iPad Pro review [10.5”]

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item: hero-shot Almost good enough to be your only computer...

src: almost-good-enough-to-be-your-only-computer

We are in a bit of a grey area at the moment, computationally speaking. Laptops have never been lighter and more powerful, and mobile computing systems such as the iPad have never been more capable or this close to being “a real computer”.

I used to be an “early adopter”. I’m not sure when that changed exactly… but I’ve stopped purchasing the first run of any product. The original iPad weighed 730g—my MacBook now weighs less than that old tablet. It’s crazy how quickly technology moves on when you take a break of almost a decade.

item: apple-pencil Amazing pencil

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hardware

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The iPad is so ridiculously well made that you just wish everything in your life was made to this level. Imagine a coffee machine with this fit and finish. It’s so light, too. Yes, it could have zero bezels and be completely waterproof, but as it is right now, there’s little I would change physically.

The Smart Keyboard is a joy to type on. So much so that when I am on my MacBook I really have to avoid poking the screen. It really did surprise me how 99% of my macOS shortcuts work here—copy, paste, spotlight search—they just work.

item: dongles #donglelife

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Battery life is amazing. It makes a brand new laptop’s battery look ancient. This is why for the masses, a mobile device is the future. I can continue working all the way to the gate while laptop users are told to pack away 20 minutes before landing.

software

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iOS 11 is superb. The gestures are so natural it’s not even funny. Sliding across from the right to overlay Safari while remaining in a document feels right.

item: lightroom-mobile Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Mobile

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One issue I have with Adobe these days is their subscription model. Now all of the photos “live in the cloud”, and sure, that’s convenient, but who owns them? If Adobe holds the RAW files then I don’t “need to worry” about storing them myself, but I have too many files kicking around that I almost never go back and look at.

item: smart-keyboard The Smart Keyboard

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conclusion

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iPads are a luxury. Nobody needs an iPad. The iPad Pro really is almost a computer replacement. It could actually be my computer replacement, but I would have to make a few more sacrifices—viewing USB drives, coding, data analysis. But I don’t do that kind of stuff every day.

Hardware: 5/5 Software: 4/5 Overall: 4/5