Ipad Pro 2018 in 2020
Two months ago, I purchased a 2018 iPad Pro. Can the two-year-old device still be a valuable option in 2020?
Upfront, for all the busy people, the short version: The 2018 iPad Pro is still a fantastic device. It still is incredibly snappy, the display is brilliant, and the battery life is awesome. Combine that with the new magic keyboard, and you have yourself a real good device. There is one hindrance, though, the operating system. Other than iPadOS, however, nothing is holding this device back, and it gets all the everyday tasks done with ease.
Coming up is the in-depth review, where I dive deeper into all the different features and aspects of the 2018 iPad Pro.
The hardware
I got the 11 inch iPad Pro. I choose the smaller device because I prefer the portability of the smaller form factor over the bigger screen size. Additionally, if I need more screen real-estate, I use my 16inch MacBook Pro.
The screen is big enough for my needs, and it is a fantastic screen. It‘s a liquid retina display featuring Apple‘s true tone technology and a 120Hz refresh rate. It is not an OLED display, but to my eyes, that isn‘t a big deal.
The colors still pop nicely and the blacks aren‘t distorted. The screen also feels very snappy due to 120Hz refresh rate. This makes the small animations like going back to the home screen or multitasking more fluid and offers a better gaming experience. In addition to the fast refresh rate and the excellent colors, the screen gets quite bright. Even bright enough to use it outside on a sunny day.
The rounded edges of the screen and the iPad give the whole device a modern look, which doesn‘t look at all like two years old. All around the screen are slim bezels, which are wide enough to hold the iPad Pro without interfering with the display. While being compact, the bezels are still noticeable while using the iPad.Integrated into the bezels is the front-facing camera, which also allows unlocking the iPad with FaceID. It is almost invisible, and I don‘t notice it at all while using the iPad.
On the sides of the iPad Pro are the speakers. There are four of them, which produce a balanced sound and get decently loud. With their stereo sound feature, they are optimal for content consumption, and they also don‘t have to shy away from playing music. Comparing them to the 16inch MacBook Pro, though, shows a clear difference. However, they still sound more than decent even after two years.
Inside the 2018 iPad Pro is Apples A12X Chip. It is incredibly powerful for a mobile device, and even the new iPad Pro features almost the same chip. In my two months of use, I never managed to push the iPad Pro to its limits, even while editing photos in affinity photos. It is one of the really strong points of the iPad, the A12X feels like a brand new chip rather than being two years old.
Even though the iPad has such a powerful chip, battery life is still outstanding. I never had problems with the iPad‘s battery, even during heavier workloads, it keeps the iPad running a long time. While watching a series or movies, it seems like the iPad could go on for ages. In my opinion, good battery life is essential for such a portable device as the iPad Pro. The battery is charged via USB-C, which is a huge advantage. It makes the iPad Pro much more user friendly because if you run out of juice, you have one of the most widely available power cables to charge your iPad instead of the Apple-exclusive lighting port.
The software
The iPad Pro runs on iPad OS. After two months of using this OS, I have mixed feelings about it.
On the one hand, there are a lot of areas were iPadOS really shines. There is an enormous choice of Apps in the AppStore. Most are perfectly tuned to run on the iPad. Inputs via the Apple Pencil work to perfection, and with scribble coming in iPad OS 14, this will get even better.
On the other hand, there are also areas where iPad OS doesn’t provide an entirely seamless experience. The recently introduced Mouse and Keyboard support for the iPad is one example. There are some Apps, even first-party ones, that feel somewhat clunky to use with mouse and keyboard.
The biggest problem with iPad OS, in my opinion, is that it tries to be a PC operating system while being a mobile OS. I can’t wrap my head around what kind of operating system iPad OS is.
However, using the optimized Apps for iPad OS is a joy. Writing texts on Ulysses or using Word feels very natural on the iPad. Taking notes on notability and GoodNotes is way more fun than on a standard piece of paper. Even under heavier workloads, like editing photos on Affinity Photos, working with the iPad Pro is a joy. And the experience gets even better when you add the proper accessories.
Accessories
After two months, the two most essential accessories, in my opinion, are the Apple Pencil and Apple’s Magic Keyboard.
The Apple Pencil is the best stylus available for the iPad Pro, and it makes note-taking by hand a satisfying experience. Also, with iPad OS 14 coming, scribble will be introduced, which enhances the usability of the Apple Pencil even more. I keep my pen atop of the iPad Pro on its magnet all the time. This way, the Pencil is always fully charged and within reach. I never had any problems with Apple’s stylus, neither with the battery running out nor with connectivity issues. All around, it is a fantastic accessory for the iPad Pro.
With the 2020 iPad Pro, Apple also announced the introduction of the magic keyboard. With it, the iPad Pro becomes like a laptop. The trackpad support in iPad OS isn’t perfect, but it is good, so good that you don’t feel the need to lift your hands off the keyboard to navigate through the OS. The scissor-switch keys on the keyboard make for a Mac-like typing experience, which is incredible for everyone trying to get work done on their iPad Pro. Combining the two-year-old iPad with the brand new keyboard makes it feel like you are using the new iPad Pro. The only thing that shows it isn’t the new iPad Pro is the huge camera cutout on the back of the magic keyboard, where there is only the single camera of the 2018 iPad Pro instead of the camera square on the 2020 model.
Furthermore, a crucial advantage of the Magic Keyboard is the “added” port. You can charge the iPad via a USB-C port in the hinge of the magic keyboard, which leaves the regular USB-C port for data transfer. I haven’t used any other keyboard accessories, but I can say confidently, that using Apple’s Magic keyboard doesn’t leave anything to be desired.
Apart from the two Apple accessories, there are two others which I find useful.
One is the Paperlike screen-protector. The screen-protector imitates the feeling of writing on paper. It works and is especially useful for people who take a lot of handwritten notes on their iPads. A small drawback of the paperlike, however, is the slight downgrade of the display. Due to the special coating of the screen protector, it is matte. This is visible while using the iPad Pro and slightly reduces the clarity of the display. It isn’t a big deal, however, and I got used to it in no time.
The last accessory isn’t fun or exciting, it is a USB-C hub. Having the extra connectivity is essential, especially if you want to use your iPad Pro as kind of a Laptop replacement. It allows you to quickly transfer files to a multitude of different storage devices like hard drives or USB-sticks. The Hub makes the iPad Pro a lot more useful and versatile in a lot of situations.
Use-cases
I use the iPad Pro as a note-taking tool and as a “travel laptop.” Even though it is a two-year-old device, it gets all the tasks I throw at it done with ease, but I also sort out the tasks I have for it.
When I begin to study this fall, the iPad will be my device for taking handwritten notes and probably the only note-taking tool I will carry into the lecture hall. Rather than carrying my 16inch MacBook Pro with me all the time, I will rely on the iPad and then use the MacBook Pro to sort out the notes and create summaries.
Additionally, I use the iPad Pro as my device to travel with. The smaller form factor makes it a much more convenient device to bring with you rather than the 16inch MacBook Pro. Organizing images and videos I take while traveling is simple on the iPad, and this way, they are already sorted out when I use them on the MacBook Pro. Also, using the iPad Pro on an airplane or in the train is comfortable and works great.
Verdict
The 2018 iPad Pro is still a fantastic device, even two years after its initial release. It doesn’t lack the performance to get the tasks you throw at it done. However, you have to be aware of what tasks you throw at it. If you are aware of this, though, the iPad Pro is a joy to work on. The only thing holding Apple’s tablet back is the operating system. Ipad OS puts the iPad Pro in a weird spot between being a mobile device and a fully-fledged computer. But if you manage to find a sweet-spot for this kind of device in your workflow, it will quickly become one of your favorite tools.
