iPad Pro Curious about the thoughts of those owners of the 2018 12.9 iPad Pro who upgraded to 2021

[QCassidy352]

While the 2018/2020 iPad are working fine today, they’ll start showing their age relatively soon - let’s not forget the the processor is already 3 years old at this point, so piece of mind of the M1 lasting several years is pretty great.

Although I think the 2021 is a good upgrade, I can't agree with this part of your post. The 2018/2020 iPad Pros are faster in single core than any iPads except 2021 Pro and 2020 Air, and they are faster in multicore than anything except the 2021 Pro. Meaning they are (considerably) faster than several iPads still sold today (mini and 8th gen). They will run extremely fast for some time to come.

 

[B_T_W]

I upgraded from my 2018 iPP, and am overjoyed with this new version. It moves as fast as lightning, and could definitely notice the processor upgrade while loading up Comixology with comics, which is an app packed with hi-res images and prone to slowdowns and occasional freezes. This new iPad smokes it, and after a lot of back and forth, I broke and finally got the 1TB, which I've wanted almost from the moment I bought my 2018 with 512GB. I have a HUGE music library, and keep a hefty comics one as well, and now I've got room for several movies and some other incidentals on top of that with space to spare. Finally feel like I can settle in and ignore the urge to upgrade every 2-3 years.

I have noticed the extra weight, and am getting used to it, but most of the time I'm using my ipad while its sitting on a heavy duty stand, and using a bluetooth remote to turn pages and control my music. Great, great setup for me, and minimizes the time I actual spend holding it.

The blooming is noticeable, but not a big issue for me. I'll put it this way, I got this thing to watch movies and tv shows, not to stare at the credits screens, where the white writing on black backgrounds makes the effect more prominent. I was concerned that there would be no standard brightness difference without watching HDR content, but I was worried for nothing. Definitely a difference, and I was able to do some side-by-side testing with my previous iPad before shipping it back for my trade-in credit.

That was another huge factor, Apple gave me over 500 bucks for my trade-in, and I felt like it would never be worth more than it was now, so I traded it in, put some old Apple credit into the pot, and got the Apple Card financing deal, so the chance at upgrading was impossible to pass up. Don't regret it for a minute, and anxious to hear what's changing at WWDC. I for one am super excited at the possibility of further home screen customization, which will make this beast of a machine even more unique and personalized to every user.

B

 

[ejin222]

Your reasoning is why I ordered the discounted 2020 12.9 instead of the 2021 12.9, upgrading my 2017 10.5 iPP. I ordered the 2021 twice and canceled twice, finally convinced that my day-to-day non-HDR usage would not justify the cost.

I’m sure the 2021 M1’s are great, just more than I need. If there were a 12.9” Air, that would work too, but the 2020 should be perfect for my usage.

Yeah, if they had a 12.9" Air, I would be all up on that too. I don't need the computing power, just the size.

 

[Kierkegaarden]

I went from the 2018 to 2021 as well and I agree with your sentiments. Everyone said that 50g wasn't noticeable, but when I put the new iPad in my first gen MK, I felt the added heft.

I don't know if this is necessarily true or not, but it does seem more top heavy on the MK, and it tips a little easier than with the 2018 on my lap. Now, it could be all in the head, but that's what I first noticed as well.

In terms of display, I'm sure if I ONLY watched HDR content then it would be 100% worth it, but in everyday usage, I really don't see the difference... Oh, I'm sure the difference is much better than the 2018 model, but in the day to day common things I see on the screen, you aren't blown away by it, let alone notice that it's a mini-LED screen

Finally, the battery seems to drain faster (obviously due to the screen). That's a big downer for me because Zoom already drained my 2018 pretty quickly. I haven't had the opportunity to use Zoom on battery power alone, but a 2-2.5 hr Zoom call would drain my 2018 to about 50% battery. I will have to see if the brand new 2021 fairs similarly.

On a positive note, this thing FLIES. Yes, I had the 2018, but even that had small hiccups here and there. This one shows no slowdown when opening and using apps and/or having many tabs on Safari. Also, having a bigger storage is also worthwhile.

At the end of the day, if I had paid for the iPad out of my own pocket, I would have returned this 2021 for a 2020 model on sale. As an iPad enthusiast who LOVED my previous 2 iPad Pros (2017, 2018), this one has the least value and emotional contentment for me.

I think you made a good choice. The extra RAM, storage speed, and Thunderbolt port will add more longevity to the device. And the new front camera should also make your Zoom calls better.

Regarding the M1, I have a feeling future apps will start to unlock the power of it. And you’ll appreciate the dynamite display the more you use it.

