I just bought an M1 iPad Pro
No, that’s not a typo. Despite the facts that, a.) Apple just announced a new iPad Pro with the M2 chip and b.) I’m usually the kind of guy that likes the newest and shiniest tech, I decided to upgrade my 2018 12.9-inch iPad Pro to a slightly older 2021 model. Here’s why.
Not much has changed
Obviously, the biggest update to the iPad Pro this year is the M2 system, which does offer some notable improvements. Like the M1, the M2 offers 8 CPU cores with 4 performance and 4 efficiency cores, but they’re about 15% faster overall. The M2 also has double the memory bandwidth, 2 more GPU cores, and a more robust media engine for video workflows. That’s all well and good, but it’s overkill for the way I use an iPad (more on that later).
The other differences are far more niche. There’s the new Apple Pencil hover feature, ProRes video recording, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 and...that’s it. I don’t use my Pencil very often (usually with my iPad mini) and I never (ever) shoot video with my iPad, so those aren’t worth the premium to me. I don’t even have WiFi 6 in my house, let alone 6E, and I rarely use Bluetooth accessories with my iPad, so neither of those matter to me either.
Otherwise, the M1 and M2 iPads are identical. Same design, same cameras, same screens, same battery life, same accessory compatibility...a whole lot of the same.
A redesign is (probably) 18 months out
I was really hoping for a more substantial redesign like we had with the new M2 MacBook Air, but this just wasn’t the year. Now that we’ve had the same iPad Pro design for 4 years, I’m inclined to believe the next round will introduce some new design elements…but it’s probably a year and a half away.
One indication that a redesign is on the horizon is the fact that they moved the front camera on the 10th-generation iPad to the long, or landscape, side. Apple is finally acknowledging that most people use iPads like laptops, so video calls won’t look quite as awkward on that device. It’s safe to say that this change will eventually make its way to all iPads, but they’ll have to rethink the Apple Pencil 2 integration. That same edge of the iPad Air and iPad Pro currently houses the magnets that allow the Apple Pencil to attach for syncing and charging, and I’m no hardware engineer, but I don’t think it’s as simple as cramming a camera in between those magnets. Hopefully whatever solution they devise remains compatible with the 2nd-gen Apple Pencil and doesn’t require a 3rd generation.
Other new features are up in the air. There have been rumors of some version of MagSafe charging, reverse wireless charging, and a new connector for future accessories.
As for the timeline, I’m expecting Spring of 2024 (and so is Mark Gurman). While Apple occasionally revises products after 12 months, 18-ish months is generally the safer bet. Here are the iPad Pro life cycles over the past 5 years:
June 2017 to October 2018 (almost 17 months)
October 2018 to March 2020 (almost 17 months)
March 2020 to April 2021 (13 months)
April 2021 to October 2022 (almost 18 months)
So yeah, I’d target somewhere around March or April 2024 for an M3 iPad Pro. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy all the new features I’ll get with the M1, which brings me to...
M1 is still a nice upgrade (for me)
If you happen to have a 2018 (or even a 2020) 12.9-inch iPad Pro, there are a few nice upgrades that come with the M1 version. The one I’m most excited for is the mini-LED XDR screen that offers 1,000 nits of full screen brightness and 1,600 nits of peak brightness for HDR content. If your eyes just glazed over, all that means is that any content that supports HDR (lots of movies, the occasional YouTube video, and almost any photos or videos shot on a recent iPhone) will look super bright and crisp. I’m looking forward to using it for light photo editing and the best possible in-flight movie experience.
It’s worth noting that the 11-inch iPad Pro still doesn’t have an XDR screen. In fact, the 11-inch screen has never changed, so the new 2022 model is identical to the original 2018 version.
While the 2018 and 2020 iPads Pro had 7 megapixel front-facing cameras, the M1 iPad Pro has a 12MP ultra-wide front-facing camera that supports Center Stage, which automatically pans and zooms to keep you in the frame on video calls. I like Center Stage for FaceTime calls, but I’ve only ever used it on my iPad mini, which is a pretty small device. It’ll be a much better experience on the huge 12.9-inch screen.
As for performance, the jump from the A12X to the M1 is going to be really nice. The M1 with the 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage tiers include 8GB of RAM, which is double that of my 2018 iPad Pro (get a 1TB or 2TB model and you get 16GB of RAM). I don’t do many performance-intensive tasks on my iPads, but I have been noticing some sluggishness even with basic tasks and app switching. That’ll change with the M1.
There’s also Thunderbolt/USB 4 instead of a slower USB connection, a second ultra wide camera on the back of the device, an extra GPU core, a neural engine with 16 cores instead of 8, WiFi 6, a LiDAR Scanner, and a few other camera improvements. All good stuff, but I probably won't notice any of it.
I’m also finally admitting that the iPad is not a “work” device for me. When I decided to buy a refurbished 2018 12.9-inch model in 2020, it was a direct result of Apple releasing the Magic Keyboard accessory. I went for a 512GB WiFi + cellular model assuming that it would become the perfect mobile workstation. Unfortunately, iPadOS just doesn’t handle my workflow. Pretty much everything I do (except maybe drafting these blog posts) is easier on a Mac. Plus, I love the new M2 MacBook Air so much, I’ll always reach for that when I need to get things done. I also had the cell service activated for a few months, but considering the pandemic, I rarely used it and ended up cancelling it. I haven’t felt the need to activate it since.
That’s why I went for the 256GB WiFi-only model of the M1 iPad Pro. Now that I know how I use this device — movies and shows while traveling, couch-time browsing, kitchen companion for recipes and music — it was worth cutting a few corners and saving some money…and speaking of money…
Discounts!
As I write this, retailers are trying to make space for the M2 iPad Pro, offering great discounts on M1 models. Amazon dropped the price of my configuration by $200, and Best Buy should be offering similar discounts. In short, it’s a good time to buy an M1.
Maximizing the value of my 2018 iPad Pro
As with any tech, my 2018 iPad Pro will never be worth more than it is right now. Given the opportunity to take advantage of much better performance, more memory, and that awesome XDR screen for 12 to 18 months, it makes sense to sell my 2018 model now rather than let it depreciate further.
Wrap-up
The M2 iPad Pro is a great device, and anyone who has the means and wants the newest and best should absolutely go for it. But for me, the leap from the 2018 to the 2021 model at a significant discount will make it easier to wait for a design revision.
Of course, there are a lot of other great iPad options available right now, so if you have any questions about which model to choose, let me know!
