I had every generation of iPad Pro so far (all 12.9”) - it’s practically my primary work tool. I am an Art Director in a relatively small game develompent company and I often do quick sketches to explain ideas to team members and also concept art from time to time. Nothing beats the Pencil for this type of work. I also like to lean back in the sofa and sketch for fun - and, again, nothing beats an iPad for that. Finally, I use iPad at my desk as a fully capable (and sometimes even better) Cintiq replacement with my MBP and the Astropad app (I ordered Luna, so can’t wait to try that out too). For me, iPad Pro is sometimes a companion device, sometimes a stand-alone tool.
Granted, it’s an expensive setup. One could argue that a Surface Pro could do all of those things in a single device, but - as I said - nothing beats the feel of the Apple Pencil in my opinion, and illustration software is great to the point that exclusive apps like Procreate are becoming a reason to use iPad in itself. Also, when I do need a tablet - I like to read comics and magazines like ImagineFX, or watch some Netflix in bed - iPad Pro is also the best device I’ve tried.
With that said - I just got my 3rd gen iPad Pro, 12.9”, Silver, 256Gb, and here are some of my thoughts:
- Hardware wise, it’s one of the best feeling Apple products I’ve tried, and that is insane considering how high the bar is set with the newer iPhones and the build quality of newer MacBooks (keyboard reliability issues aside, I’m talking about the precision feel).
- Just in terms of workflows and actual productivity, there are little reasons to upgrade from the 2nd gen, or even the 1st gen, though. However, everything is nicer so, if you work on your iPad all day and can afford the upgrade price, this may be a good reason to do it. Perhaps this changes some day in the future with newer software when A12X and USB-C become a major factor, but today is not that day.
- If you just want to doodle, read, watch movies - the base iPad is most of the experience for 3x less money. But it’s not as nice. This is how it is in the world of Apple and I think it’s fine: you don’t have to feel bad if you can’t get the best and greatest, and at the same time, you shouldn’t feel bad or stupid for getting the most premium versions if you can afford them.
- The screen is great - but so was the previous gen one. I don’t see much (if any difference), however, the rounded corners give it such a nice feel that makes it feel even more premium than before. You’re either the type who considers such things as nonsense, or you see it as giving the iPad screen a more pleasant look, making the iPad feel more human, more joyful, more fun. Joy is the word I’d use to describe the screen, and it’s a similar feeling I had when I first saw my iPhone X. Joy is the word I use to describe macOS or the Nintendo Switch app launcher. The new iPad Pro is simply a joy and it’s mostly due to the screen.
- USB-C is really nice for charging, it’s really nice that I can simply unplug my MBP and plug the cable into the iPad, leaving iPad’s charger at home. It’s nice to be able to use the same cable to connect the iPad to my Mac, then use this cable to charge the Switch, then use it to hook up my Intuos Pro, etc. With that said, of course we’re all expecting more from it, like external drive support. Fingers crossed for iOS 13. Also, I was expecting a thicker USB-C cable, like the one the Mac, but it’s more like a regular Lightning in that regard.
- I take a lot of screenshots and it took a little getting used to the screenshot button combiantion on the new iPad. It’s not bad, maybe even easier than before, but I would still like an easier way (not sure what that would be, though). At least I can use the keyboard for it, like on the Mac.
- Tap to wake is great. Combined with Face ID, it’s so natural, it’s hard to go back.
- Face ID is better than ever. It captures my face from more angles and feels even better than on an iPhone. And considering I think it works great on an iPhone, this really surprised me.
- The screen surface in terms of Pencil friction is still not my favorite aspect of the iPad. I don’t know how this can be solved without giving the screen a matte texture (which will take away some of the crispiness) but if anyone can figure out a way, it’s Apple. If you don’t mind the slight loss of picture quality for big improvements in terms of paper feel - a good 25% matte screen protector is an easy and cheap fix. I ordered PaperLike screen protectors for this reason, and hope I receive them soon.
- Finally - the Pencil. It’s great. Following the theme of this iPad - it’s the same as before in key areas, and better in certain more-pleasant-to-use areas. The tech feels the same but the Pencil itself feels a bit better in the hand, the new double-tap gesture is really nice and, of course, the new charging method is great. I say charging method - but that’s not really what I mean when I describe attaching the Pencil to the iPad. In reality, I hooked up my previous Pencil to a small adapter attached to a Lightning cable every night and never had issues with charging it, and when I plugged it directly into the iPad, it was just for a few minutes to add a small charge. I think it was fine. The main thing here, for me, is actually leaving the Pencil somewhere while using the iPad away from the desk. Of course, the fact that the system keeps the Pencil charged is also amazing, but I enjoy the part where you just have it close even more. With that said, I do wish the magnets that hold the Pencil were more spread apart, so it would be harder to remove the Pencil by rotating it like a helicopter rotor. Still, it’s a very minor thing and everything about the new Pencil is great. For me, the new Pencil (and even the old one) and the AirPods are some of the best Apple products in terms of design and feel ever made.