 

[cupcakes2000]

The 12.9” size is just not manageable for me period. Apple deliberately is holding back Mini-LeD on the 11” Pro Model to push people into buying the more expensive 12.9” iPad Pro. I’m not falling for this manipulation.

Some people really do live in a different world 😂

 

[rkuo]

Some people really do live in a different world 😂

I guess to the casual observer this might seem paranoid, but I assure you this is far from the first time Apple has unnecessarily tied certain features to higher priced SKU's.

 

[cupcakes2000]

I guess to the casual observer this might seem paranoid, but I assure you this is far from the first time Apple has unnecessarily tied certain features to higher priced SKU's.

You don’t need to assure me of anything, if been around for a while, thank you.

it’s funny you have to pay higher prices to get better features. No other manufacturers do this, obviously. Apple is personally watching each of us and is deliberately ensuring we all upgrade when they want us too. It’s almost like we have no control over ourselves, our wishes or our money.

Oh…. Wait…..

Yeah, it’s paranoid.

 

[ofarlig]

I’ve had both the 2018 and 2020 (of both sizes) and now the 12.9” 2021. The step up in RAM at each point has been worth it, the step up in performance now with the 2021 unit is noticeable. The screen is much better and I notice the improved contrast even when browsing, it also gets brighter in non HDR usage than the 2020. Battery life is about the same.

I think this was a significant update.

 

[cvtem]

I have tried to like it, but damn it's a horrible screen.
I use it in an office environment and it looks great, but in the lounge, its bad.
Using it in the dark, which I do a lot, the bloom is so distracting.
So I am bidding on a second hand 2019 iPad Pro on eBay and I am returning the 2021 Bloom Edition
Very disappointed, and highly not recommended.

 

[rkuo]

You don’t need to assure me of anything, if been around for a while, thank you.

it’s funny you have to pay higher prices to get better features. No other manufacturers do this, obviously. Apple is personally watching each of us and is deliberately ensuring we all upgrade when they want us too. It’s almost like we have no control over ourselves, our wishes or our money.

Oh…. Wait…..

Yeah, it’s paranoid.

Shrug, I find it manipulative when the tying of such features has no underlying engineering basis. Lots of people have that opinion.

 

[cupcakes2000]

Shrug, I find it manipulative when the tying of such features has no underlying engineering basis. A vocal minority on the internet have that opinion.

Fixed it for you.

Back in the real world, people just buy what they need, when they need it, and assume that a better product will have a higher price.

 

[haruhiko]

I have tried to like it, but damn it's a horrible screen.
I use it in an office environment and it looks great, but in the lounge, its bad.
Using it in the dark, which I do a lot, the bloom is so distracting.
So I am bidding on a second hand 2019 iPad Pro on eBay and I am returning the 2021 Bloom Edition
Very disappointed, and highly not recommended.

Haha first there is no 2019 version.
And sure just buy the 2018 if you prefer universal light leak vs. blooming in very specific situations.
oh and you saved some money!
How smart is that!

 

[Vol Braakzakje]

Haha first there is no 2019 version.
And sure just buy the 2018 if you prefer universal light leak vs. blooming in very specific situations.
oh and you saved some money!
How smart is that!

My gawd, shows he’s just a troll that does not need to be taken seriously.

 

[MauiPa]

The M1 chip causes much more battery drain due to how power-hungry it is. I don't think you'll want to upgrade.

M1 Power hungry? I suppose you can point me to some independent test results (not Intel). Everything I've seen is just the opposite.

 

[MauiPa]

I have the 2018 12.9. Two interesting videos for consideration:

I'd personally like to upgrade but it's hard to justify the cost. I really don't need the extra HP and video on the 2018 has been fine for me and if I really want better, I have an excellent 4K TV that I should use. But ...

you know what is missing in all these comparison videos - the brightness levels used. Personally when I view your video, the old iPad is washed out indicating too high a brightness setting for the video. also, I do see some blooming effects on the new iPad but 1) that is a video of a video and 2) the video is also very bright. I'm not saying that you won't get blooming on the iPad Pro, and you definitely will if you have the brightness settings on too high, that is true of any device. So while the picture overall looks great with very high contrast and almost perfect blacks, the whole effect can be toned down with lower brightness and not amplified by taking a video of a video. Sorry this "issue" has all the markings of a sponsored false narrative

 

