A year with Apple's 10.5-inch iPad Pro: the ideal worker's tablet
Introduced as a new iPad screen size replacing the 9.7-inch iPad Pro in July 2017, the 10.5-inch iPad Pro has been available for almost an entire year. AppleInsider takes another look at the Apple Pencil-equipped performance tablet to see how it's fared 12 months after launch.
It's been about a year since Apple released the 10.5" iPad Pro, the first iPad to ever sport a 10.5-inch screen, and I've gotta say, it's almost perfect. Apple slimmed the bezels and slightly enlarged the frame of a traditional 9.7-inch iPad to fit a larger screen, making it more sleek and modern compared to other models in the range, even the similar-specification 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
Apple started marketing the iPad Pro as a notebook replacement after the release of iOS 11. Given some of the features it introduced around the time, Apple was right to be confident it could handle the workload.
If the app you want isn't on your dock, you can even go back to your home screen and open the required app while still dragging files.
The new Files app should take the most credit for making iPad Pro a notebook replacement. As the first true iOS file manager, Files lets users can store, organize and manage many different file types from a central location.
You can import files by using Apple's Lightning to SD Card adapter. With iOS 12, the Files app gets even more powerful with the ability to import and edit RAW photos.
Split-view in iOS 11 works incredibly well, allowing for easy multitasking, just like a Mac. You can also easily scan and sign documents, or quickly add custom signatures to downloaded forms, PDFs or images.
That's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to iOS 11 on iPad Pro, with a lot more features added to make working with it a lot better.
The iPad Pro also uses Apple's Smart Keyboard, and it really does make the tablet feel more like a notebook. The keyboard is responsive and robust, with a sealed switch design that means you don't run the risk of having your iPad Pro keyboard fail, like certain Apple MacBooks with butterfly keys.
In fact, the 2017 iPad Pro is the first iPad ever to outperform a current-generation MacBook, with higher scores in both single and multi-core tasks. Looking at graphics benchmarks, it destroys the 12-inch MacBook, and even matches the 2017 13-inch MacBook Pro!
The iPad Pro models ship with an impressive 64GB of storage at its base price of $650, and you can get capacities of up to 512GB. It also has 4GB of RAM, impressive for a tablet.
For battery life, iPad Pro lasts just as long as it did when we first acquired it. We ran the GeekBench 4 battery life test and it achieved one of the best scores we've ever seen, lasting 10 hours and 5 minutes.
The most innovative part about ProMotion is that the refresh rate is actually variable depending on the content you're viewing. If you're watching a 24fps video, the refresh rate goes down to 24Hz, saving battery life, but if you're browsing the web or drawing with your Apple Pencil, it goes back up to 120Hz.
This invention itself has garnered iPad Pro an award for being the first mainstream computer product to have a screen able to adapt between 24 and 120Hz.
With the new display, you also get a massive 600 nits of brightness and beautiful P3 wide-color gamut support. On top of all of that, ProMotion helps the Apple Pencil's input lag drop down to 20ms, which is the best in the industry.
The iPad Pro is basically a powerhouse within a gorgeous, premium and modern design. The 10.5" model looks even better with slimmer bezels, with it easily able to take care of all of your notes, files, photos, and signed documents.
Graphics designers will probably find this to be one of the best tablets they can buy. If they need a bigger screen, they can simply opt for the 12.9-inch model.
Reading all of the other reviews about this iPad Pro model, it's pretty easy to say that this is as close to a perfect tablet as you can get. Add in Apple's hefty investment in software updates to make it more like a MacBook, and is sure to remain competitive for years to come.
The biggest update to the 2018 iPad, however, is the addition of Apple Pencil support, which until now hasn't been available on a non-Pro iPad.
Considering its $329 price tag, the iPad should give the 2017 iPad Pro a run for its money. However, the Apple Pencil experience is still much better on the Pro thanks to both ProMotion integration and a laminated display.
Import speeds using USB 3.0 SD card readers get a big speed increase, on top of being able to import RAW photos.
