PRICING AND DESIGN
As I reviewed the new 12.9-inch iPad, I kept running
into the roadblock of its towering price. The absolute
base model 12.9-inch unit, with Wi-Fi and 128GB of
storage, costs $999. That’s the same as a MacBook Air.
You can upgrade storage in three steps, as far as 1TB for
another $400; 4G LTE connectivity adds $150, and
then it’s $179 to $199 for the standard keyboard case,
$299 to $349 for a keyboard with a trackpad, and $129
for the Pencil. So let’s say you want a go-anywhere LTE
tablet with a keyboard and Pencil. In the 12.9-inch size,
that will run you $1,557—about the price of a new 13-
inch MacBook Pro with 256GB of storage.
If you want a new iPad Pro, I highly recommend the
11-inch model, which starts at $200 less than the 12.9-
inch model and is easier to handle.
The new 12.9-inch iPad Pro looks, feels, and works like
the 2018 unit, at 11.04 by 8.46 by 0.23 inches (HWD)
and 1.41 pounds. It’s clad in metal, with a slate-gray or
silver back and quad speakers at the top and bottom
that make for excellent stereo separation.
Apple iPad Pro
(2020)
PROS Lightning-fast
processor. Beautiful
screen. Speedy AR
rendering. High-
quality cameras.
CONS Expensive.
12.9-inch model is
uncomfortably large
in hands.
BOTTOM LINE Apple’s
new iPad Pro pushes
the limits of what an
iPad can do, but it
does so at the price of
a MacBook.