Should You Buy the iPad Pro?
The iPad Pro is Apple's highest-end tablet, featuring the same M-series chips Apple uses for Macs. The latest iPad Pro models feature the M4 chip, a super slim design, Thunderbolt support, up to 2TB storage, and OLED display technology.
Apple refreshed the iPad Pro in May 2024, which means now is a good time to make a purchase.
Pricing on the 11-inch OLED iPad starts at $999, and pricing on the 13-inch OLED iPad starts at $1,299. For those looking for an iPad Pro size that's more affordable, Apple also offers the iPad Air in the same 11-inch and 13-inch sizes, but the iPad Air is thicker and heavier, lacks an OLED display, and has an M2 chip instead of an M4 chip.
2024 iPad Pro Details
Apple refreshed the iPad Pro lineup in May 2024, introducing a slimmer design, updated chips, and new display technology, with these features representing the biggest update we've seen to the iPad lineup in many years.
The iPad Pro features the thinnest and lightest design to date, with Apple introducing 11-inch and 13 inch models. There is an all-screen design and an edge-to-edge display with no Home button. The top bezel of the iPad Pro houses a TrueDepth camera system that's used for Face ID biometric authentication.
At 5.1mm, the 13-inch iPad Pro is Apple's thinnest device ever, and the 5.3mm 11-inch iPad Pro isn't much thicker. Both of the iPad Pro models have an aluminum chassis in silver or space gray with flat, rounded edges and thin bezels around the OLED display.
An Ultra Retina XDR display is the a major new feature for both iPad sizes, and it uses tandem OLED technology that basically sandwiches two OLED displays together for even better performance. Apple says it is the world's most advanced display with extreme brightness and incredibly precise contrast.
The 11-inch model has a resolution of 2420-by-1668, and the 13-inch model has a resolution of 2752-by-2064, with both versions offering 264 pixels per inch and a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio. SDR brightness has increased to 1,000 nits max, while XDR brightness remains 1,000 nits and 1,600 nits for peak brightness with HDR content. Other supported display features include a 10Hz to 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate, P3 wide color, and True Tone. The higher-end models have a nano-texture matte glass display option.
A next-generation 3-nanometer M4 chip powers the iPad Pro. The base M4 has a 9-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and 8GB RAM, but higher storage models have a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and 16GB RAM. There is an upgraded 16-core Neural Engine, Media Engine with video/ProRes encoding and decoding, 120GB/s memory bandwidth, and support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading. Apple says the M4 CPU performance is up to 1.5x faster than the M2, and it is up to 4x faster at rendering content than the M2.
The base iPad Pro starts with 256GB of storage, with up to 2TB available as an upgrade. 1TB and 2TB models have more RAM than the 256GB and 512GB options.
There is a single Thunderbolt/USB-C port used for charging and connecting Thunderbolt peripherals, and it offers fast data transfers up to 40Gb/s. Up to one external display with 6K resolution at 60Hz can be used with the iPad Pro.
There is a 12-megapixel front-facing camera that's been moved to the landscape side of the iPad, so it is in the correct orientation for video calls when the iPad is used with a keyboard. The camera supports Center Stage and other FaceTime features. There is a single-lens 12-megapixel rear camera plus a LiDAR scanner for augmented reality experiences and updated flash. Apple has removed the Ultra Wide camera that was available on the prior-generation model.
2024 iPad Pro models continue to offer 10-hour "all day" battery life on a single charge. Other features include Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support, sub-6GHz 5G for cellular models, four speakers, and four microphones.
Apple's new iPad Pro models work with the new version of the Magic Keyboard that features an updated glass trackpad and new aluminum palm rest, and the Apple Pencil Pro with squeeze gesture, barrel roll support, haptic feedback, and Find My.
Pricing on the iPad Pro starts at $999 for the 11-inch model and $1299 for the 13-inch model.
Note: See an error in this roundup or want to offer feedback? Send us an email here.How to Buy
The iPad Pro can be purchased from the online Apple Store and from third-party retailers like Best Buy and Amazon.
Pricing on the 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $999, while the 13-inch iPad Pro starts at $1,299. Models with cellular connectivity are available for an additional $200 over the base price for each storage tier.
The Apple Pencil Pro that goes along with the iPad Pro is available for $129. The Magic Keyboard for the 11-inch iPad Pro can be purchased for $299, while the Magic Keyboard for the 13-inch iPad Pro can be purchased for $349.