The most exciting tidbit in the first iOS 12 betas is that iPad's clock has been moved to the left side of the screen, just like on the iPhone X, suggesting Apple plans to bring the TrueDepth camera and Face ID to next-generation hardware. There even new gestures for the iPad taken straight from the iPhone X.
We're not sure when the next-generation iPad Pro models will be released, but the line is overdue for a refresh. We can't wait to see what it will bring.
Looking to buy a 10.5-inch iPad Pro? Apple authorized reseller Adorama is offering readers exclusive discounts on many models with promo code APINSIDER. Look for the green price tag icon next to eligible models in our iPad Price Guide.
It's been about a year since Apple released the 10.5" iPad Pro, the first iPad to ever sport a 10.5-inch screen, and I've gotta say, it's almost perfect. Apple slimmed the bezels and slightly enlarged the frame of a traditional 9.7-inch iPad to fit a larger screen, making it more sleek and modern compared to other models in the range, even the similar-specification 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
Apple started marketing the iPad Pro as a notebook replacement after the release of iOS 11. Given some of the features it introduced around the time, Apple was right to be confident it could handle the workload.
iOS productivity improvements
Two of the most important software based features are a Mac-style app dock and drag-and-drop support, two additions that work perfectly together. You can easily tap and hold a file or photo with one finger, swipe up on the screen with another finger to bring up the dock, and drag and drop the files into compatible apps.If the app you want isn't on your dock, you can even go back to your home screen and open the required app while still dragging files.
The new Files app should take the most credit for making iPad Pro a notebook replacement. As the first true iOS file manager, Files lets users can store, organize and manage many different file types from a central location.
You can import files by using Apple's Lightning to SD Card adapter. With iOS 12, the Files app gets even more powerful with the ability to import and edit RAW photos.
Split-view in iOS 11 works incredibly well, allowing for easy multitasking, just like a Mac. You can also easily scan and sign documents, or quickly add custom signatures to downloaded forms, PDFs or images.
That's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to iOS 11 on iPad Pro, with a lot more features added to make working with it a lot better.
The iPad Pro also uses Apple's Smart Keyboard, and it really does make the tablet feel more like a notebook. The keyboard is responsive and robust, with a sealed switch design that means you don't run the risk of having your iPad Pro keyboard fail, like certain Apple MacBooks with butterfly keys.
Powerful enough for anyone
As for performance, we pitted our iPad Pro against a MacBook and ruled that yes, it can actually replace a fully-fledged notebook.In fact, the 2017 iPad Pro is the first iPad ever to outperform a current-generation MacBook, with higher scores in both single and multi-core tasks. Looking at graphics benchmarks, it destroys the 12-inch MacBook, and even matches the 2017 13-inch MacBook Pro!
The iPad Pro models ship with an impressive 64GB of storage at its base price of $650, and you can get capacities of up to 512GB. It also has 4GB of RAM, impressive for a tablet.
For battery life, iPad Pro lasts just as long as it did when we first acquired it. We ran the GeekBench 4 battery life test and it achieved one of the best scores we've ever seen, lasting 10 hours and 5 minutes.
Display performance
Perhaps the best thing about the 2017 iPad Pro is the ProMotion display. It basically means that the screen's refresh rate is doubled to 120hz, making all of the animations and browsing super fluid. In fact, there's currently an industry trend where TV's and monitors are supporting higher refresh rates, which is especially useful for gamers.The most innovative part about ProMotion is that the refresh rate is actually variable depending on the content you're viewing. If you're watching a 24fps video, the refresh rate goes down to 24Hz, saving battery life, but if you're browsing the web or drawing with your Apple Pencil, it goes back up to 120Hz.
This invention itself has garnered iPad Pro an award for being the first mainstream computer product to have a screen able to adapt between 24 and 120Hz.
With the new display, you also get a massive 600 nits of brightness and beautiful P3 wide-color gamut support. On top of all of that, ProMotion helps the Apple Pencil's input lag drop down to 20ms, which is the best in the industry.
