On May 7, 2024, Apple announced the “all-new” iPad Pro with OLED during a virtual event. The biggest change with this new generation of iPad Pro is how thin it is, as well as the OLED displays, which Apple is calling Ultra Retina XDR displays.
In this article, we are going to tell you everything you need to know about the new 2024 models of the iPad Pro. To read more about the 2024 iPad Air models, you can read that article here.
Apple iPad Pro 2024 Specs
Here are the specs of the new iPad Pro 2024 models compared to the previous models released in 2022.
| iPad Pro (2024) | iPad Pro (2022) | |
| Display | 11-inch and 13-inch | 11-inch and 12.9-inch |
| Processor | M4 chip (up to 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine) | M2 chip (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine) |
| RAM | 8GB (16GB for 1TB and 2TB models) | 8GB or 16GB |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB |
| Cameras | Landscape 12MP wide Camera, 4K video | 12MP wide Camera, 4K video |
| Size | 249.7 x 177.5 x 5.3mm (11-inch) 281.6 x 215.5 x 5.1mm (13-inch) |
247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9mm (11-inch) 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4mm (12.9-inch) |
| Weight | 444g (WiFi), 446g (WiFi+Cellular) – 11-inch 579g (WiFi), 582g (WiFi+Cellular) – 13-inch |
466g (WiFi), 470g (WiFi+Cellular) – 11-inch 682g (WiFi), 685g (WiFi+Cellular) – 12.9-inch |
| First Available | May 2024 | October 2022 |
How much does iPad Pro cost?
The iPad Pro will start at $999. That’s a $200 increase over the previous model, which was not an OLED iPad Pro, that makes this an easier pill to swallow, however. On top of that, it comes with double the storage at that price. While none of us want to see a price increase, this is a pretty respectable one. And a much smaller price bump than we saw in the rumor mill leading up to this launch.
Additional price points for the 11-inch iPad Pro include:
- 512GB for $1199
- 1TB for $1599
- 2TB for $1999
The 13-inch model will start at $1,299 with 256GB of storage. It is also available with 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB of storage. Here’s the pricing for the other storage options on the 13-inch iPad Pro:
- 512GB for $1499
- 1TB for $1899
- 2TB for $2299
It’s worth mentioning here that the 1TB and 2TB models of each iPad Pro does offer a Nano-Texture Glass option. And the cellular option is $200 more for each size and storage variant. Meaning you can max out the 13-inch iPad Pro at $2,499.
When can I buy the iPad Pro?
You can pre-order the new iPad Pro today from Apple’s website and a few other retailers. The iPad Pro will start shipping next week, on May 15.
After May 15, you’ll be able to buy the iPad Pro at virtually every retailer and carrier. Don’t expect to see any price cuts anytime soon for the iPad Pro, or the new iPad Air. Apple rarely discounts its products, other than for shopping holidays like Black Friday. And that will only see a $50-$100 discount.
However, if you are an education customer (that includes teachers and students), you can save $50 on the iPad Air and $100 on the iPad Pro. Making the starting price of the iPad Pro just $899.
What’s new with iPad Pro?
So what’s actually new with the iPad Pro this time around for the 6th generation (11-inch) and 7th Generation (13-inch) models? Well, actually, as it turns out, quite a bit. Of course, the big headlining feature is going to be OLED. This is the first time that the iPad has had an OLED option, which might seem pretty odd, considering how long the iPhone has used OLED.
As you might expect, Apple isn’t really calling it “OLED” per se. It’s actually being called “Ultra Retina XDR Display”. However, the term “OLED” was mentioned in its announcement. It has the exact resolution as the older iPad Pro models; the main difference here is the addition of OLED. That’s going to provide deeper blacks here, as well as better color reproduction. Apple has also noted that the iPad Pro is also brighter now. We’re looking at 1,600 nits of peak brightness and 1,000 nits of brightness for SDR and HDR content.
Apple introduces the M4 chipset
Leading up to the announcement, we had heard some rumors about Apple going with the M4 for the iPad Pro this time around, but that seemed a bit far-fetched. But it’s true. The iPad Pro does sport the M4 chipset, making it the first product ever released with M4. Though, we could see some Macs with M4 at WWDC in June.
According to Apple, the M4 is able to provide 50% faster CPU performance than the M2 iPad Pro. Remember, no iPad received the M3 treatment, so Apple can’t really compare generation over generation for its chipsets here. It also sports four times faster rendering performance.
Now, iPadOS is able to match color requirements for color grading precisely. Making it perfect for content creators on the go.
New 12-megapixel cameras
We’ve all seen people using the iPad to take photos at sporting events and such, but now with these new cameras, it’s actually possible to get some good pictures. The 12-megapixel cameras on the back of the iPad Pro are able to shoot in 4K ProRes Video. It also includes four studio mics plus the LiDAR scanner. Making for a really impressive camera experience.
On top of that, the front-facing camera that is primarily used for Facetime has now moved to the long edge of the iPad Pro. It’s about time.
New Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro
Along with the new iPad Pros, Apple also announced a couple of new accessories. There’s the new Magic Keyboard and the Apple Pencil Pro. Let’s start with the new Magic Keyboard.
The price of the Magic Keyboard is staying the same – $299 for the 11-inch and $349 for the 13-inch. But there are some big improvements here. For instance, the trackpad is now far larger. And there is now a function row, including an escape key. These are things that many prosumers have been asking for since the original Magic Keyboard debuted in 2020.
There is a new Apple Pencil available too. Apple Pencil Pro, which the name did leak out a day before the event, but now it’s here and for real. This new Apple Pencil Pro features a few new features like a new Squeeze Gesture instead of a button or tapping the side of the pencil. As well as Haptic Feedback and Find My support. The Find My support is going to be a huge deal, since I have definitely lost my Apple Pencil many times.
Surprisingly, the Apple Pencil Pro costs only $129. That is the same price as the Apple Pencil 2nd generation. This leads us to believe that the 2nd Generation model will be discontinued at some point in the near future. If it doesn’t get a price decrease. Now, you have the option of four different Apple Pencils, ranging from $79 to $129.
The new Apple Pencil Pro works only on the iPad Air (M2) and iPad Pro (M4). The new Magic Keyboard is only for iPad Pro and not iPad Air.
iPad Pro is now the thinnest Apple Product ever
The new feature of the iPad Pro this year is thinness. The iPad Pro 11-inch is 5.3mm thick, and the 13-inch is 5.1mm thick. That makes the 13-inch model thinner than even the iPod Nano all those years ago. It is also thinner than the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, which is just 5.5mm. I reviewed the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra last year and felt that the incredibly thinness and the size (it’s a 14.6-inch display) made it pretty uncomfortable to hold.
Should you buy the new iPad Pro?
Now the big question here is whether you should buy the new iPad Pro. This comes down to two things: How do you use your iPad or tablet? And how old is your current iPad or Tablet? I will be upgrading to the iPad Pro. I’ll be grabbing the 13-inch model, as I’ve wanted a larger iPad for quite some time, and the move to OLED makes this well worth the upgrade for me.
However, if you are someone who only uses your iPad for some games and maybe a little bit of streaming, the upgrade might not be worth it to you, especially with a starting price of $999. I use my iPad as a second monitor for my MacBook Pro when I’m traveling, I also use it for streaming, and getting work done when I’m away from my desk. It’s much lighter to carry around than my 14-inch MacBook Pro and can do a lot of what my MacBook Pro can do, too.