iPad Pro

[Jobbo]

I've moved into 2017 at last. Just bought a 10.5" iPad Pro; externally there's not a lot of reason to go for that over a standard 9.7" iPad but it has a faster processor, more RAM, better laminated screen, stereo speakers, dock for smart keyboard etc and should be future-proof for my purposes for 5 years or so. And I don't have to have Face ID; it's not just that I prefer the fingerprint unlocking, it's that the home button gives you a physical way to get back to the home screen. Playing with the new 11" Pro, I couldn't consistently swipe to do what I wanted and that's only going to be harder when you're joggling around on a train.

Since Apple still sell the 10.5" Pro the prices haven't gone down that much yet. However, I spotted a deal, over 30% off a brand new 256GB cellular version provided I was happy to have it in gold. Not a problem, I like all the colours and the black bezel which I demand on an iPhone isn't important with the bigger screen. The offer was in Currys but I got John Lewis to price match, so best of all worlds. Cheaper than buying the 256GB non-cellular from Apple's own refurb store.

I still use my only previous iPad purchase, a 32GB wifi Mini Retina (the second-gen Mini, I think) which I got at launch which was in 2013. I had thought it was the base model but looking back, I upgraded from 16GB for £80 extra Since it's still perfectly usable now, perhaps the Pro will have 10 years' useful life?

Of course, iPads mainly seem to be used to keep toddlers quiet these days so it could be a complete technological dead end... or just a nicer way to watch The Grand Tour on the train.

[DaveE]

The new Pros are brilliant IMO (although beyond what I can really justify for YouTubes and other basic internet stuffs)

The screen responsiveness is incredible (I think it's a 120Hz screen) - the way it responds to touch inputs is almost too quick.

I'm sure you'll get years and years of use from it though - feels like a huge leap forward from the previous Pros.

[Jobbo]

Mine is a previous Pro - it's the 2017 launched model which has a home button.

Having spent a bit of time setting it up over the weekend I'm impressed. It makes my old Mini feel small (it's almost half the size so not surprising) but because it's thinner and not that much heavier, it feels lighter. The speakers are impressive and the screen is lovely. I don't think the latest screens are any different.

[Richard]

The new Pros are brilliant IMO (although beyond what I can really justify for YouTubes and other basic internet stuffs)

I’m in pretty much the same boat

I find them amazing, but just wouldn’t personally have the use for them

[Jobbo]

I am hoping I have a use for it beyond Youtube etc - hence I've synced it more to my phone than my old one. It's also possible to log in to work using an iPad, but it's less obviously taking your work on holiday to use this rather than carrying my laptop bag.

[ste]

Bought my wife the 12.9" pro last month (requote at will)... With the pencil and keyboard it's a fantastic thing. She's an illustrator and already I can see it transforming the way she works.

[ste]

Last 2 things on her instagram were done on it.





I've had a go and it's really, very good. I could see how one could get me back into drawing.

[Jobbo]

I'm not yet buying the pencil. Wondering about a keyboard; I might get the Logitech Slim case one which uses the smart connector, provides more protection for the iPad itself and has more substantial keys.

Bloody good work by your wife Ste. Did you get the 12.9" one in John Lewis's sale? They were decently discounted but not the 10.5" at the time.

[ste]

No, hadn't realised it had been in a sale. Muggins walked into Apple and paid the best part of 2 grand on it.

[Simon]

No, hadn't realised it had been in a sale. Muggins walked into Apple and paid the best part of 2 grand on it.

One of my reps uses hers extensively in customer meetings, with pencil. She's an avid note taker and much prefers the method and form factor than using a proper laptop. I'd agree, but my hand-writing is terrible.

[ste]

No, hadn't realised it had been in a sale. Muggins walked into Apple and paid the best part of 2 grand on it.

Meh, it's 'only' the 512GB too. The 1TB with options is more like £2300. It's a serious tool though, plus bought it through a Ltd co.

[Jobbo]

The sale was on the old model; I guess yours is the new one if you could have gone up to 1TB. So you didn't miss the sale, don't worry

[DaveE]

My best friend and his g/f are both tattooists, they do lots of drawing and design work on their iPad Pros (seems a lot of tattooists use them).

I used to make music when I was younger and can see the appeal there - although I'm quite old school - what I really want is racks of of old, analogue synths and an Atari ST running Cubase

[Ascender]

The new Pros are brilliant machines and the 12.9 is nearly there as a laptop replacement for me. The 11" is great as an ultra-portable, especially with the keyboard cover and I've switched to taking notes with the pencil and the Notability app.

Keyboard wise, the Brydge one looks like the best if you're wanting something you can type on your lap with.

[Mito Man]

I’ll buy an iPad Pro when they come with Mac OS. My only tablet experience is the original iPad which was great at the time and then the Mini which I returned within the 2 week period as iOS is just too limiting for me beyond watching YouTube. Apple remain adamant that the iPad and Mac line should be completely separate - presumably so they can continue selling you multiple products to do one job...

[Ascender]

I’ll buy an iPad Pro when they come with Mac OS. My only tablet experience is the original iPad which was great at the time and then the Mini which I returned within the 2 week period as iOS is just too limiting for me beyond watching YouTube. Apple remain adamant that the iPad and Mac line should be completely separate - presumably so they can continue selling you multiple products to do one job...

You'd be amazed how powerful the new iPad Pro is and just what you can do with one these days, often with very little compromise or adjustment to how you work. Things have moved on a long way - iOS still has a way to go, but more and more people are able to use them as their primary machine.

I'm not convinced at all that the way to fix a lot of the criticisms people have of iOS is to just slap pointer support in there and/or make them run iOS.

[unzippy]

Have any of the updates allowed you to now copy and paste between different apps and retain the formatting?

[Jobbo]

I'm quite pleased I got my 10.5" Pro when I did. The new Air launched today has similar screen and physical size, a faster processor but only 2 speakers and worse specs in other ways (camera, lack of 4K video, . It would also cost me £130 more to get the 256GB wifi+cellular model than I paid for the Pro.

Looks like my Pro may have been a misprice by Currys, but I bought it price-matched in store from John Lewis. Maybe I'll spend the saving on a pencil