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

[Max(IT)]

You got that right - 9.7" iPP, 128GB with cellular, plus Pencil plus Silicone case plus tax = $1,579 CDN.

It's even higher in Europe....
[doublepost=1459227525][/doublepost]

I know . They added the pro name to get extra £££. It's a very good iPad Air 3.
I'd actually upgrade my iPad Air 2 had it not been for the protruding lens.

I don't think it's really intended as an air 2 replacement.
It's far better as an iPad Air or earlier replacement
[doublepost=1459227699][/doublepost]

i cant even download the slides from my uni on an iPad at least not with safari which still lacks the most basic download support. computer replacement my ass

i also cant have two word documents open next to each other which makes working on anything really cumbersome so to me my iPad is a secondary screen to "view" something while i type and look for files on my mac to do serious work

A good example of blaming Apple for user's ignorance
[doublepost=1459228036][/doublepost]

Desperation...

Although Apple devotees steadfastly defend the company based on its massive cash pile, the top executives seem obsessed about cramming "laptop replacement" thoughts down our throats.

This forum really amazes me. Only here you can read hater's post like this speaking about "desperation " in a news where EVERY SINGLE INDEPENDENT REVIEWER wrote positive things about the product....

Seriously. Every review is positive, but the thread has been literally stormed by haters basically saying "I didn't try it, but it can't be any good because... Because.... Because it's Apple and it can't be good!"
Amusing.

And embarrassing (for you) ....
[doublepost=1459228447][/doublepost]

And we get basically to what some people is noticing: in front of declining sales, once the Air2 is discontinued, customer's choice will be limited to higher entry-level prices.

Except for the thing that Air 2 hasn't been discontinued but it was discounted instead...
[doublepost=1459228793][/doublepost]

I'd really be interested to hear what sort of professional work you've done completely start to finish on an iPad, aside from making a drawing or writing a blog post.

Your insult about me not knowing my own language was a pathetic attempt to deflect the topic at hand. Casual laptop users do no more than casual tablet users: They check their email, browse the web, post to social media, and look at photos.

You did a lot of wrong assumptions....
No one wrote the iPad Pro is FOR CASUAL USERS ONLY. Someone wrote it could be a laptop replacement for some casual users.
It's quite different.

Sometimes it's just better to say "I misread it" than insisting on a silly position....

 

[tongxinshe]

Never. iOS is fundamentally flawed as an operating system for actual pros.

It depends on whether you are talking about technical professionals or arts/design professionals.

 

[PBRsg]

This thing would be great if it had 3 or 4 GB RAM. Glad I have the 12.9". And honestly I don't think I could ever go back to a smaller size now. Split screen, slide over and PIP are all so much more useful on a larger display. I have a feeling we got the 9.7" version now because iPad specific software changes are coming with iOS 10.

I'm curious though, how does one define "Pro"? Is something only "Pro" if it runs x86 apps and has a file system and USB ports? Is there a standard set of features/specs that determines whether a device is "Pro" or not?

Right now the gap between Air and Pro series is so paper thin that it's kind of ridiculous to have two lines.

 

[elmaco]

How are you going to hold onto the iPad with one hand if there are no bezels.

Why can't I hold onto the display?

I don't need to see 100% of the screen all the time, and Apple can have software/hardware that detect if you hold it or if it is multi-touch action. Apple could easily add a digital bezel for those who like it.

The goal is not necessary to have more screen estate, but to have something looks good.

 

[jackth29]

Enticing

 

[pier]

You know why this or the 12'' model are not laptop replacements?

Because you can't type with them on your lap.

 

[emailnotebox]

The whole question about what a "pro" is , is utterly ridiculous.
Consider a rich dude reading Mail, browsing the web and collecting photos on a $3000 Mac Pro. And the consider another dude working with an iPad mini managing gears worths $9 millions each (myself).
Who's the Pro ? The one using a "pro" computer or the one using an old iPad mini ?

Forums like this always amaze me for the quantity of BS I can read on ...

Who's the pro? You are, the one using the old iPad mini!

 

[Tech198]

Even Tim jumped the gun too saying "it was a PC replacement" then later they backed off.

