On April 20, 2021, Apple carried its M1 chip out of the iMac and into the iPad Pro, announcing new 11-inch and 12.9-inch tablets that it calls the most capable it has built. The change is a familiar one in the long story of personal computing, where a processor designed for one kind of machine finds a second home in another, and the company's own numbers promise faster work on a thinner slate. Yet the gains arrive unevenly: the larger model gains a luminous mini-LED screen while the smaller one keeps the old panel, a division that asks each buyer to decide what kind of seeing matters to them.
Apple's M1 Arrives in iPad Pro, Bringing Mini-LED XDR Display, Thunderbolt 4 and Up to 16GB RAM
The headline display is reserved for the larger model alone.
Mark
So the headline is the M1 chip coming to the iPad Pro. Why does that matter?
Mimi
It's the same chip Apple put in its Macs, now in a tablet. Apple claims 50 percent faster CPU and 40 percent faster GPU than the last model, and it allows 8GB or 16GB of RAM and up to 2TB of storage.
Luke
Those performance numbers are Apple's own claims. The reporting here doesn't include independent benchmarks, so treat them as promises for now.
Mark
The display seems to be the other big piece.
Mimi
Yes, the 12.9-inch gets a Liquid Retina XDR display with 10,000 mini-LEDs, a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and 1,600 nits peak brightness.
Luke
And only that model. The 11-inch keeps last generation's display technology, so the headline feature isn't across the line.
Mark
What about the camera and connections?
Mimi
There's a 12MP ultrawide front camera with a 120-degree view, driving Center Stage, which keeps you framed and recognizes other people. Thunderbolt and USB 4 arrive, and cellular models get 5G with mmWave.
Luke
We don't know yet how well Center Stage works in practice. The source describes what it does, not how well it does it.
Mark
And the price?
Mimi
$799 for the 11-inch and $1,099 for the 12.9-inch, shipping April 30.
Luke
Worth noting those are starting prices. The source doesn't say what the 16GB or 2TB configurations cost.
Le Pouls
- Apple has pushed its M1 chip from the iMac into the iPad Pro, promising a 50 percent CPU jump and a 40 percent GPU jump over the last generation.
- The 12.9-inch model gets a 10,000-LED Liquid Retina XDR screen, while the 11-inch model is left on last year's display technology, splitting the lineup in a way buyers will feel.
- Those performance numbers are Apple's own claims, and no independent testing has yet confirmed them, leaving a gap between promise and proof.
- Both tablets reach shelves April 30 at $799 and $1,099, and the market's verdict on whether the display divide and speed claims justify the price is still pending.
On April 20, 2021, Apple carried its M1 chip out of the iMac and into the iPad Pro, announcing new 11-inch and 12.9-inch tablets that it calls the most capable it has built. The change is a familiar one in the long story of personal computing, where a processor designed for one kind of machine finds a second home in another, and the company's own numbers promise faster work on a thinner slate. Yet the gains arrive unevenly: the larger model gains a luminous mini-LED screen while the smaller one keeps the old panel, a division that asks each buyer to decide what kind of seeing matters to them. Whether the promised speed proves real in the hands of ordinary users will unfold after the April 30 release.
On the same day Apple unveiled a redesigned iMac powered by its M1 chip, the company brought that same processor to the iPad Pro. The new 11-inch and 12.9-inch models replace the A-series chip of the previous generation, and Apple describes the result as the most powerful iPad Pro it has ever made.
The company says the M1 delivers a 50 percent boost in CPU performance and a 40 percent boost in GPU performance. These figures come from Apple itself, and independent testing has not yet confirmed them. The chip also makes new memory options possible, with 8GB and 16GB of RAM, and maximum storage doubles from 1TB to 2TB.
The larger model receives the most striking change: a Liquid Retina XDR display built on 10,000 mini-LEDs, offering a claimed contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 and peak brightness of 1,600 nits. The 11-inch model does not share this screen and keeps the display technology of its predecessor, a difference that will weigh heavily on anyone choosing between the two sizes.
Elsewhere, the front camera gains a 12MP ultrawide sensor with a 120-degree view and a feature called Center Stage that keeps the user framed as they move. Connectivity expands to Thunderbolt and USB 4, and cellular models adopt 5G with mmWave support. Both tablets go on sale April 30, starting at $799 for the 11-inch and $1,099 for the 12.9-inch. What remains open is whether the benchmark claims hold up outside Apple's labs, and whether 11-inch buyers will miss the screen they did not get.
On the same day Apple put its M1 chip into a redesigned iMac, the company moved the processor into a second product line: the iPad Pro. The new 11-inch and 12.9-inch models, announced April 20, 2021, replace the A-series chip used in the previous generation, and Apple calls the result the most powerful iPad Pro it has made.
The performance claims are specific. Apple says the M1 delivers a 50 percent increase in CPU performance and a 40 percent increase in GPU performance. These are the company's own figures, and the coverage here does not report independent testing.
The M1 also changes what the tablet can be configured with. Memory options now include 8GB and 16GB of RAM, which the chip makes possible. Maximum storage doubles, from 1TB to 2TB.
The most notable change may be the screen, but only on the larger model. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro gets a new Liquid Retina XDR display built around 10,000 mini-LEDs, which allow precise local dimming. Apple lists a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 and peak brightness of 1,600 nits. The 11-inch model does not share in this. It keeps the same display technology as the previous generation, a split that will matter to anyone choosing between the two sizes.
There is also a new front camera system. The TrueDepth camera now uses a 12MP ultrawide sensor with a 120-degree field of view. It supports a feature Apple calls Center Stage, which pans the camera to keep you centered in the frame as you move, and which can recognize other people who enter the shot.
Connectivity improves as well. The new iPad Pro supports Thunderbolt and USB 4, a change that had been rumored beforehand. Cellular models move up to 5G, including mmWave support. Apple will also sell the Magic Keyboard accessory in white, alongside the existing black version.
Both tablets go on sale April 30. The 11-inch model starts at $799 and the 12.9-inch at $1,099. What remains to be seen is how the benchmark claims hold up in independent testing, and whether buyers of the 11-inch model feel the absence of the new display.
Citations marquantes
The new iPad Pro is the most powerful iPad Pro ever, with a 50 percent CPU and 40 percent GPU uplift.— Apple, as reported by Hot Hardware
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