ipad pro 12.9 review

2020 iPad Pro Review – What’s New and How Good is it?

Nowadays, we work and enjoy content from the comfort of our couch, without having the need to get at a desk if we want to be productive and work on a specific task.

Nowadays, we work and enjoy content from the comfort of our couch, without having the need to get at a desk if we want to be productive and work on a specific task.

With the help of an iPad Pro 2020, we can browse the internet, write and send emails, do creative work like graphic design or digital art, edit videos, enjoy a movie, or a tv show on a gorgeous high-resolution screen of 12.9 inches, read eBooks or play graphics-intensive games. 

A quick overview at what’s new on the 2020 iPad Pro model:

  • 8-core Apple GPU
  • 6GB of RAM on all versions (128GB. 256GB. 512GB and 1TB)
  • A12Z Bionic chip
  • 600 nits display brightness
  • Wi-fi 6 connectivity
  • LiDAR scanner for utilizing AR apps and games
  • Dual-camera system with 12-megapixel wide and 10-megapixel ultra-wide lens
  • Powerful microphones

Is it worth getting an iPad Pro?

Yes because:

  • The 2048 x 2732 resolution liquid Retina display at 120Hz refresh rate is gorgeous to look at, reproducing vivid accurate colors when  watching videos, movies, or play some games, with 600 nits brightness;
  • The A12Z Bionic chip is lightning-fast, handles even the most graphics-intensive game titles like a knife through butter and will holp up for a long time in terms of speed, reliability, and competitiveness;
  • The 6 GBs of RAM offer fantastic multitasking capabilities with iPad OS being improved more and more with each update, providing a smooth experience;
  • The battery can withstand over 10 hours of usage which is fantastic;
  • The ultra-wide cameras while not on par with the iPhone 11 Pro, are surprisingly good for any photography enthusiast;
  • The Magic Keyboard, while an expensive accessory, brings the whole iPad Pro experience to another level;

Is the iPad Pro 2020 good for gaming?

The lightning-fast A12Z Bionic chip and 6GBs of RAM make it running any game on the Apple Store a breeze, no matter how demanding while the vivid color-accurate 12.9″ liquid Retina display at 120Hz refresh rate brings the gaming experience to another level.

So, the answer is: definitely. The iPad Pro 2020 is worth every penny.

Price and Design

To say that iPad Pro 4th generation is something groundbreaking in terms of design and aesthetics, it would be a stretch of the imagination. While looking very similar to the previous iPad Pro model from 2018,

The new and the old Pro models are pretty much the same when it comes to appearance. The famous Space Gray and Silver are the available colors you can choose from when buying the 2020 iPad Pro.

The only noticeable change in design is the camera module on the new 2020 edition which has the double camera array and the additional LiDAR scanner within the enclosure on the back.

But, all in all. the design is sleek and elegant, with Apple keeping it clean and minimal as always while showcasing second-to-none build quality when it comes to materials.

RIght when you get the iPad in your hands you can feel the build quality of the device and how it outshines every other tablet in this segment (and the others too).

A12Z Bionic Chip

The new Bionic chip that Apple developed is an improvement to the iPad Pro in the segments where the previous chip failed. It is sort of an upgraded A12X, which was the previous one.

With the new iPad OS updates and improvements and enhancements to the UI, the chip’s ultra-fast speed helps a lot in turning every task from light word processing, designing, or illustrating to playing graphics-intensive games a breeze.

When put to the test, performing on multiple benchmarks, the 2020 iPad Pro 12.9 4th generation tested on various benchmark software, it outscores and outperforms the 2018 iPad and the iPhone 11 Pro Max by a lot.

Long story short, the new A12Z Bionic chip is around 40% more powerful than iPhone’s A13 chip when it comes to go graphics-demanding games and intensive motion graphics and photo editing software.

Trackpad Support

ipad pro 2020 trackpad

One of more exciting and functional features to the iPad Pro is the added trackpad support.

It just makes life easier. Working on the iPad Pro 2020 now resembles a laptop workflow whether you are editing photos, writing, doing excel sheets and whatnot.

And it’s evident that Apple is pushing the iPad Pro into the laptop category more and more by expanding its proprietary software and hardware limits and capabilities step by step. They sure have a direction they wanna chase with the iPad Pro and they are moving steadily.

Whether you use a mouse, the Magic Trackpad or the one on the Magic Keyboard, you will get an enhanced and improved level of productivity and workflow.

We can easily say, the trackpad is a game changer for the iPad Pro 2020.

Useful gesture actions:

  • Three fingers swipe up takes you to the home screen
  • Three fingers swipe up and hold will open the App selector
  • Three fingers swipe left or right will enable you to change apps
  • Moving the cursor to the bottom of the screen and pressing will show the dock
  • Clicking on the upper right corner on the status bar will show the control center
  • Clicking on the upper left corner on the status bar will show notifications

Liquid Retina

ipad pro liquid retina display

The liquid Retina display technology is present on the 2020 model too as on the iPad Pro 2018, making the screen look bright and vivid at all times, even outdoors in direct sunlight, thanks to the all-time high 600 nits display brightness levels.

