iPad Pro Happy new owner of iPad Pro 13" M4, but......

[Geoff777]

I was very happy to be gifted an iPad Pro 13" M4 to replace my 3rd gen 2018 iPad Pro for Christmas.
There's nothing wrong with my 2018 iPad, except a niggley issue with the volume buttons, which now occasionally stick.
Other than that it's in perfect working order, but my family decided that at 6 years old, it needed an upgrade.

I am going to be honest - so far I don't notice a huge difference. Sure, it has a better screen, a faster chip and LIDAR but in practical terms, it's not much different. Have a look at the Apple comparison page. https://www.apple.com/uk/ipad/compare/?modelList=ipad-pro-13-m4,ipad-pro-12-9-3rd-gen,ipad-10th-gen
They're quite similar.

While I am chuffed to get a new one, I am a little surprised about how little it seems to have changed from a model that's 6 years old.
If I've missed something obvious I'd be pleased to hear!

Meantime, Happy New Year!

 

[jumpcutking]

A decent bump in specs from the 2 models. Transitioned to desktop class Apple Silicon (if you use Final Cut or do Graphics or 3D on it, it’s a huge improvement). WiFi boost from 5 to 6e - for gamers or streaming this is good. The new Apple Pencil is an improvement over the old one, and I think it’s snazzy.

But if your just doing basic features than, nope, except maybe web tabs are better.

 

[sparksd]

I was very happy to be gifted an iPad Pro 13" M4 to replace my 3rd gen 2018 iPad Pro for Christmas.
There's nothing wrong with my 2018 iPad, except a niggley issue with the volume buttons, which now occasionally stick.
Other than that it's in perfect working order, but my family decided that at 6 years old, it needed an upgrade.

I am going to be honest - so far I don't notice a huge difference. Sure, it has a better screen, a faster chip and LIDAR but in practical terms, it's not much different. Have a look at the Apple comparison page. https://www.apple.com/uk/ipad/compare/?modelList=ipad-pro-13-m4,ipad-pro-12-9-3rd-gen,ipad-10th-gen
They're quite similar.

While I am chuffed to get a new one, I am a little surprised about how little it seems to have changed from a model that's 6 years old.
If I've missed something obvious I'd be pleased to hear!

Meantime, Happy New Year!

The differences are pretty significant, including weight (I had the 2018 12.9 and have the M4 13). What more would you be looking for?

 

[sonicrobby]

I was very happy to be gifted an iPad Pro 13" M4 to replace my 3rd gen 2018 iPad Pro for Christmas.
There's nothing wrong with my 2018 iPad, except a niggley issue with the volume buttons, which now occasionally stick.
Other than that it's in perfect working order, but my family decided that at 6 years old, it needed an upgrade.

I am going to be honest - so far I don't notice a huge difference. Sure, it has a better screen, a faster chip and LIDAR but in practical terms, it's not much different. Have a look at the Apple comparison page. https://www.apple.com/uk/ipad/compare/?modelList=ipad-pro-13-m4,ipad-pro-12-9-3rd-gen,ipad-10th-gen
They're quite similar.

While I am chuffed to get a new one, I am a little surprised about how little it seems to have changed from a model that's 6 years old.
If I've missed something obvious I'd be pleased to hear!

Meantime, Happy New Year!

Truthfully, if you were happy with a device that was 6 years old, you probably wouldnt notice any real difference in practical uses from the newer model. The things that usually go noticed the most are the problems that get resolved. If volume buttons sticking was the only issue you were seeing, it would probably be biggest thing you notice. Everything else will pretty much be a nice-to-have benefit, and only go noticed if you really are looking for them.

 

[MacRazySwe]

The 2018 iPad Pro has held up remarkably well. Then again, it was way overpowered at release. I plan on keeping mine for a long time still.

 

[gusping]

I noticed the exact same thing when i bought the M4 version to replace my 2018 12.9in Pro. The OLED screen was great, but I don't watch that many films on my iPad so it's not super important. Side-by-side, the M4 is a bit faster, but my old iPad is not slow. One noticeable downside are the M4 iPP's speakers, and the fact the new OLED caused me eye strain and headaches, leading me to return it.

 

[Student of Life]

I noticed the exact same thing when i bought the M4 version to replace my 2018 12.9in Pro. The OLED screen was great, but I don't watch that many films on my iPad so it's not super important. Side-by-side, the M4 is a bit faster, but my old iPad is not slow. One noticeable downside are the M4 iPP's speakers, and the fact the new OLED caused me eye strain and headaches, leading me to return it.

