“This is probably the first time Apple has seriously deviated from traditional iPad launches, putting together a tablet built for (limited) productivity and content creation rather than just simple content consumption,” Joshua Ho, Brandon Chester, and Ryan Smith write for AnandTech. “To accomplish this, Apple has increased the display size to something closer to that of a laptop, and we see the addition of a stylus and a keyboard cover for additional precision inputs. Of course, under the hood there have been a lot of changes as well.”
“Diving into the heart of the iPad Pro, we have Apple’s latest generation tablet SoC, A9X. Like the other Apple X series SoCs before it, A9X is by and large an enhanced and physically larger version of Apple’s latest phone SoC, taking advantage of the greater space and heat dissipation afforded by a tablet to produce a more powerful SoC,” Ho, Chester, and Smith write. “Overall, the iPad Pro has proven to be a very different experience for me than previous iPads. The design is definitely familiar, with the same industrial design and general feel as previous iPads scaled up to a 12.9” form factor. However, the change in size is something that feels like it should have been done from the start.”
“Overall, the iPad Pro is an incredibly good tablet,” Ho, Chester, and Smith write. ” It isn’t perfect by any means, and there is still a lot of work to be done – seemingly fitting for a first-generation Apple device – but for the first time in a long time it feels like the broader tablet market is advancing once again. If you want a proper tablet that can replace pencil and paper with a keyboard for extended typing sessions, [we]I have no problem recommending the iPad Pro.”
Reams more, as usual, in the full review – recommended – here.
MacDailyNews Take: Add another, albeit likely the most comprehensive ever, to the pile of excellent reviews for iPad Pro!
SEE ALSO:
ZDNet reviews Apple’s iPad Pro: A genuine alternative to a laptop for business users – November 20, 2015
Dalrymple: ‘I don’t want an iPad to replace my Mac’ – November 19, 2015
Apple’s super-sized ‘iPad Pro’ shines for work, play and creativity – November 19, 2015
Blame early software for iPad Pro’s weak work ethic, display size for its awkwardness at play – November 19, 2015
The iPad Pro’s keyboard problems need more work – November 19, 2015
After a week with Apple’s iPad Pro, I’m letting it go – November 18, 2015
TIME Magazine reviews iPad Pro: ‘The best computer Apple has ever made’ – November 16, 2015
Apple’s new iPad Pro debuts with forced reboots, missing Apple Pencils – November 16, 2015
Apple’s perplexingly incomplete launch of the iPad Pro – November 16, 2015
I’ve ditched my MacBook for an iPad Pro; here’s why – November 16, 2015
A designer’s take on the iPad Pro – November 13, 2015
iPad Pro: Day 2 and already making my work better, easier, and faster – November 13, 2015
Why Apple’s new iPad Pro makes Mac users feel weird – November 12, 2015
Apple’s new iPad Pro is faster and more affordable than beleaguered Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 – November 12, 2015
Analyst: Apple’s iPad Pro and its powerful A9X CPU pose threat to Intel – November 12, 2015
Video: Apple Pencil for iPad Pro vs. Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 stylus – November 12, 2015
Apple’s joyless iPad Pro launch: WTF are the Apple Pencils and Smart Keyboards? (4-5 weeks away) – November 12, 2015
Apple’s A9X-powered iPad Pro offers Mac-like speed – November 11, 2015
Wired reviews Apple’s iPad Pro: ‘The best tablet, and the best case for tablets, anyone’s ever made’ – November 11, 2015
Horace Dediu reviews Apple’s iPad Pro: Unlike anything we’ve ever seen before – November 11, 2015
Ben Bajarin reviews Apple’s iPad Pro: ‘The start of something new’ – November 11, 2015
Is Apple’s epic iPad Pro for you? – November 11, 2015
Gruber reviews Apple’s iPad Pro: A MacBook replacement for many
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Mossberg reviews Apple’s iPad Pro: Graphics folks will love it, but I’m sticking with my iPad Air – November 11, 2015
The Verge reviews Apple’s iPad Pro: Could this replace my MacBook? – November 11, 2015
I don’t like that review. “It isn’t perfect by any means” – what he is talking about? I own the iPad Pro, and the hardware is perfect. Incredible fast, incredible audio system, gorgeous pencil, best iPad ever. The only thing that truly sucks is the iOS interface. The icons are way too large, and the non-changeable grid of 5 x 4 icons (plus dock) is a real joke on such a big screen real estate, even more than on the iPad Air 2. I truly hope, Apple will make a bold move to an entirely new interface in iOS 10.
In other words… “Overall … it isn’t perfect by any means”.
This is an Apple product. The hardware, and included OS is *always* considered as part of the complete offering. We always say OSX must be included in the analysis when comparing Mac and PC offerings.
So if the OS on iPad Pro isn’t perfect, which you yourself say “truly sucks” in this context, then by definition the iPad Pro isn’t perfect.
No interviewer has ever written (without fear they’ll look stupid and too easy to please) “OMG this is a perfect device!! I offer nothing up as advice for them to improve on! They hit it out of the ballpark perfectly on Version 1!!! Done!”
Nothing’s perfect, just some things are more perfect than others.
Meant “Reviewer” not Interviewer. Thanks auto-correct.
My wife’s had her iPP for two weeks, and it is a great device. She moved up from an iPad 2, so the iPP is a completely different device when it comes to performance. Still waiting for Apple Pencil and Keyboard to arrive.
I agree with “Analysts are stupid!” – what the heck do Anand Tech mean by “isn’t perfect by any means”?
Perfect in *every* way for me, so far. You can even almost touch type on this thing. Smooth as butter graphics, perfect touch response. I have a friend (who is a Samscum lover) who was envious watching me play a first person shooter on it. Great machine!
I get annoyed when reviews call the pencil a stylus. It’s a pencil that you can use as a stylus..maybe I’m just being picky, but calling it a stylus sort of misses the point.
Exactly, it pays to be precise with wording.
It sure seems easy for people to second-guess Apple years later.
It is easy to say that, but it took a lot of design and development work to go from the original iPad to the iPad Pro – large, high res display, A9X, battery life, power efficiency, Apple pencil, etc. But sure, why not, Apple should have crapped out the iPad Pro six years ago.
Pile of excellent reviews for iPad Pro? Have you been reading the same articles I have over the past couple of months? Majority have questioned iOS on it, questioned its ability to be a top notch productivity advice, and so forth. Be honest, you’re over selling the reviews.
Even this article admits it – “a tablet built for (limited) productivity”. Funny.
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