iPad Pro 3rd Gen Long Term Review: Still a Powerhouse in 2025

It’s been many years since the release of the iPad pro 3rd generation (2018) first hit the shelves, and yet, it continues to hold its own in a landscape flooded with newer models. This review isn’t about specs on paper. It’s about real-world performance after years of daily use.

Design & Build Quality

In 2018, the iPad Pro gained a whole new redesign that was both sleek and professional. This look has stood the test of time with even the newest versions sporting the same style, albeit with the front camera repositioned. The thin profile and minimalist design has paved the way for nearly a decade of no design changes. Here, Apple has chosen the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” style. When viewing the older generations, this is a great thing. Though it may not be as fast as the newer models, you will have to look closely to even tell a difference between this model and the much newer iterations.

Performance

The now “outdated” A12X processor continues to be a workhorse. Even though it may not be as fast as newer models, it handles most tasks with ease. Whether I’m editing photos, multitasking with split-screen apps, or streaming high resolution content, it rarely stutters. The marginal speed increase seen with newer chips wouldn’t even be noticeable for most users. Only when running multiple intense apps simultaneously will this chip start to show its age.

Display

The Liquid Retina display is vibrant and sharp. While it is no OLED display, it delivers high quality color accuracy and brightness. Its color accuracy has been the most seamless for transitioning from photo editing to final image rendering on multiple devices. When printing, I have found that my images come out exactly as I expected when viewing them on my iPad compared to a monitor. No color calibration required. Just perfect image rendering from the start.

Pen Compatibility

I cannot speak more highly about the absolute beauty of a product that is the Apple Pencil version 2. With the ability to charge just by being magnetically connected to the iPad, I’ve only ever had a few times when the pen wasn’t charged. Even when this did happen, I was able to quickly get it to 20%, and this would last me several hours. Oh and I’m still using the exact same pen I had in 2018. The battery on it still works perfectly.

Battery Life

This may be the most important deciding factor for someone looking for a new tablet. Ater years of use, the battery is, understandably, not what it used to be. When it was first released, I went a whole day of taking class notes to studying to binge watching my favorite Marvel movies without needing to stay tied to an outlet. Today, the battery will last me 4-5 hours with heavy studying and 3-4 hours with demanding editing. This is with my screen at peak brightness as I tend to always have my screen brightness all the way up.

Third party compatibility

One thing that the older iPads has on any newer models is the compatibility that exists with third party products like cases, keyboards, and combinations of each. When the 3rd gen iPad Pro was released, it didn’t have a Magic Keyboard, but thanks to third party companies, we have just that for a fraction of the cost of Apple’s official Magic Keyboard. With the addition of a keyboard with a trackpad, it transforms this amazing tablet into nearly a full blown laptop.

Limitations

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. The lack of a thunderbolt support and slower charging speeds can be an annoyance. Recent release of iPadOS 26 has shown how far behind this chip is. With newer models being able to use a monitor as a dedicated second screen, giving it that true desktop experience, this iPad is sadly stuck in the past with the horrible black bars on the side of your monitor screen with only the option to mirror your display.

Final Thoughts

The iPad Pro 3rd Gen has not only stood the test of time, but it has also thrived in it. For users who don’t need the latest and greatest tech, these powerhouses of machinery are dirt cheap on Back Market and Amazon.

Simply put, this product has stood the test of time and kept on proving its worth time and time again. For those who are considering upgrading, I’d say the newer models will likely not disappoint, but for most people, this model will effortlessly perform again and again.