Apple iPad Pro 10.5 2017

Tablets these days seem to narrow down to either Windows 10 or iOS based devices ignoring Android in the dust and probably rightfully so. With WWDC 2017 come and gone let’s take a look at the new iPad Pro 10.5-inch. What’s not to love with the slightly larger screen from the iPads of past, while 9.7-inches to 10.5-inches may not seem like a big change, it certainly is if one were to compare the bezels on the 10.5-inch versus the 9.7-inch model. Naturally apart from size what else has Apple got to offer? For starters, the display panel is now a 120hz based panel which might not seem like a lot to most people but sure has some benefits with Apple touting a reduction of lag when it comes to input, more so when used in combination with the Apple Pencil. Especially for creative users or even frequent note takers the higher refresh rates allows users to experience a somewhat similar experience to either drawing on a canvas or even simply writing on a piece of paper, only that you’re doing all of that on a tablet. Apple calls this feature ProMotion, while the panel allows for higher refresh rates it also allows for lower refresh rates depending on use case, for example if you’re reading an ebook, the panel dynamically reduces refresh rates which allows the Ipad to save on battery power or while you’re watching a video the panel will dynamically try to match the framerate of the video. The new LCD panel is also quite bright rating in at 600 nits, this allows for a better outdoor viewing experience. The new A10X Fusion chip is even able to compete with some of Intel’s notebook chips, with all that performance users can expect better multitasking experiences although it still remains a fact that this is a tablet and isn’t going to replace your mainstay notebook or desktop devices.

One notable upgrade is its main camera at 12 megapixels can shoot native 4K footage although using the Ipad Pro 10.5-inch as a camera still makes you look pretentious but at least the picture quality is superb. While iOS 11 isn't set to launch till Fall of 2017 even in iOS 10 the Ipad Pro 10.5-inch still performs similarly well as its bigger and smaller cousins. In terms of chassis construction, the Ipad Pro 10.5-inch hasn’t changed in design with its single unibody aluminium shell we’ve all come to expect. Moving on to sound see’s the return of the quartet of speakers equipped on previous Pro models. While they aren’t quite loud to fill a room, they do at least offer a pleasant listening experience especially when watching movies. Lastly as this is a tablet battery life should be mentioned, generally Apple’s claims tend to be on the conservative side with Apple claiming up to 10 hours while watching movies or on Wi-Fi which is more or less on the mark with real-world tests coming in at 9 hours 40 minutes. Which is slightly longer than its predecessor, this is quite impressive as generally most of Apple’s portable devices do score quite well with battery life giving this device it's worthy applause. Naturally in order not to oversell Apple products the only thing holding this device back is its price. So, should users should either consider the cheaper Ipad if it's only to serve as a general device or “I am burning a lot of money hole in my wallet ”.

Hands-on article by Jagadisa Rajarathnam