesn't hurt. Our education seems to foster innovation rather than duplication (as seen in China) - but still we really should focus on making science and math a high priority for kids. I have friends who can't even do a % discount in their heads when trying to figure out how much they are saving from a company discount buying an apple laptop!

The POS systems are way better these days! I have had prior experience withPOS systems and they run awful Windows and it worked but still was so legacy stuff. I don't think computers should be hard to use but I've had my fair share of time wasted when mom, dad, grandma, friend, neighbor, all come and say help me I got a virus or I can't open this and that or how do I use this thing? And yes people need to be more computer literate. But I don't think they care as long as they can press the on/off button then send texts, shoot selfies with highest quality to post on Instagram, and be able to video record stuff; that's all that matters to them these days!

 

[macfacts]

In a nutshell, it's a laptop replacement if you can do laptop stuff on it, and it's not if you can't.

And I am perfectly fine with that. If anything, I am glad that the iPad doesn't try too hard to replicate laptop functionality, but instead continue to shine in its own way.

The iPad can't backup to an Apple Time Machine. Can't replace the macbook.

 

[Mr. Buzzcut]

Who said the iPad Pro was a replacement for that? No one. It's an additional tool for professionals, or potentially a primary device for a casual user. It's a replacement for other tools for some people, for example, it's a great alternative to a Cintiq if you don't need a large canvas. The desktop/laptop computer is always your primary device if you're really into serious work, or have specific software/platform needs.

The post I quoted for starters, and a few others in this thread. I agree with you and we both seem to disagree with Apple and some others on the forum that have implemented an impressive number of workarounds to claim that the iPad is now their primary computing device.

Don't get me wrong, many folks need nothing more than an iPad for their computing needs, but this whole "Pro" "laptop replacement" discussion is a little absurd at this point given the biggest functional difference between Pro and non Pro is the pencil.

 

[family_guy]

So far the reviews I've read have not mentioned a thing about whether the speakers make the iPad vibrate terribly like the Air 2. Why not even comment on something that was so flawed on the last gen model?

 

[pwhitehead]

In my opinion, Apple should encourage developers like Adobe to make "mobile versions" which are mobile in the sense of being optimised for iPad Pro, but are as feature rich as their Windows and OS X versions.

Here's the problem. Apple has their own operating system on the mobile devices thats different from its computer operating system. The only thing I give Microsoft credit for is you're able to use the full operating system on mobile platform tablets, example would be surface. Apple would be that much better if they allowed OS X on iPads.

 

[nameischarles]

I can never consider an iPad as a laptop replacement. I use my iPad Air 2 mostly for media, like watching Netflix in bed before falling asleep or YouTube when I'm in the toilet. I'm not a power user, at most just Lightroom but I prefer using my Macbook's still as I have access to files/folders, usb storage, my nas and just full control of everything.

If Apple opens up iOS or at least some sort of hybrid, then maybe...

 

[AliMacs]

The iPad can't backup to an Apple Time Machine. Can't replace the macbook.

Why the hell would you back up to a time machine using your iPad? It was designed to use iCloud as the backup solution and that solution works great.
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I can never consider an iPad as a laptop replacement. I use my iPad Air 2 mostly for media, like watching Netflix in bed before falling asleep or YouTube when I'm in the toilet. I'm not a power user, at most just Lightroom but I prefer using my Macbook's still as I have access to files/folders, usb storage, my nas and just full control of everything.

If Apple opens up iOS or at least some sort of hybrid, then maybe...

I too wanted a hybrid and sorta still do - but if you have extensively used an iPad to get stuff done you'd realize it's not 100% doable but it damn well is doable with iOS 9.3 - I'm looking forward to iOS 10 - it's just a matter of time when Apple will open up iOS on the iPad to become something else it should've been to begin with - right now it's an oversized smartphone UI at times.

 

[FrozenDarkness]

also, are there any applications where you can see the benefit of the a9x outside of like outputting video?

