iPad Pro 9.7" – Perfect Blend of Power & Portability for Work & Play

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Medical reference and distraction tool for young patients

📌 Purchase Motivation

Hospital infection control required wipeable devices—iPad meets ASTM standards

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Compared to iPad Mini but needed larger screen for anatomical diagrams

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Hospital tech vendor—pre-configured with Epic EHR secure access

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

IT department had it ready with all medical apps before my shift

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

The white front looks clean in clinical settings. Easy to wipe down with alcohol pads

⭐ First Week Usage

Used it to show animated treatment videos to kids—way better than pamphlets

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Check vitals on Epic, play Disney+ during IV insertions, chart bedside notes

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

Guided Access locks it into one app for patient use, Night Shift reduces eye strain

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Gloves sometimes don't register touches—keep a stylus in my scrubs

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

Replaced three clipboards and a DVD player

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Parents appreciate real-time updates with visual aids. Kids fear shots less with distraction games

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Colleagues ask to borrow it for difficult cases. Even surgeons reference it

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

Hospital-issued antimicrobial case, stylus with germ-resistant coating

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

10/10 for healthcare—saves time while improving patient experience

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Note-taking and coding on the go between classes

📌 Purchase Motivation

Refurbished deal too good to pass up ($250 with AppleCare+)

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Almost got a Chromebook but needed Xcode compatibility for iOS dev class

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Apple Refurbished Store—wanted genuine parts warranty

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

Came looking brand new! Setup took 10 minutes including all my school apps

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

The 9.7 size fits perfectly in my backpack's tablet sleeve"

⭐ First Week Usage

Used Notability for lecture notes—handwriting conversion is scary accurate

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Mornings: Code in Pythonista. Evenings: Netflix in bed with AirPods

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

Bluetooth keyboard support for SSH sessions, Night Shift for late-night study

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Terminal apps crash sometimes with complex processes. RAM limitation maybe?

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

My Android tablet couldn't handle half these developer tools

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Finally stopped carrying my heavy gaming laptop to campus every day

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Study group shares diagrams via AirDrop. Roommate borrows it for Spotify during showers

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

Logitech K380 keyboard, Paperlike screen protector for pencil feel

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

9/10 for students—just know its limits. Jailbroke mine for extra functionality

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Book club research and video calls with grandkids

📌 Purchase Motivation

Granddaughter said "Nana needs to retire that Kindle Fire"

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Verizon salesperson convinced me it was better than Samsung for simplicity

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Verizon store—got $100 off with new data plan

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

Felt intimidated but the Setup Assistant walked me through everything

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

So responsive! My old tablet had a 3-second delay on every tap

⭐ First Week Usage

Discovered I could borrow ebooks directly from my library's app—game changer!

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Morning crossword puzzles, afternoon Zoom with book club, nighttime audiobooks

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

Speakers are loud enough for my book club meetings, Display Zoom makes text huge

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Still accidentally swipe up to close apps instead of going home

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

Like going from a bicycle to a Tesla—everything just works

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Finally see grandkids clearly on FaceTime. Catalog my garden photos in Albums

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Host virtual storytime for great-grandkids. Book club members are jealous!

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

OtterBox case after one scary drop, cheap reading stand for the kitchen

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

10/10 for seniors—my bridge club all bought them after trying mine

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Replacing chalkboards with digital lesson plans

📌 Purchase Motivation

District's 1:1 tech initiative gave teachers stipends for devices

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Chose over Surface Go for better app ecosystem—especially Labster simulations

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Best Buy—used educator discount plus trade-in on my old Galaxy Tab

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

Kids helped me unbox! Had to call IT to enroll it in the school MDM system

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

Lighter than expected. The anti-reflective coating helps in sunny classrooms

⭐ First Week Usage

Learned to screen-mirror to the SMART Board. Students loved dissecting frogs digitally

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Annotate PDF worksheets during planning periods, stream documentaries in class

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

Screen Recording to create lab demo videos, Split View for grading while referencing rubrics

