The new iPad Pro (2021) is a full-fledged revolution. Apple brings its excellent M1 processor to its Pro tablet. An important renewal that comes with the inclusion of Thunderbolt, up to 2 TB, and the use of a MiniLED panel with up to 1,000 nits.
These are the features of the new Apple iPad Pro (2021), available in 11 and 12.9 inches. Slim design, autonomy, and power are the three assets that have been highlighted in the presentation of this new iPad Pro, which also includes 5G, improved cameras, and support for USB 4.
Apple iPad Pro (2021) datasheet
| Apple iPad Pro (2021) 11″ | Apple iPad Pro (2021) 12.9″ | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 mm | 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4 mm |
| Weight | 466g (Wi-Fi) 468g (5G) | 682g (Wi-Fi) 684g (5G) |
| Screen | Liquid Retina 11 “IPS (2,388 x 1,668 px) ProMotion, True Tone 600 nits | Liquid Retina XDR 12.9 “MiniLED (2,732 x 2,048 px) ProMotion, True Tone 1,000 nits 1,000,000: 1 contrast |
| Processor | Apple M1 Octa-core CPU and GPU Neural Engine | Apple M1 Octa-core CPU and GPU Neural Engine |
| RAM | 8/16 GB | 8/16 GB |
| Storage | 128/256/512 GB 1/2 TB | 128/256/512 GB 1/2 TB |
| Cameras | Main: 12MP, f/1.8 Wide angle: 10MP, f/2.4, 125º 2x optical zoom 4K Video, OIS | Main: 12MP, f/1.8 Wide angle: 10MP, f/2.4, 125º 2x optical zoom 4K Video, OIS |
| Front Camera | 12MP wide angle, f / 2.4, 122º Portrait mode, HDR, 1080p video | 12MP wide angle, f / 2.4, 122º Portrait mode, HDR, 1080p video |
| Sound | Four speakers Five microphones | Four speakers Five microphones |
| Connectivity | Wifi 6 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.0, 5G optional, LTE, iBeacon, digital compass | Wifi 6 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.0, 5G optional, LTE, iBeacon, digital compass |
| Battery | 28.65 Whr | 40.88 Whr |
| Software | iPadOS 14.5 | iPadOS 14.5 |
| Others | Face recognition, LiDAR scanner, USB4 / Thunderbolt port | Face recognition, LiDAR scanner, USB4 / Thunderbolt port |
| Price | From $799 (WiFi) From $999 (5G) | From $1,099 (WiFi) From $1,299 (5G) |
The M1 processor of the Mac comes to the iPad Pro
The new iPad Pro is its most powerful tablet to date. Instead of continuing to rely on iPhone chipsets or its Apple A14 processors, the company has decided to move its new proprietary ARM-based processor to the iPad Pro, bringing its tablet lineup even closer to what its notebooks offer.
With the M1 processor, Apple promises that “iPad Pro will be able to do Mac-like tasks.” We have an eight-core CPU where they warn that there is a 50% jump in performance over the previous generation and up to a 1,500x improvement in graphics.
The new iPad Pro will be compatible with the haptic controllers of the PS5 and Xbox One X and will include a new configuration with up to 2 TB of storage and 16 GB of RAM. Figures typical of laptops and quite far from what most tablets usually offer, from which the iPad Pro is moving further and further away.
In terms of connectivity, the new iPad Pro (2021) offers support for Thunderbolt up to 40 Gbps and USB4 through the USB C port. It is also the first iPad with 5G connectivity and includes support for external displays with higher resolution, specifically up to 6K.
New Liquid Retina XDR display with MiniLED technology
Another major addition to this new generation is the new Liquid Retina XDR display in its 12.9-inch model. This is a new panel that offers up to 1,600 nits of peak brightness, an average brightness of 1,000 nits, and 1,000,000:1 contrast, thanks to the use of MiniLED technology. In total, Apple explains that they have incorporated up to 10,000 of these mini LEDs into their 12.9-inch panel.
The iPad Pro (2021) features a four-speaker system, LiDAR, and the iPadOS system functions that we had seen in previous models and this year arrives in its iPadOS 14.5 version. There are no changes to the Pencil, but Scribble now supports more languages, including Spanish.
The photography section has also been updated, with a new 12-megapixel wide-angle front-facing camera designed for iPad and focused for use with ‘Center Stage’, its video calling app.
Pricing and Availability of iPad Pro (2021)
The new iPad Pro will be available in its 11-inch version from $749, while the 12.9-inch model will arrive from $999. On sale in the second half of May.
These are the prices of the new iPad Pro in and their respective configurations:
- iPad Pro 2021 11-inch 128 GB: WiFi $799 // 5G $999
- iPad Pro 2021 12.9-inch 128 GB: WiFi $1,099 // 5G $1,299
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