My 12.9-inch iPad Pro has been my constant companion since 2020. It is the first thing I look at when I wake up when I check the news headlines and the last thing I see as a digital book reader before going to bed.
Essentially, it has replaced physical newspapers, magazines, TV and another digital device – the Amazon Kindle.
I’m into my third Apple Pencil. The other two were lost, having been accidentally knocked off the magnetic catch of the iPad Pro.
The tablet’s battery is not as strong as it used to be and while my Magic Keyboard is going strong, it is showing its age with the edges fraying. Other than that, my iPad Pro – fourth generation of 2020 class – has never failed me.
Now there’s a new iPad Pro. Unveiled in a virtual launch yesterday, it took my breath away. Essentially, it’s thinner, lighter, brighter and more powerful.
That brings a fresh dilemma: Should I ditch plans to just buy a new Magic Keyboard or do I buy the whole shebang?
The new iPad Pro – a seventh generation model – comes in two sizes, like its predecessor: 11-inch and 13-inch models and in silver and space grey.
The new 11-inch version is only 5.3mm thin and weighs about 444 gm, while the 13-inch flavour is 5.1mm thin and hits the scale at 579 gm.
Apple boasts that the new iPad Pro is its thinnest product ever. So it is not the bulky iPad Pro that I carry around today. Capacity for both models starts from 256GB and goes up to a dizzying 2TB at the highest range.
One big upgrade is the new OLED – organic light-emitting diode – screen. With OLED, you can expect colours to be reproduced more accurately and appear more crisp.
There is also greater contrast, which helps with better immersion in content consumption. Apple calls this new technology Ultra Retina XDR, a fusion of two OLED screens.
This was made in partnership with both LG Display and Samsung Display, costing Apple as much as US$2.9 billion to produce, according to earlier news reports.
Despite the improved screen, the heart of the new iPad Pro lies is the powerful and faster M4 chip, the latest in Apple’s homegrown silicon.
The company said it will generate faster and smoother AI performance in such programs as Final Cut Pro for video editing and Logic Pro for audio.
For consumers and business users, the AI will help detect and eliminate shadows and other obstructions in a document scan across the Files and Notes apps. This is an important and useful development which will help me efficiently scan files for official purpose.
With the M4 chip, Apple said the CPU is 50 per cent faster than the current iPad Pro while the graphics engine is four times faster.
The M4 chip is built on 3nm architecture, which the company said enables the new iPad Pro to deliver the same performance as a thin-and-light PC while using only a quarter of the power.
The M4 also boasts a faster neural engine but there are scant details on this. Apple will likely release further details at its developers’ conference on June 10.
With the new Magic Keyboard, I like the inclusion of a full function row, above the number keys. This offers easy access to controls such as screen brightness and volume. The redesigned keyboard also features backlit keys, which are ideal for any lighting condition.
Another significant upgrade is the larger, redesigned glass trackpad with haptic feedback.
During the virtual launch, Apple said the precise feedback from the trackpad will make every gesture—from scrolling and swiping to using multi-touch gestures—feel as natural as if you were using a MacBook. This has to be tested when I do a review.
Like it or not, the M4 iPad Pro has completely overshadowed the new iPad Air which was launched the same day.
It now sports two sizes for the first time, a 11-inch and 13-inch. Both are powered by Apple’s M2 chip and come in blue, purple, starlight and space gray colours.
The new M2 makes the new iPad Air 50 per cent faster than its M1-equipped predecessor and three times faster than the A14 Bionic-equipped iPad Air models, says Apple.
The company has given the Air a landscape-oriented front-facing camera, landscape stereo speakers with spatial audio and up to 1TB of storage. It is available in blue, purple, starlight and space grey.
Both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models are available from May 15.
To buy or not?
Off and on, I’ve considered using the iPad Pro for more than reading and entertainment.
With a new lighter, brighter and more powerful iPad Pro and a new Magic Keyboard, it could accompany me to my meetings and do note-taking, leaving my Macbook Pro at home for when I do extensive writing.
Ultimately, the decision comes down to want versus need. Do I need the new iPad Pro? My current four-year-old tablet works fine.
There is a 11-inch model of the upgraded iPad Pro which would make for greater portability but the 13-inch model is a no-brainer due to its larger-screen real estate.
Consider the cost, though: A 13-inch Wi-fi and cellular model iPad Pro with 512GB storage is S$2,599. Throw in the new Magic Keyboard at S$529 and I would be S$3,128 out of pocket.
It is not anywhere near Christmas nor my birthday. I will certainly buy a new Magic Keyboard. But the iPad Pro will have to wait. Maybe I will change my mind after I have tried out the 13-inch iPad Pro.
