iPad Pro 12.9 review

There is something about the iPad that is… aspirational. Every time I pick one up or use one or review one, I think, Maybe this is the iPad I should buy. I have visions of carrying much less weight in my purse or backpack, of having LTE connectivity on my “computer” whenever I need it, of becoming the breezy, super-efficient iPad user that Apple shows in its commercials. I will be so damn creative with this thing, I think, especially with the larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

And then reality sets in. This is not the iPad I will buy.

That doesn’t mean it’s a bad product or an insufficient computing device. Apple has improved this version of the giant iPad in a few key areas, including its display and processing power, that make it more appealing than ever to iPad lovers. But I still think it’s built for certain tasks and serves specific needs. It also starts at $799 for 64GB of storage — that’s not including the cost of Apple’s stylus ($99) and accessory keyboard ($169). That’s an expensive iPad.

The truth is that if you are a creative professional who is already itching to buy the updated version of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro that Apple announced a couple weeks ago, then you’re very likely going to get it regardless of what I have to say. If you’re on the fence about it and you don’t need a giant screen or don’t think you’ll use the stylus all that much, then you’re probably better off getting the smaller 10.5-inch iPad Pro, or even the lesser 9.7-inch iPad, which only costs $329.

Still, there are a few hardware updates to this new version of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro that are absolutely worth noting, especially since we won’t be able to fully assess the new and improved software until it’s released.