As expected, 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 just going to push the limits of the iPad,” Apple VP John Ternus noted during the event, “we’re going to crush them.”
The new device is set apart from the rest of the lineup — in part — by the addition of the recently announced M4 chip. In fact, it’s the first device to get it, representing a change for Apple’s silicon roadmap, which has favored Macs over iPads.
The new CPU promises “up to 50% faster performance” than the M2 chip in the last model, according to the company. The GPU has also been upgraded, including some key game-enhancing technologies such as ray tracing.
The new neural engine features 16 cores, which the company says are “60 times faster” than the first generation of NPUs.
The new Pro also debuts the long-awaited OLED iPad display, further widening the gap between it and other iPads. It exceeds 1,600 nits of brightness, thanks to the new “tandem OLED” technology. Apple refers to the new display as the “Ultra retina XDR”. The new Pro also brings nano-imaging technology to the iPad range for the first time.
The tablet comes in 11- and 13-inch sizes, weighing 0.98- and 1.28 pounds, respectively. Both models get the new OLED screen.
The Pro includes a lidar scanner and a new “Adaptive Flash”. The latter recognizes when you are trying to scan documents.
Like the new Air, the Pro moves 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 the Magic Keyboard.
The 11-inch model starts at $999 and the 13-inch at $1,299. Both are available for pre-order today and start shipping next week.
