iPad Pro Exchanged 12.9” for 11”

[sorgo †]

Good honest feedback back on your experience

Thanks for taking the time to read.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Good on you OP, for getting the device that works and pleases you, instead of trying to force yourself to like and keep the 12.9".

 

[jdb8167]

it was the blooming of the display, particularly the strange clouds around white text on contrasting backgrounds, increased blur/smear with moving content (such as scrolling text), and apparent, boxy backlighting zones (or bloom/fallout from them) around brighter elements of dark user interfaces that made me quickly resent my very expensive, increasingly apparent mistake.

I think that all this would make just switch to non-dark mode. I’m not buying the M1 iPad Pro until we learn what Apple has planned at WWDC but the blooming on text has a simple solution for me. Don’t use dark interfaces.

 

[sorgo †]

I think that all this would make just switch to non-dark mode. I’m not buying the M1 iPad Pro until we learn what Apple has planned at WWDC but the blooming on text has a simple solution for me. Don’t use dark interfaces.

Hard to resist with such juicy contrast.

 

[psychonaut]

The decision between 11 and 12.9 really comes down to personal preference and the users overall reason for purchase.

I’ve never owned an iPad Pro before last Friday and went with the 12.9 because as a content creator (using LumaFusion & Pixelmator) I needed the extra screen size. The mini LED display was an added bonus but editing videos and photos on a larger screen is a must, thus my reason for the 12.9

Yes, I could have went with a new laptop for video editing but I found the ability to do what I want to on an iPad as liberating.

I keep my 12.9 in a smart folio, so size really has not been a huge adjustment for me. I had tried the Logitech combo case and yeah that thing was a beast! I returned it for a number of reasons. If I ever need a keyboard I’ll pick up the magic keyboard case by apple and swap it out as needed.

If I was not creating content I’d probably opt for the 11” but again I just don’t think you can go wrong with either size, it just all comes down to your reason for purchase. If your workflow dictates the “why” I’d doubt you would be disappointed. If you are buying one over the other simply because it’s “better” on paper the margin of difference becomes pretty slim.

 

[1BadManVan]

It’s definitely a preference thing. I think the usability of the size you choose should come before the screen tech. Both have great looking screens, the 12.9 has the newer tech, but the newer tech isn’t useful if its too large for your needs. You’ll just end up with a mini led paper weight lol

 

[kp98077]

I have both and honestly can barely tell the different in display.. lol… perhaps its me… can’t tell the difference with text viewing either on web pages. Both are great, it does again, come down to portability. Keeping the white keyboard for sure! So many decisions to be made, laptop replacement? Travel? If for around home the 12.9 is good for the airplane, not so sure…

 

[kave]

I am currently so happy with my 10.9” iPad Pro but have ordered the 12.9 for the display mainly. But I most likely will return it and order the 11” instead if the display is not blowing me away.

 

[kp98077]

I am currently so happy with my 10.9” iPad Pro but have ordered the 12.9 for the display mainly. But I most likely will return it and order the 11” instead if the display is not blowing me away.

If it were that easy, the two feel night and day apart size wise - completely different! Thus, completely different audiences. Calm your…

 

[LiquidJay]

TLDR; wanted 11”, bought 12.9”, exchanged for 11” ?

thank you!!

 

[sorgo †]

#Bloomgate is real, y’all, but you didn’t hear it from me.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1396242735078813697

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1396244191873802242

The only remaining question is: Are you an Apple Knight?

 

[christophermdia]

"What we know about the 11-inch user is that they just love bringing a super powerful iPad with them in a portable one-pound design. They just love the form factor of that. Whereas the user who is embracing the 12.9-inch display, they were looking for the largest canvas to do their most creative work on that product, and that made sense to bring that XDR technology to the 12.9-inch display for the iPad Pro." – Scott Broderick

---

Although in my original thread I falsely stated that I had already decided on the 11” model I later went back on my word and decided to give a 1TB 12.9” a test-run (picked up in-store Friday morning) before exchanging for the smaller 2021 iPad Pro at 1 pm the next day.

As I roughly explained to the salesperson who attentively heard my complaints and who guided me expertly through the exchange process, the 12.9” is clearly a portal custom-designed for (tele-)visual content creators and consumers. The few music videos I cared to watch on the thing (those for “Ponyboy,” “Faceshopping,” and “It’s Okay to Cry” by late electronic musician SOPHIE) sang, each shocking strobe and visual effect rendered, to be simplistic, cinematically, impactfully. The richness of darker shades is generally beautiful as is the screen’s capability to emphasize highlight in a way that is eye-catchingly natural. The display felt disarmingly warm and lifelike—and luxurious—during the one candle-lit Fitness+ yoga session I had with the XDR iPad.

However, in my specific use case, exchanging the 1TB 12.9” Wi-Fi-only model for a cellular-equipped 256GB 11” Pro plus Apple Pencil, Magic Keyboard, Smart Folio, two years of AppleCare+, as well as an AirTag and keyring—and paying twenty cents after the fact—was one of my better recent decisions.

Let’s get to the why aside from the obviously, astoundingly better value. Yes, the 12.9” size is less manageable (the tablet proved to be more than a bit awkward and uncomfortable to hold in a reclining position during the short time I had with it—no great surprise there). And yes, it’s clear there is a whole lot one could do with that whole lot of screen.

---

But aside from the more compact frame of the 11” “just” suiting me better—to use Mr. Broderick’s favorite word—“just” what was it about this newfangled, somewhat-gargantuan iPad that drove me back to the Apple Store?

I hate to further beat this horse, but it was the blooming of the display, particularly the strange clouds around white text on contrasting backgrounds, increased blur/smear with moving content (such as scrolling text), and apparent, boxy backlighting zones (or bloom/fallout from them) around brighter elements of dark user interfaces that made me quickly resent my very expensive, increasingly apparent mistake. The display was nearly unusable without thinking about how I wish it looked somehow different, especially when using dark mode and most especially when using the device in darker surroundings.

It made me feel like my contacts were dirty. The display’s disappointment factor ranked up (or down) there with that of the iPhone XS I had briefly before returning in 2018, the pulse-width modulation of which just about made my eyes bleed. Although this wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable, it was a lot more expensive.

Although I am currently satisfied and not having to think too hard about the quality of my 11” iPad’s display or wondering whether it might somehow be improved through future software updates—so far it has looked excellent across all my typical Safari/Twitter/Apple Music/light gaming use cases—it will be cool to watch how display technologies across the iPad line might further progress into and improve with smaller backlighting arrays in its LCDs or oft-beloved, per-pixel-lit OLED for use in the nearer future.

I have been using an iPhone 12 since late October 2020 and although there was a small adjustment period the comfortability of Apple’s iPhone OLED implementation for my eyes is light years ahead of where it was just two years ago. On that more positive note I hope everyone is satisfied with their device(s) or that they are able to return or exchange until their needs are met.

---

Also I would lastly like to say that the store representative who assisted me was pleasantly helpful and not just attentive but interested. He made sure to submit my feedback to Apple to potentially be taken into account in future product refinements and said that an Apple engineer may be reaching out at some point for further detail.

I like this "review" thought process ... I have for many years wanted the 12.9" and when everything was announced I was convinced this was the time I am getting it ... Then, oddly, we decided to let one of our kids stay home from school as a "cut day" and he wanted to go to the zoo ... I did have a couple zoom meetings I had to do, but I put my iPad in a shoulder sling, and enjoyed the zoo for a bit, when it was time for my meeting, I sat at a bench and pulled out the iPad, worked as needed, then bag to sling and enjoyed zoo more .... now the 12.9 can do this, but at the cost of a much bigger bag and nuisance ... after I got home I changed my order from 12.9 to 11" ... that there is a ultimate use case ... if I need 13" I have my work computer which is a surface ...

 

[calstanford]

A lot of fancy bla for someone who doesn't know what he wants. A 16GB RAM/1TB/12.9"/Wifi is about the polar opposite of an 8GB/256GB/11"/Cellular iPad.

Less esotheric rambling, more thinking might make you happier

 

[Moyapilot]

OP thank you for posting your experience. I thought it was well written, and I don't mind a novel honestly. Nowadays people have a 2 second attention span so the pushback your received doesn't surprise me.

It seems like this is a bit of a fail on Apple's part with the miniled display, but it'll take more time to reach a consensus. I'm glad that they didn't put it in the 11" now as that is my preferred iPad ( I have the '18).

MicroLED or OLED, this is the way

 

[sorgo †]

OP thank you for posting your experience. I thought it was well written, and I don't mind a novel honestly. Nowadays people have a 2 second attention span so the pushback your received doesn't surprise me.

It seems like this is a bit of a fail on Apple's part with the miniled display, but it'll take more time to reach a consensus. I'm glad that they didn't put it in the 11" now as that is my preferred iPad ( I have the '18).

MicroLED or OLED, this is the way

Thank you for the kindness and open-minded-ness as well as for the time.

And very much this (in bold). Perhaps the majority felt a bit peeved/confused/disappointed to initially discover the XDR’s exclusivity but more variety of and inter-competition between/feedback on different display technologies should hopefully provide more avenues for improvement and more chances for the Retina-esque breakthroughs we simply cannot live without.

Perhaps we should be thanking Apple for taking the slower, more conservative approach in terms of bestowing XDR onto its iPads this cycle. It will be interesting to see where the rumors concerning XDR in MacBooks lead, and whether the technology is further improved or iterated upon if it does make an appearance in such a context.

 

[SeanSpreadsRumors]

There is no value to this thread just like a lot of threads on this forum

Speak my language!

 

[SeanSpreadsRumors]

I hate to further beat this horse, but it was the blooming of the display, particularly the strange clouds around white text on contrasting backgrounds, increased blur/smear with moving content (such as scrolling text), and apparent, boxy backlighting zones (or bloom/fallout from them) around brighter elements of dark user interfaces that made me quickly resent my very expensive, increasingly apparent mistake. The display was nearly unusable without thinking about how I wish it looked somehow different, especially when using dark mode and most especially when using the device in darker surroundings.

It made me feel like my contacts were dirty. The display’s disappointment factor ranked up (or down) there with that of the iPhone XS I had briefly before returning in 2018, the pulse-width modulation of which just about made my eyes bleed. Although this wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable, it was a lot more expensive.

My comment is not meant to sound rude. Having been an Apple user for longer than I can remember, my best guess is 17 years give or take. owning multiple iMacs, multiple Macbooks of all varieties, multiple iPads and just about every iPhone they have ever released. I am calling BS on this. Not one sliver of a chance Apple would release a flagship iPad with this many screen defects, especially considering this screen is the biggest screen upgrade and feature any mobile product from Apple has ever gotten. In all seriousness if I was you I would go see an Ophthalmologist. Sounds like your eyes or your contacts might be defective.

 

[SeanSpreadsRumors]

Obviously you didn’t get it...honest feedback is very helpful others think about purchasing...just because you don’t see value in it doesn’t make so..maybe if Apple got more honest feedback it would help improve their products instead of money grab.

I think you are putting too much worth into the OP's post. For reasons I outlined in another comment here the chances of this being true is less than zero. A company like Apple who thrives on perfection would not put out such a defective product. I've owned enough Apple products with their screens to confidentially call BS on this one.

 

[sorgo †]

In all seriousness if I was you I would go see an Ophthalmologist.

And if I were you I’d call a psychiatrist. Oh, sorry—didn’t mean for that to sound rude.

 

[kave]

I think OP is right in this reasoning. For the same reason many got the iPhone 12 MAX just to get the best camera. I would have got the 12 mini if it had the 12 pro cameras features.
If both the 11 and 12.9 had the super display I would have got the 11” directly. The iPad is nowhere near to replace a Macbook for me. It is a nice compliment for certain dutys.

 

[jimmy_uk]

I think you are putting too much worth into the OP's post. For reasons I outlined in another comment here the chances of this being true is less than zero. A company like Apple who thrives on perfection would not put out such a defective product. I've owned enough Apple products with their screens to confidentially call BS on this one.

You may have owned Apple products for 17 years but have yet to spend enough time on this forum if you think this statement is 100% true.

 

[SeanSpreadsRumors]

You may have owned Apple products for 17 years but have yet to spend enough time on this forum if you think this statement is 100% true.

I have spent enough time as an unregistered lurker (years) to know that people that loathe Apple will frequent this forum. No matter what you say, Apple or any other tech leader for that matter (Samsung, Google, HTC, Microsoft) would not put out a product with such a defective and unusable screen like OP described. OP is either lying about his experience, or his eyes or contact lenses are defective. Say what you will but that's how it is. So yes my statement is 100% true. Not one chance in all of hell is Apple releasing a screen as defective as OP described.

 

[MrEcted]

I think you are putting too much worth into the OP's post. For reasons I outlined in another comment here the chances of this being true is less than zero. A company like Apple who thrives on perfection would not put out such a defective product. I've owned enough Apple products with their screens to confidentially call BS on this one.

Wait, we're talking about the same company that released the disaster known as the butterfly keyboard on MBPs right? It was enough of a disaster that they tried to redesign it multiple times before finally giving up.

I enjoy a lot of Apple products as much as the next person, but Apple is not infallible.

 

[Rainshadow]

I have spent enough time as an unregistered lurker (years) to know that people that loathe Apple will frequent this forum. No matter what you say, Apple or any other tech leader for that matter (Samsung, Google, HTC, Microsoft) would not put out a product with such a defective and unusable screen like OP described. OP is either lying about his experience, or his eyes or contact lenses are defective. Say what you will but that's how it is. So yes my statement is 100% true. Not one chance in all of hell is Apple releasing a screen as defective as OP described.

I have the iPad and these complaints about the screen are laughable. I have tried to produce these photos people have posted with this blooming. You need to have bright whites on pitch blacks, screen brightness all the way up and then it’s takes some fiddling to get the most clickbaity glow on the camera.

is it visible in real life? Yes. Will you notice it very often? No. Is it better than the LCD? Night and day.

And the shadow around the edges… I couldn’t care less about that. For the benefits of the rest of the screen. The blooming is distracting but ONLY because I’ve read all these forums. It is there. But it’s not a thing.

 

[cardfan]

I have the iPad and these complaints about the screen are laughable. I have tried to produce these photos people have posted with this blooming. You need to have bright whites on pitch blacks, screen brightness all the way up and then it’s takes some fiddling to get the most clickbaity glow on the camera.

is it visible in real life? Yes. Will you notice it very often? No. Is it better than the LCD? Night and day.

And the shadow around the edges… I couldn’t care less about that. For the benefits of the rest of the screen. The blooming is distracting but ONLY because I’ve read all these forums. It is there. But it’s not a thing.

Yep. The screen is great for hdr.