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Choosing the Right Flagship: A Comparison of iPad Pro Models - Top Picks

Jason Cipriani/ZDNET/Apple

Apple unveiled its new line of 2024 iPads and 2024 iPad Pro tablets on Tuesday at its Let Loose event, and the long-awaited devices are packed with an array of impressive features. Available in 11-inch and 13-inch models, the new iPad Pros have what Apple calls “Tandem OLED” displays and Ultra Retina XDR tech – the first displays of their kind on a tablet – alongside a powerful new M4 processor , the best silicon chip across Apple’s product line.

Geared toward creators, the new tablets have updated functionality and work with the new Apple Pencil Pro , while also being thinner and lighter overall; the 11-inch version weighs less than one pound.

Also: Everything Apple announced at its iPad event: iPad Pro, Air, Pencil, M4, and more

These are fairly substantial upgrades compared to the 2022 models and are likely to turn the heads of anyone who shoots and edits video, or works with digital photography or design. If those workflows are not in your wheelhouse, however, here’s what you need to know.

Apple has stopped selling 2022 iPad Pros, but that doesn’t mean they’re not still available on third-party retailers , or as refurbished options. Let’s break down the differences between the 2022 version and the “magical” sheet of glass announced on Tuesday.

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Specifications

You should buy the iPad Pro (2024) if…

Apple

1. You’re a content creator

This one is easy. If Apple made anything clear about its new line of iPad Pros, it’s that these tablets were designed to make creators’ dreams come true. The combination of the Tandem OLED display and the M4 processor aims to produce a brilliant, powerful mobile workstation that’s capable of tackling every stage of the creative workflow. Creators are sure to love shooting video with the front-facing 12MP ultrawide camera, leveraging up to four cameras at once with the new Live Multicam feature, editing in Final Cut Pro, and working on multiple external monitors simultaneously.

Also: Apple Pencil Pro vs. Apple Pencil 2: Which model works best for your iPad?

It’s not just visual mediums that Apple had in mind with all this functionality. Integrations with apps for musicians like Logic Pro imbue the 2024 iPad Pro with new AI functionality and a touchscreen-optimized UI alongside audio capture with four built-in studio-quality mics. The bottom line: if you currently use an older iPad Pro for anything remotely creative, the 2024 iPad Pro will be a huge step up.

2. You’re a fan of the Apple Pencil

If you enjoyed the Apple Pencil before, the new and improved Apple Pencil Pro is definitely worth checking out as it’s meant to augment the 2024 iPad Pro. The new Pencil comes with a sensor in the barrel that allows you to squeeze and activate UI elements such as toolbox menus or color palettes, while the gyroscope lets you “barrel roll” the pencil to move sliders on a menu, change brush sizes, or navigate through a video.

A host of customizable shortcuts lets you use the Pencil in additional ways that support your individual workflow, bringing a new dimension to the tablet’s interaction – similar to how a mouse supports a PC. Best of all, the new $130 Pencil will support Apple’s Find My app, allowing you to quickly locate one should it get lost (they have a habit of getting stuck at the bottom of a backpack or behind a desk).

3. You’re ready to embrace AI in your workflow

The M4 chips have more neural processing power than any of Apple’s silicon processors – the company is touting these tablets as the future in AI performance. Apple showed off multiple AI-powered features at its Let Loose event, including removing the background around a moving person in a video clip with a single tap and automatically touching up images and video.

Also: iPad Pro (2024) vs. iPad Air (2024): Which Apple tablet should you buy?

For creatives who already incorporate AI functions, or are in the process of doing so, the M4 chips are an upgrade worth weighing. There’s one other benefit you should consider with the new iPad Pro: Storage size and RAM. Notably, the new 1TB and 2TB variants come with double the amount of RAM (16GB instead of 8GB) and one more CPU core (10 instead of nine) than that of the 256GB and 512GB variants. So paying more for the storage size comes with its own set of benefits.

Apple iPad Pro (2024) $1,000 at Apple

You should buy the iPad Pro (2022) if…

Jason Cipriani/ZDNET

1. You’re on a budget

This one might seem obvious, but seriously, even though the 2024 iPad Pros are less expensive than anticipated, they’re not cheap. All that state-of-the-art hardware comes at a cost, and in order to make it worth the price, we recommend taking a closer look at the lineup of new features to see how many are actually relevant to you.

Also: I’ve used every iPad since the original. Here’s my buying advice for the new 2024 models

The 2024 11-inch iPad Pro will cost you at least $999, while the 13-inch starts at $1,299. The previous models, by comparison, are now several hundreds of dollars cheaper, depending on which retailer you shop from. The M2 chip in the previous line of Pros is still a powerful processor, and if you’re not using the tablet for demanding tasks, the 2022 release is still a solid tool. Why not put that extra money toward a new pair of Bluetooth headphones instead?

2. You don’t need top-of-the-line processing power

Continuing with my last point, it’s important to consider what you’re actually going to use the tablet for (and not just what you could use it for). Apple’s M4 processor is one of the most powerful chips currently on the market – if you’re just binging Netflix and scrolling through YouTube, you probably don’t need all that processing power.

If you mainly use your tablet for media consumption or are getting the device to keep your little one occupied with their favorite shows, the 2024 iPad Pro is overkill. Stick with the 2022 version (or an iPad Air ) and save yourself some cash.

Apple iPad Pro (2022) $749 at Best Buy