Hands-On With the New M4 OLED iPad Pro

[Joe Dohn]

The idea that iPad OS is good for most people is getting old.

The reality is that it was fine until my kid got to the 9th grade in school. From that 10th grade onwards, got a MacBook Air with macOS and he never looked back. Except for YouTube and ocasional draw with the pencil.

I mean, if even a 15 year old kid needs something more than iPad OS for a tool to be the most productive, I guess that ship as sailed and Apple is just dragging their feet.

Please Apple, just add touch and pen to the macOS. After all you put the mouse and keyboard in iPad OS … so the toaster vs fridge conceptual vision also was thrown out of the window.

All that remains is that you may be more profitable with iPad OS at the expense of locking users and suppliers into your App Store and other homegrown digital services as a consequence a less useful system. In that regard macOS is way more open and as a consequence proven way more useful.

You could either get an overlay for your Macbook or a touch device. It's probably a much better choice.

 

[tobybrut]

Anyone know how to get Safari on the new iPad Pro to work with 120Hz? I’ve seen forum posts that say to go to Safari settings/Advanced/Feature Flags/Prefer Page Rendering Updates Near 60fps, but it doesn’t see to do anything after testing it on that website testufo dot com. This setting seems to work on Mac Safari (from the Develop menu) Granted, I don’t think I can see any difference between 60fps and 120fps, but I feel like I should just in case.

I’ve seen some conflicting information that iPad Safari doesn’t support 120Hz, but I can’t find any solid statement anywhere, whether from news stories or Apple support pages, just forum entries.

 

[Rjohdomingo]

Super light and much faster with video editing. With the much improved case/keyboard for the increase from $249 to $349 couldn’t they have included thumbprint recognition? Asking for a friend… 😎

 

[StarSkr3amz]

I can only presume they are putting an M4 chip in the iPad because they intend to blow us away at WWDC, failing that it becomes a pointless exercise at this point.

This, you and I (and assuming many more) have the same outlook and hopes that by including such “power” in a product such as this means that WWDC will be the game changer many have been waiting for. If not, then it begs the question, Why?

 

[Nuno Lopes]

When I gave up on Mac over 8 years ago, it wasn’t a financial decision. A you note that iPad can do 90% of what a Mac does (for you), and as you already note that iPad is so much more portable and versatile, perhaps you don’t need a Mac either.

1. To actually be productive for a long periods of time you need the biggest of the iPads. Anything smaller than that is gimmicky for the purpose.

2. Portability for me is not the same has needing to hold something in my hand. Let's be real, it's a pain to hold the iPad 12" o the hands even for browsing for more than 10 minutes ... just the strain in your arms ... after a min or two you are supporting it with your belly. Ok you can put it on table but then look at your posture.

I'm here in my MacBook Pro 14" writing this post in the couch totally comfortable, no strain in the arms. Look I can even browse with just one hand typing and click while the other is a holding a glass filled with scotch.

Ok ... now you buy the Magic Keyboard bump in cost. It got much better, true. But now you have something in the backpack that is almost has heavy and thick as a MacBook Pro. Worst, something cumbersomely pretending to be a MacBook Pro.

3. Versatility. Well the iPad Pro + Keyboard + Pencil as the potential of being more versatile , but such is implementation is totally unbalanced. As far as productivity go, pencil and touch are good for simply 10%-20% of productivity tasks ... unless you spend all day taking notes and drawing. For 90%-80% the keyboard and trackpad pad is way better.

But here is the rub, the entire thing is built on the strengths of touch and now pencil, that is to cover the 10%-20% of the productivity tasks. That is why Apple needed to bring in the keyboard! In other words, the iPad OS is a platform optimized for 10%-20% of productivity tasks ans relatively cumbersome on anything else. while macOS is optimized to 80%-90% while potentially cumbersome on those 10% to 20% of productive tasks.

Being different and looking great is not necessarily a good thing.

Now if Apple granted the MacBook Pro the ability to borrow touch and pen from the iPad for those 20% of productivity tasks that actually would take advantage of this ... I would say it would be a more balanced approach. Its is just a matter of Apple giving the MacBook Pro the ability to borrow touch and pen from the iPad as the later borrowed keyboard, trackpad and mouse from the first.

4. I don't see any reason why the M2 or M4 on a iPad Pro form factor could not handle Mac OS. I bet Apple has macOS 🏃‍♂ great somewhere in the R&D. Even without changing macOS UI! Guess what it even runs iPad OS apps!!!!! They probably call it the MacPad, MacTouch or whatever.

