Ipad Pro Durability

[Jon Anderson]

I've been tinkering around with digital art for a while on my old Wacom Bamboo tablet and have been wanting to upgrade to a display tablet of some kind. I nearly did earlier this year but life determined otherwise so I put it off for next year. I've strongly considered Wacom knockoffs to use with my windows laptop but the laptop has enough hiccups to make me look strongly at the iPad and procreate. Naturally, all the functionality of the newest iPad Pro and the Apple Pencil 2 coupled with the new Procreate update and the upcoming Photoshop app got me thinking the timing is perfect to jump in... then I saw this durability review: https://youtu.be/hUBsxCcJeUc (TRIGGER WARNING: The iPad gets abused and has a nails on the chalkboard moment)

So while most of what he does in the video isn't going happen with normal use and good care it's the bend test that worries me since I have 3 kids 3 and under. I could totally see me set it down in a hurry where I thought it was out of reach and come back to find the younger one's jumping all over it or something less drastic but still as devastating.

Now for the question. Have those of you with the last gen iPad pro or even the latest iPad that supports the old Apple Pencil had any durability issues or had any suspicions about the quality? Especially if you are around little kids with it?

TLDR: New iPad Pro seems fragile for dad with little kids. Legit worry or go for it?

[smceccarelli]

I´ve had electronic devices around kids for the past 11 years - including iPads of every generation. It never seemed particularly difficult to keep them out-of-reach of tiny hands. Just find a spot in the house that the kids can´t reach - a high shelf or similar. If you put a loading cable there, it will be natural to bring the device back to its place to load after every use.
That said, we did have one cracked screen on an iPad once because my younger let it fall - but he was using it, so that´s a risk to live with if you let your kids access your devices. They are strictly forbidden to touch my iPadPro as well as my Cintiq and they never did - although it is within their reach.
My iPad Pro doesn’t run stable - especially with ProCreate. But that is most likely a device issue which I should have solved by bringing it back when it first occurred. Now it´s too late (and it´s getting worse and worse).

[braden H]

I would go for it. I'd be more worried about a cintiq on a table because you can't really put it away when you're not using it. Whereas the ipad you can kinda stuff in a bag.

I haven't noticed any build quality issues, and so far my iPad it still purring along happily.

-Don't bother buying extra nibs for the pencil. I have yet to even consider replacing mine after 2 years of steady sketching.

If you're worried about device destroying incidents due to toddler death hugs, then there's a couple of options open to you:
-Buy a life-proof case (or whatever they're called). You can buy a pricey but tough as nails iPad case that should handle most if not all 'accidents' your kids have with your precious drawing tool.
-Buy apple care when you buy the iPad. It's expensive, but they'll cover up to two incidents of 'accidental damage'.

Also, I think with the announcement of the new iPad you can get refurbished last gen iPad pros pretty cheap (comparatively).

Regarding wacom knock-offs I've tried once and had a bad experience. Lots of issues. Cintiqs are industry standard for a reason. Though maybe things have gotten better since I tried...

Either way, good luck! Dropping that much money on an iPad can be scary.

[ScribblesByMike]

@jon-anderson i use an ipad pro - my 2 year old has had her hands on it and it has stood the test. in fact it has been good as she enjoys drawing on it too! (under supervision).
but even with the off drop from couch height or her being a bit forceful with the apple pencil, i havent had any problems at all.

[jcantwellart]

Agree that it's worth it. The convenience of being able to do simpler illustrations on the iPad far outweighs the cons. Procreate is a true workhorse. Also, my kids have dropped mine a handful of times, and it is holding up quite well!

[NoWayMe]

I have used my I pad pro daily for almost 3 years now. It's been in countless backpacks, suitcases, etc. I don't have kids, but I'd say it's pretty tough! And I don't have any specific issues with it so far. I have been thinking of buying a Cintiq for the last few months because I want I bigger screen, but honestly the Ipad is so good that I can't really justify buying another tablet... I had a older Cintic before buying my Ipad but sold it because the Ipad was 100X better. I also looked at several knock-off. The one that seems to come the closest to the Wacom is the Kamvas pro 22, but still, it doesn't seem to be in the same league.

Hope this helps!

[Jon Anderson]

Thank you all for the input! I've got a few more months before I make a move but I appreciate all the experiences you guys have shared. I'll definitely be considering an iPad of some kind.

[Lee White]

I only put a recommendation for a product in here when it REALLY kicks ass, and my new Ipad pro case is one of these things. It is amazing and offers a ton of protection. It's a little pricier than the other cases, but it is SO worth it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075MVLG99/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Nyrryl Cadiz]

My ipad pro works great for me. It’s durable for all the travelling i do and the weird positions I draw it with. Perhaps it’s not whether the ipad can survive being manhandled by kids but by how careful you’ll dedicate yourself to be when using it or when keeping it away from the little ones. Don’t be too complacent with it. Don’t leave it around places kids “seemingly” can’t reach but make sure they “absolutely” can’t. I’m not a parent and therefore can’t really vouche for what i’m suggesting but as an adult, I can say that with due care and responsibilty, your device will be fine. I hope I didn’t seem preachy or rude. I hope this helps.

[Kristin Wauson]

I’ve had my iPad Pro and pencil for 3 years now. The cap on my pencil falls apart, but I’m sure they are cheap to replace. I have two boys (9 and 3 years old), a crazy lab, and concrete floors. I have had no issues. I don’t use a protective case. Just the Smart Keyboard. The kids know they are not supposed to touch it, but my toddler still tries when I’m not looking. My main concern has always been snapping the pencil off while it’s charging, but it has never broken.