The iPad Pro is basically a powerhouse within a gorgeous, premium and modern design. The 10.5" model looks even better with slimmer bezels, with it easily able to take care of all of your notes, files, photos, and signed documents.
Graphics designers will probably find this to be one of the best tablets they can buy. If they need a bigger screen, they can simply opt for the 12.9-inch model.
Reading all of the other reviews about this iPad Pro model, it's pretty easy to say that this is as close to a perfect tablet as you can get. Add in Apple's hefty investment in software updates to make it more like a MacBook, and is sure to remain competitive for years to come.
The competition: 2018 iPad
That said, the 2017 iPad Pro's main rival is none other than Apple's own 2018 iPad. For this year's iteration, the processor has been changed to an A10 Fusion chip, which sits right in between the A9X and A10X in terms of performance.The biggest update to the 2018 iPad, however, is the addition of Apple Pencil support, which until now hasn't been available on a non-Pro iPad.
Considering its $329 price tag, the iPad should give the 2017 iPad Pro a run for its money. However, the Apple Pencil experience is still much better on the Pro thanks to both ProMotion integration and a laminated display.
The future
In September, there'll be even more features coming to iPad via iOS 12, such as an updated News app, Books app, Voice Memos app, and new Stocks app with interactive charts and related news articles on stocks built right in.Import speeds using USB 3.0 SD card readers get a big speed increase, on top of being able to import RAW photos.
The most exciting tidbit in the first iOS 12 betas is that iPad's clock has been moved to the left side of the screen, just like on the iPhone X, suggesting Apple plans to bring the TrueDepth camera and Face ID to next-generation hardware. There even new gestures for the iPad taken straight from the iPhone X.
We're not sure when the next-generation iPad Pro models will be released, but the line is overdue for a refresh. We can't wait to see what it will bring.
Looking to buy a 10.5-inch iPad Pro? Apple authorized reseller Adorama is offering readers exclusive discounts on many models with promo code APINSIDER. Look for the green price tag icon next to eligible models in our iPad Price Guide.
Comments
"The iPad Pro also uses Apple's Smart Keyboard, now with backlighting, and it really does make the tablet feel more like a notebook. "
Wish it did have backlighting :-)
But the IPad design is looking dated. The basil looks huge vs. modern screen designs.
I don’t think you can get rid of it entirely because you need something to hold on to, but I think you can cut it in 1/2 to 2/3 without harming gripping.
Looking for big changes in 2018 for the iPad...
I find the Files app disappointing, as it largely mirrors the way we have managed files since the 128K Mac. Smart folders and ABFR were tentative steps in the right direction but they didn’t take the concept nearly far enough.
With ‘big data’ coming our way in the form of hundreds of thousands or even millions of files we will manage on our work devices, the concept of hierarchical folders will cease to be a useful paradigm. The file system as we know it needs to morph into a relational database, with automatic and custom file tagging made standard, which will permit instant search and sort capabilities based upon tags.
I get that it’s hard for many to wrap their heads around it because they've been working with folder-like directory structures for 30+ years. But everyone who uses an iPad, Mac or PC should ask themselves how much time they spend managing their hierarchical folders and naming conventions. Not terribly productive and time not well spent IMO. We need a file system that’s a lot more dynamic and powerful than what we've got now.
I skipped the last upgrade. But when the next iteration hits I kinda want to go small again.
It’s an impressive piece of technology, fast, reliable and clearly what I want to have with me when I’m mobile.
BUT: dear AppleInsider, you keep on praising Apple blindly so that I came to the point to wonder if you seriously work with the iPad pro.
Some examples:
The biggest irritant/limitation for me is the files app. I am going to disagree with JWSC here. It needs to work with a full hierarchical file directory. Access to directories is a problem in real world use. This is simply because workplace file systems and servers ARE organised that way. To be a useful tool, it has to be that way to fit the workplace and access those servers. Access to network servers is a must, local and remote, just like a laptop. Because I still need to take a laptop with me on trips because I find access on an iPad via the clunky solution of Citrix so irritating.