[sparksd]

you know what is missing in all these comparison videos - the brightness levels used. Personally when I view your video, the old iPad is washed out indicating too high a brightness setting for the video. also, I do see some blooming effects on the new iPad but 1) that is a video of a video and 2) the video is also very bright. I'm not saying that you won't get blooming on the iPad Pro, and you definitely will if you have the brightness settings on too high, that is true of any device. So while the picture overall looks great with very high contrast and almost perfect blacks, the whole effect can be toned down with lower brightness and not amplified by taking a video of a video. Sorry this "issue" has all the markings of a sponsored false narrative

In the daylight video, the brightness was at 100%. When watching it, my first thought was that my 2018 Pro doesn't look that bad at 100% in daylight - the usual way I watch videos on mine. And the reflections in the 2018 iPP were so severe that I asked the author if he had a screen protector on it (reflectivity is why I removed mine and he said he did not). All I could think was that iPP doesn't look like mine at all. In the end, what all of these discussions about the 2021 12.9 tell me is that it's really something I'd have to see under my own normal usage and judge for myself if the issues described would matter to me (and the degree to which I could perceive them) - there is too much subjectivity at play.

 

[sorgo †]

2) the display has some quirks that have been well documented by people more discerning than me (dimming at the bezel, tighter but brighter blooming). Movies are truly gorgeous and content is more visible in sunlight, but broadly the display feels like 25% better, not a day-and-night difference unless HBO and Disney+ are 90% of your use case.

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

 

[rui no onna]

I upgraded from my 2018 iPP, and am overjoyed with this new version. It moves as fast as lightning, and could definitely notice the processor upgrade while loading up Comixology with comics, which is an app packed with hi-res images and prone to slowdowns and occasional freezes. This new iPad smokes it, and after a lot of back and forth, I broke and finally got the 1TB, which I've wanted almost from the moment I bought my 2018 with 512GB. I have a HUGE music library, and keep a hefty comics one as well, and now I've got room for several movies and some other incidentals on top of that with space to spare. Finally feel like I can settle in and ignore the urge to upgrade every 2-3 years.

Yep, it's why I got the 1TB as well. I'm not downloading my entire Comixology library to it—I think I'd need 2TB for that. However, I want to have a nice selection for whatever mood strikes and with 1TB, there's still room for the MCU and other favorite movies on there and still have some free space for other things I might add later on.

 

[rkuo]

Fixed it for you.

Back in the real world, people just buy what they need, when they need it, and assume that a better product will have a higher price.

I could do without your snarky tone implying that the unnecessary tying of features isn't consumer hostile and that we should all just suck it up and pay more. Some of us like being able to upgrade our own RAM, replace a screen, or upgrade storage without having to throw out and replace the whole computer every 5 years like old kleenex.

There's obviously a big grey area in the middle, but Apple has been skewing more and more towards the less repairable and less upgradable side of things for a while now.

 

[cupcakes2000]

I could do without your snarky tone implying that the unnecessary tying of features isn't consumer hostile and that we should all just suck it up and pay more. Some of us like being able to upgrade our own RAM, replace a screen, or upgrade storage without having to throw out and replace the whole computer every 5 years like old kleenex.

There's obviously a big grey area in the middle, but Apple has been skewing more and more towards the less repairable and less upgradable side of things for a while now.

Welcome to the internet - snarky is the only way. Don’t you know that? Plus - don’t forget it was you that was trying to school me on what you assumed I didn’t understand.
Thing is- when you’re trying to apply these ideals of yours to a company that has never subscribed to them, well. What do you expect?

Anyway, back to the point at hand… it’s common practice in the tech world, or any world where companies are trying to sell you stuff, to offer better specs at higher prices. It’s only that when Apple do it (at least on macrumours), it becomes the type of issue that means it’s ok to offer totally unreasonable ideas in to the mix.

Example: Apple is trying to manipulate me into buying a better product by not including the specs I want in a cheaper product. As per the op I replied too.

 

[rkuo]

Welcome to the internet - snarky is the only way. Don’t you know that? Plus - don’t forget it was you that was trying to school me on what you assumed I didn’t understand.

School you? You are taking offense where none was intended. I don't know what you do or don't know about Apple's history of product offerings.

Thing is- when you’re trying to apply these ideals of yours to a company that has never subscribed to them, well. What do you expect?

That's factually untrue. RAM used to be more upgradable. So did storage. Target display mode was a thing. It wasn't so hard to service their devices. In general, Apple devices used to be more upgradable and reusable.

Some of the shift today has been necessitated by the high integration required for mobile devices and form factors. In desktops, it's likely just a consumer hostile move. I would argue the shift back to upgradeable RAM in the Mac Mini and an upgradable Mac Pro form factor was directly a result of the outcry from a portion of the Mac user base such as myself. So complaining about these things is not pointless.

