iPad Pro 2018 performance rivals latest MacBook Pro – and it’s almost £2k cheaper
The new iPad Pro 2018 is almost as fast as the current 15-inch MacBook Pro, despite the gigantic price disparity between the two devices, according to early benchmarking scores.
The Geekbench single-core and multi-core scores for the new tablet running Apple’s A12X processor are 5,025 and 18,105 respectively (via Macrumors).
That rivals the performance of the 15-inch MacBook Pro 2018, which runs a six-core Intel Core i7 processor clocked to 2.6GB. The notebook scored 5,053 and 21,165 in Geekbench performance tests.
That particular MacBook Pro model (albeit with 512GB) costs £2,699/$2,799. The iPad Pro starts at £749/$799 for the 11-inch 64GB version, while the 512GB model is £1,119/£1,149.
So, if you don’t care so much about storage, there’s a saving approaching two grand in the offing. That’s if you feel inclined to make the switch from laptop to tablet – as Apple has been angling for everyone to do since the iPad arrived.
Related: iPad Pro 2018 vs iPad Pro 2017
Of course there are more things to consider here than just the performance of the processor in benchmarking tests. The MacBook Pro has way more RAM, a larger display and an attached physical keyboard. While no direct comparison has taken place yet, we can safely assume the MacBook Pro enjoys superior graphical performance.
Also, new iPad Pro users are being asked to fork over at least $179 for the new Magnetic Smart Keyboard folio and a $129 for the new version of the Apple Pencil, so its not cut and dried by any means.
Regardless, it appears Apple’s bullishness over the A12X being the most powerful chip it has ever created was justified. We just weren’t quite ready for it to be so competitive with Intel’s high-end Core i7 processors sitting within the company’s most powerful laptops.
Are you weighing a choice between a new MacBook Pro and the brand new Apple iPad Pro? Are you ready to embrace the touchscreen for your work machine? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.