First impressions with the big and beautiful iPad Pro

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Big and hot: the iPad Pro is the BBW of tablets.
Big and hot: the iPad Pro is the BBW of tablets.
Photo: Leander Kahney / Cult of Mac

I ordered the iPad Pro online at first light this morning and picked it up at the Apple Store in Stonestown, San Francisco, just as the store opened. Aside from the sticker shock — more than $1,326.49 for the iPad, Pencil and Smart Keyboard — I was surprised at how readily it is available. Seems like there’s plenty in stock, despite reports of short supply.

The iPad Pro is getting lukewarm reviews, but isn’t that what we always get from the professional reviewers? The same-old measured response that’s neither wildly enthusiastic nor harshly critical? It was the same with the iPhone 6s-es, the new MacBook, and the 6 Plus before that. “They’re not for everyone!” the reviews tended to say.

Well, bollocks! I’m excited about the iPad Pro. I’m as excited as I was about the first big-screen iPhone a couple of years ago. I think size does matter, and the bigger screen on these devices makes a huge difference.

But we’ll see. I just got my hands on it. Check out the video to see what’s in the box and my initial impressions.

The first thing you notice is how ridiculously big the iPad Pro is.

I’m curious to see if the Pro soon becomes the right size, just as my iPhone 6s Plus is now the ‘right size,’ in the sense that older iPhones look ridiculously small and doll-like.

The design and build quality is, of course, absolutely fantastic. It’s a gorgeous big slab of metal and glass. It’s the same beautiful design and build as the iPad Air, but noticeably heftier.

I’ve become blasé about how ridiculously light the Air is. But I do remember how heavy the first iPads were, and how your hand would tire when reading. I’d normally have to prop it up.

I fear it’ll be the same with the iPad Pro — no one-hand reading in bed with this thing!

The big screen is gorgeous though, and split-screen multitasking looks like it’ll be easy and natural to use.

So far — I like!

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