New iPad Pro
There are others, more talented, maybe more technical, who can write detailed answers. I’m not objective. Never claimed to be. This is a subjective review after a few days.
Fun for me, the original pick-up at the Apple Store wasn’t quite as smooth, the first try. There was a mix-up with the online order versus the delivery time.
“It shows it’s here, but not ready yet. Huh.”
But the second time around, in and out in minutes. I didn’t want to the fanciest, most expensive, and I’ve learned not to get the accessories right away.
The iPad Pro 11-inch model is lighter and way thinner than the one it replaces. The one it replaces is a Generation 3, so I’ve skipped a generation, and the difference is noticeable. One of the first transitions, when I clocked the wireless broadband, not on WiFi, but onboard “cellular,” it raced through to over 1100, where the local fiber death-star is usually 300. Impressively fast, T-Mobile wireless.
Most of the software — apps — transferred right over, had to sign out and sign back in a few times, but most of it worked, right out of the box.
Back-up the old model, then replace everything on the new model with the old stuff, then let the system software update itself. Then update a second time.
New iPad Pro
In action — the problem I face, especially in this example? The Gen. 3 iPad Pro I was using? I had a two-year extended warranty on it, and three months after that expired, I started having motherboard/power-charger/active-display “issues.”
The old iPad has a non-replicable anomaly that is tied to the three main components, and because I was too lazy to get it fixed while it was under that extended apple warranty, I paid. The good news, it’s sort of fixed, the better news, I only need that old one as a back-up, to stream music, and handle local image projects..
Means the active life-span of the old iPad Pro was over three years, so far, and counting, as it is now semi-retired. March 2021 to May 2024? 37 months?
For an every day driver?
New iPad Pro
The old accessories work just fine, what ones I have and use. There are two, no, three keyboards, one that I leave in the kitchen so I can type when I’m making breakfast coffee, it was a simple Bluetooth toggle.
The second keyboard is weird, as I bought it cheap, then super-glued it into a cheap keyboard case and folding stand, thereby saving me hundreds of dollars, and making a very functional portable work accessory. It’s what I’ve been using at the shops and shows.
There’s a third, maybe even a fourth, keyboard floating around, one is in the bottom of the travel gear, and I suspect that all the units sync across like they are supposed to.
New iPad Pro
I clicked around on Amazon, looking for a cover, and the first one I found, a plastic sheath was delivered even before the tablet arrived. I like having my hardware protected by a thin film of plastic or rubber.
So far, it’s worked great, and the plastic cover emphasizes the lighter weight of the new model. My Gen. 3? I had rather nice, and well-worn, leather cover on it. The plastic inner tablet holder piece was broken, and repaired, a couple of times due to harsh use and travel conditions.
I’ve looked, and so far, I haven’t found a leather tablet cover that I like for the New iPad Pro, despite random late-night Amazon and Etsy searches. Because of the relative impermanence, a few years, I think a canvas cover might be equally attractive, but so far? All I’ve got is the plastic bumper case.
No complaints. Faster, lighter, and I think my colors are brighter, too.