If you still want an update, your best bet is the M2 iPad Pro. You get the M2 chip, mini-led, HDR screen, you can keep your Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard if you have one, or get one cheap second hand. Remember the M2 iPad Pro screen will be substantially better than the Air screen.

 

[gusping]

If you still want an update, your best bet is the M2 iPad Pro. You get the M2 chip, mini-led, HDR screen, you can keep your Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard if you have one, or get one cheap second hand. Remember the M2 iPad Pro screen will be substantially better than the Air screen.

I debates that, but it’s still very expensive here in the UK and i just can’t bring myself to do it. I’ll ride my 2018 iPP until the end and pray by that point the Air has promotion.

 

[Student of Life]

I debates that, but it’s still very expensive here in the UK and i just can’t bring myself to do it. I’ll ride my 2018 iPP until the end and pray by that point the Air has promotion.

I didnt realize you are in the UK. Here in the USA, Costco has the 12.9 M2 iPad Pro 128gb for 799 at the moment. Thats the same price as the 13 Air 128gb. Maybe UK Costco has some deals?

 

[elmoss]

Hard to please, got it for free and still complaining lol

 

[5167767]

Enjoy your new iPad, that’s a great Christmas 🎄 gift.

 

[macbug]

This is like asking if the upgrade from the 2018 BMW M3 to the 2024 M3 is worth it. If all you do is drive to the store and back every day using the automatic, will you notice a difference? no. If you also race on the track every weekend? It'd be hard not to.

 

[gusping]

I didnt realize you are in the UK. Here in the USA, Costco has the 12.9 M2 iPad Pro 128gb for 799 at the moment. Thats the same price as the 13 Air 128gb. Maybe UK Costco has some deals?

Costco is the best place to purchase Apple products in the UK for the most part, but the cheapest M2 12.9in Pro is the 512GB model for £1200. Virtually the same price as the M4 256GB model! I’ll hold out until the M5 version i tyink and hope the OLED doesn’t give me the same eye issues.

 

[Geoff777]

The differences are pretty significant, including weight (I had the 2018 12.9 and have the M4 13). What more would you be looking for?

I don't know really. It's just previous upgrades have been noticeably different, e.g changing my iPhone 8 for a 13, or more recently getting a Studio Max after using an iMac 5k (2017) for so long.

As some posters have pointed out, if I'm not using apps that stretch it, there may not be much difference. I think the most demanding apps I use on the iPad are the Affinity apps. I might try Final Cut for a month and see how that goes on both! The difference between iMac and Studio for that app are massive.

Enjoy your new iPad, that’s a great Christmas 🎄 gift.

Thank you very much, it certainly was! My wife packed it in a circular box so when it went under the tree I had no idea what it was...... very nice surprise indeed!

 

[Performa460]

I kind of feel the same way regarding my M1 and M4.

There's something about the M4 that makes it feel like more of a premium device, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is that makes it better than my 2021 iPad, because at the same time, it feels like such a similar device.

I have decided, though, to go forward and use my M1 as more of a "slate" and leave it detached from the Magic Keyboard, while using my M4 as more of a laptop-like device and keeping it on the Magic Keyboard.

 

[5167767]

I don't know really. It's just previous upgrades have been noticeably different, e.g changing my iPhone 8 for a 13, or more recently getting a Studio Max after using an iMac 5k (2017) for so long.

As some posters have pointed out, if I'm not using apps that stretch it, there may not be much difference. I think the most demanding apps I use on the iPad are the Affinity apps. I might try Final Cut for a month and see how that goes on both! The difference between iMac and Studio for that app are massive.



Thank you very much, it certainly was! My wife packed it in a circular box so when it went under the tree I had no idea what it was...... very nice surprise indeed!

That’s funny, I’ve used that trick too while wrapping Christmas presents.

 

[MacRazySwe]

This is like asking if the upgrade from the 2018 BMW M3 to the 2024 M3 is worth it. If all you do is drive to the store and back every day using the automatic, will you notice a difference? no. If you also race on the track every weekend? It'd be hard not to.

Well, it’s an iPad… Still limited by iPadOS.

I’d say that more than anything, the iPad very much fits into your first example. It’s a device for convenience, very much aligning with the “driving to the store using the automatic” analogy that you alluded to.

For hard work (or the race track, as you put it) I’d argue that there are better tools.