Cheers.

PS: I have years of experience trying to use the iPad Pro 12" for productivity. I really wanted it to succeed. But the M processors arrived to the Mac and boooooom! I purposely left behind my MacBook Pro in the office when traveling for business multiple times. I love it for meetings and laying in bed, but anything else shush. I am also an amateur street photographer ... really liked to use Affinity Photo to edit photos for a while with a pen ... but any other photo editing tasks the MacBook Pro was much better ... it does not make much sense to transfer the Photos to the iPad when I can simply edit in the Macbook as well.

I agree, the iPad Pro does look extremely cool. It gives a wow impression. But if you get past that and start to rationalize and not be willing to put up with its idiosyncrasies - why are iPad users being forced to use a Windows Manager that operates like it has been design by a 3 year old? etc etc etc. Then you start to question your efforts to make it work for those 80% of the tasks with no friction ... is it really more evolved then macOS? Or is really dragging its feet to be something that already exists just for the sake of being different?

Then you ask. Why am I really rotating the entire house to screw a light bulb (touch & pencil)? To use my fingers?

 

[MacUser1985]

Quite the journey from the original iPad Pro. I will still use the 1st Gen for sheet music, but the new one is really responsive. It'll be interesting to see how it incorporates AI. And the Logitech keyboard is very nice for about $100 less than the Magic Keyboard.

 

[Edx09]

1. To actually productive for a long periods of time you need the biggest of the iPads. Anything smaller than that is gimmicky for the purpose.

2. Portability for me is not the same has needing to hold something in my hand. Let's be real, it's a pain to hold the iPad 12" o the hands even for browsing for more than 10 minutes ... just the strain in your arms ... after a min or two you are supporting it with your belly. Ok you can put it on table but then look at your posture.

I'm here in my MacBook Pro 14" writing this post in the couch totally comfortable, no strain in the arms. Look I can eve browse with just one hand touching the trackpad.

Ok ... now you buy the Magic Keyboard bump in cost. It got much better, true. But now you have something in the backpack that is almost has heavy and think as a MacBook Pro. Worst, something cumbersomely pretending to be a MacBook Pro.

3. Versatility. Well the iPad Pro + Keyboard + Pencil as the potential of being more versatile , but such is implementation is totally unbalanced. As far as productivity go, pencil and touch are good for simply 10%-20% of productivity tasks ... unless you spend all day taking notes and drawing. For 90%-80% the keyboard and trackpad pad is way better.

But here is the rub, the entire thing is built on the strengths of touch and now pencil, that is to cover the 10%-20% of the productivity tasks. That is why Apple needed to bring in the keyboard!

Now if Apple granted the MacBook Pro the ability to borrow touch and pen from the iPad for those 20% of productivity tasks that actually would take advantage of this ... I would say it would be a more. Its is just a matter of Apple giving the MacBook Pro the ability to borrow touch and pen from the iPad as the later borrowed keyboard, trackpad and mouse from the first.

4. I don't see any reason why the M2 or M4 on the iPad Pro could not handle Mac OS. I bet Apple has it macOS great somewhere in the R&D. Even without changing macOS UI. Guess what it even runs iPad OS apps!!!!! They probably call it the MacPad, MacTouch or whatever.

Cheers.

PS: I have years of experience trying to use the iPad Pro 12" for productivity. I purposely left behind my MacBook Pro in the office when traveling for business multiple times. I love it for meetings and laying in bed, but anything else shush. I am also an amateur street photographer ... really liked to use Affinity Photo to edit photos for a while with a pen ... but any other photo editing tasks the MacBook Pro was much better ... it does not make much sense to transfer the Photos to the iPad when I can simply edit in the Macbook as well.

I agree, the iPad Pro does look extremely cool. It gives a wow impression. But if you get past that and start to rationalize and not be willing to put up with its idiosyncrasies - why are iPad users being forced to use a Windows Manager that operates like it has been design by a 3 year old? etc etc etc. That you start to question them ... is it really more evolved then macOS or is really dragging its feet to be something that already exist, companion? Then you ask. Why am I really doing this? To use my fingers? To be able to hold something with two arms?

I don’t know, the problems you describe have not been the problems I have witnessed in my daily use of iPad Pro since 2016 (back then the first gen when there was no trackpad). As for MacOS vs iPad OS, MacOs running on iPad would be a terrible experience once you detach the keyboard. Like what — you close windows by trying to press the red button in the corner? I mean iOS/ipad OS is optimised for touch interface and that is their strength. Again, I do believe Apple could and should add a lot of features and apps to iPad like Preview. And maybe more powerful multi-tasking as well (not for me; I am happy as it is now). But making iPad run Mac would appeal to only a very tiny minority.

