Apple has four new iPads, each with distinct upgrades over the previous generation of tablets. The iPad Pro, in particular, has a bevy of new tech that makes it stand out. Here are the upgrades we’re looking forward to testing the most.
1. OLED DisplayThe iPad Pro line upgrades from mini LED display technology to OLED for the first time. OLED isn’t new (Samsung has used OLED in its Galaxy Tab S tablets for years), but it’s new to the iPad. Apple says it’s using two OLED panels pressed against one another, called tandem OLED, to boost brightness. The result is a display that supports 1,000 nits of brightness during everyday activities and can peak as high as 1,600 nits when viewing or editing HDR content. This is a big deal for creators who need to see the exact result of their efforts. Apple explains that tandem OLED also allows the display to change colors faster, show brighter specular highlights in photos and videos, and reveal more detail in shadows, all while delivering sub-millisecond responsiveness.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
Beyond the OLED, Apple is offering the iPad Pro (1TB and 2TB models only) with an optional nano-texture finish to the glass. This process etches the glass at a nanometer scale. When light hits the glass, it scatters rather than reflects, leaving the display with an almost matte appearance. It fights reflections at the highest level and, in person, the result is impressive. The new name for the iPad Pro display is Ultra Retina XDR. 2. M4 PowerApple often keeps its processor families around for about a year before moving to a new generation. The new iPad Pro, however, breaks that pattern thanks to its fresh M4 processor. The M4 succeeds the M3 (announced in October 2023) in the Apple silicon lineup and delivers even more power—especially the kind needed to drive AI. (Our M3/M4 deep dive explains all the differences.)
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
In simplest terms, the M4 has the same number of performance cores but packs more efficiency cores, more GPU cores, and 3 billion more transistors. It’s based on a second-generation 3nm process, supports up to 120Gbps in memory bandwidth, and works with up to 16GB of RAM. All this packs a serious punch. Apple claims the M4 CPU is up to 50% faster than the previous-gen iPad’s M2 chip, and the GPU is 4x faster than the M2. These make for features such as hardware acceleration for ray tracing, dynamic caching, and mesh shading, all of which will improve the iPad Pro as a gaming device. Apple didn’t change the number of cores in its neural engine but sped up what the 16-core configuration can do. It says the M4’s neural engine is capable of 38 trillion operations per second, or more than double what last year’s M3 can deliver. This gives the iPad Pro a greater ability to compute AI tasks on-device. Apple didn’t announce any new AI features for the iPad; we think we’ll see those capabilities come to light at Apple’s WWDC event in June. 3. Repositioned FaceTime CameraIt may seem silly, but sometimes simple changes are a big deal. Apple has moved the front-facing camera from the short edge to the middle of the long edge on the iPad Pro. This falls under the “quality of life” category for long overdue improvements. In the era of Google Meet and Zoom, on-camera appearances can be everything. With the old iPad Pros, the camera was positioned low and to one side when used with any sort of keyboard accessory or whenever the tablet was in landscape orientation. Apple finally heard users’ complaints and moved the camera. Now, when used with the Apple Magic Keyboard, you’ll appear in the middle of the screen. Moreover, the camera supports Apple’s Center Stage feature, which attempts to keep you centered on the screen if you move around during the video call. This change impacts both the new iPad Air and the iPad Pro. The camera captures 12MP photos, has an aperture of f/2.2, and supports 2x digital zoom. It includes Retina Flash with True Tone, dynamic range in video, and 1080p HD capture at 25, 30, or 60fps. The Pro gains access to portrait mode with depth control as well as portrait lighting effects. It also benefits from Face ID from the TtrueDepth camera for biometric security. The iPad Air continues to rely on a fingerprint scanner built into the home button. 4. Thunderbolt With USB4Apple didn’t add any new ports to the iPad Pro—it still has a single USB-C connector—but it did supercharge that port. The new port supports Thunderbolt 3 and USB4 with incredible data transfer speeds of up to 40Gbps. More important than speed, Thunderbolt means compatibility with a wider array of accessories.
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(Credit: Eric Zeman)
Apple says the iPad Pro can drive external displays like its Pro Display XDR at up to 6K resolution. The port also supports external storage, as well as standard plug-in accessories like microphones and more. The addition of external storage is a big one for those who work on large media files. For example, it will allow moviemakers and musicians to build content in Final Cut Pro and Pro Logic with media stored on an external hard drive, rather than stored locally, without losing any speed.It’s the most advanced connector on an iPad and will surely help those who rely on accessories to expand the versatility of their tablet. 5. Apple Pencil ProThe $129 Apple Pencil Pro works with both the iPad Air and iPad Pro, though it is not compatible with older iPads. The Pencil’s fresh features rely on several new components within.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
First, Apple has added a pressure-sensitive area above the tip that you can squeeze to call up the Pencil’s toolbar. The toolbar includes alternate brushes, a color selector, an eraser, and other functions. Next, there’s a gyroscope. This makes the Pencil sensitive to certain types of movement, like a barrel roll. By rolling the Pencil between your fingers, you can change the angle of the tip before marking your next line. This is critical for brushes that make non-circular marks. In addition, the Pencil includes a haptic engine at the top. It can vibrate when you make certain gestures or take certain actions when using the Pencil. Last, Apple has added Find My support to the Pencil, which will allow you to find it via the Find My app on your iPhone if it becomes lost.These are fairly advanced features that may come in handy to artists who use the iPad as their creative palette. Apple already sells three other versions of the Pencil at various price points and with various features.More iPad to ComeBoth the iPad Air and iPad Pro go on sale May 15 at $599 and $999, respectively. Check back soon for our full reviews. Until then, we’re here to help you figure out which one is best for you, along with tips on how to score the best deal.
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