Apple's Newest iPad Pro: The iPad X We Expected

I could not tell if I was watching the iPad Pro or the 11-inch. This shows how Apple has reduced the Pro range and seems to have delivered a more portable iPad this year. But can it get close to replacing my laptop?

the new iPad The changes announced at the Apple meeting in New York in October are important changes if you want to optimize the display in a metal frame. Both new versions fit larger screens into smaller, thinner bodies. The facial identity has been added in an almost invisible way, integrated into the finer frame via a TrueDepth depth-detecting camera, like on the iPhone X. But there's no reason for it. notch, which makes it more subtle.

It also means no home button. It's more like a big magic window now. But with a screen and a reinforced A12X processor that promise that, it seems like the time has come for the iPad to release even more inputs and accessories. Apple has delivered some products, not others.

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Apple's iPad Pro gets a new look

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Lighter, more screen and face identification are hiding

I've kept both new iPad Pro formats for a little while in the Apple Demo Room, and they're sometimes hard to tell apart. The 12.9-inch version is lighter and finally feels like one-handed, provided you're ready to keep a sheet of metal and glass in your hand. I wanted to pamper these tablets more than ever. The little border around the two makes it possible to create a grip zone, but I really wanted these iPads in protective cases.

It looks like the 12.9-inch version is the most impressive change this time around. The new 12.9-inch version has a smaller footprint than last year's model, while the 11-inch Pro version fits a larger screen in a size very similar to that of last year. 10.5 inches Pro.

The screens of the iPad Pro now have slightly curved corners, such as the iPhone X and the Apple Watch, but an LCD screen called "Liquid Retina" by Apple should be similar to or better than the one of the iPhone XR. The display resolutions this time are 2,388×1,668 for the 11-inch and 2732×2,048 for the 12.9-inch, both 264-dpi (the iPad's entry-level has a 9.7 inch screen 2.048×1.536, in comparison, with the same pixel density).

For me, the smaller it is, the better it is. The difference between the iPads is however much more subtle, similar to the difference between the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. The 12.9-inch version costs $ 200 more per storage configuration. For a complete comparison of specifications and news, read our breakdown.

USB-C, with some reservations

USB-C replaces Lightning on the new iPad Pro, which sounds exciting, but does not necessarily mean what you think. The new pros will support USB accessories and export the video on monitors, but last year's pros could also do it with dongles. More interestingly, the iPad Pro can use its USB-C port to charge back other USB-C gadgets or an iPhone via a USB-C cable to Lightning. It could also mean that buying USB-C charging cables and adapters for the Pro will be much easier (and more affordable).

Apple has already indicated that the USB-C port does not support external storage. However, application developers could design specific USB-C accessories that perform specific tasks. Not needing to connect via Lightning could open new possibilities. (Apple supports SD card readers on USB-C, but only to transfer photos and videos to the iPad.)

This also causes some complications. There is no headphone jack on the new Pros, nor wearing Lightning. The Apple EarPod Lightning, equipped with the current iPhone, will not work. And it also means that the existing Apple pencil will not work. Instead, there is a new pencil.

Pencil: Now magnetic, wireless charging, with double-strike sides

Apples improved pen stylus now inductively charging via a magnetic stripe located on the side of the iPad: snap it and charge it. The pencil is always round, but its flat side also prevents it from rolling on a table. The latency and pressure sensitivity of the Pencil are identical to those of last year (the new Pros also have faster ProMotion screens to refresh faster than last year, up to 120 Hz).

There is also a new double-key control that can do specific things in particular applications. Sketch apps and Apple Notes use it to switch between the last brush and the eraser. Other apps might use it in different ways. But the double-strike action seems to be limited to one action at a time, much like the operation of the dual-pressure functions of Apple's AirPods wireless.

These changes are welcome. But, I'm not wild that Apple is asking us to buy a brand new pencil.

A new folio sheet keyboard

Apple has its own foldable keyboard case, which looks like a shade of what Logitech has done for previous iPads. The case is powered via Apple's new smart connector on Pro models and expands to a more user-friendly base for the knees, where the iPad anchors on the keyboard like a small laptop. It looks like a pretty pretty shell, but I have not tested my knees or spent enough time typing her. But it misses the thing I wanted most: a trackpad like the Google Pixel Slate and Microsoft Surface the keyboards have. And it costs as much as $ 179 for the 11-inch version or $ 199 for the 12.9-inch version.

Fantasy and $$$

The iPad Pro seems to be a perfect view of the direction that Apple's touchscreen computers take, but these tablets are expensive this year. Starting at $ 799 or $ 999 for 64GB of storage, you'll want at least the top level, plus the $ 129 pencil and some kind of keyboard (Apple or whatever). Expect to pay more than $ 1,000. I wonder if at these prices you would have been better with an older iPad model and a laptop. The iPad Pro 10.5-inch last year started at 649 USD for the same amount of storage.

But if you dreamed of an even better artistic tool at a price still extremely high, it was perhaps the iPad that you were waiting for. Even more than enhanced hardware, these iPads will perform as well as new applications that will get the most out of them.

Of course, we will have a full review of CNET at some point. These are just first thoughts in a demonstration room.

Follow CNET's live blog for real-time coverage of the iPad event in Brooklyn.

The new iPad Pro: everything we know until now