iPad Pro Picked up 11 Pro... Returning ....

[harleymhs]

Hey Guys, Just to help anyone else.. I purchased an Ipad Pro 11" 2 weeks ago... Coming out of a 10.5 Ipad Pro... I don't see too much difference in the 2 ipads... Yes it has Face ID and a smaller bezel on the bottom but other than that they perform almost identical... I did notice on the 11" when trying to close an app and return to the home screen that the dock pops up most of the time if u don't swipe the line in the exact spot each time, doesn't happen on my Iphone Pro Max, I guess its part of the Ipad IOS... Speakers are the same ( 4 on each unit ) Screen has True Tone and Pro Motion.. I also feel that when I press things on the 11" screen I have to hit it 2 times sometimes to execute. So I think Ill return the 11" stick with my 10.5 Pro and wait for the Mini Led to come to the Pros when they come out... Just my opinion and wanted to help anyone else looking to upgrade from a 10.5 Pro to the 11" Pro.

 

[Starscape]

I also just purchased an iPad Pro 11 a few weeks ago, and I'm upgrading from an iPad Pro 9.7. I really like the new one, however I prefer having the home button over needing to swipe up to return to the home screen.

I think any noticeable differences in performance between the older iPad and the new one will really depend on the apps you use. For me, I use my iPad for editing photos and videos, as well as music production. In these cases, the upgrade in performance over my 9.7 is very noticeable. Of course your 10.5 is a faster machine that my 9.7 so I can see how in most cases, there may not be much of a perceived performance boost as compared to the new iPad Pro.

The one big upgrade I am really enjoying is the ProMotion screen, but you already have that in your 10.5 so I can see where you're coming from.

 

[Fthree]

the 10.5 is an awesome ipad! I upgraded to the 12.9 pro from it and sometimes wish I had the home button still.

 

[eric89074]

Same. I have a 10.5 Pro and have used an 11 pro. I’m always holding it in landscape so the home button is nice to have. I like the split keyboard as well. Gonna ride or die with it until it can’t be updated any more.

 

[AutomaticApple]

I also just purchased an iPad Pro 11 a few weeks ago, and I'm upgrading from an iPad Pro 9.7. I really like the new one, however I prefer having the home button over needing to swipe up to return to the home screen.

Maybe you should enable the accessibility home button.

 

[Astonish_IT]

I don't see too much difference in the 2 ipads...

What apps do you use mostly on your iPad Pro? What do you use your iPad Pro for? Is it only for Media consumption or do you draw, video edit, 3d model, edit audio...etc?

I think that I would miss the home button too, as I am used to it on my 12.9 first gen iPad Pro. I mean, even tho I have the gesture support on it too with the new iPad OS versions, I still find myself using the home button a lot.

If you are not feeling any big improvement in performance, I think it is a wise choice to wait for the 2021 iPad Pro. I bought a used 2018 iPad Pro to replace my ageing 1st gen 12.9. I am still waiting for it to arrive ( hoping that I wont receive a piece of brick instead of an iPad Pro lol), I hope to see performance improvement compared to my first gen, but also I am very curious about Promotion. Having said that, the biggest reasons that I wanted to upgrade was the Apple Pencil 2 and the usb-c.

 

[kristalsoldier]

Hey Guys, Just to help anyone else.. I purchased an Ipad Pro 11" 2 weeks ago... Coming out of a 10.5 Ipad Pro... I don't see too much difference in the 2 ipads... Yes it has Face ID and a smaller bezel on the bottom but other than that they perform almost identical... I did notice on the 11" when trying to close an app and return to the home screen that the dock pops up most of the time if u don't swipe the line in the exact spot each time, doesn't happen on my Iphone Pro Max, I guess its part of the Ipad IOS... Speakers are the same ( 4 on each unit ) Screen has True Tone and Pro Motion.. I also feel that when I press things on the 11" screen I have to hit it 2 times sometimes to execute. So I think Ill return the 11" stick with my 10.5 Pro and wait for the Mini Led to come to the Pros when they come out... Just my opinion and wanted to help anyone else looking to upgrade from a 10.5 Pro to the 11" Pro.