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

iCloud storage filled up fast with student videos—had to upgrade to 200GB plan

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

Night and day versus my 2017 iPad—no more app crashes during lessons

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Parents appreciate emailed video feedback. My back hurts less without heavy textbooks

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Started a teacher tech tips group. My daughter borrows it for Roblox on weekends

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

Belkin stand for desk, cheap stylus for basic annotations (can't justify Pencil cost)

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

8/10—wish it had Face ID. Perfect for educators who want reliability over flashy features

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Needed a portable device for digital art and client presentations

📌 Purchase Motivation

The Apple Pencil compatibility and high-resolution display sold me

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Compared it to the iPad Air but loved the ProMotion display and True Tone on the Pro

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Apple Store downtown—wanted hands-on demo and instant support if needed

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

The unboxing felt premium! Setup was smooth with my existing iCloud account

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

So thin yet sturdy! The rose gold finish looked even better in person

⭐ First Week Usage

Binged on Procreate—zero lag with the Apple Pencil. Battery lasted through 8-hour workdays

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

My morning starts with sketching concepts in bed. Use it for Zoom calls and markup during client meetings

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

True Tone for color-accurate designs, split-screen for referencing briefs while working

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Wish it had USB-C like newer models—Lightning feels outdated for file transfers

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

Massive upgrade from my 5th-gen iPad—A10X chip handles 4K video edits effortlessly

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Cut my project turnaround time by 30%. Clients love seeing real-time edits

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Joined an iPad artist community. Now I take it to coffee shops for 'draw dates'

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

Apple Pencil (essential!), Logitech Slim Folio case for travel protection

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

9.5/10—only docked for the charging port. I tell every creative pro to get one

⭐ Reason for Purchase

On-the-go photo editing and social media management

📌 Purchase Motivation

Needed better color accuracy than my Android tablet for food pics

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Almost splurged on 11" Pro but 9.7" fits better in my camera bag

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

B&H Photo—no tax and free SD card adapter bundle

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

First Apple product! Was nervous but the migration assistant moved all my photos

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

The display makes my food photos pop—finally true-to-life reds in tomatoes

⭐ First Week Usage

Edited 30 restaurant photos in Lightroom—no overheating like my old tablet

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Shoot with DSLR, import via Lightning SD reader, edit while still at the restaurant

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

DCI-P3 wide color for Instagram Reels, Touch ID to quickly unlock between shoots

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Miss having a file system like Android. iCloud confuses me sometimes

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

My Galaxy Tab S2 now looks washed out side-by-side

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Got featured by SF Eater thanks to better-quality edits

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Chefs now recognize me as 'that iPad food guy' at press events

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

SD card reader, matte screen protector to reduce glare during outdoor edits

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

8.5/10—would pay extra for OLED next time. Perfect for mobile creators

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Blueprints, inspections checklists, and on-site documentation

📌 Purchase Motivation

Boss offered tech upgrade to go paperless after rain ruined $2k of plans

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Needed something that could survive job sites—iPad + OtterBox beat Toughbook on price

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Amazon—next-day delivery for an urgent project

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

Had it charging in my truck while reviewing the safety manual PDF

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

Surprisingly lightweight for all-day carrying. The screen is bright even in sunlight

⭐ First Week Usage

Marked up 50+ blueprints with defects. Cloud sync saved me when my coffee spilled

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Morning: Review schedules. Day: Photo document progress. Night: Email reports

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

PDF Expert for layered plans, iCloud backup when boots get muddy

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Dust gets in the home button. Have to clean it with compressed air weekly

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

No more squinting at tiny printouts or waiting for office scans

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Cut daily paperwork by 4 hours. Clients love real-time progress photos

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

My crew calls it 'The Foreman.' Even the old-timers ask for digital copies now

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

OtterBox Defender case, lanyard for climbing scaffolds, screen glare protector

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

9/10 for field work—just wish it had LiDAR like newer models for measurements

Benchmark Scores

In benchmarks, the iPad Pro 9.7" scores about 1800 single-core and 3000 multi-core in Geekbench 5—respectable for its era but noticeably slower than modern tablets. It’s fine for web browsing and streaming, but heavy multitasking shows its age.

