The M1 chip is reaping success after success. After the
excellent debut in the notebook field, as we observed in the review of the
MacBook Air 2021 , and the landing in fixed solutions such as the new iMac ,
the lucky Apple processor has also arrived on tablets, in the iPad Pro 2021
range . On closer inspection it is precisely in this sector that the Cupertino
miracle stands out even more, because never before has such power been seen in
a tablet.
With this move, Apple has closed the game, there are no
competitors who can counter the strength contained within the new iPad Pro. We
will see if Samsung will be able to pull out a SoC that is up to it thanks to
the partnership with AMD, but in the short term there is no story, Apple has
won hands down on the computing power front.
Unchanged design, incredible sound
For the past few years we've been using a 2018 iPad Pro,
which still remains a great tablet today. Over time, other models have come
out, however the design chosen by Apple has remained unchanged. At first glance
it is difficults to recognize a 2021 iPad Pro, but just look at the rear camera
module to immediately distinguish it from the 2018 variant, which had only one
photo sensor. Compared to the 2020 model, however, nothing changes, we are
faced with the design that has now become iconic of the Pro range .
The care for the realization of the product is of the
highest level and it is amazing that, despite the increase in performance
granted by the M1 chip, the thickness of the body has remained unchanged.
On the front remain the frames seen in the past, which
differ from other iPads because they are thinner and of the same thickness
along the entire body. In reality there is not much to say about the design of
the new iPad Pro, but two considerations can still be made, one concerns the
accessories, the other instead the presence of four speakers, really
surprising. Owners of a previous generation iPad Pro, even from 2018, will be
happy to know that the original Apple cover and also the keyboard are almost
100% compatible with the new model, and given the cost of these accessories it
is a positive aspect. .
The only problem, part of the photographic module is covered
in case you use a cover or keyboard designed for the 2018 model, but they do
not create other annoyances during use. The sales package includes the charging
cable and the 18 W charger, everything else, including Apple Pencil 2, must be
purchased separately.
As for the speakers, there are four in all, installed in the
upper and lower edges. Apple managed to amaze us once again, we did not believe
it was possible to improve the audio performance in such a marked way compared
to the 2018 model but the company succeeded.
The quality expressed by these four speakers amazes not only
for power, but also for the spatiality they are able to give. We have used iPad
Pro as the only means of fruition for multimedia content for over fifteen days
and we have never felt the need to connect an external speaker, indeed, the
yield has really impressed us.
Great display, even without Mini LED
The M1 processor is not the only big news present in the
iPad Pro 2021. The 12.9-inch model can in fact count on a screen with Mini LED
backlight, a feature absent in this 11-inch variant.
Despite this we are faced with one of the best LCD screens
available on tablets, which also takes an important step forward compared to
the 2018 model in terms of brightness. The specifications of the IPS panel show
a resolution of 2388x1668 pixels, for a total of 264 PPI. The technologies
inside are different, we find ProMotion, to manage the dynamic refresh rate
from 24 up to 120 Hz , useful for saving battery according to the context of
use.
With True Tone you can adjust the color temperature, while
" full lamination " allows you to minimize the distance between the
glass covering the screen and the panel. Full support is given, as always, to
the extended P3 color space.
The performance of this screen is excellent, compared to the
superior model the contrast is lower and the black is less intense, this must
be said, but if you exclude the HDR contents, where the Mini LEDs can give off
a much higher brightness, not we missed it a lot. In SDR the performance of the
two screens is similar and it is in this mode that the tablet is used the most.
Speaking of brightness, the 2018 iPad Pro struggled a bit in very bright
environments, but this is not the case with the new model, which reaches almost
600 nits in SDR and remains clearly visible in all conditions of use .
To benefit from the lower diagonal is portability, an iPad
like this comes in small backpacks, the 12.9-inch variant is more similar to a
laptop from this point of view.
Even with active HDR we are faced with a screen of absolute
quality, capable of giving vibrant and vivid colors, without however reaching
the contrast and peak brightness obtainable with the Mini LEDs.
Above the display is then installed the Face ID, which on
the iPad gives its best, not only in term of security, but also in terms of
accuracy and speed in unlocking. Just enter the camera's field of view, even in
a lateral position, to be immediately recognized. Unlocking is really quick and
does not create problems during daily use.
Performance and autonomy
Performance is the highlight of this iPad Pro 2021, which
can count on the power of the M1 chips, 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB of internal
memory in the test sample. The 1 and 2 TB memory variants offer 16 GB of RAM,
but right now we don't see a real reason to bet on these much more expensive
models. The processor is made with a 5 nm production process and is composed of
8 cores, including four Firestorms for the most complex tasks and four
Icestorms for the less demanding ones.
Apple has done an impressive job of handling CPU operations,
increasing the ability to parallelize tasks and giving the M1 a new way to
manage the information it needs to process. It is the combination of hardwares
and software that makes the difference, not the only brute force. Together with
the 8 CPU cores there are another 8 dedicated to the GPU, which make up a
package that detaches the previous generations quite clearly.
The fluidity is at the highest levels, the operating system
is managed with an impressive lightness, it seems to navigate in butter, also
thanks to the refresh rate of the display. Even with active multitasking there
are no uncertainties, the same thing happens within applications.
