The new fifth-gen iPad Pro is here and seems to be on a heavy dose of steroid this time thanks to the fitment of the Apple M1 processor. That apart, there is 5G connectivity, bigger storage, and a new mini-LED display, all of which make the new 2021 iPad Pro the most powerful tablet device ever to be made. Here is all that makes the new iPad Pro so special.
The Apple M1 processor
The new octa-core Mi SoC is clearly one of the biggest positives with the iPad Pro. Apple is claiming a 50 percent bump in performance compared to the A12Z Bionic chip. The same applies to the octa-core GPU too which makes for a 40 percent improvement in performance over its predecessor.
Another reason the new iPad Pro offers a power-packed performance is the high level of customization it enjoys. The new M1 chip, the iPadOS, and everything are tailor-made to offer superior performance while devouring the minimum of battery juice. Also at work is a new 16-core Apple Neural Engine and an advanced image signal processor (ISP), which, together with a unified, high-bandwidth memory architecture with a max of up to 16 GB of memory, all contribute to making the iPad Pro faster than ever. A 2x faster storage along with up to 2 TB capacity also plays its part too.
The Liquid Retina XDR display with mini-LED design
The new Liquid Retina XDR display with mini-LED design is the other stand-out feature of the iPad Pro which makes the 12.9-inch display simply come alive. There is an array of 10,000 mini-LEDs spread across the rear of the entire display which contributes to the 1000 nits of full-screen brightness and 1600 nits of peak brightness that the new iPad Pro is capable of. An astounding one million-to-one contrast ratio ensures image quality of the highest order under any circumstances.
TrueDepth cam with Center Stage
The TrueDepth 12 MP ultra-wide camera on the front of the iPad too is an all-new development, which Apple said has been specifically designed for the iPad Pro. It now features the Center Stage which makes for a revolutionary change in the way video calls used to be conducted so far. Not only does the camera have a much larger field of view, but there is also AI magic at work that ensures users are always at the center of the frame. The camera pans automatically to keep the user-centered even if they are moving around. When there is more than one user, it zooms out on its own to include the new entrants. The user won’t have to do anything for that, all of it happens automatically.
USB-C port with Thunderbolt, 5G
The USB-C port too has gone for an overhaul so that it now supports Thunderbolt and USB 4. That makes the port more versatile and capable, not to mention its ability to support transmission at significantly higher speeds, up to 40 Gbps, to be precise. In fact, almost everything with the new iPad Pro is about higher levels of speed and performance. Take for instance the support for millimeter-wave 5G connectivity which lets the iPad Pro attain 4 Gbps internet speeds.
Memory and storage configuration
The iPad Pro comes in two memory size configurations – 8 GB and 16 GB. The base model comes with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. There are two other models with 256 GB and 512 GB of storage paired with the same 8 GB of RAM. Thereafter, there are the models with 16 GB of memory clubbed with 1 TB and 2 TB of storage.
Camera
For optics, there is the triple camera setup at the rear comprising of a 12 MP f/1.8 wide-angle camera, a 10 MP f/2.4 ultra-wide-angle camera with a 125-degree field of view, and a TOF 3D LiDAR scanner. For selfies, there is the 12 MP f/2.4 ultra-wide-angle front shooter with HDR, face detection, and panorama modes.
Battery and connectivity
Keeping everything moving is the 40.88 Wh battery with 18W fast charging support. Other features include Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, barometer. Connectivity options include WLAN, Bluetooth 5.0, and GPS. There is no USB 3.5 port onboard.
Price and availability
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at $1,099 (US) for the Wi-Fi model and $1,299 for the Wi-Fi and cellular model. Pre-order starts April 30 with shipping to begin from the third week of May itself.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
