This Christmas, Apple has given us the gift that we all have been waiting for a very long time. Finally, the MacBook Pro gets a redesign and the Mac Mini gets a true pro-level upgrade. From the event, one thing is very clear, Apple is taking serious steps to replace the entry-level laptops with iPad Pro. If you waited a very long time for these Apple machines to get a true upgrade, this post will give you initial impressions of these devices.

MacBook Air

MacBook Air is the entry-level model that brought many users into the Apple platform. Even though it doesn’t receive any major updates in the past years, it is still famous for its features and budget-friendly pricing. This update will bring in many budget-minded customers. The updated MacBook Air is a big benefit for the students, writers, and light users who use their laptops for professional purposes.

Retina Display

The major upgrade to the MacBook Air is the Retina Display. The display is one of the horrible factors that prevent many users from buying it. When you walk into the Apple store, you can easily recognize how bad the old MacBook Air screen looks when compared to the other Apple Mac products. The chunkier bezels are shrunken now, and it gives a fresh look when you open the lid.

The new MacBook Air is ultra-portable and it is 17% less than the volume of the previous generation MacBook Air. It is really incredible that all the great features are now provided in a smaller form factor.

Limited i/O

Just like in the entry-level non-touch bar MacBook pro, you have only two USB-C ports and one headphone jack. Unless you have to connect to multiple monitors and other devices, you can live with this port or you have to go for a dongle.

Speaking of the input and output options, this computer uses the same third-generation butterfly keyboard that you have seen in the 2018 MacBook Pro. The third generation keyboards are not that bad when compared to their predecessors. You get a decent key travel and a better response. But, if you are a writer you will find it a bit annoying when you are typing for a longer period of time. Another worthy update is Apple’s standard force touch trackpad. Touch ID is also added to this years MacBook Air.

The current entry-level model is $200 higher than its predecessor. The MacBook Air entry-level model now starts at $1199. 8GB RAM is standard, but you can upgrade up to 16GB. The entry-level storage option is 128GB, you can configure up to 1.5TB. Another thing you have to note in the MacBook Air is it uses the dual-core processor to give you the same battery life and better heat management in this smaller form factor.

Mac Mini

Mac Mini is very famous among developers and other professionals with special needs. The Mac Mini has it own pro users and Tim Cook in his last year letter mentioned that they still love the Mac Mini. For the past few years we got only minor upgrades, but this year it has received some major upgrades which pro users will love a lot.

It’s A Workhorse

Design-wise the only obvious change is the new Space Grey color. Other than that, all the updates are on the inner side. Now it can handle up to six cores and 64GB RAM, this is something pro users like designers and developers wanted for a very long time.

Still am not sure, whether it is user upgradable or not. After taking a look at the teardown results, I will let you know, subscribe to stay updated. In order to manage this much power, a new thermal design is followed. So you get a cool system with a quieter fan noise. Input and output options are upgraded to the present generation needs. Four USB-C ports are given along with all the traditional ports.

The entry level model with 8GB RAM, four core processor, and 128GB SSD drive costs $799.

All New iPad Pro

With iPad Pro, Apple is planning to gradually make it an entry level system which can manage almost all day to day simple tasks. The A12X bionic chip gives it an immense computing power so that you can even do real Photoshop editing on the iPad pro now.

Face ID Which iPhone User Wanted

The Face ID now replaces the traditional Touch ID in the previous generation models. By removing the Touch ID, now you have plenty of screen space. The all screen design gives you more screen in a smaller form factor. Now the 10.5” model is 11” and the 12.9” model is more compact.

The Face ID given in the iPad Pro 2018 will work in all directions. No matter in what direction you are holding your device, iPad can easily recognize your face. With this design, it is very clear that the next generation iPhone will receive the same update.

No More Lightning Ports

iPad pro now supports USB-C ports, means fewer cables to buy. This is something we expect in the iPhone X itself. One day or the other Apple will make the USB-C standard in all its devices, which will make the life a lot easier.

The biggest advantage of the USB-C port is now you can connect your iPad Pro to an external monitor with up to 5k resolution. If you are an artist, you will find this option extremely useful. The USB-C port is one thing the Surface Pro 6 has missed and most of us feel it to be a little bummer.

Powerful Processor

The A12X bionic processor makes this thin device a beast. It has 8 core CPU which gives an impressive 35% increase in single core performance and 90% increase in multi-core processing. The A12 chip is a 7-nanometer processor with 10 billion transistors, which can make up to trillion processings per second. With the A12 chips, Apple has also integrated neural network engine for smarter features.

What makes the 2018 iPad Pro really unique is the dedicated 7 core GPU. This dedicated GPU gives the iPad Pro the power to easily handle multiple apps smoothly and pro software like Photoshop. People from Adobe had given a demo on editing RAW Photoshop file and processing it in their new AR software. Everything is done on the iPad Pro itself without any lag. With all these power, creative minds can do the work on the go.

Second Generation Apple Pencil

Just like in the Surface devices, now you can attach the pen to your iPad. The all-new magnetic pencil will connect to the sides of your iPad and also charges wirelessly. For those who are following the weird way of sticking your Apple Pencil to the iPad lightning port, will find this extremely easy.

The second generation also includes touch gestures, with which you can easily switch between the tools you have selected on the pencil. A new smart keyboard folio case is also made for this new device.

Four storage variants are given in the iPad Pro now, 64GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. The 11-inch entry-level model now costs $799 and the 12.9” entry-level now costs $999.

All the devices are available from November 7th. Most of the product has got a slight price bump for their new design and features, but it does worth the money. Will cover the review for each product in a separate post and the Pixel 3 review is on its way, please subscribe to stay updated.