Applications are, at present, the most delicate issue linked
to the new iPad Pro 2021. Most of them do not require the power expressed by
the M1 chip to work well, moreover the App Store for iPad is not the same
available on iMac and MacBook, which remains separate . There are obviously
professional use cases where the M1 makes a difference, just think of Adobe
applications for video and photo editing, and many more will come over time,
because it's relatively recently that the M1 has been available on the iPad and
many apps need to be updated to make the most of the brute force available. In
short, the suffix "Pro" is not accidental, those who buy a tablet of
this rangeit must have particular needs in terms of performance, functionality
and connectivity , otherwise Apple has many other less expensive models that
meet the needs of a wider audience.
Speaking of connectivity, a USB Type C connector compatible
with the 40 Gbps Thunderbolt standard is installed in the lower edge. Here you
can connect external hard drives, monitors, keyboards, really everything: since
there is only one port you need an adapter to connect multiple devices, but on
the market there are dozens of them even at low cost. We then find Wi-Fi 6,
Bluetooth 5 and, in this test model, also support for 5G. The base price of the
128 GB Wi-Fi only variant is € 899, € 1069 for the 5G one.
Are too many? Actually no, simply because there are lower
cost alternatives: we repeat, an iPad Pro can only be purchased if you really
need what it can offer. Even the comparison with the MacBook Air and Pro makes
little sense, Apple considers these product lines complementary and
non-overlapping, it is no coincidence that the App Stores are separate.
Those who need an ultra-portable, touch-screen product,
along with support for the Apple Pencil 2, will find a faithful companion in the
iPad Pro. Those who are interested in using it as a pure laptop, on the other
hand, can focus on MacBooks.
Another important factor that can affect these choices is
battery life. Already with the MacBook Air 2021 the M1 chip had proved its
thrift in consumption, on the iPad the battery life is even longer .
It is impossible not to end the day with normal use, the
optimization is excellent and consumption in this case is never high. On the
other hand, when you move on to more complex tasks, such as video editing, the
discourse changes and it may take a few hours to run out of energy. It all
depends on what you do with the iPad, but in general we are dealing with a
device with a really high autonomy.
Great cameras
A 12 Megapixel Ultra Wide camera with f / 2.4 aperture is
installed on the front, replacing the 7 Megapixel model installed previously.
This offers a very wide field of view, which may seem excessive but which
actually hides two advantages. The first is to give more ease when unlocking
the tablet, which is also performed from side positions. The second is a very
interesting function, which we have already encountered in the Facebook Portal
review , that is the automatic direction during video calls.
This pans and zooms the image according to the position of
the subject, always keeping it in the center of the frame even as it moves.
This feature must be integrated into applications to be used outside of Apple's
software package, but we are confident that third-party developers will soon be
taking advantage of it. The quality of video calls is very high, clearly better
than that obtainable from a laptop webcam, another detail to be taken into
account, especially given the period we are experiencing, with smart working
always around the corner.
On the back is installed a system consisting of two cameras
and the LIDAR. The two cameras are a 12 Megapixel Wide with f / 1.8 aperture
and a 10 Megapixel Ultra Wide with f / 2.4 aperture.We are facing the best
cameras that can be obtained on a tablet , capable of shooting both day and
night with excellent quality and with excellent color calibration between the
two sensors.
If we exclude the scanning of documents, however, we have
found few opportunities to use them, in these cases it is better to switch to
the iPhone, which offers superior quality and greater handling. Different
speech is valid instead for the LIDAR, a particular technology that allows to
perform 3D scans in real time of the environment and of the objects present on
the scene .
The LIDAR uses light to measure the distances between
objects, based on the time it takes to return to the sensor available on the
iPad a 3D reconstruction is generated. The result obtained can be imported into
a three-dimensional modeling program and used as a starting point for the
realization of a project. LIDAR can also be used to apply advanced filters to
images and footage, or in augmented reality, to increase accuracy. The
application fields are different, but it is precisely functions like these that
distinguish this iPad Pro from other lower-end models.
A particular iPad
An iPad is not a notebook. We are not the ones to say it, it
is Apple itself that makes it clear through the separation of the App Stores
between tablets and laptops of the apple. The iPad Pro have always been
particular products, difficult to place in a specific target , the reason being
its great strengths but also its defects. iPad Pro is aimed at those looking
for a portable device smaller than a notebook, equipped with an exceptional
screen and capable of high versatility, which in different contexts can
completely meet the need for a laptop. This tablet should be placed in the
context of the Apple ecosystem, where each product is complementary to another.
During our test we used it as a pure tablet, so to surf the
internet, read emails, watch streaming content, a field in which we renew our
applause to Apple for the audio quality. Thanks to accessories, keyboard and
Apple Pencil, iPad Pro turns into a sort of link between tablet and notebook, allowing
document management that has nothing to envy to that of a laptop.
For fifteen days we only used iPad Pro for gaming, thanks to
the huge library in the App Store and Apple Arcade, a service that has more
than a few gems suitable for even the most seasoned gamers. We used The Oregon
Trail, Don't Starve, South of the circle, Beyond a Steel Sky, Shinsekai, Creaks
and Hitchhiker, just to name a few, for an offer that is perhaps not very
varied in the case of a demanding player who can count on securities of value.
In some ways an iPad Pro closes the circle, many will not need a laptop by
focusing on this tablet.
It is difficult to find a field in which it does not excel
when compared to other tablets, the only limit today is given by the
applications. The M1 chip has been introduced recently and more will be needed
to exploit it properly. The separation between the Mac and iPad app store will
make this process slower, but in the future there may be native iPad software
that will have nothing to envy to its Mac counterparts, the power to achieve
this goal is all there. Also from the software point of view, the arrival of
iPadOS 15 will greatly modernize the interface , thanks to the widgets that can
be placed in the home, confirming that the software is today the only real
limit that separates an iPad Pro from its maximum potential.
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