Product test
Review: has the new iPad Air (M3) made the Pro model redundant?
by Michelle Brändle
iPad Pro 2024 review: overpowered creative marvel
7-6-2024
When you look at the new iPad Pro 2024, one question comes to mind: why? Gaming and image editing don’t even come close to making full use of its M4 chip.
Apple’s new iPad Pro is equipped with the M4 chip, which should make it extremely powerful. The design and OLED display also refresh the device on an aesthetic level. But the tablet is extremely expensive; I can get a notebook with more power for the same price. The question is, are there use cases where the iPad Pro would be worthwhile?
Design: thin, thinner, iPad Pro
The iPad Pro 2024 is extremely thin. Its rear camera module now boasts the same colour and material as the housing – and the front camera finally sits horizontally. Hello, video call with front view.
The iPad Pro comes in 11 and 13 inches in 4:3 format, with the 13-inch model being close to DIN A4.
- iPad Pro 2024, 11-inch: 444 g, 25 × 18 × 0.5 cm
- iPad Pro 2024, 13-inch: 580 g, 28 × 22 × 0.5 cm
Both are available in Silver and Space Black. The device Apple gave me to test out is the 13-inch model in Black. I really like the colour, but it’s susceptible to fingerprints.
Hardware: the M4 is leaps ahead of its predecessors
At the heart of the new iPad Pro is Apple’s M4 chip. My fellow editor loSamuel has already put this under the microscope and through its paces. The M4 clearly outperforms the M3 and M2 in its benchmarks. Here are the iPad Pro’s key specs at a glance:
According to Apple, the battery life is ten hours. Depending on your use, this is about right. If I draw and edit pictures or edit videos over a longer period of time, I end up with around six hours. Meanwhile, with graphics-heavy gaming, it sometimes only lasts three hours.
Accessories: the Magic Keyboard isn’t just magical
There’s a new Magic Keyboard that allows me to use the iPad Pro as a notebook replacement, as the predecessor model isn’t compatible. But the new keyboard costs just as much. It’s available in the same colours as the tablet: Silver and Space Black, each with an aluminium frame.
The touchpad is bigger, made of glass and I can now click anywhere on it. A row of function keys has also been added. Furthermore, I can now adjust settings such as the volume and brightness directly from the keyboard. It’s also practical that the keyboard backlight switches on automatically in the dark.
The new Magic Keyboard edition is elegant, the keys feel comfortable and its additional USB-C port is useful. However, the irony is the keyboard makes the iPad Pro 2024 twice as thick and heavy. Together, they weigh a total of 1,248 g. Meanwhile, at 1,290 g, my M1 MacBook Air weighs only 40 g more.
The keyboard-tablet construction tilts backwards on uneven surfaces, such as my carpet. What’s more, the keyboard material is susceptible to stains. And I don’t have the option to remove the keyboard or hide it completely behind the tablet, as you can with other flexible cases. That way, the keyboard wouldn’t be in the way when drawing. This means I have to remove the tablet from the magnetic holder, so the device would no longer be protected.
The new Apple Pencil Pro hardly differs visually from its predecessor, the Apple Pencil (2nd generation). It just has a new name and a matt finish. That being said, it does boast three new functions:
Bear in mind that only the Apple Pencil Pro and [Apple Pencil with USB-C connector] work on the iPad Pro 2024(/s1/product/apple-pencil-usb-c-stylus-39395833).
Software: a powerhouse for creative apps
The iPad Pro 2024 runs iPadOS 17, which provides me with numerous Apple apps, including Facetime, Maps, AppleTV, Garageband and more than a dozen others.
Creative apps such as Photoshop and Final Cut Pro are also available, but in a different form than on your PC or Mac. Personally, I think this is an advantage, as the apps are user-friendly and pairing them back makes them clear. But I don’t need an M4 chip or 16 GB of RAM for that.
So what’s the point? This hardware opens up new possibilities for app development. But because this is all still uncertain territory, I’ll show you what potential the iPad Pro 2024 has.
Art and note taking: new possibilities with the Apple Pencil Pro
Shortcuts via rotation and squeezing function on the Apple Pencil Pro are new. As a result, there aren’t a lot of apps that support these features. I’ve discovered the following apps that already use the Apple Pencil Pro to its full potential:
- Goodnotes
- Freeform
- Zinnia
- SketchUp
Here’s a brief demo of how I create different lines in Goodnotes by pressing and turning the pen and calling up the toolbar:
My favourite app – Procreate, an Apple-exclusive art app – is yet to work fully with the pen. The developers have promised to provide an update for these functions as soon as possible. It should also be exciting to see how it works in Procreate Dreams. I use this app to create my own animations, including sound. With the Apple Pencil Pro and the M4 chip, it should be possible to create bokeh with a click and apply effects to a video in no time at all.
I show you what you can do with Procreate on the iPad in my creative course. You can find the introductory article here:
Photos and videos: smooth with rapid editing
Should you find there’s not enough storage space on the iPad Pro 2024, you can connect files to the iPad Pro via an external SSD using USB-C.
Video streaming and gaming: the potential is there
I don’t like watching videos on the iPad Pro 2024, purely due to the format. The 4:3 aspect ratio means you get large black bars on 16:9 videos, which I find annoying, even despite the excellent picture quality thanks to the new OLED display.
Thus far, the market has been geared towards weaker devices in order to reach as large an audience as possible.ahhh Consequently, game developers still have work to do if they want to make full use of the iPad Pro 2024.
In a nutshell
Questionable overkill – also in terms of price
The iPad Pro 2024 is a tablet for the future with its massive power and potential for drawing and editing videos as well as photos. In short, it’s for artists. When you combine the Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, you can use the device like a notebook if needed. However, you’re limited by software. iPadOS doesn’t offer the same options as macOS on a notebook. Generally speaking, we’re only just starting to see the roll out of software that can exploit the iPad Pro’s potential. What’s more, I don’t recommend the keyboard. It’s heavy, made of dirt-prone material and tips over easily.
And you have to dig deep into your pocket for the privilege. The Wi-Fi version I put to the test in Space Black with 1 TB memory (16 GB of RAM) plus Magic Keyboard will currently set you back 2,300 francs or 2,600 euros. In comparison, I can get my hands on an M3 MacBook Air (1 TB/16 GB) for 1,760 francs or 1,989 euros. At 2,146 francs or 2,459 euros, the M3 MacBook Pro (1 TB/16 GB) is also cheaper.
If you do creative work on a daily basis, want to edit videos, photos and drawings with the Apple Pencil Pro and would like to be prepared for the future, the iPad Pro 2024 is worth considering. It’s a beneficial investment if you really need all the functions.
However, if you just doodle occasionally, take notes and use your iPad mainly for entertainment (Netflix and eBooks), I’d recommend the much cheaper iPad Air 2024. It delivers excellent performance with the M2 chip and is now also available in 13 inches. You don’t even have to do without accessories, as it’s compatible with the new Apple Pencil Pro and the old Magic Keyboard.
Pro
- thin and light
- terrific OLED display
- powerful M4 chip
- creative all-rounder
Contra
- extremely expensive
- few apps use it to its full potential
- 3-10 hours battery isn’t much
In my world, Super Mario chases Stormtroopers with a unicorn and Harley Quinn mixes cocktails for Eddie and Peter at the beach bar. Wherever I can live out my creativity, my fingers tingle. Or maybe it's because nothing flows through my veins but chocolate, glitter and coffee.