 

[Nuno Lopes]

I don’t know, the problems you describe have not been the problems I have witnessed in my daily use of iPad Pro since 2016 (back then the first gen when there was no trackpad). As for MacOS vs iPad OS, MacOs running on iPad would be a terrible experience once you detach the keyboard. Like what — you close windows by trying to press the red button in the corner? I mean iOS/ipad OS is optimised for touch interface and that is their strength. Again, I do believe Apple could and should add a lot of features and apps to iPad like Preview. And maybe more powerful multi-tasking as well (not for me; I am happy as it is now). But making iPad run Mac would appeal to only a very tiny minority.

So you did all your productivity work with your fingers on the display and that rubber keyboard they had? Wow, that's dedication that I think only a tiny minority could afford. No wonder you feel liberated with this new keyboard developments, window manager features and what not. But guess, what, these already work extremely well for years on the Macbook. Look, I get , it, touch its exciting ... but that is not really the end game mate.

The fact is that most people bought both. An iPad for reading and general media consumption and to watch YouTube videos on the plane, along with a Laptop for actual work, probably the Macbook.

Now this year the entire conference was dedicated to productivity on the iPad Air and iPad Pro ... a push for it. With the ocasional note on media consumption (how many note taking apps they could use show on the show?).

It's time for some reflection. What was presented is it really such a development? Yes, you can do more on the context of productivity as it seams, but only when compared with something that was already dragging way behind macOS in many many many ways and still is. For that you will be paying more than 1k ... why not 2k?

For years I wanted the iOS/iPad OS to succeed for productivity. It looks so futuristic, using your fingers is exciting. But the more it evolves the less it makes sense compared with macOS taking account all variables.

The tablet form factor is great. Having more ways to interact with media is great. But iPad OS just sucks for 80-90% of productivity tasks. My 15 year old kid got that really fast.

 

[Tagbert]

i want one really bad but i just know it'll sit on my desk unused for months just like every other ipad ive bought

currently on mini 6 and will upgrade to whatever the mini 7 is

That seems strange to be who uses it for at least a couple of hours each evening and often in the mornings.

 

[Orange Bat]

Yeah, I’m tempted to hang on to my Air 4 for a bit longer - the battery is ok, unless I’m hammering it with multiple music apps, so even if I do get the 13” I might keep the Air 4 for general browsing - plus it works with my Pencil 2.

Tricky one this - double storage (I only have 64gb currently), bigger screen, bit faster - but otherwise not a massive change from what I already have. If they’d put an M3 in i’d be a no-brainer, but not as future proof as I’d hoped.

Did you try the Logic free month trial? I didn’t get on with it personally, though a bigger screen might make it more appealing.

I’ll try Logic someday when I have the time.

The more I use my new Air, the more the M2 feels like a big step up from the 4th gen’s A14 Bionic. In every way it’s just faster and more responsive. Like everyone with an Air, I’d love to get the iPad Pro but I just can’t justify the price for how I use an iPad today.

 

[Tagbert]

I can only presume they are putting an M4 chip in the iPad because they intend to blow us away at WWDC, failing that it becomes a pointless exercise at this point.

It also just becomes the next chip generation. Apple seems done with the M3 generation, probably due to production costs, so it makes sense to just use an M4 in their new devices going forward.

 

[Tagbert]

I’m a little confused.. my volume buttons seem to be backwards. The button closest to the power button lowers and the button further from the power button increases??? Other than that oddity i love this thing!

It’s been doing that since iPad OS 17. The volume direction changes depending on the orientation. In landscape, left is less and right is more. In portrait, down is less and up is more. It works pretty well.

 

[TruthAboveAllElse]

"But for me personally..."

No, for you, but not "personally."

Good Lord!

It's right up there with YouTubers overuse of the word "actually" and when they say "honestly," or "if I'm being honest" (aren't you always honest? Wait, what?).

The cashier at the store yesterday was asking people if they would like a bag “at all?” I was about to pull my ears off.

 

[LeMo]

One of the reasons that vs a Surface, Yoga, etc. the iPad and all its variants don't feel like a computer replacement no matter the accessories, trackpads, keyboards, etc.