So sure, look for a better file paradigm all you like, but if MS got its act together and offered a decent tablet with GPS, LTE etc. I can tell you that many workplaces, with IT departments being the MS shops they are, will shut off iPad as a purchase option immediately. They would use lack of access to the network compared with the MS product as a key reason.
In the longer term the iPad must be the better portable solution by being better at competing portable products at even the things that other portable products have always been good at, or those products will copy the good things about the iPad and take away its reason to be. Accessing workplace file systems is a key lack of the iPad pro.
As we go into the future with ‘big data’ I’ll ask again, how is the user supposed to handle millions of files down the road? I’m not buying any argument that implies that HFS is in any way appropriate for handling so much data.
Network server access could be made available in the files app as easily as cloud server access currently is. that would increase the power of the ipad as a tool quite markedly.
The files app in iOS 11 is a huge improvement, only because ios 10 basically had no files support. I also find it way too rudimentary and basic, making me go through contortions to do things that are simple on a laptop.
The Logi keyboard is awesome - it’s the keyboard that Apple should have made. I dont’ understand why more companies haven’t made keyboards that use the side connector, but at least the Logi is a great choice.
All in all, the iPad Pro with iOS 11 feels more like a glorified iphone with a few enhancements that let you think about working rather than a slimmed down laptop. Maybe iOS 12 will be better, but as it is, my iPad Pro ended up being a nice ipad, not a true work machine.
Now, dont get me wrong my iPad is awesome for marking up lecture notes and very simple note taking, but for anything remotely “pro” even my old spare 2011 mac book is more usefull. Sure, I can get some tasks done on the ipad, but the UI and file system is so crippled its painfull and frustratingly slow and feels like working with one hand tied behind your back.
Also, using some simple websites with an ipad is impossible as the retarded web designers insist on trying to scale the site with javascript which breaks menus, now I know that is not the ipads fault but the end result is I need a laptop to use these sites (unfortunately I have to use these sites and cant change them).
Now, my wife can kind of get by without a laptop, she only occasionally needs to use my laptop, like for banking. There is an app but the app does not offer some of the account features, and the web site does not work properly on ipad (i guess they figured they have an app). Having said that, my wife only requires the ipad to run kindle, netflix and safari, so hardly a “pro” use case, although she works as a professional.
So, in my experience as a “pro” user the ipad is a nice way to carry lecture notes, mark up pdfs, but is in no conceivable way a replacement for a computer pro. And no, while a lawyer is indeed a professional, that job does not fall into the category of “pro” in the computer sense of “pro” user, although these days I guess the word is loosing its original meaning in this space too.
I actually think microsoft is getting closer to making something usefull with their surface line, its not there yet, but if apple but there spin on concept, the idea of carrying an iPad Pro and docking it as the screen / e tra SSD drive to my mac book pro, would indeed be amazing!
I currently have a 2017 MacBook, iPad mini 2, and SE, an Apple Watch (w/Apple charging pad and AirPods) and the ATV.... ~$2,500
Seriously, thinking of going all in with iOS. iPadPro 10" the new Se, new watch, next gen. ATV...$1,900
Sell all the MacOS stuff and my old iOS stuff and I may get it all for under a $1,000. Yippeee!
Best
I’ve only ever heard that term in reference to how companies like IBM, Google, etc. are using machine learning to look through enormous data sets for decision making, such as autonomous driving choices, made from untold amounts of simoultaneous sensor data & the like.
All this sensor data obviously wouldn’t be stored in user folders to be casually perused as you’re looking through your downloads.
I haven’t heard any mention of this new paradigm shift, where we are going to move from the several important folders we’ve had for the last 30+ years (my documents, my downloads, etc.) each with maybe a few hundred files, suddenly to thousands of folders w/ millions of files.
Wtf are you talking about??
Please describe to me the “millions” of files I’m going going to need to swiftly individually access via a file manager on my iOS device in the near future.