I got the space black iPad Pro M4 13", upgraded from the M1 model. I posted that earlier thread about cancelling my order after seeing the models in the Apple Store. However I reconsidered, and I am now thrilled with my purchase. For background, the big iPad has probably been by second or third most used Apple product for a while - and I am going to use it even more due to the following reasons:
I plan on keeping this thing for four to five years, so the $1,500 total cost should amortize nicely over that time frame. I don't have either of the new pencils yet (not a big pencil person), so I will look into whether I could get the Pro or just the USB-C (I also have an 11" iPad Air and may just get the USB C pencil so it works with both iPads). But on the whole, if you are someone that carries your 13" iPad Pro around a lot, you should upgrade. I also think the 13" iPad Air is a great choice for those that want to spend less. The 11" iPad Air is a bit of an enigma now as the iPad 10th Gen is a fine choice for the 11" iPad customer at a lower price point (though you don't have the option of big storage).
- The reduced weight is a big deal. A key thing to remember is that the iPad Pro got heavier from the 2018 version to the M1 version when they added mini LED. The new version is much lighter (thinness doesn't really matter as much) that it is much easier to carry around both alone and with the Magic Keyboard. As someone who often carried the iPad in a briefcase, you notice the weight difference immediately.
- The screen, while not a huge leap in quality from mini LED, is indeed better
- M4 definitely feels snappier in terms of opening apps, opening web pages, etc. By no means was the prior iPad slow, but the current interface is now noticeably smoother. I was doing work today, alternating between Teams, Safari, Bloomberg, and other apps, and everything just felt better.
- Magic Keyboard keys feel much better - I actually got the white again to pair with the space black as I like the silver accents of the keyboard itself.
- I upgraded my storage to 1 TB as I was bumping up against my old 256GB limit - the iPad is the device that I store the most photos and audio content (like podcasts) on, so the extra space helps
I plan on keeping this thing for four to five years, so the $1,500 total cost should amortize nicely over that time frame. I don't have either of the new pencils yet (not a big pencil person), so I will look into whether I could get the Pro or just the USB-C (I also have an 11" iPad Air and may just get the USB C pencil so it works with both iPads). But on the whole, if you are someone that carries your 13" iPad Pro around a lot, you should upgrade. I also think the 13" iPad Air is a great choice for those that want to spend less. The 11" iPad Air is a bit of an enigma now as the iPad 10th Gen is a fine choice for the 11" iPad customer at a lower price point (though you don't have the option of big storage).
Last edited: