The iPad is synonymous with tablet computing, it wasn’t the first tablet style device, but it certainly made a mark when Steve Jobs introduced it in 2010.

• Tool Name: iPad Pro (11- and 13-inch)
• Developer/Company: Apple
• Platform: iOS
• Category: Tablet
• Price: From $1,699 AUD

This month, we saw the release of the newest addition to the lineup: an updated iPad Air with the M2 chipset, unlocking even more potential for this middle-tier device. Notably, the entry-level iPad remains unchanged, with the 10th generation retaining the same specs, though Apple has discontinued the direct sale of the 9th generation.

However, it’s the flagship device that has me most interested.

The 2024 iPad Pro features the new M4 chip, making it the first iPad to have a more powerful chip than any other Apple device. However, this advantage is likely temporary, as new MacBooks and potentially other Macs are expected to be announced at WWDC later this year.

The general form of the iPad Pro has remained consistent for some time now: a large rectangular screen with minimal buttons, cameras on the front and back, and excellent touch capabilities.

The 2024 version brings significant improvements to this solid and familiar design. These include:

Thin form factor

Touted as the thinnest product ever produced by Apple at just 5.1mm, the 2024 iPad Pro is astonishingly slimmer than even the iPod Nano—the one Steve Jobs famously carried in his fob pocket on stage.

Obvious questions arise about the risk of bending due to its thinness. Apple claims to have engineered additional internal bracing to address this concern. Heating is also a consideration; with such a powerful chip, it’s remarkable that the iPad remains passively cooled. Yet, by all accounts, the 2024 iPad Pro can handle heavy tasks without noticeable slowdowns, even in such a compact body.

Ultra Retina XDR

The iPad now features an OLED display, but Apple has worked some magic to make this screen exceptionally beautiful and dynamic. The screen utilizes tandem OLED technology, which means it has two OLED panels. This innovation overcomes the traditional limitations of OLED in terms of brightness, colour support, and accuracy.

Early reports are highly impressed with the screen quality, noting that it matches the peak brightness of the earlier M2 variant.

Quick Stats:

• 1,000 nits full-screen brightness
• 1,600 nits peak HDR brightness
• 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio
• True Tone for comfortable viewing
• ProMotion adaptive 10-120Hz refresh rate
• P2 wide colour

M4 chip, with improved graphics and ai capabilities

The next generation of Apple silicon arriving in an iPad is almost outrageous. Traditionally, iPads shared the chipset with iPhones (with some additional elements), but the inclusion of the M series has changed that dynamic. The last-generation iPad Pro featured the M2 chip, which was already remarkable for bringing desktop/laptop capabilities to a tablet. Introducing the latest tech first to the iPad Pro is a bold move by Apple.

The new chip is not only faster but also includes a powerful GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, offering a new level of gaming on the iPad. The inclusion of the Neural Engine further enhances the iPad Pro’s AI capabilities.

Quick Stats:

• 38 trillion operations per second
• 4X faster pro rendering performance than M2
• Up to 1.5X faster CPU performance than M2
• 120GB/s memory bandwidth 1.2X faster than M2
• Ray tracing – boosting graphics including mesh shading
• M4 Neural Engine accelerates AI workloads, taking machine learning to the next level
• Hardware acceleration for AV1
• Playback and edit up to five streams of 4K ProRes footage

Storage

Here’s where Apple always seems to miss the mark, at least from a consumer value perspective.

The base model for both the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro starts with just 256GB of storage. It’s surprising they still offer such a small capacity! It costs an additional $350 AUD to double that storage, and another $700 AUD to upgrade to 1TB—don’t even ask about the 2TB models.

This is crazy!

Yes, the USB-C port allows for transfers to external drives at high speeds, but what’s the point of a portable device if you have to carry a bag full of external SSDs?

It’s enough to make you weep!

Update: It should be noted that for both the 1 and 2 TB models the CPU has an extra core (bringing the total from 9 to 10) and increase in Ram (from 8GB to 16GB) – that at least accounts for some of the additional cost.

