What the First 10.5-Inch iPad Pro Reviews Are Saying

First announced a week ago, the 10.5-inch iPad Pro features the same form factor as the 9.7-inch iPad Pro it replaced but with a larger display.

In its review, TechCrunch highlights the new screen size, stating:

First things first, the size is great. With a 20 percent larger screen but an increase in physical size of only 7 percent, the sweet spot has been well and hit. The larger 12.9-inch size will stick around, but I’d expect to see all iPads at 10.5 inches at some point. It’s just the right size.

Engadget thinks the device, with iOS 11 installed, could be good enough to replace a laptop:

It still won’t replace your laptop, but it might be able to soon. iOS 11 is set to launch this fall, and the update will make these new Pros even better for people who need to multitask.

CNET suggests the tablet’s new Promotion Display has little effect on the Apple Pencil:

It’s hard to tell the difference, honestly, because the Pencil already did a great job. Even stylus aficionados sitting down with the new 10.5-inch model and the older 9.7-inch model might be hard-pressed to appreciate the latency change. It’s better, but it’s subtle.

The New York Times, like many early reviews, suggests that the tablet’s price could be a problem, noting:

There is little reason to consider an iPad Pro, which starts at about $649, if you are not also planning to purchase the optional $159 Apple Smart Keyboard or $99 Apple Pencil. It would be overkill to spend that much on an iPad without the accessories.

Unlike Engadget, they don’t think the tablet will replace your laptop:

Here’s the problem: The Smart Keyboard is thin and the keys do not click well or feel as satisfying to type on as the keyboards on a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air; after a long period of typing, the Smart Keyboard felt flimsy. The keyboard for the 10.5-inch model is still small and cramped compared with a MacBook keyboard.

The Loop ends its review on this note:

The 10.5-inch really is the “Goldilocks” of iPads for me. Not too big, not too small, and really powerful in everything it does. I would highly recommend it.

Both the 10.5-inch iPad Pro and second-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro arrive in stores this week in Apple retail stores and through select carriers and Apple Authorized Resellers in the United States and 37 additional countries and regions.

The 10.5-inch iPad Pro launches with prices ranging from $649 to $1,079. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro retails for between $799 and $1,229.

Did you buy a new iPad Pro? Let us know in the comments below.