The iPad Pro M2 – new processor, same everything else
The tablet is still an awesome piece of tech, but the contradictions of its design philosophy are even more apparent
AT first glance the new iPad Pro looks exactly like last year’s model. After further inspection and a bit of use… it’s almost entirely the same device, outside of the brand-new M2 chip and some new tricks you can pull with the Apple Pencil.
Of all of Apple’s hardware refreshes this year, this tablet and the Apple Watch Series 8 are functionally the most unchanged – though they both cost more thanks to inflation.
The iPad Pro powered by the M1 chip – which came out last year – was the most powerful tablet Apple had made thus far, an accolade that this year’s model has taken. But functionally, the difference in processor horsepower is not entirely obvious to the average user.
According to Apple’s metrics, the M2’s 8-core CPU is up to 15% faster than the M1, with a GPU that’s 35% faster. The M2 can reportedly process 40% more operations per second than the M1.
There’s also 50% more memory bandwidth, which sounds impressive, but last year’s model was no slouch. This is an example of Apple racing against itself for no discernable benefit.
Without a protective shell or artful stylus, the iPad Pro appears here, naked to the world. It looks exactly like last year’s model. – Haikal Fernandez pic
Now, if you were one of those graphic designers or photo editors or animators who consistently pushed your iPad Pro to the limit, you will probably see some benefit.
If anything this year’s iPad Pro reinforces that this device is not really aimed at the average consumer. While it is a pleasant experience browsing the web and writing emails – especially with the Magic Keyboard – you will not be utilising the iPad Pro to its fullest potential.
The people who this device is for (the aforementioned professionals) can use this tablet to replace their laptops – if not desktops – as their primary machine.
Despite how much Apple touts the advances in iPadOS 16, with Stage Manager (multiple windows on screen), full external display support, ‘desktop-class’ apps, and Reference Mode (improved workflow for photographers and videographers).
The multi-tasking ability of Stage Manager, one of the features of iPad OS 16. – Haikal Fernandez pic
For those with Apple Pencils – and let’s be clear, if you’re shelling out for this iPad, you can probably scrape a few bucks together for the Pencil – there’s a newer and slick way to interact with the screen.
If you hold it 12mm above the screen, you can see a preview of what you’re about to do. This further refines the Pencil as a great tool for artists and other power users.
All that being said, despite any dramatic improvements in functionality in this year’s iPad Pro, this tablet is still an impressive piece of tech.
The 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display is still an incredible display, the best you can find on any tablet. Watching 4K HDR content on it is better than most televisions, unless you have a top-of-the-line TV as well.
Being able to display a high image variance from the darkest blacks to the brightest highlights puts the screen on another level.
This benefits not just those interested in watching the latest shows and movies, but also creative professionals, such as photographers, videographers, and filmmakers, who can now view and edit HDR content on a tablet they can take anywhere.
The screen – albeit a great one – and the camera system are unchanged from last year’s. With the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil 2.0 still unchanged, it looks just the same. – Haikal Fernandez pic
Of course, there’s the question that follows any tablet… ‘why not get a laptop?’
With the M2 chip, the iPad Pro has a processor that puts it on par with plenty of laptops and desktops (not to mention costing more), yet it still has the limitations inherent in a tablet.
The 12.9-inch version is just a little too cumbersome to carry around, so using it with a Magic Keyboard feels right. But though combined they look like a laptop, something is just missing in the final equation.
The 11-inch model iPad Pro starts at RM3,899, while the 12.9-inch model (the one with the Liquid Retina XDR Display) starts at RM5,399. Both models have gone up in price by RM400 compared to last year.
source – The Vibes
