So, I have finally gotten my hands on the new iPad Pro, so let’s go through the unboxing and my first tests on this new 2024 OLED iPad Pro, to find out if this thin form factor and the new OLED screen is really good!
Unboxing
So in the box, other than the manuals, there is the Apple Polishing Cloth since I’ve gotten the nano texture variant.
A nice black color braided charging cable, which is also an exclusive color for the 13-inch iPad Pro.
Finally, there is the 20W power brick.
So yes, there are no more Apple Stickers – very sad for me, and maybe a lot of you all too, so keep that in mind
Design
So when Apple mentioned that this is the thinnest Apple device they’ve made, I was curious to find out. And holy mother of God, this iPad is really THIN!
While nobody told Apple to go ahead and make it thinner, I was totally fine with how it was previously, but this significant change was really something that was even more impressive than I thought it would be.
And the weight on the iPad was also really light, it was super light to the point where I felt like I was holding an iPad Air instead.
So, who would really benefit from all of this? Well, everyone, because if you work in a hospital or even an event promoter crew during event production on-ground, carrying this lightweight iPad Pro is a total game changer.
One thing to really keep in mind is the fact that even though it is thinner and lighter, it does not mean that there are any levels of compromises, whether it’s the battery or the performance; thanks to the new M4 Chip, the very first Apple device to have that, and more on the chip performance later.
Display
I was eager to see the display in real life. Firstly, because it had the nano-texture material.
I have personally gotten very used to my Apple Studio Display with the same glass finish, as my main screen on my home desk setup. Check that video out in case you haven’t done so.
But with all these matte-type finishes on the display, it meant that I could use the iPad Pro all around the studio without worrying about glare since there are lots of video studio lights coming from the ceiling.
The reason I was floored by this performance is because usually matte finish and brightness do not really go hand in hand.
The sharpness levels were also very surprising because on the Apple Studio Display, some people, not me, were saying that it was not as sharp, but I didn’t notice any sort of softness, especially when it comes to texts.
Then another thing that I was eager to see in real life is, of course, the new OLED screen’s quality, and this even blew me away more than the overall design of the iPad, it’s honestly like having an OLED TV shrunk down to a 13-inch screen, with super amazing black levels
So whether you are using the iPad as a video content display or just for work, especially when it comes to multitasking, the high refresh rate (ProMotion 120Hz) is amazing to give you that seamless scrolling experience.
While the previous generation iPad Pro also had 120Hz, too, but because this screen is OLED, you will get better response time here, moving between 10Hz to 120Hz, depending on what exactly you’re using when you’re using the iPad.
So yes, the display on this iPad is already a huge reason for you to get it, as this Ultra Retina XDR display with two OLED screens on top of each other (Tandem OLED) was not just for the sake of sounding cool and just mentioning about the technology, but it truly is showing the display’s quality.
Magic Keyboard
So, the Magic Keyboard was one of the main accessories which I was really excited to test because I use it every single day on my M2 iPad Pro.
I went with the black color variant to match the iPad’s Space Black color, and as a frequent Mac or MacBook user, the experience typing on this new Magic Keyboard was so similar to like I was using a Mac keyboard and also the trackpad as well.
That aluminum feeling at the palm rest was super nice; the keys were super responsive, and the trackpad also has haptic feedback, very Mac-like too. And as a person who always uses the function keys on the Mac, this was something that I really appreciated on this, since it now has that.
I also love how, when you fold the iPad with the Magic keyboard, it really looks like your Mac is on a diet – really impressive!
Now, I haven’t gotten myself the Apple Pencil Pro yet, so stay tuned for my in-depth review of this iPad Pro with that new Apple Pencil Pro.
Performance
So let’s talk performance, but just for context, the exact variant that I’ve got is the WiFi+Cellular version in Space Black with 2TB storage, to satisfy the huge files, for my video editing needs.
Firstly, the front camera’s performance was really great, and it has been switched from a portrait to a landscape position too, so there are better FaceTime angles, and also Face Unlock is also way better, especially with this new landscape orientation.
So if you are looking to use the iPad as a main video calling machine, especially with Centre Stage, you can do it very well on this.
The rear camera, while reduced from two to one, has a significant improvement in taking photos specifically for documents for scanning purposes, thanks to the new Adaptive True Tone Flash.
Then I tested out gaming on this iPad Pro, and the performance was just excellent, not only from the overall responsiveness but also how snappy it is, compared to the Mini LED display previously. And of course, the screen quality was flawless, as mentioned very in-depth earlier.
As for photo and video editing, once again, because of its screen quality, you’d see a huge difference in your experience with photo editing since it is very color-accurate too.
As for video editing, I tested out some of my 6K resolution ProRes video footage from my Blackmagic Cinema Camera, and it was smooth sailing all the way.
But among all, I am really eager to test out the multicam setup with Final Cut Pro for iPad, because oh my God, the idea of having different camera angles and all powered with a single iPad is just crazy cool, so stay tuned for that once again, as soon as that feature is available officially.
Then when it comes to regular work like streaming shows and taking notes, the performance improvements are not hugely noticeable compared to the M2 iPad Pro, but if you are doing some heavy graphics or video editing work, then yes, there will be a difference and here is where the new M4 chipset really shines over here, so let’s talk about that next.
M4 Chip
So, being the tech nerd that I am, I really wanted to understand what makes the M4 chip tick and how it manage to get the designers to make the iPad very thin without sacrificing performance.
So, if you are worried about longevity and overheating, this will answer those questions.
And the answer was more simple than I thought it was. Firstly, because it is the second-generation 3nm technology, hence there was a lot of work done in terms of the improvements and the architecture of the chip that allowed for a very thin iPad Pro.
How about heat then? Well, there is a graphite sheet at the back of the chip, so it helps with the overall thermal performance even when it is performing at its highest speed.
So, if you are worried about overheating and how long the iPad Pro can last you, well, this is an answer for you.
Conclusion
So with that, stay tuned for my in-depth review of this new OLED iPad Pro, where I will be testing the tablet further daily on how the battery life, especially when using it together with the Apple Pencil Pro and other accessories as well.
Stay tuned for my in-depth review of this iPad Pro, together with Apple Pencil Pro, coming soon!