Anyway, back to the point at hand… it’s common practice in the tech world, or any world where companies are trying to sell you stuff, to offer better specs at higher prices. It’s only that when Apple do it (at least on macrumours), it becomes the type of issue that means it’s ok to offer totally unreasonable ideas in to the mix.

Example: Apple is trying to manipulate me into buying a better product by not including the specs I want in a cheaper product. As per the op I replied too.

Look, I completely agree with you that companies can offer SKU's at higher prices with more stuff. I'm simply arguing that it is possible to take it too far, and that Apple is toeing the line on that as far as I'm concerned.

 

[A_Flying_Panda]

I gave all 2018, 2020, and 2021 iPad pros

1. the screen is definitely better. Much better. I watched some movies with gun flights scenes (without remorse for one), and the flashes made by bullets hitting objects are blinding. Not just bright, blinding bright. this is much better than the HDR on iPhones’ OLED displays
2. Performance-wise I haven’t noticed much difference. But i dont use any of those ’pro’ apps anyway, most of what i use is office, mail, safari, YouTube, plex etc.
3. the increase in RAM is very noticeable. I got the 1TB version for the 16GB ram, and i can say there is significantly less page/app reload on this 2021 model. The webpages i opened couple days ago are still there, no need for reload.

 

[cupcakes2000]

School you? You are taking offense where none was intended. I don't know what you do or don't know about Apple's history of product offerings.


That's factually untrue. RAM used to be more upgradable. So did storage. Target display mode was a thing. It wasn't so hard to service their devices. In general, Apple devices used to be more upgradable and reusable.

Some of the shift today has been necessitated by the high integration required for mobile devices and form factors. In desktops, it's likely just a consumer hostile move. I would argue the shift back to upgradeable RAM in the Mac Mini and an upgradable Mac Pro form factor was directly a result of the outcry from a portion of the Mac user base such as myself. So complaining about these things is not pointless.


Look, I completely agree with you that companies can offer SKU's at higher prices with more stuff. I'm simply arguing that it is possible to take it too far, and that Apple is toeing the line on that as far as I'm concerned.

🤷‍♂️Ok then.

Go read some Apple history to find their stance on their end goal on upgradability and user servicing. It’s been ingrained into macs since the first mac.
The rest is gravy, I don’t take offence to random people on the internet, don’t worry - just like to point out hypocrisy.

 

[Adelphos33]

I’m honestly thinking about returning the 2021 iPad

I gave all 2018, 2020, and 2021 iPad pros

1. the screen is definitely better. Much better. I watched some movies with gun flights scenes (without remorse for one), and the flashes made by bullets hitting objects are blinding. Not just bright, blinding bright. this is much better than the HDR on iPhones’ OLED displays
2. Performance-wise I haven’t noticed much difference. But i dont use any of those ’pro’ apps anyway, most of what i use is office, mail, safari, YouTube, plex etc.
3. the increase in RAM is very noticeable. I got the 1TB version for the 16GB ram, and i can say there is significantly less page/app reload on this 2021 model. The webpages i opened couple days ago are still there, no need for reload.

Honestly webpages that I had loaded months ago on my prior iPad showed up immediately in Safari (I guess they transferred over in the restore from backup). The RAM increase is definitely big

 

[yepp]

I upgraded from 2018 12.9” to 2021 12.9”. iPad Pro is my main computer which I use every day. Overall I’d say that it’s not a must-have, but a very nice-to-have upgrade. Here are some observations from practical daily use.

- XDR screen: Higher contrast and local dimming are both very noticeable on a daily basis. Screen looks amazing especially when watching a movie. This is one of those features that, once you are accustomed to, it’s difficult to go back to the old technology.

-Device weight: Weight difference is certainly noticeable. But it doesn’t matter to me as 2018 12.9” was already a heavy device. You can tell the weight difference more easily when both devices are attached to magic keyboard. When you’re holding the devices in hand without a keyboard, although the weight is still noticeable, the difference feels more subtle to me.

- Ram: I have the 8GB ram model. Yes, Safari can hold more tabs, but I wouldn’t upgrade for this reason alone. Perhaps more ram helps future proofing, but for the time being it really doesn’t affect my daily use much.

- Better camera: I have nothing to say about rear camera as I never use it. But the front camera is indeed significantly better. Nice to have spec bump.

- M1 chip: Yes, I can tell the speed difference. When multitasking and switching between apps on the 2018 12.9”, I often experienced a fraction of a second delay. That’s completely gone on the 2021 12.9”. When I am on a productivity mindset and focused on work, such small latency issues become distractive and I’m glad that M1 is noticeable faster.