Apple recently unveiled its latest lineup of iPads, including the new iPad Pro and iPad Air models. Let's take a closer look at these devices and the key features they bring to the table.
First up is the new iPad Pro, which comes in both 11-inch and 13-inch sizes. The most notable upgrade for this model is its Ultra Retina XDR display with Tandem OLED technology, offering an incredible full-screen brightness of up to 1600 nits for HDR content. Additionally, the iPad Pro now features Apple's M4 chip, which includes a powerful GPU and hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing.
The new iPad Air was also released in a larger 13-inch model, offering more screen space without the need for Pro features. This model comes with an M2 chip and is available at a starting price of $599. Both the iPad Pro and iPad Air are compatible with Apple's Magic Keyboard and new Apple Pencil Pro.
The starting price for maxing out the 13-inch iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro now exceeds $2,700. In comparison, the entry-level iPad Air starts at $599, while the top-end iPad Pro begins at $1,299.
Apple eliminated the 9th-gen iPad from its lineup but dropped its price by $100 to make it more accessible for budget buyers. The new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro features a function row that lets users control various settings without delving into settings, as well as a larger trackpad with haptic feedback.
The new Apple Pencil Pro is compatible with both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models and includes new sensors and abilities like squeezing to bring up a tool palette or rolling to change the orientation of a shaped pen or brush. The lack of backward compatibility for older iPads may indicate insufficient processing power in those devices, raising questions about Apple's silicon performance.
In summary, the latest iPad Pro and iPad Air models offer superior hardware upgrades but are not yet Mac replacements. The entry-level iPad Air starts at $599, while the top-end iPad Pro begins at $1,299. Both devices come with new accessories like Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro.