Exploring the iPad: You Don’t Have to Go Pro
I love the iPad and I am one of those people who likes to have the best of what I love. That said, there is no real reason to go for an iPad Pro. Apple currently offers three other iPad options. I have owned them all at one point or other. There are no bad iPads. Choosing the right one for you can be a little challenging. Here are some tips that should help you sort it out:
To pro or not to pro
Apple has a way of sticking “Pro” at the end of its product names as if to differentiate between an average product for average people, and an exceptional product for exceptional people. I am on record as being firmly against the “Pro” monicker. I would rather them call it “Premium” rather than “Pro”.
What you get for that premium price are the latest and greatest features that will eventually trickle down to the rest of the line. Apple experiments with the design of the premium iPads. They will have better screens at larger sizes, the fastest processors with more ram, and the latest stylus tech. Let’s not forget the cameras. The latest crop of premium iPads sport lidar sensors. You really are getting quite a lot of bang for the buck.
Thing is, you don’t need any of that to have a most excellent iPad experience. The most basic iPad in the lineup is an excellent value and a capable machine. The design is a bit dated and it has the largest bezels of any iPad Apple currently sells. But it still has a great display. It is powered by an A10 Fusion chip. It can be accessorized with and Apple Pencil and one of those keyboards with the built-in trackpad from Logitech. Anything you can do on the top of the line iPad, you can do on the bottom of the line iPad.
Let’s be honest: Few people need an iPad Pro. It is just a matter of comparing features, available accessories, and lust factor. How much do you want the premium model? That is the biggest determining factor. Personally, I love the Air and the mini. The moment the mini is given the body style of the Pro, I’ll be the first in line. Rumor has it that such a device is on the way later this year.
Bigger is not always better
My wife has the 12.9” iPad while I have the 11”. We sometimes swap just to see what life is like on the other size. I have just recently concluded such an experiment that lasted about two weeks. While I love the large screen and Magic Keyboard experience of the larger size, I don’t love the heft and bulk of the device. I’m sticking with the smaller premium iPad.
Note that the iPad Air is only a half-inch smaller than the 11” iPad Pro. At that scale, size is not really a factor. When it comes to screen size, the only reason to go pro is the 12.9” iPad. That is less than half and inch smaller than a MacBook Pro. If you do a lot of typing, the only iPad I wouldn’t recommend is the mini. You can buy keyboards for it. But the experience is sub-optimal.
When it comes to size, I believe you should only go pro if you are using the iPad as a laptop for heavy productivity. Barring that, any iPad will do the job.
No apps left behind
I have yet to discover an iPad app that doesn’t run on the basic iPad. You don’t have to worry about buying an app that is incompatible for your device. The most powerful app in the App Store will run on the least powerful iPad in the Apple Store.
The only consideration is the size of the canvas. Some apps will provide a better experience on a larger screen. If you spend all day reading and making Excel spreadsheets, you might want to consider one of the premium models. It is not that Excel will not run on an iPad mini. It is just that your eyesight might demand a larger canvas showing larger text. Otherwise, there is no need to worry about app compatibility.
Conclusion: You are the pro
Your machine is not what makes you a pro. That is just cynical marketing spin. Ignore it. Some of the greatest writers of our time do their work with pens and pencils. No one needs a high end notebook or tablet to pound out words and look things up on the internet.
You are the pro, not your equipment. Your photos will not turn out worse because you edited them on a less expensive iPad. Your notes will not be less legible. Your music you create in GarageBand will not be less pleasing. Your articles will not be less readable. Your text messages will not be less witty. Nothing you do on the smaller and cheaper iPad will be less than what it would have been on the largest and most expensive iPad.
Personally, I buy the Pro models because I like the industrial design, FaceID, the magnetic Pencil, Apple’s Magic Keyboard, quad speakers, and the larger amount of ram. That said, I wouldn’t be disappointed with the iPad Air. Regardless of my main iPad, I am going to always want an iPad mini because they are just so cute!
David Johnson