As anticipated, Apple’s iPad Pro was the star of Tuesday’s “Let Loose” event. The arrival of the seventh-generation device marks the first major upgrade to the premium tablet since 2022.
“We’re not only going to push the limits of iPad,” Apple SVP John Ternus noted during the event, “we’re going to crush them.”
The new device distinguishes itself from the rest of the line — in part — with the addition of the newly announced M4 chip. In fact, it’s the first device to get it, representing a shift for the Apple silicon roadmap, which has favored Macs over iPads.
The new CPU promises “up to 50% faster performance” over the M2 chip in the last model, according to the company. The GPU has been upgraded, as well, including some key game-boosting technologies like ray tracing.
The new neural engine features 16 cores, which the company says is “60x faster” than its first generation NPU.
The new Pro also debuts the long-awaited OLED iPad display, further widening the gulf between it and other iPads. It tops out at 1,600 nits of brightness, courtesy of the new “tandem OLED” technology. Apple is refreshing to the new screen as its “Ultra retina XDR.” The new Pro also brings nano texture display tech to the iPad line for the first time.
The tablet arrives in both 11- and 13-inch sizes, weighing 0.98- and 1.28 pounds, respectively. Both models are getting the new OLED display.
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The Pro includes a lidar scanner and a new “Adaptive Flash.” The latter recognizes when you’re attempting to scan documents.
Like the new Air, the Pro is shifting the 12-megapixel front-facing camera to the side of the device. Naturally, the upgraded Pro is compatible with both the new Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard.
The 11-inch model starts at $999 and the 13-inch at $1,299. Both are up for preorder today and start shipping next week.
