Apple iPad Pro (12.9-Inch, 2022) - Review 2022

The new 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro ($799 for 64GB) maxes out its operating system. Every bit the biggest, virtually expensive fellow member of Apple's tablet family, it's fix for true pro-level multitasking, including the new multi-window and elevate-and-drop features that are coming with iOS 11. I suspect though, that almost folks who are used to working on laptops, with laptop operating systems, will find adapting to the iPad frustrating. But if you want a simple, malware-costless laptop-like experience, there's a good statement for the big iPad Pro.

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro has almost the exact specs as its smaller $649 10.5-inch sibling. You're essentially paying $150 more than for a bigger screen. Read our review of the 10.v-inch iPad Pro for more than details about the operating organisation, hardware, and performance. This review is mostly about the differences inherent in the larger course gene, and which size tablet is right for you.

Size and Screen

The 12.nine-inch iPad Pro is really big. It's 12.04 past 8.68 past 0.27 inches and almost 1.v pounds; information technology weighs a few ounces more than with the almost-mandatory $169 Smart Keyboard case. The difference in size between the 10.v- and 12.nine-inch models genuinely changed how I used each tablet in testing. The big tablet feels well-nigh at home propped up on a desk, or apartment on a table existence used with the $99 Apple Pencil stylus. Carrying it around in the cheat of my arm is a bit unwieldy, and information technology looks downright ridiculous being held upwardly to take photos with the rear camera.

The actress ii.four diagonal inches of screen gets you an additional ane.ix million pixels of real estate, at the same 264 pixels per inch that all modern iPads brandish. That'due south particularly useful for dual-window—or, with iOS 11, triple-window—multitasking. In improver, the True Tone display is supposed to optimize colour temperature to exist more uniform with ambient light, though to me it makes everything look xanthous. The iPad Pro is likewise the first tablet with a 120Hz refresh-rate display, which is supposed to make everything smoother and more than fluid. Many people out at that place are happy nearly this, just I can't actually tell the difference.

Specs and Functioning

Benchmarks on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro are even ameliorate than we saw on the 10.5-inch model; this is simply the most powerful iOS (or Android, for that affair) device we've ever seen. The Apple A10X processor is non only nearly twice as fast as the 2022 iPad, it gets web browsing benchmark scores that nearly triple the Samsung Galaxy S8's. This is absolutely, positively laptop-grade hardware.

Like the ten.v-inch Pro, the 12.9-inch model comes in 64GB ($799), 256GB ($899), and 512GB ($i,099) storage models, with just about 8GB used by organisation files. Also similar to the 10.5-inch Pro, there are well-nigh no ports, just a headphone jack and a Lightning port, which will drive near laptop users insane. Yous'll need to get used to working in the deject.

Bombardment life is shorter than other iPads, which typically score in the 5-to-six-hour range with their screen brightness turned all the way up. The 12.9-inch model clocked in at 4 and a half hours, because the screen is then big. (As always, double those numbers if you use the screen at half brightness.)

The 12.ix-inch Pro has the aforementioned cameras as the 10.five-inch model—a 12-megapixel rear photographic camera and a seven-megapixel forepart photographic camera. Their uses become subtly dissimilar than on the 10.5-inch model. Every bit I said, holding up a 12-inch tablet to utilize its camera is awkward, so photography and augmented reality are less usable hither than on the smaller model.

The bigger iPad is terrific for video conferencing, though. You can have a full-sized FaceTime window and a document window open next, for instance, or practise multi-party video conferencing with apps like ooVoo. You lot can do that on the 10.5-inch model every bit well, of class, merely the additional screen existent estate hither makes everything a lot more than comfortable.

Apple iPad Pro (12.9-Inch, 2022)

Can iOS Go Pro?

Ostensibly the iPad Pro is a laptop replacement, for folks who are advanced enough to adopt an iPad workflow in their daily lives. I say that because iOS just isn't up to the kind of tasks that many more experienced, professional users are accustomed to from thirty years of multi-windowed operating systems. Epitome and video editing programs tend not to support as many tracks and layers equally desktop editing programs practice, and tend not to support the same extensions and filters equally desktop versions.

The lack of a cantankerous-application file organization means working on a document in multiple applications, for instance one to edit and ane to transcode, can be tricky. And the lack of mouse support leaves yous frequently reaching for the screen to tap interface elements, which can be ergonomically bad-mannered.

Only iOS on an iPad is much less likely to mysteriously slow downwards or crash than a Windows tablet, is easier to configure, lacks malware, and can provide a much more focused experience for single-window word processing or cartoon applications.

Apple iPad Pro (12.9-Inch)

Big or Little?

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is a niche product. The $329, current-generation 9.7-inch iPad is the right tablet for the vast majority of people who intend to use traditional iPad apps. Even if you run a business concern that relies on iOS apps, the $329 iPad has sufficient power to get the task washed.

Every bit a laptop replacement, sitting on your desk, however, bigger can be better. And the 12.9-inch Pro'southward ability to bear witness two full-sized app windows side past side makes information technology even more productive in a laptop context than the 10.5-inch model is.

The 12.nine-inch model is also a viable alternative to the Wacom Cintiq 13HD ($799.95) and Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 ($two,499) for pen-oriented creative piece of work. You get similar surface area, just add portability and a much higher screen resolution. You'll probably withal have to offload your art onto a real Mac or PC for finishing, nonetheless.

To make the most of the 12.9-inch Pro, you're going to pay a lot of money. The 256GB Wi-Fi-only unit with keyboard costs $i,068. Shop around a bit, and yous tin find a 2022 MacBook Pro for around that price—admittedly with 128GB of storage, but with an SD card slot, ports, and the Mac OS.

The iPad Pro is an expensive device, and I can't recommend upgrading from last year's model unless y'all're infuriated by what you experience is laggy scrolling or Pencil responsiveness and your life would be profoundly improved by the higher refresh charge per unit of the ProMotion display. If that's the case, I wouldn't criticize you.

If I squint a footling, I tin can run into the folks who the 12.9-inch Pro is right for: my male parent, for instance, who doesn't want to take to deal with configuration or malware on a "real" laptop, could benefit from a larger screen, and is willing to pay the loftier price. Or architects or contractors who get together effectually looking at layouts and blueprints. If you lot're fix to adopt iOS into your daily workflow and desire the biggest screen possible, the 12.ix-inch iPad Pro might be right for you lot.

Only by and large, most iPad buyers should go for the $329 not-Pro model. If you just want a thousand-dollar ultraportable laptop, meanwhile, should accept a look at the Razer Blade Stealth, the new Microsoft Surface Laptop, and the older, simply still viable MacBook Air.