U still need a Mac to to restores...

if the restore itself could like Mac's "hidden" partition (perhaps in extra permant area of memory), so it wouldnt affect capacity of flash storage, and it worked "self restore" from DFU, as an option to itunes restore, then maybie this would something..

The idea of needing a cable just to restore anyway it old fashioned..... Time to move ahead...

Chrome books have a "power wash" feature.. so i'm sure iOS can do something by itself. The only thing would be where would u get internet access from ... *umm* well... it was a good idea anyway. Perhaps the egg-heads at Apple can fill in this blank.. Guessing it would also cause other issues too..

 

[thekeyring]

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.

I disagree - the customer experience is much better on iPad than on a Windows tablet.

So, while Microsoft have taken a 'short cut' if you like, and enabled pro apps on the surface, Apple can leapfrog them in this area by adding the features and developer tools from OS X that make sense on iPad.

If you need 100% the features of OS X, then the MacBook is for you. If you need to draw, buy a graphics tablet, too.

 

[Tech198]

i stayed away from the notion of OS X on a tablet, but now with the pencil u have a better tool for accuracy.. how could you still say 'no' to that ?

Plus, have u ever used remote desktop on iOS ? u have that same experience.

Apple should start finally filling in the gaps left, now the pencil is more of an adequate tool. Its really only a question of security only.

 

[Max(IT)]

Who's the pro? You are, the one using the old iPad mini!

That was the point.
All this fuss about the "Pro" moniker is just absurd. It's a marketing name, nothing more.
A "Pro" is defined by the user and the apps.

 

[sofila]

I wonder if we will ever see another non-pro tablet update in 9,7" size

The Air2 might languish for a year or two, and once sales drop off significantly, they could quietly discontinue it.

And we get basically to what some people is noticing: in front of declining sales, once the Air2 is discontinued, customer's choice will be limited to higher entry-level prices.

Except for the thing that Air 2 hasn't been discontinued but it was discounted instead...

I'm just arguing with other members about the future of iPad line, just some guesses neither saying for the good or the bad and we're using "once" or "might" or "will" (please read more carefully) so please leave me out of your viewfinder and save your energies enlightening others. I've seen you're quite busy in that, though finding quite amusing all of the above

 

[jagooch]

You said an iPad was a laptop replacement for "many" and then listed those professions. Now you're saying you meant for "many of those professions"?

That makes no sense in the context of your original post. You're changing your story.

And frankly, I'm calling BS on you personally seeing/knowing people in all of those jobs who use an iPad as a primary work device. You may see a small business owner or a doctor with an iPad, but that doesn't mean it's their primary work device, or that they don't have a laptop or desktop in their office (and I'd bet way better than even money that they do).

Let them go. They don't know what they are talking about but are convinced that they are correct. You are arguing with someone who has decided that they are right and you will never convince them otherwise.

As the old saying goes - one who is convinced against their will is of the same opinion still.
[doublepost=1459244625][/doublepost]OS X on a tablet sized device would be great. I briefly owned an iPad mini 3 with Bt keyboard to try it as a laptop replacement . It failed miserably and once I got the iPhone 6 Plus , I stopped using the iPad altogether as the phone had a big enough screen for the iOS work and my MacBook Pro handled the big boy stuff such as running full blown apps, bootcamp To run Windows 10 , connect to peripherals ( 27 in monitor , drawing tablet, scanner, printer , etc) .

If I was rich I might keep an iPad around for media consumption around the house or while traveling by air , but in general it's redundant since I have the large phone screen.

 

[RockSpider]

Why can't I hold onto the display?

I don't need to see 100% of the screen all the time, and Apple can have software/hardware that detect if you hold it or if it is multi-touch action. Apple could easily add a digital bezel for those who like it.

The goal is not necessary to have more screen estate, but to have something looks good.

Why on earth would you want to hold onto the display, that's just ridiculous. A product has to look good AND be usable. How crazy would it be if you're watching a Dolly Parton video.
[doublepost=1459249151][/doublepost]

That was the point.
All this fuss about the "Pro" moniker is just absurd. It's a marketing name, nothing more.
A "Pro" is defined by the user and the apps.

