Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2018, LTE, 256 GB) Tablet Review

[Redaktion]

The release of the third generation of Apple's huge tablet has coincided with a complete redesign that shares more design cues with the new iPhone XS series than classic iPhones. Apple has equipped its most expensive tablet with its most powerful ARM SoC, Face ID, high volume storage options, support for a new Apple Pencil and much more including a massive markup in price.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Apple-iPad-Pro-12-9-2018-LTE-256-GB-Tablet-Review.357701.0.html

[Vadim]

Unfortunately, angles are much worse on the new ones in comparison to 2017 models. 10.5 had average angles, 12.9 had really good ones. This year's 12.9 has average angles, 11 has poor ones - like the ones on a non-pro version, when holding the tablet rotated 45 degrees results in 50% brightness reduction. Maybe it's a good idea to have it measured in reviews? I really like the design of the new iPads, but the screen is killing it for me.
Anyway, I find it strange to do so for a device that supposed to lay on a table, at least part of the time. Maybe it's a battery-saving technique.

[Gaurav Chauhan]

Please include PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) test. It is very necessary for eye's health.

[Klaus Hinum]

PWM is already included in the review, will be updated still with more informations.

[Puppy]

Bend test disaster, check 'iPad Pro Bend Test! - Be gentle with Apples new iPad.' video on YouTube.

[Dennis1986]

The chart which shows "Display flickering at low brightness" is 75"k"hz. ;)

[Gary]

I hear it folds neatly....

I have a better one..you probably haven't heard of it

It's a SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 12.2...

It actually came out 2 years before the Apple...

Mine is still going strong

Unfortunately SAMSUNG makes great hardware

But lousy customer support

[S.Yu]

Unfortunately, angles are much worse on the new ones in comparison to 2017 models. 10.5 had average angles, 12.9 had really good ones. This year's 12.9 has average angles, 11 has poor ones - like the ones on a non-pro version, when holding the tablet rotated 45 degrees results in 50% brightness reduction. Maybe it's a good idea to have it measured in reviews? I really like the design of the new iPads, but the screen is killing it for me.
Anyway, I find it strange to do so for a device that supposed to lay on a table, at least part of the time. Maybe it's a battery-saving technique.

It is, some VAIO devices specifically advertise this, off angle illumination isn't exactly efficient.

[S.Yu]

Spec2006 ports nicely across platforms and at least the single core performance compares very favorably to Intel's CPUs. Spec does not measure multicore while for graphics we see the demonstration of a full fledged PS already so it should definitely be comparable to laptops with mid range graphics like GTX1060, then considering how much of the market is worse than that I think Apple's estimate is more or less on the spot.

[Leonardo81]

Ridiculous review, so many shortcomings but Apple always gets 90%+ scores here in NBC...

This is another good item sold as gold and as a panacea of all evil... But it is not. Camera is bad, file management is horrid, benchmarks are smoke in the eyes because a different behavior and score are achieved, prices are above human rights, and you still tell us this is an achievement?

Apple fanboys will still buy this dumbly, so nothing to get ashamed of...

PS claims are just this, claims, because no PS is available just now, and I clearly remember Sony PS4 showings that during the presentation crashed with a windows BSOD, so to speak, so other smoke in the eyes too...

And accessories prices? Riddikulous...

Price this at 1/3, and it would be a nice item, and 92% would be worth.

[BobbyBob]

It never ceases to amaze me how butt hurt some people are when reviewers praise Apple products. Why do you feel the need to comment on every damn article? It's like you're a religious nut, much like the Apple fans you accuse of being sheep. You're no different.

Anyway, as usual, incredible hardware neutered by iOS. Why can't they bring such incredible looking and bright displays to laptops? So much crap out there STILL.

[DareDevil01]

Spec2006 ports nicely across platforms and at least the single core performance compares very favorably to Intel's CPUs. Spec does not measure multicore while for graphics we see the demonstration of a full fledged PS already so it should definitely be comparable to laptops with mid range graphics like GTX1060, then considering how much of the market is worse than that I think Apple's estimate is more or less on the spot.

I wouldn't say it's comparable to laptops with a 1060, as Apple themselves say that it's GPU is on par with an Xbox One S, which is essentially a modified Radeon 7790 from 2012 (Which wasn't even a high-end GPU back then). The 1060 is around 145% faster (131% being a mobile version).

[Blueskies]

Posted this about the IPad mini 5, but it applies to the IPad Pro also:

Hello, and thank you for these great reviews. There is one thing I do not understand thought. As a digital artist, I want great color accuracy both on screen and when printing or creating a video. When you have a look at the delta e of the iPads, most are amazing, yet you look at the picture and although the srgb dots are always in the square, the Adobe rgb and P3 color accuracy seems to be way off in this one.  Many of the other reviews say they were unable to check the Adobe Rgb or the P3 of some Ipads. So looking at the latest Samsung tablets that have slightly greater delta e values. The dots in the pictures are  little more off in the srgb test, yet the Adobe and P3 are way closer. How does that make sense? Does the delta e only take the srgb into consideration. How do I know if the Samsung tablet are not better when it comes to color accuracy if the srgb is only minimally worst than the ipads yet the abobe rgb and P3 in this case seems way better than Ipads, and in many of the other reviews of the iPads the Adobe rgb and P3 are not shown...?

[S.Yu]

Posted this about the IPad mini 5, but it applies to the IPad Pro also:

Hello, and thank you for these great reviews. There is one thing I do not understand thought. As a digital artist, I want great color accuracy both on screen and when printing or creating a video. When you have a look at the delta e of the iPads, most are amazing, yet you look at the picture and although the srgb dots are always in the square, the Adobe rgb and P3 color accuracy seems to be way off in this one.  Many of the other reviews say they were unable to check the Adobe Rgb or the P3 of some Ipads. So looking at the latest Samsung tablets that have slightly greater delta e values. The dots in the pictures are  little more off in the srgb test, yet the Adobe and P3 are way closer. How does that make sense? Does the delta e only take the srgb into consideration. How do I know if the Samsung tablet are not better when it comes to color accuracy if the srgb is only minimally worst than the ipads yet the abobe rgb and P3 in this case seems way better than Ipads, and in many of the other reviews of the iPads the Adobe rgb and P3 are not shown...?

AFAIK no iPad supports ARGB, while Android tablets with AMOLED screens support ARGB (but hard to say about the calibration), some of the latest iPads seem to support P3 but I wasn't really paying attention, they lost me when they removed the headphone jack on these pro tablets.
OTOH OLED screens will definitely need calibration as they age no matter the initial delta e, as an artist you should be aware of that, though I don't believe NBC releases delta e post-calibration for mobile devices no matter the screen type.