 

[Mr. Buzzcut]

Why the hell would you back up to a time machine using your iPad? It was designed to use iCloud as the backup solution and that solution works great.
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I too wanted a hybrid and sorta still do - but if you have extensively used an iPad to get stuff done you'd realize it's not 100% doable but it damn well is doable with iOS 9.3 - I'm looking forward to iOS 10 - it's just a matter of time when Apple will open up iOS on the iPad to become something else it should've been to begin with - right now it's an oversized smartphone UI at times.

My question would by why NOT have Time Machine as an option? Have you seen the storage available in the latest iPads? That could be a significant yearly fee to use iCloud. At the same time, wouldn't it be cool to point Time Machine to iCloud on your Mac if you want an automatic off site backup?

 

[Mainsail]

I think the iPad is great. That said, it is not a laptop replacement for everyone....maybe ok for some folks, but diffentately not for everyone.

I think the college student is an excellent use case to examine, since students need to do a fair amount of productive work (papers, presentations, analysis) away from their dorm (library, study groups, common areas, classrooms, etc). I have two kids that are college students, and there is no way that I would recommend an iPad over a Macbook.

I spent $750 (BB sale less student discount) on a new base configuration 13 in MBA for my daughter, which she has used every day at school for 3 years with zero problems. A 9.7 inch iPad Pro ($750 - 128 GB storage) plus keyboard ($150) and Apple pencil ($100) would be significantly more expensive than the MBA and much more difficult to use for content creation.

 

[lowkey]

Rather than considering an iPad as a replacement for my laptop, I consider my iPhone as a replacement for my iPad.
Since i got my iPhone 6+ my iPad has had very little use.

Laptop+iPhone cover way more bases than iPad+iPhone

 

[StoneJack]

The iPad can't backup to an Apple Time Machine. Can't replace the macbook.

can't you make backup to iCloud? or Mac?

 

[mi7chy]

It's only a laptop replacement for those who are using their laptop as an iPad. No way my toy iPad will replace a fully utilized laptop.

 

[StoneJack]

I think we need to clarify things here.
For casual content consumption iPad>Macbook
For artistic/graphic/drawing creative work iPad Pro>> Macbook (because of Pencil)
For writing things iPadPro<=Macbook (mainly because of things like equations/presentations)
For dedicated apps like POS, new IBM business apps etc iPadPro>Macbook
For note taking iPadPro>>Macbooks
For video, audio editing iPadPro<Macbook (because of precision)
So, in my view, iPad Pro can replace Macbook for some work surely, in some other fields needs further improvements

 

[CausticPuppy]

I think we need to clarify things here.
For casual content consumption iPad>Macbook
For artistic/graphic/drawing creative work iPad Pro>> Macbook (because of Pencil)
For writing things iPadPro<=Macbook (mainly because of things like equations/presentations)
For dedicated apps like POS, new IBM business apps etc iPadPro>Macbook
For note taking iPadPro>>Macbooks
For video, audio editing iPadPro<Macbook (because of precision)
So, in my view, iPad Pro can replace Macbook for some work surely, in some other fields needs further improvements

Also for photo editing, iPadPro<Macbook until there's something like a version of Lightroom that can natively edit RAW files on the device. Currently you have to import on a Mac or PC, then sync to Adobe cloud, and only then can you edit the smart previews on your iPad.

Once there's a true RAW workflow available on iOS I won't be as reliant on my Macs... and photography is just a hobby for me.

But Apple still can't even get RAW+JPG imports to work correctly on iOS.

 

[elmaco]

For the 9.7 iPad Pro to be a laptop replacement for me, it must have:

- mouse or trackpad.
- a terminal and allow installation of any type of software
- robust connection between screen and keyboard

What I dislike most about the new iPad are the thick edges. That's not what I expect of a product that has been refined for five years. The display should reach all the way out to the edge, perhaps 1-2 mm would be okay, but not 1-2 cm. Looks horrible.

