Apple iPad Pro 11" 2018 review

Every time Apple releases a new hardware I thought, maybe I can finally afford an older version of that hardware, say an iPhone or an iPad. Regular iPads, I’ve got them. What’s on my wishlist is their new form factor iPad Pro. When Apple released the new 2020 iPad Pro, suddenly the 2018 version of the iPad Pro dropped its price enough that I can finally afford a second hand unit. That’s how I got my hands on this 11” 2018 iPad Pro.



First impressions, the screen is huge and gorgeous. Coming from an iPhone SE, the 120Mhz Pro Motion display is a revelation. The IPS LCD screen features a 82.9% screen to body ratio so there’s enough real estate there for your viewing pleasure. Gone are the thicc bezels at the top and bottom of the screen like old iPads of yore. The 11” inch feels just right for me. It’s bigger sibling, the 12.9” version is just too big (and too expensive) for me. Did I say I love the new modern design of this iPad Pro? Reminds me of my 1st gen iPad albeit with 20 times more processing power. Unlocking the iPad with Face ID is really convenient, just like those newer iPhone models.

The one that I got has a generous 256GB of space plus Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity. That means I can insert a regular nano SIM card and get Internet freedom wherever I go. For a 2 year old device, the 2018 iPad Pro still packs a punch. There’s not a single app or game that I have installed that lags or stutter when running.

Dropping the proprietary lightning connector with a standard USB-C port was a long awaited move from Apple by its loyal users. Suddenly the iPad inches closer to being a full PC replacement. The USB-C port fully supports most standard USB-C dongles including those multi-function adapters with HDMI, USB-A and card readers. I tried plugging in an SD card, thumb drives and even those full sized external HDDs and the iPad Pro reads and writes to them all, no problem. Using the built-in Files app, I have yet to encounter a file format that the iPad can’t open. Even raw PSD files.

Watching movies and videos on the iPad Pro is a real treat. This iPad produces a loud, nice, bassy sound despite its size. I was lucky enough to snag an original Apple Smart Folio Keyboard with this iPad and I must say, writing on the keyboard case was quite pleasant. It took a while for me to adjust to it’s quiet, almost non-existent tactile feedback but over time I got used to it. Now I can blog literally anywhere.

It took me some time to save up enough money to be able to afford the second generation Apple Pencil. Compared to those stylus on Samsung tablets and Galaxy Note phones that I had, the Apple Pencil is in a class of its own. While the S-Pen is thin and tiny, using the Apple Pencil feels like you’re holding a real life pencil or pen with its heft and weight. The pressure sensitive nib makes it a perfect tool for artists and also amateur painters or graphic designers alike. I don’t usually enjoy writing lengthy passages anymore but the Apple Pencil gives that unique, smooth writing experience that you can only get using pen and paper.

The iPad Pro has come a long way since it’s predecessor. It is an almost perfect productivity tool. The only thing currently missing is support for regular macOS apps. Perhaps someday Apple will make iPads that can natively run macOS apps but not today. The new M1 Macs can in fact run native iPad OS apps but not the other way round. I give the iPad Pro 11” 2018 five stars.