iPad Pro: Apple’s new M1 tablet is pretty much going to be a Mac

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You are at home. You reach for a computer. You work from home. What do you use? Based on my home, it’s what’s available. For Apple, the equation keeps changing: between Macs and iPads, there are two versatile but different platforms at play. But they now share the same processor: The M1 chip of the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, Mac Mini and new 24-inch iMac is also in the new iPad Pro, as shown on the Apple spring event Tuesday.

This sounds like a huge leap towards the iPad as a powerful computer, like I had expected years, but in reality the iPad Pro was already at that level with its previous processor. What’s holding back the iPad Pro is the software, which also limits how external devices like displays and external storage can be used. The latest iPad Pros sound like incredibly powerful race cars. But they are also priced that way.

M1 promises even more speed gains

The 50% and 40% boost of CPU and graphics power respectively for the new M1 chip compared to the A12Z processor on the 2020 iPad Pro sounds great, but what do those mean? It depends on the apps that take advantage of it. The iPad Pros are trying rear lidar sensor, which uses a series of lasers with its cameras to scan 3D space depths. Just like the recent iPhone 12 Pro, expect these iPads to be even better in augmented reality and 3D scanning.

Thunderbolt port means more accessories

The identical-looking USB-C port on the iPad Pro now supports USB-4 and Thunderbolt, allowing for faster accessories and storage, and possible compatibility with a wide variety of Thunderbolt docks and dongles. Think Kensington is recent StudioDock for iPad Pro, but maybe even more. Apple also promises that the iPad Pro can export to the Pro Display XDR. That depends on apps that enable display output, which not all iPadOS apps do. Or it strongly suggests that Apple will enable multi-display support in iPadOS at the upcoming WWDC event.

The raised display is only available for the 12.9-inch model

Apple places great demands on the quality of its mini LED based Liquid Retina XDR display, which will have thousands of small LEDs for more localized control of the backlight and will allow for greater brightness and contrast ratios. That new screen is only available on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and comes at a hefty price point: the entry-level version costs $ 1,099 (£ 999, AU $ 1,649), and that includes only 128 GB of storage.

read more: The Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro has a Liquid Retina XDR display with eye-catching specifications

5G is here, but it will cost you

I don’t use cellphone on iPads mainly because I’m just tethering to my phone. But this 5G Compatible iPad Pros are truly groundbreaking, being Apple’s first 5G devices that aren’t phones. Just adding 5G capabilities costs $ 200. You also have to pay for service every month.

read more: Apple gives iPad Pro a 5G option, although carrier plans will cost you

A new front camera promises better video chats

A new wide-angle camera introduces a digital zoom that follows the face, Apple calls Center Stage. Like The Facebook portalthe camera follows whoever is speaking, even several people, and zooms to bring them into view. The feature should work in a variety of apps, but it doesn’t necessarily solve the direct eye contact issue on iPads. These new iPad Pros still have their cameras on the shorter end, rather than the long side, so chatting in landscape mode (which I usually do, since I’m using keyboard covers that are docked that way) sometimes means I can’t go straight to the camera. Will the new iPad Pro solve this problem? We’ll see when I can test it, but Center Stage still sounds like a welcome feature.

Price: Much more than what most people would want

Clearly, these iPad Pros are not for those without a lot of money. As in, at least $ 1,000. The entry-level 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $ 799 (£ 749, AU $ 1,199), and that’s for just 128 GB of storage. Put that up a bit and buy an accessory (a Magic Keyboard or an Apple Pencil), and you’re well over $ 1,000. Prices go up even further: a new 2TB plus 5G storage option means the 12.9-inch iPad Pro will cost $ 2,399 without a single accessory. That is a lot.

Apple’s entry-level iPads are still in the $ 300 range, meaning the price range for iPads now spans several thousand dollars. If you consider the iPad as your all-in-one production tool, which many people do, then the cost may be justified. Or if you just like having a really nice tablet for yourself.

The iPad is extremely versatile and could be an all-purpose device. But that’s still not for me, even after all these years. The iPad Pro has great qualities (screen, pencil, camera) that Macs still don’t have. For the most part, the new iPad Pros are about the same price as the 2020 models. But here and there you may pay more.

I wouldn’t expect these iPad Pros to be relevant to every iPad user. But I am very curious to what extent the new functions will help the products move forward.

On paper, the iPad Pro looks poised to become the AlternaMac

I want to try out the new Pros before I can say if they’re worth it, and it still looms up and it’s unknown how far Apple will open iPadOS to get the most out of these machines. But the shift to an M1 processor feels more than symbolic.

The iPad makes you think new iMac, who shares the same processor, feels like a spiritual cousin. Maybe iPads are really ready to be part of the same computing world as Macs. Or Macs are increasingly bleeding into iPad territory. Somewhere the two meet. And that meeting point is now the M1.