Regarding Apple’s fourth generation chip, which is important because it makes its debut on an iPad, we have a separate piece. Apple has a lot of faith in the new tablets, as seen by the fact that previous chips were released alongside MacBooks.
Constructed on a 3nm second-generation platform, the CPU outperforms the M2 by 1.5x, while graphics applications can experience a 4x gain in speed. Efficiency doubles since the M4 uses half the electricity to achieve the same performance as the M2 found inside the iPad Pros of 2022. Apple recently released a number of new AI-powered tools for Final Cut Pro and other apps, and the M4—which boasts up to 38 TOPS—supports those functions. The Snapdragon X Elite, in contrast, claims 45 TOPS.
In any case, these are the thinnest Apple devices ever made; in fact, they are even thinner than the 5.4mm-thick 7th generation iPod Nano. The 13″ model is even thinner at 5.1mm, compared to the 5.3mm of the 11″ variant. The tablets’ aluminum bodies, which come in Space Black and Silver, are entirely composed of recyclable materials.
Returning to the displays, OLED has supplanted both IPS LCD and mini-LED. These are what Apple refers to as “tandem OLED displays,” which are essentially two OLED screens stacked on top of one another to increase brightness. For SDR content, they guarantee full-screen brightness of up to 1,000 nits, and for HDR, up to 1,600 nits.
The frame rate of the ProMotion displays is tunable between 10Hz and 120Hz. Both offer 264 ppi pixel density, which translates to 2,420 x 1,668 px resolution for the 11″ model and 2,752 x 2,064 px resolution for the 13″. It is possible to etch a nanotexture on the protective glass to lessen glare and scatter less ambient light. Be aware that only the 1TB and 2TB models (more on them later) are compatible with this $100 add-on.
Apple is releasing a Pro version of its stylus. We went into more detail about the Apple Pencil Pro in a different piece, but in short, it features a new sensor that detects the pressure applied to the stylus. This sensor may be used to activate activities, such as rapidly switching between tool settings while sketching. A bespoke haptic engine will validate squeeze gestures. In addition, the Pencil Pro is linked to the Find My network, allowing you to locate it in the event of its loss.
More new accessories are available. The newly designed Magic Keyboard is lighter and thinner than before, going well with the new Pro tablets’ slimmer appearance. The keyboard features a bigger trackpad and a function row now. “The entire experience feels just like using a MacBook,” according to Apple. A new Smart Folio that can hold the tablet at various viewing angles and also connects magnetically is available if you don’t require a full keyboard.
Starting today, May 15, the 2024 Apple iPad Pros may be purchased online in 29 countries and at Apple stores starting on the same day. A breakdown of prices is shown below; however, keep in mind that the 1TB and 2TB models have 10-core CPUs (4 performance, 6 efficiency) and the 256GB and 512GB variants have 9-core CPUs (3 performance, 6 efficiency). The 10-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine are the same in both variants; however, the storage-optimized versions come with twice as much RAM (16GB versus 8GB).
And a reminder that the 1TB and 2TB variants have an optional $100 extra cost for the nano-texture glass. The tablet pricing listed below are for Wi-Fi models; add $200 for 5G models.