Laptop Mag reviews Apple’s new 12.9-inch iPad Pro: ‘The most powerful mobile device ever made’

“The 12.9-inch iPad Pro (from $999; $1,327 with keyboard and Apple Pencil) is the most powerful mobile device ever made,” Mark Spoonauer writes for Laptop Mag. “The A12X Bionic processor in this slate runs circles around even Core i7-powered laptops on certain tasks, and yet the device weighs just 1.4 pounds.”

“The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is still imposing, but now that’s because of a much more immersive display and not because of the device’s sheer footprint,” Spoonauer writes. “This slate is smaller in every dimension than the last iPad Pro, as well as lighter. The new iPad Pro 12.9 measures 11 x 8.4 x 0.23 inches and weighs 1.39 pounds (1.4 pounds for the LTE model), compared to the 12 x 8.7 x 0.27-inch design on the 2017 model, which also weighed a heftier 1.49 (Wi-Fi) to 1.53 pounds (Wi-Fi + Cellular).”

“The 7-nanometer A12X Bionic chip inside the iPad Pro is so fast we almost did a spit take when we tested the CPU in our labs,” Spoonauer writes. “Transcoding a 4K clip to 1080p in the Adobe Rush app took just 7 minutes and 47 seconds on the iPad Pro, while the Dell XPS 13 took 31:03 and the Surface Pro 6 took 31:54. The latest 2018 13-inch MacBook Pro completed the task in 25:53.”

The new iPad Pro with Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard Folio offer take-anywhere power and versatility.
The new iPad Pro with Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard Folio offer take-anywhere power and versatility.

 
“The iPad Pro is the quintessential tablet for power users and creative pros. It’s so fast that I imagine the likes of Qualcomm and Intel are getting nervous. This tablet wiped the floor with premium Windows laptops and 2-in-1s, in both benchmarks and real-world tests. The iPad Pro’s display, sound and battery life are also top-notch, and the improved Apple Pencil is more comfortable and easier to store,” Spoonauer writes. “Apple didn’t set out to create a 2-in-1. The company wanted to deliver the ultimate mobile device for those who like the idea of using touch and Pencil input most of the time. And if you’re in that target audience, nothing comes close to the iPad Pro.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Unrivaled powerhouse!

SEE ALSO:
New iPad Pro benchmarks blow away Windows PCs – November 5, 2018
Apple iPad Pro’s A12X chip has no real rivals; it delivers performance unseen on Android tablets – November 1, 2018
Apple Smart Keyboard Folio will make your new iPad Pro a work station – October 30, 2018
Apple debuts all-new iPad Pro with Liquid Retina display, powerful A12X Bionic chip, TrueDepth camera system, and more – October 30, 2018

7 Comments

  1. From Nilay Patel’s Verge review: “…either you have to understand the limitations of iOS so well you can make use of these little hacks all over the place to get things done, or you just deal with it and accept that you have to go back to a real computer from time to time because it’s just easier. And in that case, you might as well just use a real computer.”

    It’s the same story in practically every review, amazing hardware but iOS (Apple-imposed) bottlenecks limit its potential. If it fits your workflow great, but at ~$1500 for one with decent storage and a smart keyboard, it’s still not an all-purpose machine like most Macs have been for years. My 2013 Air replacement will be a 2015 Macbook Pro, it offers the least compromises for me (even compared to the latest Macbooks). Hopefully Apple will finally bring us the “post-PC” future they’ve been hyping for 8 years by the time I’m ready to replace it.

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