For fourteen years, Apple has continued to improve its touchscreen tablet. This year, the flagship of the range, the iPad Pro, is progressing further to the point of approaching perfection. At least, that’s the feeling that seems to prevail. Thinner, lighter, more powerful and now equipped with an OLED screen. Finally! Some will say. But the new features don’t stop there. The iPad Pro M4 2024 also sees its Pencil and Magic Keyboard evolve. On paper, all the signals seem green for an exceptional iPad this year. But is this really the case in use? Our assessment after a summer spent in the company of the iPad Pro M4 11-inch.
iPad Pro M4: the 5 essential new features
OLED screen: a leap forward for the iPad Pro M4 (11 inches)
It’s impossible to reinvent the wheel. An expression that suits the iPad perfectly. And for good reason, a touch tablet is basically just its screen. If the design has hardly changed compared to the previous generation of iPad, one of the main new features lies in the technology used. Exit IPS, make way for a from OLEDs « Ultra Retina XDR “. And since Apple never does things by halves, it is actually two panels (“OLED tandem”) superimposed in order to offer exceptional brightness, capable of reaching 1000 nits (or even 1600 in HDR). Enough to ensure good readability outdoors, even on a sunny day. Apple also offers a “nano-textured glass” option, a sort of matte coating, cleaner than paper, even less sensitive to possible reflections. Be careful, however, if the efficiency is real, the sensation of sharpness is less compared to the “standard” panel.
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Other advantages of an OLED panel include a rate of infinite contrastof the more vivid colorsof the blacks with unmatched depth and some wider viewing angles. Fans of the 7th art will appreciate the contribution of an OLED screen being particularly visible on dark scenes in a film like Interstellar.
For other uses, the differences are much more tenuous, at least compared to the micro-LED panel present on the previous generation 13-inch iPad Pro M2. Conversely, when comparing with the 2022 11-inch iPad Pro M2, which were based on a “simple” IPS panel, the gain in terms of colorimetry is clearly visible.
Apple Silicon M4 Chip: To Infinity and Beyond?
Another significant new feature of this 2024 vintage, the iPad Pros are now equipped with a M4 chip. An exclusivity for the tablet which thus offers itself the scoop on the new Apple Silicon chip and which affords itself the luxury of outpace MacBook Air in raw power on various benchmarks including Geekbench (+20% for the CPU part). The M4 chip also brings support for Ray-Tracing at the hardware level. In short, a exceptional power potential for a tablet whose real need is still hard to perceive. Exporting a batch of photos is certainly a little faster than on an iPad Pro M2 (47s vs 59s), as is rendering a video under Final Cut Pro (1m22 vs 1m37) but in use the fluidity is identical on both models.
On the other hand, the heat dissipation is good better controlled on the iPad Pro M4. So, while our iPad Pro M2 is regularly warm to the touch (at the back) when editing in Lightroom, the iPad Pro M4 is barely warm in the same conditions, thus offering a more pleasant grip.
Please note that two versions of the M4 chip are offered on the iPad Pro. The 256GB and 512GB versions feature an M4 chip with 9 CPU cores / 10 GPU cores accompanied by 8GB of RAM. The 1TB and 2TB models feature an M4 chip with 10 CPU cores / 10 GPU cores accompanied by 16GB of RAM.
Apple Pro M4: thinner, lighter!
Apple has long insisted on the exceptional finesse of its new iPad Pro. And for good reason, just over 5 mm, which is less thick than an iPhone Pro 15! Let’s be honest, at the time of the presentation, this argument left us rather indifferent. iPads (Pro) have long been minimalist, a few millimeters gained did not seem so important. Yes, but that was without counting the weight gain operated with this new generation of iPad. The 13-inch model thus gains more than 100 grams (582g)!
A nice progression that is felt instantly when you pick it up and allows you to hold it longer before feeling tired.
Camera, photo block, the hidden new features of the iPad Pro M4
Let’s end this overview with some more discreet new features. It starts with the camera block, which sees its wide-angle sensor disappear and is now “content” with two 12-megapixel lenses (f/1.8). The flash also progresses and becomes “Adaptive True Tone”. Developments that may interest those who use the iPad as a camera. It still seems strange, but clearly its use is more widespread than it seems. You only have to visit a tourist spot to see it.
Perhaps more interesting, at least for those using the iPad with a cover or Magic Keyboard, is the webcam is now centered on the long edge. Much more practical.
Latest development, the disappearance of the SIM slot. Consequence, if you opt for a iPad Pro M4 5Git will be necessary necessarily go through an operator capable of providing you with a e.g. A detail that seems to have escaped some, isn’t it Orange…
Magic Keyboard et Apple Pencil Pro : le combo gagnant
This year, the iPad sees its two traveling companions evolve. If the form factor of the Apple Pencil remains unchanged, it gains a Pro name. The key is the introduction of a system of haptic feedback. In other words, a vibration is emitted when you pinch or “double tap” the bottom of the stylus to change tools, for example.
Apple Pencil is now thicker than iPad!
Apple is also returning to the attention to detail that made it famous by integrating a projected shadow corresponding to the selected tip. Finally, the Apple Pencil Pro (€149) can now be located in the appropriate application. Unfortunately, it is impossible to emit a sound like with an AirTag. The functionality therefore loses part of its interest, since you are well informed that your stylus is at home but not in which room.
On the left, the Magic Keyboard 2024 compared to its predecessor (in black)
The Magic Keyboard (349 11 » / 399€ 13 ») gains a few grams on the scale and above all offers a upgrade. A more flattering outer coating to the touch and inside, a wrist rest now in aluminum. Of the function keys are (finally) making their appearance. It is thus possible, for example, to adjust the brightness or the volume without interacting with the screen. The feedback offers a better feeling and is closer to that offered on MacBooks. The same goes for the trackpad now with haptic feedback. The hinge also adopts aluminum and loses thickness. A USB-C port is still present but only dedicated to charging. It is impossible to connect an external screen or an SSD / card reader.
Our opinion on the iPad Pro M4: a must have?
Apple is used to saying that its latest product is the best ever in the range. There is no doubt that this statement is true this year for the iPad Pro M4. Thinner, lighter, with an OLED screen of excellent quality and above all very bright, the tApple tablet has never been so accomplished and pleasant to use on a daily basis.
However, after a summer spent in its company, a hint of bitterness persists. The iPad still appears to be held back from expressing its full potential. Sometimes by the limitations of iPadOS, sometimes by those of the applications. Some publishers seem to fear for their business models and continue to offer amputated versions of their software. This is the case of Capture One, whose iPad version is deprived of adjustment layers despite a monthly subscription of €5.49 required. And yet, editing your photos on the screen with the Apple Pencil (Pro) is so much more intuitive and enjoyable than with a mouse or trackpad.
An example among others that illustrates the paradox of the Apple tablet. As excellent as it is, we can’t help but wonder if spending at least €1,200 on an iPad Pro is really reasonable. Some users will answer yes without hesitation, even more so if their uses take advantage of the Apple Pencil. For others, this half-hearted feeling can lead to the conclusion that a MacBook Air might be a better investment.
