New iPad Pro
Now equipped with the same Apple silicon M1 chip as the iMac – and it gets Thunderbolt too
Where does the MacBook end and Apple’s tablet begin? A question that’s likely to be increasingly asked with the arrival of the latest iPad Pros. That could be because the 2021 versions of the 11in and 12.9in tablets now sport M1 chips instead of the A-series processors that iPads have used until now. Or it could be because both models now support Thunderbolt as well as USB-C, giving the iPad Pro the same access to compatible peripherals that Macs have now.
The iPad Pro’s design language is increasingly being shared across the Apple family. Its narrow bezels and squared-off sides aren’t just being echoed on the iPad Air and iPhone, but on the iMac too. What’s the betting the 2021 MacBook Air and MacBook
Pro will have similar design cues when they arrive later this year? The direction of travel is increasingly clear.
As for the iPad Pro, the M1 update provides Apple’s tablet with incredible power, making both the 11in and 12.9in versions up to 50% faster than their
A12Z-powered predecessors. The iPad Pros also now have 5G support for superfast connectivity when not connected to Wi-Fi. Plus they get to leverage other M1 goodies like the 16-core Neural Engine for machine learning, and can be equipped with up to 16GB of memory/2TB of storage.
One of the best additions to the new iPad Pro is an Ultra-Wide camera that adds even more capabilities to the TrueDepth Camera system. In particular it now enables Centre Stage, a feature that ensures you remain the focus of attention during video calls by panning the camera as you move around.
Centre Stage can even cope with having multiple subjects in the frame – handy during family gatherings or business meetings, using machine learning to make sure everyone remains in focus.
With prices starting at £749 for the 11in and £999 for the 12.9in, the iPad Pro isn’t cheap, especially when you factor in the cost of extras like additional storage and 5G. A fully loaded 11in iPad Pro with 2TB of storage, Wi-Fi+Cellular, a second-gen Apple Pencil and a Magic Keyboard will cost you £2,297, while an identically specced 12.9in will set you back £2,597. That puts both iPad Pros in the same ballpark as an M1-equipped 13in MacBook Pro, complete with Magic Keyboard, Force Touch Trackpad, Touch Bar, Retina display, 2TB of storage and 16GB of memory, plus two Thunderbolt/ USB 4 ports at £2,299. You pays yer money…