So, that’s it. Love the new iPad, love using it - as I mentioned above, it’s not the best choice for everyone, but it is the best choice for some people, which makes it a great product. If you don’t care about its benefits and hate some of the downsides, luckily, there are some nice alternatives out there. But for someone like me, the new iPad Pro is not just great, it’s essential.
Granted, it’s an expensive setup. One could argue that a Surface Pro could do all of those things in a single device, but - as I said - nothing beats the feel of the Apple Pencil in my opinion, and illustration software is great to the point that exclusive apps like Procreate are becoming a reason to use iPad in itself. Also, when I do need a tablet - I like to read comics and magazines like ImagineFX, or watch some Netflix in bed - iPad Pro is also the best device I’ve tried.
With that said - I just got my 3rd gen iPad Pro, 12.9”, Silver, 256Gb, and here are some of my thoughts:
- Hardware wise, it’s one of the best feeling Apple products I’ve tried, and that is insane considering how high the bar is set with the newer iPhones and the build quality of newer MacBooks (keyboard reliability issues aside, I’m talking about the precision feel).
- Just in terms of workflows and actual productivity, there are little reasons to upgrade from the 2nd gen, or even the 1st gen, though. However, everything is nicer so, if you work on your iPad all day and can afford the upgrade price, this may be a good reason to do it. Perhaps this changes some day in the future with newer software when A12X and USB-C become a major factor, but today is not that day.
- If you just want to doodle, read, watch movies - the base iPad is most of the experience for 3x less money. But it’s not as nice. This is how it is in the world of Apple and I think it’s fine: you don’t have to feel bad if you can’t get the best and greatest, and at the same time, you shouldn’t feel bad or stupid for getting the most premium versions if you can afford them.
- The screen is great - but so was the previous gen one. I don’t see much (if any difference), however, the rounded corners give it such a nice feel that makes it feel even more premium than before. You’re either the type who considers such things as nonsense, or you see it as giving the iPad screen a more pleasant look, making the iPad feel more human, more joyful, more fun. Joy is the word I’d use to describe the screen, and it’s a similar feeling I had when I first saw my iPhone X. Joy is the word I use to describe macOS or the Nintendo Switch app launcher. The new iPad Pro is simply a joy and it’s mostly due to the screen.
- USB-C is really nice for charging, it’s really nice that I can simply unplug my MBP and plug the cable into the iPad, leaving iPad’s charger at home. It’s nice to be able to use the same cable to connect the iPad to my Mac, then use this cable to charge the Switch, then use it to hook up my Intuos Pro, etc. With that said, of course we’re all expecting more from it, like external drive support. Fingers crossed for iOS 13. Also, I was expecting a thicker USB-C cable, like the one the Mac, but it’s more like a regular Lightning in that regard.
- I take a lot of screenshots and it took a little getting used to the screenshot button combiantion on the new iPad. It’s not bad, maybe even easier than before, but I would still like an easier way (not sure what that would be, though). At least I can use the keyboard for it, like on the Mac.
- Tap to wake is great. Combined with Face ID, it’s so natural, it’s hard to go back.
- Face ID is better than ever. It captures my face from more angles and feels even better than on an iPhone. And considering I think it works great on an iPhone, this really surprised me.
- The screen surface in terms of Pencil friction is still not my favorite aspect of the iPad. I don’t know how this can be solved without giving the screen a matte texture (which will take away some of the crispiness) but if anyone can figure out a way, it’s Apple. If you don’t mind the slight loss of picture quality for big improvements in terms of paper feel - a good 25% matte screen protector is an easy and cheap fix. I ordered PaperLike screen protectors for this reason, and hope I receive them soon.
- Finally - the Pencil. It’s great. Following the theme of this iPad - it’s the same as before in key areas, and better in certain more-pleasant-to-use areas. The tech feels the same but the Pencil itself feels a bit better in the hand, the new double-tap gesture is really nice and, of course, the new charging method is great. I say charging method - but that’s not really what I mean when I describe attaching the Pencil to the iPad. In reality, I hooked up my previous Pencil to a small adapter attached to a Lightning cable every night and never had issues with charging it, and when I plugged it directly into the iPad, it was just for a few minutes to add a small charge. I think it was fine. The main thing here, for me, is actually leaving the Pencil somewhere while using the iPad away from the desk. Of course, the fact that the system keeps the Pencil charged is also amazing, but I enjoy the part where you just have it close even more. With that said, I do wish the magnets that hold the Pencil were more spread apart, so it would be harder to remove the Pencil by rotating it like a helicopter rotor. Still, it’s a very minor thing and everything about the new Pencil is great. For me, the new Pencil (and even the old one) and the AirPods are some of the best Apple products in terms of design and feel ever made.
So, that’s it. Love the new iPad, love using it - as I mentioned above, it’s not the best choice for everyone, but it is the best choice for some people, which makes it a great product. If you don’t care about its benefits and hate some of the downsides, luckily, there are some nice alternatives out there. But for someone like me, the new iPad Pro is not just great, it’s essential.
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