I made this change not too long back. But my reasoning was different. Arguably, virtually every recent iPad does exactly the same thing. Of course, some performance differences are to be expected as the tech engine drives on. So, your reasoning, which I also parsed as I was making my buying decision, was something that gave me reason to pause but at the end it did not stop me from going ahead. For me, the main reasons were: (1) My 10.5 was 3 years old having bought it on release; (2) the resale value was dropping like a rock and I would not have gotten anything worthwhile if I had waited for 6 more months (or more); (3) being 3 years old, it was definitely out of warranty; (4) battery life though not bad at all was diminishing, which is understandable in a 3-year device; (4) while I was lucky not to have had the dreaded white spot problem, the growing reports of it were a factor though not a major one. If it did happen, then I don’t think Apple would have done the trade in, which would have been a net loss for me; (5) aesthetics do matter - within reason - to me.

Taken together, these considerations led me to trade up to the 11” Pro 2020. It also helped that I was able to avail of a couple of work-related discounts. Net result: I am more than satisfied with the new device.

 

[Hadron]

I think that I would miss the home button too, as I am used to it on my 12.9 first gen iPad Pro. I mean, even tho I have the gesture support on it too with the new iPad OS versions, I still find myself using the home button a lot.

I wonder how much of that is just because the button is there? I currently have a base iPad and although it also has the gestures I rarely use them just because the button is on the bezel in front of me. I know how to use them and don't find it difficult when I remember, but the button is right there so I tend to forget about the gestures and use the button. However when my Pro arrives in a few days I don't anticipate any more difficulty switching than I did when migrating through various different navigation methods on my phones: once the button isn't there I'll use the gestures and that will be that.

 

[Starscape]

The 10.5 holds the distinction of being the only iPad ever made with optical image stabilization for its rear camera.

 

[Starscape]

Maybe you should enable the accessibility home button.

I didn't even know there was such a thing. I appreciate the heads-up on that!

 

[rui no onna]

(2) the resale value was dropping like a rock and I would not have gotten anything worthwhile if I had waited for 6 more months (or more); (3) being 3 years old, it was definitely out of warranty; (4) battery life though not bad at all was diminishing, which is understandable in a 3-year device; (4) while I was lucky not to have had the dreaded white spot problem, the growing reports of it were a factor though not a major one. If it did happen, then I don’t think Apple would have done the trade in, which would have been a net loss for me; (5) aesthetics do matter - within reason - to me.

For me, I'm keeping iPad Pro 10.5 for Marvin anyway so there's no resale value to consider.

The 11" configuration I want was gonna be ~$1600 after tax. That just seems too much to pay for a minor refresh of the 2018 model. Aesthetics-wise, never had an issue with the bezels. I actually appreciate being able to use them as palm/thumb rest.

The 10.5 holds the distinction of being the only iPad ever made with optical image stabilization for its rear camera.

Pretty sure the 2017 12.9 has that as well.

 

[xxray]

Yeah I tried out the 2018 iPad Pro 12.9 for about a week or two, and decided that there just wasn’t enough difference from my 10.5” iPad Pro. Even with the larger screen, new design, better Apple Pencil charging method, faceID, it just felt like the same device with the same performance in my daily usage. Returned it, thank god, because I would’ve massively regretted spending the money for such little change.

My 10.5” Pro still works as good as on day one besides some software bugs and battery degradation.

 

[kristalsoldier]

For me, I'm keeping iPad Pro 10.5 for Marvin anyway so there's no resale value to consider.

The 11" configuration I want was gonna be ~$1600 after tax. That just seems too much to pay for a minor refresh of the 2018 model. Aesthetics-wise, never had an issue with the bezels. I actually appreciate being able to use them as palm/thumb rest.




Pretty sure the 2017 12.9 has that as well.

I don’t know who “Marvin” is. Moreover, each individual’s assessment will be contingent on their specific circumstances, which will, in turn, guide their decision.

 

[Astonish_IT]

I wonder how much of that is just because the button is there? I currently have a base iPad and although it also has the gestures I rarely use them just because the button is on the bezel in front of me. I know how to use them and don't find it difficult when I remember, but the button is right there so I tend to forget about the gestures and use the button. However when my Pro arrives in a few days I don't anticipate any more difficulty switching than I did when migrating through various different navigation methods on my phones: once the button isn't there I'll use the gestures and that will be that.

