Apple iPad Pro 12.9 review

Not much has changed design-wise with the 2017 iPad Pro 12.9. Like its predecessor, this large tablet measures in at 12.04-by-8.69-by-0.27 inches.

As you would expect of something this size, it’s not meant for holding with one hand. While fairly light at 723 grams, once you add the Smart Keyboard, it ends up being heavier than the actual 12-inch MacBook at 1043 grams.

Coupled with the metal back and glass front, experts found it awkward to hold—even with two hands. They mention that it isn’t marketed towards the regular tablet user. Still, most found it portable enough and easy to use despite its gargantuan size.

The display helps to set the 2017 iPad Pro 12.9 apart from other tablets.

As the name suggests you get 12.9 inches of super high resolution (2732-by-2048), high-quality Apple display. It comes with new technology called ProMotion which uses a 120-hertz refresh rate. When tested, reviewers were impressed with smooth, fast scrolling compared to standard tablet displays.

They also raved about the vibrant colors, deep blacks and improved brightness. It even includes new TrueTone technology to adjust the white balance of the display to your room’s lighting.

Unfortunately, while it can now reach 600 nits of brightness, most reviewers don’t suggest it for reading outside on sunny days.

The biggest changes come internally.

The tablet includes an A10x Fusion chip and 4GB of RAM. Apple touts this combination to be 30 percent faster than the A9x.

Reviewer benchmark tests beat those marks. As expected, they experienced no lag even when they had over 20 apps open.

To run such a large tablet, Apple opted for a large battery than its predecessor. During tests, reviewers could get around 10-12 hours of life during medium usage.

Tablets have never been known for their cameras, but Apple looks to change that. The iPad Pro 12.9 (2017) includes the same 12MP camera sensor found on the iPhone 7—complete with optical image stabilization, 5x digital zoom and 4K video recording.

Reviewers were happy with the image quality of the pictures, though they add they won’t use it as a camera often due to the tablet’s large size.

Overall, reviewers consider the 2017 iPad Pro a credible laptop replacement thanks to its large screen, fast processor and excellent battery life. The biggest drawback mentioned is pricing.

Expert Reviews states, “This isn’t one for the frugal… but should you opt for Apple’s latest and greatest, the spangly new 12.9in iPad Pro will not disappoint.” Laptop Mag adds, “... if you want the brightest display and the best performance, opt for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro; … it will be solid candidate to replace your laptop.”