The same capabilities apply to the new iPad Pro too. The True Tone technology and 120Hz refresh rate.

Augmented Reality with LiDAR Scanner

ipad pro lidar scanner

One of the few new features that seem quite interesting (and according to Apple – revolutionary) is the added LiDAR scanner on the back of the camera enclosure.

The LiDAR scanner is a depth sensor which is mainly used for augmented reality software. Apps and games specifically designed with AR in mind will make great use of the LiDAR scanner but not much else.

However, it is a interesting addition to the new 2020 iPad Pro, even if not quite revolutionary as Apple likes to claim.

Magic Keyboard

The new Magic Keyboard by Apple, comes with a trackpad and scissor-switch backlit buttons which provide much better feedback. It’s a step up from the previous model and gives the iPad Pro 2020 a world of new possibilities when it comes to working or even gaming.

Being priced at $179 for the 11-inch iPad Pro and $199 for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, the Magic Keyboard carries a hefty price tag but it is worth the money, especially if you use an iPad Pro on a daily basis and working a lot on it.

It is certainly not magical in the literal sense, and it won’t provide you any quality of life improvements, it won’t open up your chakras but one thing is clear: You’ll notice improved productivity because of how easy it is t work on an iPad Pro with a keyboard and a trackpad.

Wi-Fi

One other thing that really packs a punch on the 2020 iPad Pro is the rise of the new Wi-Fi communication protocol, simply referred to as Wi-Fi 6.

Improving connection speed and allowing a lot more devices to be connected on a same network is one of the benefits and a possible connection speed of up to 1.2Gbs

Ports

ports on ipad pro 2020

The 2020 iPad Pro model features a Type-C connection port for charging and connecting to other devices like monitors, laptops and more, with up to 5k display resolution support.

Battery

The 9,720mAh battery on the iPad Pro can last well over 10 hours with continuous use whether you like playing games on your tablet, doing some light work or watching Netflix.

There’s been a fair part of criticism towards the iPad Pro 12.9 battery life. But, depending on how you prefer to use the tablet and how much (duh!), your experience with the battery life on the iPad is going to vary. Mileage may vary.

For me personally, the iPad Pro 12.9 battery life is just fine. I use it regularly for photo editing in Affinity Photo and design work in Affinity Designer, play Sky: Children of the Light occasionally and religiously watch shows on Netflix every other night (I’m embarrassed to admit it’s every night) and I can go through a day of on-screen time with no problems.

A powerful processor like the A12Z chip, is going to drain the battery whether you like it or not but on the flip side, your workflow, play time or watch time is going to be a a buttery smooth experience.

Of course, let’s not even mention the Retina display and the actual size of the display regardless of whether we are talking about the 11″ or 12.9″ model.

At the end of the day, unicorns do not exist, don’t they? And if you want one..well the 2020 iPad Pro is pretty damn close. So, that’s that.

Cameras

ipad pro 2020 cameras

IF you were looking for a tablet with good camera then this is it. The camera module on the back of the 2020 iPad Pro is quite impressive in its own right.

When you take into consideration that it is a tablet and not a smartphone, the double-lens camera will satisfy photography enthusiasts.

It cannot compete with the iPhone 11 Pro’s cameras but it is by far the best camera system on a tablet pc device we have seen so far.

Apple Pencil (2nd Generation)

ipad pro 2020 apple pencil

Of course, for all you creatives out there, no worries, The iPad Pro and the Apple pencil bundle is something that every serious artist should have (although they are separately sold).

Apple Pencil is supported, as expected. The iPad Pro is the main go-to device for many graphic designers, digital art & illustration artists.

I personally couldn’t imagine not having the iPad Pro 2020 with the Apple Pencil into my workflow.

The perfect lightweight mobile workstation: The 12 inch ipad Pro 2020 with 512GB of storage, the Magic keyboard and the Apple Pencil.

Conclusion

Now, there is no doubt that the 2020 Apple iPad Pro is indeed a powerful device that can take on pretty much everything you throw at it.

Can the iPad Pro 2020 replace a laptop?

It depends on your needs and requirements. For example, the 12.9 4th generation iPad Pro has enough power for doing creative work like graphic design or digital art and illustration, combined with an Apple Pencil 2nd gen and a Magic Keyboard. Or at least incorporating it in your workflow as an auxiliary device.

Check our tablet vs laptop comparison article for an in-depth look on this particular topic.

The iPad Pro 2020 is also suited as a gaming tablet device handling anything and everything you throw at it, no matter how graphics-intensive.

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