It's not just marketing Apple is claiming it can replace your laptop and that is just BS, but of course a lot of fanboys will just believe it anyway.
[doublepost=1459249397][/doublepost]

Let them go. They don't know what they are talking about but are convinced that they are correct. You are arguing with someone who has decided that they are right and you will never convince them otherwise.

As the old saying goes - one who is convinced against their will is of the same opinion still.
[doublepost=1459244625][/doublepost]OS X on a tablet sized device would be great. I briefly owned an iPad mini 3 with Bt keyboard to try it as a laptop replacement . It failed miserably and once I got the iPhone 6 Plus , I stopped using the iPad altogether as the phone had a big enough screen for the iOS work and my MacBook Pro handled the big boy stuff such as running full blown apps, bootcamp To run Windows 10 , connect to peripherals ( 27 in monitor , drawing tablet, scanner, printer , etc) .

If I was rich I might keep an iPad around for media consumption around the house or while traveling by air , but in general it's redundant since I have the large phone screen.

Boy I must be rich I can never keep track of all my tablets.

 

[barefeats]

The iPad Pro 9.7 inch should really be named 'Semi Pro' when you consider it has 2G of RAM instead of 4G of RAM (iPad Pro 12.9 inch whose memory score is 28% faster according to Geekbench). Consider also the USB 2.0 Lightning port speed instead of USB 3.0 in the case of the iPad Pro 12.9 inch (as much as 5 times faster importing photos by our testing). But Semi Pro is okay. The iPad Pro 9.7 inch still blows away the iPad Air 2 in speed and features.

 

[Popeye206]

Ah, well, here's where we diverge. Coming from a Cintiq, I without a single doubt know that a (admittedly niche) demographic would celebrate the use of OSX with fingers/stylus. it's really not much different than you'd think. just a small learning curve. the apple pencil solves nearly all problems the uninitiated might foresee here. pencil/finger combo would be delicious.

tangentially, i'd say my biggest problem with apple is their over-selling the pro laptop lineup. i've known many people who buy one because 'hey, i'm a professional, i'll probably want this over the macbook air' when very clearly they do not. not that i'd expect any company to do this, but if they discouraged people from this needless upgrade, they'd get a better 'pro' for actual professionals who need one as the end result. no longer catering to the casual users who don't demand top notch performance and more options, the Pro would evolve to better suit us. i don't know a real world fix to this, but to bring this all back home: i understand the Pro iPad moniker because they kept it iOS. it's just missing the iOS tagged at the end. the macbook pro, i find more faults with. especially since it's not a new product.

my hope: touchscreen MacBooks sooner than later, 'hybrid' form if it's designed perfectly, but not necessary. i'm leaning over my macbook right now pretending it's an easel and wishing i could move windows out of the way with my finger as i navigate further with the stylus. seems pretty intuitive and user friendly to me with OS X, especially at native resolution. what would be so inconvenient or actually 'horrible'?

Well, I can only go on my experience with full OS's and a touch screen... in the time I had access to this set up it was cool for about an hour... but within a day I found that I totally ignored the ability to touch the screen as it was quicker for me to just move the curser with the trackpad. Now... I could see if you do a lot of "gather around the laptop" discussions then touch would be useful... but limited in it's actual use. I would be curious to see how many people actually use the touch screen on their laptops with this feature. My guess is it's fun in the beginning but the newness quickly wears off. Just my take.

 

[s2mikey]

"For casual users."

You would never hear Tim Cook say that.

And, doesnt "casual users" go completely against the "pro" monniker? I dunno - Im juts not sold on this whole pro thing.

 

[NT1440]

And, doesnt "casual users" go completely against the "pro" monniker? I dunno - Im juts not sold on this whole pro thing.

Why don't you focus on whether the device suites your needs instead of what its called.

It could be named the death slab and I'd still get it to replace my gen 1 mini.

 

[Rogifan]

Right now the gap between Air and Pro series is so paper thin that it's kind of ridiculous to have two lines.

Hardware wise what would make it more of a gap (without turning the Pro into a Mac)? Other than the Retina display is there a big gap between the 13" MBP and 13" MBA?

My guess is if the Air sticks around it will get a chip update and that's about it. Now that Apple reduced the price they're not going to raise it again. The mini and Air will be cheaper options for people who use the device more for consumption than productivity. Or Apple may decide to phase out the Air and just keep the mini around as the cheap iPad option.

