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Four months with the iPad Pro: The best tablet I've ever used

Now that I've used the iPad Pro for a few months it's time to revisit and see how it's working out for me. In a word: fabulously.
Written by James Kendrick, Contributor
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iPad Pro

I picked up the iPad Pro late last year the first day it was available. Even knowing it was quite large, I was still impressed by its size when I picked it up. I also own an iPad Air 2 and an iPad mini 3, so I've experienced the size range of the iPad product line.

I have grown used to the giant iPad over the past few months. I've come to feel that the size of it is one of its greatest strengths when it comes to using it daily. The big display sets it apart from other tablets, including smaller iPads.

Using the giant iPad

What has surprised me about the iPad Pro is how much I now use it as a tablet without a physical keyboard. This is where the big screen really comes into play. I can see so much on the display at once, even after scaling the text up so I can see it clearly.

The iPad Pro is heavy at 1.59 pounds (LTE model), but I find myself using it in hand for hours at a time. That is largely due to using it in split-screen mode. I can run two apps at once and put them side-by-side and still see the content. This has resulted in my using it in landscape almost exclusively in tablet mode, something I've rarely done with smaller iPads.

Using the laptop replacement

The iPad Pro in a keyboard case has become my daily work system. I use it almost exclusively in large part due to the sheer size of the thing. Keyboards that fit the iPad Pro are without compromise, and they are as good as those on any laptop.

I already own three keyboards and the last I bought has had an impact on using the iPad Pro. The ZAGG Slim Book makes it easy to lift the tablet off the keyboard dock, and it is a big reason why I use the iPad Pro as a tablet so much.

I admit the iPad Pro in a keyboard case is very heavy in the gear bag. It can get to be a drag at the end of a long day hauling it around. It's a testament to how good it is to use as my main system that I put up with the weight.

Not just the size

More than the big screen and a laptop-quality keyboard, the speed of the iPad Pro is the biggest factor in why I like it so much. The performance is outstanding, with everything I do happening instantly. That's the case with opening apps and updating lots of information. The iPad Pro really pops things on the screen and I never have to wait for apps to respond.

Still the best iPad

All of these criteria make the iPad Pro the best tablet I've used to date. The big display, nice keyboard, and performance of the iPad Pro make it the iPad without equal for me. I am using it all day every day as a result and find it to be a system without compromise.

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