A brilliant iPad that takes the devices into a new realm. I've loved using it, but just make sure you're ready for the larger size and weight.
The iPad Pro review was one that I was really dreading writing – but also one I was the most excited about in a while.
The issue was this: what is the big iPad Pro for? Is it a genuine laptop replacement? Or is it nothing more than a larger tablet from Apple? And now we've got the iPad Pro 9.7, is this tablet too big?
It depends what you see a tablet as. For some, it's a device that sits on the sofa with you, and you sometimes idly think about getting a keyboard for it so you could do some writing on the go. For others, it's a laptop that packs a detachable screen for portability.
The former scenario is where iPads (and most Android tablets) sit. The latter is more the domain of Windows devices, where the operating system and hardware collide with varying results.
Apple doesn't seem to be pushing the iPad Pro 12.9 into any particular market though – it's designed to be a media hub, a decent word processor, a creative design tool, and then anything the app world can dream up besides.
It's possible to use it as an enterprise device too, but there's a lot here that inches it enticingly towards the consumer world.
Microsoft's device is more for those who need to massively multitask all the time, using dedicated desktop applications to get everything done.
In terms of cost, well, for an Apple device it's actually less than you'd expect. Of course, I'm not saying that you should accept a higher price because it's an iThing, but I was expecting this to tip into a much higher bracket.
The iPad Pro 12.9 costs US$799 (£679, AU$1249) for the 32GB Wi-Fi version, US$949 (£799, AU$1499) for the 128GB Wi-Fi model and US$1099 (£919, AU$1749) for the 256GB one.
If you want cellular too the smallest model is 128GB for US$1079 (£899, AU$1699), or you can splash out on a 256GB Wi-Fi and 4G model for US$1229 (£1019, AU$1949).
Seems expensive. But compare that to the iPhone 6S Plus, which costs US$949 (£789, AU$1529) for the 128GB version, and it doesn't seem that pricey in the pantheon of Apple products.
The iPad Pro could be a lot of things to many people. To some, a great sofa pal. To others, a brilliant hybrid device that enables them to flip effortlessly from sketching to movies to typing reports on the go.
Is it good enough to usurp the need for a Macbook Pro? Could you ever get by just using this tablet and the optional accessories around it, or does it need to be part of a larger family – a device that's perfect for certain situations but gets relegated when it's time for proper work?
There was only one way to find out – force myself to ditch the laptop and try to write this review on the Pro (and you can see the results below). While that wasn't as easy as I'd hoped, I've found a lot of use for the iPad Pro 12.9 in day to day life.
- If you're looking for more things to do with your larger iPad, such as painting with a proper brush or getting a brilliant dock, check out our iPad Pro accessories page
- Or if you want to just keep your fabulously expensive device safe, check out our best iPad cases round up instead.
- Or go to both. We can wait.
Tag :
gadget review,
technology review