The reason is definitely this. Actually while I was typing my post, I was thinking the same thing. Actually on my Samsung S20, I am using very similar gestures and I love them. But as you said, since the button is there, I don't know, call it muscle memory, lazyness or whatever, my hand always tends to move towards that button. Same here, when I receive my - for me new - 2018 iPad Pro, I don't think that I will have difficulty to adapt, but well, a nostalgic part of me will still miss the home button even tho I definitely would do the trade off for the new improved design that I love very much!

 

[rui no onna]

I don’t know who “Marvin” is.

It's an abandoned EPUB reader app last updated in 2017 so pretty much the 10.5" 4:3 displays were the last ones to be supported. Still works on newer aspect ratio iPads but with black borders, iirc.

Moreover, each individual’s assessment will be contingent on their specific circumstances, which will, in turn, guide their decision.

Yes, absolutely. As I mentioned, for me it wasn't worth upgrading to given the high cash outlay.

 

[Digitalguy]

I also returned the 11in in the summer of 2019... If you have the chance of not having the white spot, the 10.5 is still awesome. Speed-wise, there is not much difference. The only things I miss are USB C and pencil 2. But if your phone is a iPhone and if you don't use the pencil, it might not make any difference to you...
The jump from the 9.7 pro to the 11 is more noticeable... especially because of RAM... but also because A9X is a dual core chip and while very fast is not as good with multitasking as the 6 core A10X, A12X makes a difference only is some specific apps...

 

[rui no onna]

The jump from the 9.7 pro to the 11 is more noticeable... especially because of RAM... but also because A9X is a dual core chip and while very fast is not as good with multitasking as the 6 core A10X, A12X makes a difference only is some specific apps...

That 6-core A10X is really more like 3-core. You can have either the high performance cores or the energy efficient cores running but not both at the same time. Iirc, A10X is also ~30% faster than A9X in single core. I wonder how much of everyday performance difference is due to RAM and single core versus much faster multi-core.

The A12X is ~70% faster than the A9X in single core. That's almost double the performance plus I believe the storage subsystem is faster as well.

 

[Digitalguy]

That 6-core A10X is really more like 3-core. You can have either the high performance cores or the energy efficient cores running but not both at the same time. Iirc, A10X is also ~30% faster than A9X in single core. I wonder how much of everyday performance difference is due to RAM and single core versus much faster multi-core.

The A12X is ~70% faster than the A9X in single core. That's almost double the performance plus I believe the storage subsystem is faster as well.

Well I have both A9X to compare and it's not just RAM. RAM creates issues with reloading or with multitasking, but sometimes the 12.9 has some short slowdown when I multitasks. It lasts 2 seconds at most, while the 9.7 can get stuck for a little while, whereas the 10.5 has no lag or the lag is half a second. Again this is when switching apps or using 2 at the same time. So RAM is part of the problem, and the most annoying part, but I guess the 3rd performance core helps. To notice the 4th in the 11 pro instead it's harder. It's like moving from 2 to 3 GB RAM makes a huge difference. Moving from 3 to 4 is barely noticeable....

 

[paapplefan]

Hey Guys, Just to help anyone else.. I purchased an Ipad Pro 11" 2 weeks ago... Coming out of a 10.5 Ipad Pro... I don't see too much difference in the 2 ipads... Yes it has Face ID and a smaller bezel on the bottom but other than that they perform almost identical... I did notice on the 11" when trying to close an app and return to the home screen that the dock pops up most of the time if u don't swipe the line in the exact spot each time, doesn't happen on my Iphone Pro Max, I guess its part of the Ipad IOS... Speakers are the same ( 4 on each unit ) Screen has True Tone and Pro Motion.. I also feel that when I press things on the 11" screen I have to hit it 2 times sometimes to execute. So I think Ill return the 11" stick with my 10.5 Pro and wait for the Mini Led to come to the Pros when they come out... Just my opinion and wanted to help anyone else looking to upgrade from a 10.5 Pro to the 11" Pro.

I am in the same boat. My 10.5 is still great after 3 years of heavy use. Still functioning fine. Love the pro-motion. Battery issue of course, but it’s not that bad. Last week I almost pulled the trigger on a 11’ pro at Costco with the $100 off. In the end I decided to stay with the 10.5 till next year to see what they come up with. I would like to have the USB-C hook ups and I like the faceID, but it was a big investment. Good to hear others had the same thoughts.