I know, the Home button must be somewhere, but Apple needs to reinvent it. Build the fingerprint sensor into the display, make only one edge thick or something else.

 

[StoneJack]

Also for photo editing, iPadPro<Macbook until there's something like a version of Lightroom that can natively edit RAW files on the device. Currently you have to import on a Mac or PC, then sync to Adobe cloud, and only then can you edit the smart previews on your iPad.

Once there's a true RAW workflow available on iOS I won't be as reliant on my Macs... and photography is just a hobby for me.

But Apple still can't even get RAW+JPG imports to work correctly on iOS.

Agree on RAW. Needs Mac (I use Nikon Suite)

 

[maxsix]

Our throats? Probably best to speak only for yourself.

And with that, how strange that you feel your throat is being crammed. Why do you let Apple have so much power over your life to feel that way? That doesn't seem very healthy.

Must've offended your sensitivity...

I simply share observations...
It's you who are taking it personally.

 

[Altis]

It's missing so much key functionality that I couldn't possibly consider it a laptop replacement.

Very difficult to use more than one app at once (if it lets you at all), no docking to external monitor, USB devices (mouse, keyboard, thumb drives, etc), multiple users.. I don't even think there's a way to highlight more than one piece of text at a time, is there?

It's pretty brutal, actually, to try to make it work. Even just writing a paper while referencing a PDF is an exercise in pain. Forget listening to YouTube in the background.

 

[RockSpider]

For the 9.7 iPad Pro to be a laptop replacement for me, it must have:

- mouse or trackpad.
- a terminal and allow installation of any type of software
- robust connection between screen and keyboard

What I dislike most about the new iPad are the thick edges. That's not what I expect of a product that has been refined for five years. The display should reach all the way out to the edge, perhaps 1-2 mm would be okay, but not 1-2 cm. Looks horrible.

I know, the Home button must be somewhere, but Apple needs to reinvent it. Build the fingerprint sensor into the display, make only one edge thick or something else.

I'm not exactly an Apple lover but I have had a lot of iPads including the so called Pro and the Mini 4. How are you going to hold onto the iPad with one hand if there are no bezels. It's easy enough with a phone in a case, I know because I have the S7 Edge, but how are you going to do that with an iPad.

 

[rowspaxe]

name me the last turd Apple released?

Apple has earned its reputation of producing quality products.

apple watch. ipp smart cover
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Apples answer to the Surface is the Macbook

Oops. I am trying to draw and take notes on my MacBook--but its not working
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What's so great about the Surface? As far as I'm concerned it's just an inferior laptop with pen support. If the Surface Pro is a true laptop replacement why did Microsoft create the Surface Book?

Its actually a pretty good laptop with pen support. Surface book is to appeal to users who dont generally need a tablet form factor. Surface pro is an excellent sketch pad with hybrid capability to office app work. I am holding out for a 15" surface book with higher wattage i7 quadcore cpu to replace my mbp. I think vaio and surface are making good artist tools--your mileage may vary. I have a ipad mini for reading

 

[KohPhiPhi]

Disclaimer: I love my iPad and I use it every day

The problem has never been hardware, thus making the iPad Pro more powerful is pointless.

The problem has always been the iOS: it is wonderful for content consumption, but too limited for input/management. The iPad (Pro or otherwise) needs a beefier OS to stand a chance as a true laptop replacement, no matter how casual you are.

What is the point of creating a super powerful iPad Pro 12" if the OS and 99% of its apps are "common denominatored" down to the iPad Mini (even iPhone!)? Why would I need a powerful CPU/GPU if the OS itself and 99% of its apps limit how far I can benefit from that extra oomph?

I just think Apple is following the wrong marketing strategy: the iPad and the iOS are fantastic products at what they do best: internet browsing, emails, skype, watching YouTube or Netflix, flicking through photos, etc... In short: content consumption. Why would they delute those wonderful USPs with the whole "laptop replacement" fallacy?!

 

[hoisun]

its not gonna replace my pc or laptop until i can play WoW on iPad