Front and rear cameras

Promising the ability to “shoot, edit, and share all on one device,” the cameras on the new iPad Pro are being marketed as a creator’s tool. Although it’s unclear who uses their iPad for photos or videos (aside from your mum), it’s still a nice feature to have a quality rear camera. The shift of the front camera to the long side also improves the iPad’s usability for video calls.

I don’t know what else to say other than, yay, a usable camera on an iPad…

Quick Stats:

• 12MP Wide camera with adaptive True Tone flash
• Landscape 12MP Ultra-Wide camera with support for Centre Stage
• Studio-quality mics for great video calls
• Four-speaker sound system for rich audio

New Space Black colour (along with traditional Silver)

As this is a ‘Professional’ tool, the iPad Pro doesn’t come in a wide range of colour options. We get the usual Silver, and in line with the shift seen in the MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro, we now have Space Black.

If you’re looking for more colour variety, you can always opt for an aftermarket case in your favourite colour.

Personally, I like the Space Black for the MacBook Pro, so it might be nice to have a matching iPad Pro. Having both devices in the same sleek colour gives a cohesive and professional look. Plus, the Space Black finish has a sophisticated appeal that complements the iPad Pro’s high-end design.

Pencil Pro

A newly designed iPad Pro necessitates a new Pencil. With the shift of the front camera to the long edge (a request for several years), Apple had to redesign how the Pencil works. This means that previous Pencils are not compatible with the new iPad Pro. However, the new features of the Apple Pencil Pro certainly make it a significant upgrade.

The Apple Pencil Pro promises to add even more magical capabilities. The introduction of squeeze, barrel roll, and haptic feedback certainly makes it stand out from the lineup. Early impressions suggest that these features aim to make creation more intuitive than ever. The hover function allows users to preview exactly where the Apple Pencil Pro will touch down on the display, and you can double-tap to quickly switch tools.

Additionally, the inclusion of Find My means a lost Pencil Pro is a thing of the past, as it can be easily located via the Find My app. The Apple Pencil Pro pairs, charges, and stores magnetically on the side of your iPad, ensuring it’s always ready to use.

The new Pencil Pro will be compatible with the iPad Pro 11-inch and 13-inch, as well as the new iPad Air 11-inch and 13-inch models. This enhanced compatibility ensures that more users can experience the advanced features and improved functionality of the Apple Pencil Pro.

Magic Keyboard

The addition of a Magic Keyboard always makes me think of the iPad taking the next step toward becoming a fully-fledged laptop, perhaps reminiscent of the Microsoft Surface.

I’m not against the Magic Keyboard—personally, I do a lot of writing, and a keyboard is essential for that. I could just pair my Keychron K2 and be done with it, but something about the new Magic Keyboard really excites me.

Is it the function keys? The larger and seemingly very usable trackpad? The pass-through charging? The flexible viewing angles and portability?

Whatever it is, for me, the Magic Keyboard would be a must-have. I could probably live without the Pencil Pro, although I would miss it, as I am not a visual creative. The Magic Keyboard, on the other hand, transforms the iPad into a more versatile and productive tool, which is essential for my needs.

Final thoughts

The iPad has many competitors, with Samsung arguably being the largest. Yet, it has no equal, at least not yet. iOS, the software iPad and iPhone operate on, has its faults, but it works seamlessly with the applications and hardware built around and within its ecosystem.

Do I think that $2,198 AUD is a fair price for the base (256GB) iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard, in Space Black…?

No.

With Worldwide Developers Conference coming in a few months and the expectation of new MacBooks with the M4 chip, I am inclined to think that at the very least, a MacBook Air M4 could be a more useful machine. If power is what I’m looking for, a MacBook Pro M3 Pro could potentially be available refurbished or at a more compelling price, offering far more utility for my needs.

What do you think? Is the iPad Pro M4 right for you? Which model would you buy?

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