Unless you fall into the category of…
a) someone with a very specific workflow that can only be done on the iPad, but still requires a lot of compute power - e.g. video editing? Photo editing? 3D?
b) gaming.

I don’t do much of either, so haven’t been able to find the limits of my 2018 iPad Pro. All the games still run great. I guess Resident Evil would be the first example of a game that is not supported, but I think gaming on iOS is still quite poor.

Just my personal opinion, but I can see why someone would be hard pressed to justify an upgrade.

 

[FlyingDutch]

I was very happy to be gifted an iPad Pro 13" M4 to replace my 3rd gen 2018 iPad Pro for Christmas.
There's nothing wrong with my 2018 iPad, except a niggley issue with the volume buttons, which now occasionally stick.
Other than that it's in perfect working order, but my family decided that at 6 years old, it needed an upgrade.

I am going to be honest - so far I don't notice a huge difference. Sure, it has a better screen, a faster chip and LIDAR but in practical terms, it's not much different. Have a look at the Apple comparison page. https://www.apple.com/uk/ipad/compare/?modelList=ipad-pro-13-m4,ipad-pro-12-9-3rd-gen,ipad-10th-gen
They're quite similar.

While I am chuffed to get a new one, I am a little surprised about how little it seems to have changed from a model that's 6 years old.
If I've missed something obvious I'd be pleased to hear!

Meantime, Happy New Year!

Well, it depends on your usage and workflow, but the computing power difference between the two devices is staggering .
Also the battery after 6 years probably was quite depleted .

 

[Flynnsworth]

I think the screen on the M4 is incredible. I don’t generally care for the thinness of devices but the M4 is so light and manageable compared to previous models too.

 

[Unami]

For hard work (or the race track, as you put it) I’d argue that there are better tools.

Unless you fall into the category of…
a) someone with a very specific workflow that can only be done on the iPad, but still requires a lot of compute power - e.g. video editing? Photo editing? 3D?

Even then you have to be in a very specific niche of that niche. Editing videos and music? - due to incompatible plugins, lack of some auxiliary software (like after effects, cinema4d,...), limited storage on a mobile device, cumbersome workflows and the small screen you're only ever going to do very light video editing or musical sketching that's not going to use the full compute power of the iPad pro anyway - and as soon as you start to port your project to a desktop computer, there's no going back.

So in that BMW-analogy, sure, the engine of the M4 ipad would have more horsepower but it's speed and acceleration would be capped by software.

 

[Adelphos33]

Aside from the hardware differences, you are 100% correct. The fact of the matter is that 95% of iPad apps run just as well on the 2018 iPad as they do the m4 iPad. That's not really an indictment of the M4 - it is more of a compliment of the 2018 (and M1) iPads, and the fact that iPadOS software doesn't need much processing power. I have an M4, but from a money spent standpoint, the upgrade wasn't worth it from an M1.

 

[FlyingDutch]

Aside from the hardware differences, you are 100% correct. The fact of the matter is that 95% of iPad apps run just as well on the 2018 iPad as they do the m4 iPad. That's not really an indictment of the M4 - it is more of a compliment of the 2018 (and M1) iPads, and the fact that iPadOS software doesn't need much processing power. I have an M4, but from a money spent standpoint, the upgrade wasn't worth it from an M1.

So why did you upgrade from the M1 ?

 

[okkibs]

The only real upgrade worth mentioning is the OLED display and also the more efficient hardware giving us the best battery life of any iPad in the current lineup.

I upgraded solely for the OLED display. Tandem OLED is better than any display on the market, whether on an Apple device or any other. Some people even use it as their primary Macbook display through the Sidecar feature.

The older iPad Pros and especially the 11" versions had an abysmal display compared to OLED and battery life was much worse. If you don't need either then the upgrade isn't noticeable. But I can now do some graphics work on an airplane without bringing the Mac along and its even got the better display of the two. For me the M4 iPad is about the best upgrade that any iPad ever received.

To put it differently, for many customers looking for a media consumption device the M4 iPad is overpriced. For people who need the accurate display and can do work on it it's a bargain.

 

[CharlesShaw]

Thank you very much, it certainly was! My wife packed it in a circular box so when it went under the tree I had no idea what it was...... very nice surprise indeed!

And hopefully she doesn't read MR, detect the shade on the platform within the praise, and realize that the money was probably better spent elsewhere.

 

[klasma]

Ironically, maybe you would have noticed more of a difference if you were coming from a more recent model, which were heavier and thicker than the 2018, and whose displays exhibited blooming due to the mini-LED.