 

[harleymhs]

I am in the same boat. My 10.5 is still great after 3 years of heavy use. Still functioning fine. Love the pro-motion. Battery issue of course, but it’s not that bad. Last week I almost pulled the trigger on a 11’ pro at Costco with the $100 off. In the end I decided to stay with the 10.5 till next year to see what they come up with. I would like to have the USB-C hook ups and I like the faceID, but it was a big investment. Good to hear others had the same thougts

Im still on the fence to return it, I keep reading there is a good chance they will discontinue the 11" pro... Makes sense, cause they didnt update it in a couple of years, the 12" is 4th Gen and the 11" is 2nd Gen , Lots of talk that the 12.5 will get a Mini Led and 11 may be gone.. So I may just keep it in the box see how things play out and continue to use the 10.5 Pro till it wont update anymore.. I don't have any battery issues I just unboxed it last month from sealed.

 

[Digitalguy]

Im still on the fencer to return it, I keep reading there is a good chance they will discontinue the 11" pro... Makes sense, causer they didnt update it in a couple of years, the 12" is 2nd Gen and the 11" is 4th Gen , Lots of talk that the 12.5 will get a Mini Led and 11 may be gone.. So I may just keep it in the box see how things play out and continue to use the 10.5 Pro till it wont update anymore.. I don't have any battery issues I just unboxed it last month from sealed.

These are just speculations. The 11in is not going anywhere... And by the way, in the very remote chance that they do discontinue it at some point, there will always be enough time to buy one new before they stop selling it. If instead, the 11 and 12.9 are both upgraded to A14x (and maybe also both to mini led) at the same price since they are already expensive enough, like the iphones were uprgaded to Oled, the current 11in will lose quite a bit of value

 

[rui no onna]

Im still on the fence to return it, I keep reading there is a good chance they will discontinue the 11" pro... Makes sense, cause they didnt update it in a couple of years, the 12" is 4th Gen and the 11" is 2nd Gen , Lots of talk that the 12.5 will get a Mini Led and 11 may be gone.. So I may just keep it in the box see how things play out and continue to use the 10.5 Pro till it wont update anymore.. I don't have any battery issues I just unboxed it last month from sealed.

The reason the 11 is still 2nd gen while 12.9 is 4th gen is because the size was only introduced in 2018.

2015/2016 iPad Pro 1st gen: 12.9 and 9.7

2017 iPad Pro 2nd gen: 12.9 and 10.5

2018 iPad Pro 3rd gen: 12.9 and 11

2020 iPad Pro 4th gen: 12.9 and 11

 

[DiCaprioAngel]

I had the 10.5“ iPad Pro and I’ve had that for 2 years. I was using my MacBook Pro 15” (late-2013) the majority of this time back then, but then it decided to kill itself so I had to rely on the 10.5”. Ultimately, I decided to upgrade to the 2018 11” iPad Pro and I’ve had this iPad since February. I’m glad i made the switch, and for me, it’s tons better than the 10.5” because bigger screen and just the feel of it was a lot better. Besides, good thing I did upgrade to this iPad because the 10.5” decided to not turn on anymore a few months after I gave it to my sister. So, at the end, it worked in my favor because if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have anything to use right now but my phone lol

 

[harleymhs]

The reason the 11 is still 2nd gen while 12.9 is 4th gen is because the size was only introduced in 2018.

2015/2016 iPad Pro 1st gen: 12.9 and 9.7

2017 iPad Pro 2nd gen: 12.9 and 10.5

2018 iPad Pro 3rd gen: 12.9 and 11

2020 iPad Pro 4th gen: 12.9 and 11

Figured that Out when I saw the specs are identical to the 11 and 12 .5 now

 

[sparksd]

Yeah I tried out the 2018 iPad Pro 12.9 for about a week or two, and decided that there just wasn’t enough difference from my 10.5” iPad Pro. Even with the larger screen, new design, better Apple Pencil charging method, faceID, it just felt like the same device with the same performance in my daily usage. Returned it, thank god, because I would’ve massively regretted spending the money for such little change.

My 10.5” Pro still works as good as on day one besides some software bugs and battery degradation.

Definitely an individual user preference - I was the complete opposite. I bought the 2018 12.9 Pro and kept the 10.5 but I never use the smaller iPad as I like everything about the 12.9, particularly the larger screen, small bezels, and Face ID. The 10.5 is going to my daughter.