Key Takeaways
- The new iPad Pro models boast an M4 chip built with a second-generation 3-nanometer fabrication process.
- The Ultra Retina XDR OLED display shines at 1,600 nits and is available in the 11-inch form factor as well as the 13-inch model.
- Thinner than even the iPod Nano, the iPad Pro is solidifying itself as a hybrid tablet-computer that improves upon its predecessor.
Apple has officially taken the wraps off its latest batch of iPads. The company has introduced updates to both the Air and Pro lineup, but it’s the latter that really stole the show.
The introduction of new tablet hardware is always exciting, but the new iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) and iPad Pro 13-inch (M4) models are particularly hype-inducing.
Here are 5 things in particular that make these new Pro tablets from Apple stand out from the company’s previous high-end offerings.
iPad Pro, Air, and Pencil Pro: Everything announced at Apple’s ‘Let Loose’ event
After over a year of waiting, Apple showed off new versions of the iPad Air, iPad Pro, Apple Pencil, and Magic Keyboard.
1 It features the brand-new M4 chip
Apple Silicon remains a force to be reckoned with
Apple
Apple first introduced PC-class System on a chip (SoC) hardware to its iPad lineup with the launch of the M1 iPad Pro back in 2021. Apple Silicon was exceptional at the time, and it still is today.
The company’s new M4 chip “enables the breakthrough design and stunning display of the new iPad Pro, while delivering a giant leap in performance,” according to Apple.
Without getting too deep into the tech specification weeds, the M4 SoC is built on a second-generation 3-nanometer fabrication process. Alongside its 10-core CPU (central processing unit), 10-core GPU (graphics processing unit), and a Neural Engine capable of 38 trillion operations per second, it has hardware grunt to be sure.
How exactly Apple’s new chip performs under the thermal constraints of a thin and light tablet, including during gaming sessions, is something we’ll need to test before making any conclusive statements on performance.
In any case, with WWDC24 set to take place on June 10, I hope iPadOS inherits at least a few new Mac-inspired software features to take advantage of the M4 and its capabilities.
2 It’s got a best-in-class OLED display
Thankfully, both the 11-inch and 13-inch models are receiving the upgrade
Apple
Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display panels are nothing new in the world of tablet computing. Manufacturers — most notably Samsung — have been outfitting their big-screen slabs with OLED tech for a number of years.
What makes Apple’s OLED implementation so intriguing is its use of a dual stacked display process, which the company refers to as ‘Tandem OLED.’ This approach allows for the vibrant and contrast-filled picture characteristic of OLED to take center stage, without the need to sacrifice brightness.
This new Ultra Retina XDR screen, as Apple dubs it, can sustain a brightness of 1,000 nits and can reach a peak of 1,600 nits, which is certainly impressive for a tablet-sized OLED panel.
Why iPad Pro with OLED is a massive upgrade
Apple’s ‘Tandem’ OLED tech could offer all the advantages of OLED without any of the downsides.
The new iPad Pro models have another leg up their sleeves when compared to their predecessors: both the 11-inch and 13-inch models ship with the same high-end panel. In previous years, springing for the 11-inch form factor would only get you a standard LCD display, without any of the picture enhancements of its larger MiniLED-clad sibling.
3 It’s thinner than even an iPod Nano
Is there such a thing as too thin?
Apple
Apple made it a point to boast about the slenderness of its new iPad Pro models — the 11-inch clocks in at 5.3 mm thin, and the 13-inch is 5.1mm thin. This makes these new tablets Apple’s thinnest hardware products ever shipped, more so than even the iPod Nano product line of yesteryear.
Steve Jobs, who infamously idolized thin and light consumer tech products, would arguably be proud of the new iPad Pro silhouette.
The adoption of OLED technology played a role in the iPad Pro’s slim design, as the display tech takes up less internal space when compared to a standard LCD panel. Similar high-end tablets from the likes of Samsung also feature an impossibly-thin chassis, once again a direct result of leaning into OLED.
Steve Jobs, who infamously idolized thin and light consumer tech products, would arguably be proud of the new iPad Pro silhouette. That being said, it does raise the question of whether the product might be too thin for its own good.
All of Apple’s new cellular iPad Airs and iPad Pros are eSIM-only
It reflects a trend first started with the iPhone 14.
We’ll have to wait to see whether the additional thermal constraints of a thinner tablet body have any noticeable impacts on performance or battery life, but I do have a prediction: it won’t take the internet very long to snap a brand-new iPad Pro in half on camera.
4 It’s finally good at making video calls
At long last, a pleasant FaceTime experience can be had on an iPad Pro
Apple
The consensus in recent years is that front-facing cameras on tablet computers ought to be optimized for landscape usage. Mercifully, Apple has thrown us a bone and migrated the selfie camera to the correct bezel orientation this time around.
The switch is a simple one, but it’s remarkably consequential if you use your iPad for conferencing and video calls even on just an occasional basis.
Whereas with previous iPad Pro generations you would be forced to awkwardly glance towards the side of your display during a FaceTime or Zoom call, this gripe appears to be entirely rectified in this redesign.
There were concerns whether reorienting the location of the front-facing camera would implicate the physically close inductive Apple Pencil charger, but it doesn’t appear to have created any issues. The camera is simply offset from the center to a very slight degree to mitigate any space constraints.
6 ways Apple Pencil Pro out-doodles its predecessor
Apple’s latest iPad stylus brings tons of new goodies to the table.
5 Its accessories make it more computer-like than ever
Alongside the new iPads comes the release of a new stylus and a new Magic Keyboard case
Apple
Alongside the new iPad Pro models, Apple has introduced refreshed versions of its active stylus and keyboard case accessories. The new Apple Pencil Pro introduces a number of new features including a haptic motor, a gyroscope, and Find My compatibility.
For those planning on using the iPad Pro as a computer replacement, the new Magic Keyboard fits the bill to a greater degree than the proceeding version. For one, it includes a dedicated function row at the top of the keyboard deck, which provides quick access to system functions like brightness and volume.
Beyond the function row, the new Magic Keyboard case also features some additional Mac-inspired niceties, including a metal hand rest, as well as a larger haptic-powered trackpad.
Each of these additions on their own are nice quality of life improvements, but when put together, it paints the picture of Apple doubling down on its idealized pitch of an iPad-first computing future.
We certainly aren’t at a point where an iPad Pro can replace a MacBook yet, but the company continues its slow and steady march towards the PC-ification of its flagship tablet computers.
How to buy Apple’s new iPads and accessories
Apple unveiled new versions of its iPad Air and iPad Pro, along with a new Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard. Here’s how you can grab the latest devices.
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