Personally I think Apple needs to be pushing the Pencil more. I use mine all the time. It's definitely the best accessory Apple has ever created. I remember showing off my iPP at Christmas time and the Pencil blew everyone away. This is what many had been hoping for ever since the first iPad came out. Every iPP in an Apple store should have a Pencil for people to try out.

 

[DJ Dilbert]

So here's my dilemma:

Since I'm a professional Graphic and Web Designer, I am looking to replace my late 2007 Macbook Pro and 3rd Generation iPad. However, I do also have a Mac Pro tower at home that I use for higher-end work. I would like to reduce the amount of work I'm doing with my "mobile devices" (aka my laptop and iPad) and use mobile for minor work and client presentations but stick to, and invest in, the tower for the rest of my work.

Would this new iPad Pro be a decent move? I'm just not sure since the iPad doesn't run any desktop apps from Adobe and the only coding app that runs in iOS is Coda. My other option would be something like the Microsoft Surface Pro 4. But after comparing the Apple product to the MS one, I feel that the stylus severely under performs compared to the Apple Pencil.

Would appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

 

[trip1ex]

So close and yet so far.

I don't think this will help iPad sales.

It's stuck in no-man's land. Not enough of a "laptop" for most and too expensive a tablet for what most use tablets for.

The better candidate for adding keyboard and cursor support to is the iPhone. I should already be able to sit my iPHone down on the desk, hook it up to AC and voila, it is talking wirelessly to my 24" monitor and Apple wireless keyboard and network drive.

Also I have 3 hdtvs in the house that my phone could be hooked up to.

Apple already has some of the the in place as it is. You can use BT keyboards with your phone and your phone can stream to tvs via an ATV.

....although the ATV.... and ...well that thing could be the iOs-version of a Mac Mini. Maybe there aren't restrictions to someone making a browser for it and putting it in the app store? Or a word processor.


I digress. I wonder how cheap they could make a dummy 10" touchscreen for your iPHone with a battery to power it? Can they sell one for $100? Or even $200?

 

[adammull]

I still don't understand what this offers that a laptop doesn't? The 11.6" Air I bought to replace my iPad does everything. And if I wanted Retina I could move to the Macbook. Typing is a PITA on an iPad and if I'm using a keyboard accessory then whats the point? Why not buy a small laptop? And the price is prohibitive as well.

I still find websites that for whatever reason refuse to work correctly on an iPad and that will always be a deal breaker.

 

[sdugoten]

I still don't understand why anyone will bother to pay $600+ for a tablet or $800+ for a tablet + keyboard and pretend this is a computer replacement. Last I checked I don't need $800 to buy a real laptop that runs on a real multi tasking OS and runs faster than this "Pro" tablet.

ipad Pro cost you $600 for a connector to the keyboard, enable you use a pen (pen not included!), 2 more speakers, a bit better screen display , 32Gb storage, 2G ram and a CPU a bit faster than ipad Air 2, which you can get a discount during sale for $450 with 64G storage and 2G ram.

For those really just need a tablet, not using a pen nor a keyboard, I see no reason to pay for $150 bucks more for this "Pro" tablet. It has the word "Pro", but those new feature don't quite make that "Pro" and definitely not worth $150 bucks more for a "Pro" price.

I can accept using the word "Pro" as a marketing term if the price is the same as previous ipad. "Pro" is not only a marketing term here, coz they also charge you the price of a "Pro" ...........................without "Pro" feature.

 

[krfr]

Maybe one of these days OS X will run on these more powerful devices. I love iOS, but it is severely lacking as a laptop replacement.

 

[bjet767]

Is the iPad a replacement for a full featured OS on any machine?

No.

But is it a good device?

You bet!

I love my iPad Air2 as well as every iPad I've owned, but for hard core computing and developing my MB and i7 quad Mini do the trick.

It's entertaining to read these threads though and see Apple market (spin) and compete with the iPad.

Just one note:

I bought a keyboard case for my iPad and discovered it was as heavy as my MB and yet did have the functionality of OS X. Dumped the keyboard and got a thin case to enjoy the reason for the iPad design.