What to know
- Apple’s new iPad Pro is powered by an M4 chip and weighs less than the latest iPad Air.
- Being the most expensive iPad ever, the latest iPad Pro targets a very niche group of users while making itself irrelevant to other, more casual users.
- The ultra-thin, lightweight build of the iPad Pro also casts doubt over its durability and sustainability over the long term.
Apple’s new iPad Pro is the thinnest, most powerful iPad yet. Coming in at 5.1mm, its thinner even than the new iPad Air and boasts of the M4 chip that makes it nothing less than a beast. But could it be a bit too powerful or too airy for most users and, considered altogether, too expensive a deal?
Before you give in to the hype over first looks and impressions, consider turning a skeptical eye to the tech itself. Here are FIVE reasons that make us pass on the shiny new Apple toy, and why you should think twice before breaking the bank on Apple’s most expensive iPad Pro to date.
1. You may not need that much horsepower
M4 is a veritable beast. In a world where the M1 chip is still very much relevant, it may be quite the overkill.
The iPad Pro has always felt like a powerhouses whose limits are hardly ever tested. And Apple does reserve its best for the Pro series which tends to open up new ways for people to realize their work with them.
But most use cases don’t demand the sheer raw power of the M4 chip which really is meant for hard core and intensive use. Some compare it, and not wrongly, to taking out a Ferrari to do grocery shopping. If that’s how you roll, then more power to you (upgrade to 1TB or 2TB storage and get double the RAM and a faster chip). If not, there are better deals in the iPad lineup.
2. Say goodbye to physical SIMs
With the latest iPad Pro, Apple has also pulled the plug on physical eSIM trays. To be sure, Apple had already phased out the SIM card tray in favor of eSIM in the USA on previous gen iPads, and only the units sold in the international markets still had physical SIM trays. But there are no such conveniences available on the latest generation of iPads anywhere in the world. This alone may not be a dealbreaker but it’s an inconvenience nevertheless.
3. It may need extra care
Perhaps the most salient feature of the new iPad Pro is its thinness. Coming in at 5.1mm for the 13-inch model, and 5.3mm for the 11-inch variant, both are thinner and lighter than the updated iPad Air lineup. So there goes that naming convention.
But if there’s anything we’ve learnt from the ultra-thin tech of years past, it’s that such gear is often prone to bending and breaking. Although we haven’t had the chance to test the aluminum build of the new iPad Pro, it is absurdly thin. Whether or not that happens to be a cause for concern, most users would naturally be led to handle the iPad Pro with a little extra care and gentleness.
4. Lighter than Air, but is it worth the money?
Both the iPad Pro models are lighter than their respective iPad Air models. This is another reason why the new iPad Pro is gathering points among the press. But when you look beyond the dimensions and the hardware overkill, it’s hard to justify spending upwards of a thousand dollars at the very least.
The new iPad Pro is the most expensive one yet which invariably pegs it for a more niche target group. Casual users who’ve never experienced anything but buttery-smooth operations on their iPad Pro thus far are better off without the upgrade.
Depending on who you ask, the combined build-and-weight factor of previous generations may have been an issue on the 13″ inch iPad Pro. So it’s definitely a plus for those who want the best that Apple can offer in an ultralight package. For everyone else, the flagship tablet may be irrelevant.
5. No, sorry, it won’t replace your laptop
Being Apple’s flagship tablet offering, the iPad Pro is the most portable beast there is. But does that make it a replacement for your laptop? Not necessarily. The new Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard are great accessories to have. Typing on the latter gives a familiar feeling, but the jury is still out on how well the trackpad fares.
But it’s not so much about the accessories and the peripherals as it is about the iPadOS itself. For all intents and purposes, it is not meant to replace what you do on a laptop or a MacBook. When it comes to multitasking or using resource intense programs, nothing beats MacOS, and that is how it should be.
We hope these points helped you consider all the reasons why you shouldn’t be swayed by all the hype around Apple’s latest iPad Pro. Until next time!
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