Apple unveils new iPad Pros with powerful M4 silicon and OLED displays
Apple iPad Pro OLED unveiled and ready to order now. Pictures: Apple.
Apple has unveiled the next generation of iPad Pro with stunning OLED displays. With a design refresh, new display technology, and the performance of the latest Apple silicon under the hood, the new iPad Pro sets a new benchmark for productivity and creativity in the tablet category.
The new iPad Pro boasts an incredibly thin and lightweight design, making it the thinnest Apple product ever. At just 5.3 mm thin for the 11-inch model and 5.1 mm for the 13-inch model, it should offer excellent portability without compromising strength or durability. Crafted from 100 per cent recycled aluminium, the iPad Pro comes in two elegant finishes: silver and space black.
Apple says the sleek design is engineered to be as strong as thin, allowing users to take it anywhere without worry. The 11-inch model weighs 444g, while the 13-inch model is only 479g, which is lighter than its predecessor. Apple says the lightweight design enables pro users to extend their workflows in new ways and more places, whether working from home, on the go, or in the studio.
One of the most significant advancements in the new iPad Pro is its Ultra Retina XDR display, which delivers what Apple says is the world's most advanced visual experience. This has been a long time coming, and while OLED displays are far from new on tablets, Apple has done something new by combining two OLED panels in what Apple calls tandem OLED technology. The display achieves up to 1000 nits for SDR and HDR content and a peak brightness of 1600 for HDR. The tandem OLED technology provides precise control over colour and luminance, resulting in stunning contrast and detail.
Apple says the Ultra Retina XDR display is bright and incredibly responsive, with sub-millisecond control over the colour and luminance of each pixel. This precision should ensure that specular highlights in photos and videos appear brighter while details in shadows and low-light scenes are more pronounced than ever before.
For the first time, a new nano-texture glass option is available for pro users working in high-end, colour-managed workflows or challenging lighting conditions. The firm said the glass is precisely etched at a nanometer scale, maintaining image quality and contrast while reducing glare—a potential game-changer for professionals who demand the utmost precision in their work.
At the heart of the new iPad Pro is the M4 chip, Apple's next-generation silicon. Built on second-generation 3-nanometre technology, Apple says the M4 chip offers unparalleled performance and efficiency. With up to four performance cores, six efficiency cores, advanced GPU architecture, and a powerful Neural Engine, the firm said the M4 chip delivers groundbreaking performance and AI capabilities.
The M4 chip introduces many innovations that should enable the new iPad Pro to push the boundaries of possible possibilities. An entirely new display engine enables the Ultra Retina XDR display's precision, colour, and brightness. At the same time, the CPU and GPU offer up to 1.5 times faster performance than the previous generation.
The M4 chip also includes a high-performance Media Engine with support for AV1 decode, providing more power-efficient playback of high-resolution video content.
Complementing the new iPad Pro is a range of innovative accessories designed to enhance productivity and creativity. The Apple Pencil Pro introduces powerful new interactions, allowing users to switch tools, line weights, and colours with a simple squeeze.
A custom haptic engine provides tactile feedback, enhancing the overall drawing experience, while a gyroscope enables precise control of pen and brush tools.
With support for Find My, users can easily locate their Apple Pencil Pro if misplaced, ensuring they always keep track of their creativity.
The existing Apple Pencil USB-C will work with the new iPads and can be stored on the device via magnets. However, the second-generation Apple Pencil won’t charge wirelessly on the new models and must be charged via a USB-C cable.
The redesigned Magic Keyboard offers improved portability and versatility. Its thinner and lighter design makes it easier to carry and use on the go. The new Magic Keyboard now features a function row for quick access to essential features like screen brightness and volume controls and a larger trackpad with haptic feedback for a more responsive experience.
The Smart Folio provides added protection and functionality, supporting multiple viewing angles for greater flexibility.
The new iPad Pro features an updated camera system that delivers even more versatility for capturing and sharing moments. The 12MP back camera captures vibrant Smart HDR images and video with improved colour, texture, and detail in low light. It also features a new adaptive True Tone flash that enhances document scanning, making capturing clear, detailed scans easier.
On the front, the Ultra Wide 12MP camera with Centre Stage makes video conferencing in landscape orientation even better, especially when using the Magic Keyboard or Smart Folio.
Regarding connectivity, the new iPad Pro offers high-performance USB-C with Thunderbolt 3 and USB 4 support, delivering fast wired connectivity of up to 40Gb/s. Thunderbolt supports a wide range of high-performance accessories, including external displays like the Pro Display XDR at its full 6K resolution and external storage.
The new Pro tablets also offer Wi-Fi 6E support, providing super-fast wireless connections for pro workflows on the go. At the same time, 5G models will enable users to access files, communicate with colleagues, and back up their data seamlessly.
Alongside the new iPad Pro, Apple is also introducing Logic Pro for iPad 2 and Final Cut Pro for iPad 2, providing artists and creators with powerful music and video production tools. Logic Pro for iPad 2 introduces studio assistant features like Session Players, ChromaGlow, and Stem Splitter. Final Cut Pro for iPad 2 introduces Live Multicam and supports creating and opening projects from external storage.
The new iPad Pro and its accessories are available for order and will be available in stores beginning May 15. Pricing starts at €1,229 for the 11-inch model and €1,579 for the 13-inch model. The top iPad Pro 13-inch model with 2TB of storage and WiFi + Cellular costs €3,169.
For more information on specifications, pricing, and availability, visit apple.com/ie/store.
