Apple’s New iPad Pro

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This week, Apple unveiled the new iPad Pro. It’s an iPad redesigned from the ground up, and the iPad is better for it. There’s a new, larger screen, a new camera, a new processor, new Apple Pencil, and even a new connector. In fact, because of all the new updates on the iPad Pro, there are now more ways to use the iPad Pro than ever before. This isn’t just a new iPad, it’s an entirely new product for Apple.

Screen and Sizes

The iPad originally came in one size: 9.7″. Apple then released an iPad mini (which they still haven’t updated) at 7.9″. However, the iPhone XS Max is surprisingly close to that size, cannibalizing sales of Apple’s smallest tablet. Apple had to go bigger, and they did. The first iPad Pro was a 12.9″ behemoth. Some people loved it, but, for many, it was in a strange space. Not quite as useful as a laptop, but roughly the same size. Then Apple introduced the 9.7″ iPad Pro, and, later, the 10.5″ iPad Pro. However, Apple wasn’t quite done yet.

The latest iPad Pro comes in two sizes, 11″ and 12.9″. The screens have a subtle curve to the edges, like the iPhone, and now have drastically smaller bezels. There’s no room for a Touch ID sensor or home button, now the iPads use Face  ID. And, yes, Face ID works in landscape and portrait orientation, as we expected.

The screens are “Liquid Retina displays,” like the display in the iPhone XR. This is a fantastic LED display, but you might still prefer an OLED display. Still, it has “ProMotion” for high frame rates, a P3 color gamut, and True Tone.

Form Factor

The 11″ iPad is a little larger than the 10.5″ one it replaces, while the 12.9″ one has a smaller footprint than ever before. Overall, the two got closer to the same size.

The form factor changed as well. The new iPad is thinner, with more squared-off edges. In fact, it looks like a giant version of the iPhone 4, my favorite iPhone design. The camera bump is more substantial than ever, but Apple had to reduce the elements in the camera. The iPad Pro camera from this year might actually be worse than the iPad Pro camera from last year, as it no longer has optical image stabilization. But do you really use it?

Performance

The iPad has always featured the best processor of the iOS lineup. This year, that’s more true than ever. The A12X in the iPad Pro has an improved graphics card over the one in the iPhone X. It also comes with 4GB of RAM though. However, it’s been rumored that the high-end model, with the most storage space, has 6GB of RAM, more than enough for the platform (for now).

The performance of the iPad Pro is so great, it doesn’t just rival laptops, it rivals the MacBook Pro. And not just any MacBook Pro either. In benchmarks, it beats out the 15″ MacBook Pro with the 2.2GHz six-core Intel Core i7. Of course, this is only in the single core test, which only tests the processor performance of a single core. The multicore score of the MacBook Pro still beats the iPad Pro, but not by very much. Multicore performance on the iPad Pro is almost twice as fast as the last iPad Pro. This is a gigantic leap in performance. We can now directly compare the iPad Pro to Apple’s professional laptop computers.

Apple claims that we can compare the graphics performance of the iPad Pro to the Xbox One S. This means that, with the right console-quality games, the iPad Pro can replace your console. With a good bluetooth controller, you could use your iPad Pro like a Switch, but with more power and a larger screen.

USB-C

The new iPad Pro has a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port. This is also a significantly substantial upgrade for the device, though it might not seem like it right away. It means Apple sees the iPad Pro as a true replacement for their other USB-C devices, their MacBooks.

It means a lot more than that though. The iPad Pro can now output 4K video directly to a monitor. This means you can use the iPad Pro as a giant graphics tablet and computer, no need to buy the two separately. It also means you can hook your iPad up to a monitor or TV, sit on your couch with a controller, and play console-quality video games. USB-C has truly unleashed the power of the iPad Pro.

Apple Pencil

The Apple Pencil was a great thing, but charging it was a little silly. You had to either plug it into the Lightning connector on your iPad or you’d have to use an adapter to charge it with a Lightning cable. Neither were good options. Plus, everyone, myself included, lost the cap at some point in time.

