Well, it looks like the number of reasons is a bit higher than usual with this generation. This is one of those updates where Apple not only upgrades the base specs, but also implements impressive innovations and improvements that, in a way, transform the iPad Pro into something more than it used to be.
Of course, these tablets are still absurdly expensive. They might as well cost as much as a small used car when fully specced out. That said, they are impressive pieces of technology and definitely worth checking out, especially if they fit your budget. So, here are the two 5 reasons we think you should consider them.
1. The thinnest Apple product ever made
This might seem like an insignificant change, but the truth is that weight and size are crucial about the usability of a device. That is especially true when it comes to tablets, especially bigger ones.
These massive pieces of what essentially is just screen are meant to be extremely portable while still offering the convenience of a big display. The size and weight of a tablet are also vital for the way it is handled when connected to a keyboard (more on the new Magic Keyboard below), which is something that could make or break the hybrid nature of the product.
Apple has thinned down the depth of the 13” iPad Pro to 5.1mm (vs 6.4mm of the predecessor) and to 5.3mm for the 11” iPad Pro with M4 (vs 5.9mm of the predecessor).
The 2024 iPad Pro’s even weigh less than their iPad Air counterparts. The 13-inch M4 iPad Pro weighs 579 grams vs 617 grams for the 13-inch Air, and the difference is 444 grams vs 462 grams for the 11-inch models.
2. The most advanced Apple display
The M4 iPad Pro tablets from Apple are the company’s first to rock OLED displays. In fact, they are what the company has dubbed “Tandem OLED” displays, which is basically two different OLED panels layered on top of each other.
The aim of this approach is for Apple to keep the same 1000 nits of peak full-screen brightness and 1600 nits of peak HDR brightness that the last generation came with. And all of that brightness while also having absolute blacks and an absurd level of contrast. This display might very well be the best on a tablet so far.
And what makes things even better is that the 11” M4 iPad Pro also gets this new OLED display, unlike the 2022 models where only the bigger 13” model got the more advanced Mini-LED panel.
3. Nano-texture display glass
Now, this one is a bit of a double-edged sword kind of deal, but in the case that you often find yourself using your tablet in areas that create lots of reflections on the display, it might be a godsend.
We are talking about the nano-texture display glass option, the same one that Apple offers its Pro Display XDR in. However, as we said, it can be the opposite of an upgrade depending on your preferences, as the price for no reflections is a display with less contrast and even one that appears not as sharp.
4. MacBook performance with a touchscreen
Apple is using its latest iPad Pro models to debut the next generation for its silicon, the M4 chipset. The company claims the M4 on the 2024 iPad Pro models is about 50% faster compared to the predecessors, which is a lot considering the 2022 iPad Pro is still an absolute beast as far as performance goes.The M4 is what allows the new iPad Pro to handle the so-called Tandem OLED display panel, for example. It is also what allows games with ray tracing, further enhanced thanks to the upgraded cooling.
An improved neural engine also hints at the highly anticipated AI-related features said to come with iPadOS 18, which is soon to be revealed at WWDC (Mon, Jun 10, 2024 – Fri, Jun 14, 2024).
5. The new Magic Keyboard
And then we have the new, iPad Pro-only Magic Keyboard. This is the part—at least as far as hardware goes—that we think has the most potential to transform the new iPad Pro models into more serious competition for Apple’s MacBooks.
“Is the iPad ready to replace the MacBook?” This is a question that has long existed and one that we have pondered upon, but now more than ever it seems like we are closer to the answer being “Yes!”
This new Magic Keyboard comes with a line of function keys, as well as a trackpad with haptic feedback, much like on a MacBook Pro. It seems Apple has also paid special attention to the resistance of the hinge, which is impressively sturdy for what it is.
Of course, there’s also the new Apple Pencil Pro, but unlike the Pro-exclusive Magic Keyboard, the Pencil Pro can also be used with the new iPad Air (thankfully).
Caveats
Okay, all’s fine and dandy with the list above, but not quite. For starters, that nano-texture display glass has two more (pretty significant) setbacks. You can only pick it as an option if you go for the much more expensive 1TB and 2TB storage models of the 2024 iPad Pro series.
The other trouble that comes with this type of display (if it is anything like the one on the Apple Pro Display XDR monitor) is that it is notoriously easy to scratch and damage, which is probably why you get a polishing cloth in the box that Apple has tested and knows will have the least likelihood of causing damage.
Then we have the monstrous power of the M4 chipset, which for all intents and purposes is simply not utilized to its full potential as there are almost no apps that require such power. This is even true for the 2022 M2 iPad Pros.
The overkill performance also ties in to the next caveat, which is the fact that Apple is yet to announce the iPadOS 18 update. It is not too far-fetched to say that the impressive nature of the 2024 iPad Pro hinges on how well Apple applies all of that horsepower to software features and the overall user experience. The M4 iPad Pro is arguably the best time for Apple to transform its tablet into a much more useful machine as far as multitasking and productivity goes.
We might have caught a promising glimpse in the Final Cut 2 announcement that allows for comprehensive video editing, as well as in the whole artificial intelligence talk, but we are yet to see a more focused dedication in this direction.
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