The new iPad Pro: A Macbook with a wig
Author: Guru 12K
Yesterday, Apple announced the next generation of the iPad Pro with an M1 processor. The M1 processor is found on the new Macbook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, and the new 24” iMac. Providing 50% faster CPU, 40% better GPU performance, this thing is a full-fledged laptop! But, not quite.
Is it a laptop?
The 2021 iPad Pro has the hardware to work as a powerful laptop, but Apple has chosen to make sure the iPad can’t fully act as one. iPad OS is quite functional but doesn’t have the same workflow or applications that Mac OS boasts. Apple makes so much money on both laptops and iPads, they would be foolish to not differentiate the two.
However, the Pro offers a unique set of features that just got supercharged with the 2021 model. Firstly, the new Liquid Retina XDR display (exclusive to the 12.9” model) makes interacting with the iPad’s touchscreen even more enjoyable. Apple claims this screen is on par with their most expensive external displays for Mac. And, with Apple pencil support, graphic designers, content creators, and digital note taking enthusiasts have something to celebrate.
This is what I see as a unique differentiation and value in the iPad Pro. The aforementioned high-quality touchscreen supports the Apple pencil, and general interaction in a way the non-touchscreen Macbooks can’t.
Hardware upgrades
Courtesy: Apple
RAM upgrades, thunderbolt support, 5G, and much more makes the new Pro a great upgrade from older iPads!
RAM
On models with less than 1TB of storage, the RAM capacity will be 8 GB. On models with 1 or 2 terabytes of storage, the RAM capacity will be 16 GB. That’s laptop territory!
Thunderbolt
Courtesy: Apple
This new iPad Pro also introduces a Thunderbolt port. This enables you to connect the iPad to external docks and displays such as the Pro Display XDR at its full 6K resolution.
5G!
Courtesy: Apple
5G connectivity has just arrived on the iPad Pro. Both Millimeter-Wave and Sub-6 5G are found on this generation of the Pro. Apple says that it will offer the broadest 5G coverage worldwide, reaching speeds up to 4Gbps and support to eSIM.
There is no mention of the U1 chip which is found on the iPhones. But, hopefully, this means blazing-fast workflow in 5G areas.
Battery Life
For those looking for extra power, good news! Apple says that you can expect all-day battery life on the new iPad Pro. But, we’ll have to wait and try out the new iPad ourselves to see how the battery charge matches up against our typical choice of settings and background app usage.
Camera
Courtesy: Apple
The camera array is newly upgraded with an ultrawide camera in the front. This will enable a new feature called center stage which follows the user around similar to the Facebook Portal. I could certainly see many people enjoying this feature as it allows you to walk around a room without continually adjusting the camera.
Display
The display is pretty much the same as last year on the 11” iPad Pro. But, on the 12.9” model, there is a new Liquid Retina XDR Display. It has 10,000 mini-LEDs that help iPad Pro reach 1000 nits of brightness and a 1 million to one contrast ratio, just like the very expensive Pro-Display XDR.
Pricing
Pricing starts out modestly at $799 for the Wi-Fi model 11” iPad Pro and $999 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model . The 12.9” iPad Pro starts at $1,099 for the Wi-Fi model and $1,299 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. But, it doesn’t stay cheap for long as ticking every box will get you well above $2,000.
Conclusion
Courtesy: Apple
I think that the new iPad Pro is a great productivity machine! With laptop-like specs and an incredible display on both models, watching videos, movies, or playing games will be an enjoyable breeze. Hardcore stuff like 4K video editing, 3D renders, and more are still limited because of iPad OS, but iPad apps can more than suffice for the average user.
Overall, the new iPad Pro is perfect for those looking to maximize their experience and workflow on iPad. But once again, Apple has made sure that they don't cannibalize their MacBook brand with this new tablet. So, don’t let the fantastic specs fool you: this isn’t a laptop and Apple intends to keep it that way…for now, at least.