The new Apple Pencil is much different. It charges wirelessly now. Just sit it near the right/top edge of the iPad Pro, and it’ll magnetically attach to the iPad, then start charging. No more Apple Pencil cap to lose, and no more giant iPad popsicle charging solution either.

The Apple Pencil now has a nice flat edge, perfect for controlling with your index finger. A double tap on the Apple Pencil will trigger various actions in apps, like switching between tools. It’ll be easier than ever to go from drawing to erasing.

Finally, the Apple Pencil has a new matte finish, so it won’t feel slippery or slick when using it for long periods of time. The rest of the Apple Pencil didn’t change though. It’s still something that you can pick up and use right away, detecting pressure, angle, and location on the screen with pinpoint accuracy.

New Smart Keyboard Folio

I have three gripes about the old Smart Keyboard. First, it’s a little fragile. The fabric-like layer on the top can become detached from the bottom. I’ve also found it has become less reliable over time. Secondly, there’s only one viewing angle, which isn’t perfect for every position. But the biggest problem with is that it only protects the front half of your iPad when you have it closed. You still need a case for the back! The Smart Keyboard was already outrageously expensive, this only made it worse.

The new Smart Keyboard Folio changes all of that. Now it magnetically attaches to the rear of your iPad Pro, holding it in place and protecting it from damage in transport (though it likely won’t be helpful in a drop). The Smart Connector is now located in the back, where I think it’ll face less friction than it did on the edge on the hinge. This should increase its longevity. Finally, it can be adjusted. There are now twice as many viewing angles as before, with your iPad held in place by—you guessed it—magnets.

There’s just one problem. The new iPad Pro Smart Keyboard Folio costs $20 more for the 11″ version. It now starts at $179 and goes all the way up to $200. You’re paying $200 for a keyboard.

What kind of an idiot would pay $200 for a keyboard?!

Other Changes

Dongle Time!

The iPad Pro has one port. Just. One. That USB-C port is the only port on the whole thing. Want to use your iPad to play music in your car? Want to do an impromptu iPad powered DJ set? Want to use your high end headphones with it? Tough. Apple will sell you a $9 USB-C to headphone jack dongle. It’s a decent price for a dongle, but it’s still $9 more than you should be paying.

I don’t suspect it’ll affect many pros though. DJs likely have a deck that can take USB-C input and will have their own outputs for headphone monitors or speakers. Gamers, similarly, would have speakers attached to their TVs or displays. It’s true, you likely won’t be highly inconvenienced by Apple’s anti-headphone jack decisions this time. The iPhone was, most certainly, a worse situation. But you’re still not going to be happy about this.

Monochrome

Sorry, fans of gold and rose gold. The iPad Pro is back to monochrome: silver or space gray. I almost never see anyone choose the silver color option, I’m not sure why Apple even offers it. However, at least the color of the face plate doesn’t change. A white face plate would be distracting, and hurts the contrast around the screen. Apple has finally figured that out.

No Legacy Apple Pencil Support

The old Apple Pencil won’t work on the new iPad Pro. Which is likely okay because, how would you charge it anyway? A USB-C to Lightning to Lightning Female adapter? That’s just silly.

More Storage, More Money

The iPad Pro now starts at $799 for the 64GB 11″ model. That goes all the way up to $1,749 for the 1TB storage size. It’s the most expensive iPad ever. Apple has been releasing the most expensive versions of their hardware for some time now.

Battery Life

Apple reports that the iPad Pro has the same battery life as the last model. That’s up to 10 hours of regular WiFi use. It’ll come with an 18w charger, which should help you charge it faster than any iPad before.

Overall

The new iPad Pro is almost a completely new device. You’ll use it for more professional level tasks than ever before and it has the power to back that support up. Furthermore, it looks different in every way, with even the accessories changing. The new iPad Pro is a truly viable laptop replacement for most computer users.

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Sources:

• Apple
• Joe Rossignol, MacRumors