I went through that decision process 4 years ago and bought a Surface Pro 7. That I still use daily.
The Pro + storage + keyboard = double the price and could not do many of the things I need.

I was happy to pick up an M1 Air when the prices dropped significantly. Does the same (that I need of it) at less of the cost.

 

[Realityck]

2. Portability for me is not the same has needing to hold something in my hand. Let's be real, it's a pain to hold the iPad 12" o the hands even for browsing for more than 10 minutes ... just the strain in your arms ... after a min or two you are supporting it with your belly. Ok you can put it on table but then look at your posture.

I'm here in my MacBook Pro 14" writing this post in the couch totally comfortable, no strain in the arms. Look I can even browse with just one hand typing and click while the other is a holding a glass filled with scotch.

Ok ... now you buy the Magic Keyboard bump in cost. It got much better, true. But now you have something in the backpack that is almost has heavy and thick as a MacBook Pro. Worst, something cumbersomely pretending to be a MacBook Pro.

Interesting times now
14.2" M3 MBP is $1599 mini LED display, 8-Core CPU, 10-Core GPU, 8GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD runs MacOS 3.4 lb

13" M4 iPad Pro is $1848 OLED display, 10-Core CPU, 10 -Core GPU, 8GB RAM, 512 GB SSD with Magic Keypad runs iPadOS. 2.7 lb.

By itself the new tablet is a lighter affair, only 1.28 lb, but add the Magic keyboard and it doubles its weight. It's diffidently up to the user to choose their usage preferences. The iPad Pro battery life up to 10 hours, the MBP is up to 22 hours.

 

[CarAnalogy]

The power of the sun in the palm of my hand!

And nothing to use it for...

Watching football, of course.

 

[eifelbube]

Honest question, if you have such a powerful Mac already, why would you need a pro iPad version in the first place? If I had any kind of mac, I would at most get the new iPad Air.

Simple answer: Bigger screen is a must for me because of a vision impairment. That is why i run the MBP with a Studio Display. In November 2022, Apple did not offer a 12.9 iPad Air.

 

[davwil]

approximately 650 grams which is 1.43 Lbs which is more then the 13" M4 iPad Pro weighs. (1.28 pounds (582 grams)

reference (9to5Mac)

13" M4 iPad Pro = 1.28 pounds (582 grams), 11" M4 Ipad Pro = 0.98 pound (446 grams)

So the combined weight of a M4 iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard is
13" = 2.71 Lb (1.23 kg) vs 11" = 2.42 lb (1.1 kg)

If your curious about the weights of the MBA in comparison?
13.6" M2 MacBook Air = 2.7 lbs (1.24 kg), 15.3" M2 MacBook Air = 3.3 lb

Hope this helps.

🙏

 

[roland.g]

I saw an add for the Pixel Tablet with charging speaker dock. What a great solution. A home hub with speaker, video chatting, control for home related things, calendar, weather, grocery lists at reach, and you can take it to the couch to use as a tablet.

 

[Theryesider]

Just got it, the 11 inch, display just seems brighter, some pictures do really though look sharp.
Keyboard is not bold seems strange and find my kept coming up with my old iPad Air 5 until I found out I had to rename it.
Early days yet but not wowed stepping up from the air with M1 yet.

 

[Brengineer]

They say it's the "thinnest product Apple has ever created". It may be the thinnest iPad, but it's not the thinnest product. According to their own press release, the iPod Nano got down to "just 5 mm": https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2012/09/12Apple-Introduces-New-iPod-touch-iPod-nano/

 

[Tagbert]

They say it's the "thinnest product Apple has ever created". It may be the thinnest iPad, but it's not the thinnest product. According to their own press release, the iPod Nano got down to "just 5 mm": https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2012/09/12Apple-Introduces-New-iPod-touch-iPod-nano/

That says "the thinnest iPod touch ever at just 6 mm thin "

 

[jdb8167]

That says "the thinnest iPod touch ever at just 6 mm thin "

It also says that the iPod nano is 5 mm.

The reinvented iPod nano is the thinnest iPod ever, at just 5 mm, and features the largest display ever built into an iPod nano

 

[Tagbert]

It also says that the iPod nano is 5 mm.

it looks like that press release is inconsistent.

Considering that Apple showed the iPad Pro and iPod nano side by side in the announcement, I'm guessing that they measured them and used the right measurements when they said that the iPad Pro is thinnest.

 

[jdb8167]

it looks like that press release is inconsistent.

Why? They are talking about the iPod touch and the iPod nano. Two different iPods.