2018 iPad Pro hands-on: Improving on the world’s best tablet
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Ars Legatus Legionis
So the big question is will usb-c percolate down to the rest of the ipads as they get refreshed or is the pro going to remain "special" in that respect.
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impressive thing here is doubling up on the number of big cores.
The iPhone version of the A12 was already twice as fast as anything in the Android ecosystem with only two big cores according to recent testing.
>The contrast to the best Android SoCs have to offer is extremely stark – both in terms of performance as well as in power efficiency. Apple’s SoCs have better energy efficiency than all recent Android SoCs while having a nearly 2x performance advantage. I wouldn’t be surprised that if we were to normalise for energy used, Apple would have a 3x performance lead.
https://www.anandtech.com/show/13392/th ... -secrets/4
That same testing showed that the iPhone version of the A12 was in striking distance of the performance of the current Intel chips.
>What is quite astonishing, is just how close Apple’s A11 and A12 are to current desktop CPUs. I haven’t had the opportunity to run things in a more comparable manner, but taking our server editor, Johan De Gelas’ recent figures from earlier this summer, we see that the A12 outperforms a moderately-clocked Skylake CPU in single-threaded performance.
Now, with the A12X doubling up on the high performance core count, there is no Android tablet even close to being in the same league.
I'm looking forward to seeing the testing that shows where the A12X stands in relation to Intel.
Love Apple or hate them, you have to admit that this is one hell of an accomplishment.
The iPhone version of the A12 was already twice as fast as anything in the Android ecosystem with only two big cores according to recent testing.
>The contrast to the best Android SoCs have to offer is extremely stark – both in terms of performance as well as in power efficiency. Apple’s SoCs have better energy efficiency than all recent Android SoCs while having a nearly 2x performance advantage. I wouldn’t be surprised that if we were to normalise for energy used, Apple would have a 3x performance lead.
https://www.anandtech.com/show/13392/th ... -secrets/4
That same testing showed that the iPhone version of the A12 was in striking distance of the performance of the current Intel chips.
>What is quite astonishing, is just how close Apple’s A11 and A12 are to current desktop CPUs. I haven’t had the opportunity to run things in a more comparable manner, but taking our server editor, Johan De Gelas’ recent figures from earlier this summer, we see that the A12 outperforms a moderately-clocked Skylake CPU in single-threaded performance.
Now, with the A12X doubling up on the high performance core count, there is no Android tablet even close to being in the same league.
I'm looking forward to seeing the testing that shows where the A12X stands in relation to Intel.
Love Apple or hate them, you have to admit that this is one hell of an accomplishment.
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I can't even fathom what tablet you could claim is better for most people. It'd have to be one I've never heard of, which would be pretty shocking.
That's as much a statement on how bad the tablet market is as it is a compliment to Apple though.
Expand the definition to 2-in-1s though and you have a real ball game. But to me, that's a separate category.
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New iDevices are in the design, dev, and production pipeline for quite a while before they drop -- So I'm a little surprised that Apple didn't include USB-C on their new just-released phones especially in light of the USB-C equipped iPad being released just a couple of months later.
Maybe next year?
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Ars Legatus Legionis
If the phone gets it, it will probably be last. The question would be will the rest of the ipads switch and when. The phone won't happen until after that and maybe never. I could see Apple just holding out until wireless charging is "good enough" and going with no port on the iphone.
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I travel a bit for work, and have until recently found the promise of new devices underwhelming. They all seemed to augment existing devices rather than replace them. Not too long ago I would travel with:
* a work laptop
* a personal laptop (for personal projects)
* an iPad for media consumption on airplanes
* a Kindle or Nexus 7 for books and such
* a work phone
* a personal phone
Not to mention all the attendant chargers and cables. My iPad Pro and the keyboard folio now replaces my personal laptop (for travel only...), the Nexus 7, and my personal phone. There are some minor sacrifices involved of course, and in hindsight I wish I had the LTE version. But I finally feel like it's one device that can, for multiple days, supplant most of my other devices.
Which is just to say I agree. The iPad isn't the future of computing yet, but it's getting there.
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These need a double lens camera in back. I use my last gen iPad Pro way more than my phone to capture video for real projects. Second lens in back would be super useful.
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"World's best tablet" would be more meaningful if it had any competition. Or even anyone who was trying to compete.
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I'm glad they're finally moving towards USB-C. I really, really wish they had managed to switch to OLED display technology though. As the article hints, OLED displays of that size are probably a ways off from being mass-market affordable.
A 12.9" OLED Apple tablet with USB-C is exactly what I'm waiting for, and since my iPad 2 is still pulling serviceable duty it seems I'll be waiting a bit longer.
A 12.9" OLED Apple tablet with USB-C is exactly what I'm waiting for, and since my iPad 2 is still pulling serviceable duty it seems I'll be waiting a bit longer.
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It would be good if the lack of a headphone jack would be mentioned in the article. It's a pretty significant change over the previous models.
Edit: the article has been updated :thumbsup:
Edit: the article has been updated :thumbsup:
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LOL. Where I live, you'd think Apple offers the only tablet on the market. I haven't seen people using anything else in the last two years.
Edit:
Ah, if you're talking about the MS Surface offerings, then yeah, you'd be right in asking for citations. I figured you meant those Android tablets. For some reason, I think of Surfaces as laptops.
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Depends on what you mean by 'for most people', and maybe it's a function of my environment, but when I think best tablet my mind definitely goes to the Surface Pro, or perhaps the Surface Book. Though you don't really see iPads around anymore where I work so they're not at the front of the mind. I suppose it's a comment on our varying priorities.
I do like where Apple is going with the pro, and I really hope that this pushes MS to put a 120Hz display into the next Surface Pro. This is one area where cross-sharing ideas really could push the environment forward.
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I haven’t been excited about a new iPad in a long time. These new Pros have given me reason to finally update my iPad. I’ll take one of the new Apple Pencils too. Oh and I’ll take a Mac mini to go. 
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ubercurmudgeon
Ars Tribunus Militum
It seems to me that a lot of the people who buy mobile devices without 3.5mm jacks are just using the speakers, instead of bothering with Bluetooth pairing, and having another thing they have to recharge. It used to be that the assholes on public transport were the ones with leaky headphones. Now, they're the (comparatively) considerate ones.
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I guess the main competition is...existing iPads. If it was just about other tablet manufacturers, Apple would hardly need to bother updating things. Thankfully they need to persuade people to upgrade at some point.
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I am so very tempted to get the 12.5" model with a keyboard and Pencil 2, but ouch, the total price tag for even the base configuration ends up around $1450 for that (after local sales tax). I guess my current 10.5" will have to do for a while.
When iOS Photoshop launches I'll definitely be reconsidering that though. I'd love to see what iOS Photoshop does with the Pencil's new gesture/tap support.
When iOS Photoshop launches I'll definitely be reconsidering that though. I'd love to see what iOS Photoshop does with the Pencil's new gesture/tap support.
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Preordered. The single port isn't a deal breaker but it is concerning. It makes using a peripheral and headphones difficult.
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What are you missing? Genuine question because I'm not an Android user so I can't comment on the range or quality of apps available.
In fact I've often seen Android enthusiasts complain that while they like the ability to customise the OS, the range of hardware choices, and the better options for people on a limited budget, the app situation is one area that needs to improve compared to iOS.
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I am looking forward to the day when I can just standardize on an iPad for travel. It’d be perfect. But right now not only can I not do my main work on it (I’m a dev) but the lack of mouse support makes using my 12.9” Pro a pain.
The new Galaxy Book is closer. But it has a slow processor and only 4GB of RAM (on Windows).
The Surface Pro doesn’t have LTE now.
I am in a weird state where many things are almost good enough but not quite!
The new Galaxy Book is closer. But it has a slow processor and only 4GB of RAM (on Windows).
The Surface Pro doesn’t have LTE now.
I am in a weird state where many things are almost good enough but not quite!
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Windows doesn't have good mobile-style apps, or didn't when I last used Windows. God help me! I used Windows!!!
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Samsung makes good tablets, but they're not good for music, and are only modest for art.
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For music (creation) bluetooth is useless. The delay is enormous.
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The entire point of a tablet is to run tablet apps designed for a touch screen, not running legacy Win32 based Windows apps that require you to use a keyboard attachment with a touchpad.
Metro never has caught on and the Microsoft's App Store is still a wasteland.
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The iPad Pro has moved from Apple's proprietary Lightning port to USB-C
Losers, we knew you would!
Dude we wouldn't have USB-C if not for Lightning.
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