Think the iPhone is expensive? The iPad Pro has it beat

I'm glad that I'm not in the market for an iPad Pro, because chances are that just like when I buy a new MacBook Pro, I'd want the fully-loaded version. And I just took a look at the price of a top-spec 2nd-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and afterwards, I had to sit down with a cold flannel on my forehead.

Must read: Apple's new iPad Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini: Can features, specs retain business momentum?

Now you know that things are going to get expensive when the starting price for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is $999. That's for the 64GB Wi-Fi-only version.

It only takes a few clicks -- upping the storage to 1TB and opting for the more versatile cellular option -- to skyrocket that price to a heady $1,899.

But it doesn't end there.

AppleCare+ -- which, far from being required, I always buy for peace-of-mind -- adds another $129.

Then there's the 2nd-generation Apple Pencil, which pushes the price by another $129. Oh, and let's not forget the Smart Keyboard Folio, which is another $199.

Also: iPhone XR: 9 things you need to know about Apple's 'affordable' iPhone

That brings the total to a full-bodied $2,356.

The good news is that if you have a tablet that's eligible for a trade-in, you can get a refund of "up to $375," depending on device and condition (however, be aware that there are better ways of selling your old gear).

• See it now: Apple Pencil 2 from Apple
• See it now: iPad Pro (2018) from Apple
• See it now: MacBook Air (2018) from Apple

For a 12.9-inch device, that's a serious price tag.

For a few dollars more I could buy a 13-inch MacBook Pro. For a few hundred dollars more than that I could buy a 15-inch MacBook Pro. For quite a few hundred dollars less I could buy a new 13-inch MacBook Air.

I've written before about how I firmly believe that a $2,000 iPhone is inevitable, and this only makes me more confident of that prediction.

A brief history of Apple iPad models 2010-2019 (Gallery)

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