Apple ipad Pro 12.9 (2021)
£999
We’re into the upper echelons of tablet world here, with a top-line ipad designed very much for creative professional users but one that is also great for demanding gamers and film fans.
The headline-grabber for 2021 was the new, high-end laptop-derived processor, but the new mini Led-lit display is the real game changer as far as we’re concerned. Ever wanted an OLED or QLED TV that you could fit in a backpack? The new ipad Pro 12.9 is that – and plenty more.
It’s a large tablet, as you’d expect of a device with a 12.9in screen, measuring 28 x 21 x 0.6cm. You have to be committed to the cinematic (or productivity) potential of the big display to go for such a large device.
This is a great performer with HDR content. It’s not so much that it goes vastly brighter than other ipad, such as the ipad Air (left); it’s that it combines bright highlights with awesomely deep blacks to create a vastly more dynamic and exciting picture.
We play Blade Runner 2049 in Dolby Vision from the itunes store and set both models to their highest brightness setting. The Pro’s peaks are only slightly brighter than the Air’s, but to reach those levels the Air has to sacrifice its black performance, producing something clearly grey in hue. There’s no such sacrifice necessary with the Pro – its blacks are near perfect.
Colour authenticity is as good as it’s ever been (ie extremely good), but there’s also terrific dynamic range and motion handling. As we view content from varying sources and in differing formats, everything looks awesome – yet authentic.
Add in Apple’s ever-present sonic excellence and, despite the high price, the case for buying becomes very persuasive.