Since I started TechRadar, I've tried products I liked and hated, but I only consistently use four: my Sony WH-1000XM3 wireless headphones, the Anker Prizm II projector I tested, the fantastic Honor Magic Watch 2 smartwatch, and the Apple model. iPad Pro 12.9 2018 which I have been using for over a year. You can learn a lot using a phone or smartwatch in a week, and trying it out for a month can give you information you might not otherwise have. After using the iPad Pro tablet for about fifteen months, I have learned a lot more about the slate than other products. I stand by what I said in the review: Face ID is pretty horrible to use, the tablet really could have done with a 3.5mm headphone jack, but the speakers and screen are really great for creating a small home theater, and it's Ideal for productivity and creativity. In fact, since the Covid-19 lockdown began, I have found myself using it as a work device most of the time. Through a year of daily use, I learned how to use movies, do work, write notes, play games, make video calls, write creatively, and more, using the iPad Pro. Some things on the tablet.
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(Image credit: future)
1. I pray for better battery life
I was critical of the iPad Pro's battery life when I first reviewed it, even going so far as to list it as one of the top issues with the tablet. Now, I have a more nuanced understanding of the subject and can say that not everyone will care. On days off, he used to go to cafes and write. After several hours of typing and listening to music, I can still go home with enough charge to occasionally check social media for the rest of the day and maybe catch a movie before bed. If that's your lifestyle, you'll find the iPad Pro's battery life to be good. The tablet certainly won't last you several days of this type of use, and if you like your gaming tablet you're in for trouble. Just a few hours of Old School Runescape, my current hobby, will drain the iPad's battery. Certain other tasks really wear you out too, like editing photos or videos. I'm not sure, though, if this new, more forgiving take on iPad battery life is because I stopped finding it too short, or if I started planning my days knowing how long it'll last. I don't have a non-professional computer, so I use iPad for lifestyle and professional activities, and that's why the battery drained as fast as it did. was. Maybe if I had a proper laptop as my primary device, I wouldn't be so disappointed. However, I will stand by my comments on the loading speed. It takes me a long time to energize, so much so that sometimes I have to plan my day when I know he won't be in action. When the best smartphones can power up in minutes, Apple really should be working on faster charging technology, which is why the iPad Pro takes less than an hour to fill up.
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(Image credit: future)
2. It is not a gaming device
With its high-end processor and large screen, you'd expect the iPad Pro to be a great device for playing mobile games, but I'm starting to realize that the 12.9-inch screen is all too big for what I want. When playing popular shooters like PUBG Mobile and Fortnite, I had real problems using the on-screen controls because I can't reach all the buttons or icons. I certainly can't wrap my hand around the device like I would a smartphone. For non-shooter games, it's not too bad, but there's a real shortfall from those on mobile. The iPad doesn't have enough PC-style strategy and building games. I've already written about how Apple Arcade seems to forget about iPads, and I don't think there are enough custom games that take full advantage of the iPad.
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(Image credit: future)
2. Fixed variable frame rate
Many smartphones now have 120Hz and even 144Hz displays, and their respective manufacturers make that a big deal, but I think Apple does it better with the iPad Pros' variable refresh rate. Tablets determine the best frame rate for the task at hand, up to 120Hz, and change it when you switch to another task. In this aforementioned coffee work situation, I can, in a minute, switch between Spotify, Final Draft, one of the many note-taking apps, various social media channels, and Safari, and the variable refresh rate of the iPad makes make everyone feel buttery-soft and easy to roll over. Sometimes on smartphones with a fixed high refresh rate, things can feel unnecessarily weird, or a little too fast or slick, and can really hit your battery life as well. On the iPad Pro, I barely notice the refresh rate and this is an absolute compliment. In fact, I want smartphones to start doing the same.
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(Image credit: future)
4. Remember to use protection
My iPad Pro has been through wars since I started using it, and I really wish I had something to protect it when it's in my bag or in my apartment, but the Keyboard Folio isn't everything. It's just not that protective. The Keyboard Folio is a type of case that wraps around your tablet and allows you to unfold your iPad Pro into a makeshift laptop because it also doubles as a stand and provides a keyboard you can type on. However, this 'case' is made of a cloth-like material that doesn't last well - my folio is scratched on all edges, has weird striations on most of the flat part of the body, and one part is swollen. in a big blister, and I have no clear idea why. The case not only looked bumpy, but it wasn't entirely forgiving of the iPad either, and now the corners and some of the edges of the device are a bit bumpy or worn. Note that I did not do contact sports with the tablet, did not do extreme sports with it under my arm, or even dropped it on a hard surface. I just need better protection.
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(Image credit: future)
5. I don't need a mouse
In iPadOS, Apple has introduced mouse support for iPads, and the newer 2020 iPad Pro models can use the Magic Keyboard device that has a real trackpad like a laptop. I just don't need it. Not once in my year with the iPad Pro have I wished I could use a mouse with it. Touch control is faster and easier for every task, from gaming and typing to video editing and social media scrolling. In fact, I often find myself accidentally trying to use my finger on my work laptop screen; this is how the touch screen is natural. I can hardly imagine a use case where a mouse would be more practical than touch screens. Maybe some of you reading this would prefer mouse support, and it's great that Apple is giving you that, but I think Apple's idea that everyone using an iPad Pro wants a mouse is wrong.
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(Image credit: future)
6. You can't get naked on Apple Pencil
The Apple Pencil 2 is great because it charges by magnetically clipping to the top of the iPad Pro, so it's super easy to pick up and use when you need it, but attach it to the iPad when you don't have one. It completely falls apart when you're going to take the device anywhere, because I never put the iPad Pro in my bag, just to keep it attached when I take it out later. Apple Pencil keeps falling, and I can't count the times I've lost it among loads of clutter at the bottom of a bag. About six months ago, I stopped using the Apple Pencil because I couldn't be bothered looking for it in my bag or where it had fallen from the device while I was packing it up. . Maybe that reflects my laziness or forgetfulness, but I'd call myself an average user, so I can't be the only person ditching the Apple Pencil.
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(Image credit: Apple)
7. iPadOS is not messiah, it is a very bad operating system
I was a little disappointed when the original iPadOS was introduced, as there were no clear and significant changes to iOS, except for a boring sidebar in the main menu that took up space. apps you really wanted to use. Well, after using the software for almost a year (since the beta version was released in mid-2019), I can say that I was right, because the operating system didn't make much of an impact on the way I use my tablet. . I don't have a Mac so Sidecar mode is useless, I didn't find any different split screen mode anyway (since split screen already existed and I didn't find any app except Safari which allowed me to see two windows at once) , and as mentioned above, I don't see the need to use a mouse. Well, there are two useful features. The fact that Safari uses desktop versions of websites by default is nice - I only found this particularly useful for accessing WhatsApp Web, and even then you can manually switch it to desktop, but it saves a few seconds every time I want to reply to messages . Second, it is possible to connect external hard drives through the USB-C port. It's a feature that I used exactly once and didn't even realize it was an iPadOS feature before researching this part. Hopefully, iPadOS 14 offers more meaningful ways to improve iPadOS compared to what iOS had already introduced to tablets. Today's best deals for Apple iPad Pro 12.9 Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch 64GB ... Apple iPad Pro (128GB, Wi-Fi, ... Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch Tablet ... Apple - iPad Pro 12.9 inches ...