Build Quality & Materials

The all-metal design feels sturdy and sleek, with a weight distribution that’s comfortable for one-handed use. The rose gold option (if you can find it) still looks chic, though the bezels feel massive by today’s standards.

Display Quality

The True Tone display adapts beautifully to lighting conditions, reducing eye strain. Colors pop, but the lack of ProMotion (120Hz) is obvious if you’ve used newer iPads. Still great for artists and readers.

Camera System & Performance

The 12MP rear camera is surprisingly capable in daylight, with accurate colors. Video stabilization works well, but low-light shots are grainy. The front camera is serviceable for Zoom calls but lacks Center Stage.

Software & User Experience

iPadOS runs smoothly for basics, but some newer features like Scribble are slower here. App support is still good, but developers are increasingly optimizing for newer hardware.

Battery Life & Charging

You’ll still get a full day of use, but battery degradation is common in used models. Charging via Lightning is painfully slow—plan to charge overnight.

Gaming & Graphics Performance

The A9X struggles with modern 3D games—think Fortnite on low settings at 30fps. Older titles and indie games run fine, but this isn’t a gaming powerhouse anymore.

Connectivity & Ports

The Lightning port feels archaic in a world of USB-C. No external display support, and file transfers are sluggish. Wi-Fi speeds are decent, but don’t expect Wi-Fi 6 performance.

Durability & Protection

The screen is prone to scratches without a protector, and the aluminum back dents easily. Apple Pencil support is a plus, but the non-laminated display feels less premium.

Price & Value Proposition

At $250 or less used, it’s a steal for casual users or as a kid’s tablet. Just don’t expect it to last more than a year or two with software updates.

Benchmark Scores

The iPad Pro 9.7" still holds up surprisingly well in benchmarks for its age, scoring around 3000 in Geekbench 5 for multi-core performance. That’s comparable to some mid-range tablets today, which is impressive for a device from 2016. It won’t beat the latest M-series iPads, but for everyday tasks,

Build Quality & Materials

Apple’s signature aluminum unibody design makes the iPad Pro 9.7" feel premium even today. The slim profile and lightweight build (just under a pound) make it easy to hold for long sessions. The chamfered edges add a touch of elegance, though they can pick up minor scratches over time.

Display Quality

The 9.7" Retina display with True Tone is still a joy to use—colors are vibrant, and brightness adjusts naturally to ambient light. At 264 PPI, text looks sharp, though newer iPads have higher refresh rates. Watching movies or sketching with the Apple Pencil feels great.

Camera System & Performance

The 12MP rear camera captures decent photos in good lighting, but low-light performance is dated. The 5MP front camera works fine for FaceTime, though newer iPads offer better clarity. It’s not a photography powerhouse, but it gets the job done.

Software & User Experience

Running the latest iPadOS it supports (likely iPadOS 15), the experience is smooth for basic tasks. Some newer apps may feel sluggish, and you won’t get Stage Manager, but for browsing, notes, and media, it’s still very usable.

Battery Life & Charging

Battery life is solid—around 10 hours of mixed use, just as Apple advertised. The Lightning port charges slowly by today’s standards, and there’s no fast charging or USB-C, which feels outdated.

Gaming & Graphics Performance

The A9X chip handles casual games like Genshin Impact on low settings, but demanding titles will stutter. Older games like Asphalt 8 run smoothly, making it a decent pick for light gaming.

Connectivity & Ports

The Lightning port is a limitation in 2024—no USB-C means slower file transfers and dongle life for accessories. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 work fine, but lack the speed and range of newer standards.

Durability & Protection

The aluminum back is sturdy but prone to dents if dropped. The display isn’t laminated like newer iPads, so cracks are more likely. A case is highly recommended for daily use.

Price & Value Proposition

At around $200–$300 used, it’s a budget-friendly way to get into the iPad Pro line. Just know you’re sacrificing longevity—Apple likely won’t support it much longer.