After a lot of driving and online ordering those annoying online prompts, I finally have the iPad Pro in the studio. My initial first impressions of this device were not G-rated. But to give you a G-rated version, when I first set eyes on this device, I said “Wow, this is a huge device.” I can’t imagine it something you didn’t already know. The iPad Pro features a massive 12.9-inch display that everybody is talking about. It’s what really defines the device. There are not a lot of competitors currently in the market for better or worse, that’s to be determined.
The iPad Pro has a build that’s in line with many of the Apple devices that come before it. It features an aluminum uni-body design with chamfered edges and it’s only 6.9mm thick. But with all of the metal used in the build, it does weigh about 1.5 lbs. it’s not very light but I guess it’s not terribly heavy.
The 12.9-inch LCD display that everyone is talking about features a 2732 x 2048 resolution and it’s an absolutely beautiful display. There’s no question about it. With the sheer size and the resolution, it makes me really want to hold onto the device with two hands and watch some YouTube videos or play some games taking advantage of the accelerometer liker Riptide GP2 for example. The iPad Pro can run games or apps like a champ. I can already notice it performs very, very well. It’s the first device to feature the Apple A9X processor. It’s also the first iOS device to feature 4GB of RAM. That’s twice as much RAM as the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus.
The iPad Pro is officially the best device to take advantage of the new multitasking functionality. You can successfully run two apps at once with no signs of lag or any strain on the processor. One of my favorite features of the iPad Pro is the stereo speakers. There are four speakers on each quadrant of the device. Apple says the new design produces three times the acoustic output of the iPad Air. They sound absolutely amazing. They aren’t front-facing but they still sound very, very good. It’s really hard to believe a tablet can produce such good sound quality. What’s new is that the iPad Pro will also automatically adjust the orientation of the high frequencies according to how you’re holding it. So whether you’re playing a game or watching a movie, the sound of the iPad Pro will be more immersive.
The iPad Pro launched with the Apple Smart Keyboard and the Apple Pencil, both of which will take better advantage of the sheer size of the device. I unfortunately do not have these accessories at this time. I’m really bummed because this tablet absolutely needs a keyboard.
Over the next several days, we at PhoneDog will be testing the iPad Pro to see what this device does right, what it does wrong, and if the price can be justified. It’s not a cheap device by any means, any stretch of the imagination. It starts at $800 for the 32GB Wi-Fi variant and increases it significantly with more storage and accessories.
With that said, how do you like the iPad Pro? What are your initial thoughts of the device?